15 July 1776

Bradlee, David, 1742-1811

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Indicates that William Knox paid him for three months serve as quartermaster in Knox's regiment and request the balance owed be either payed to him or given to Isaiah Audebert. Audebert was a captain serving under Thomas Craft in Knox's artillery regiment.

GLC02437.00377

16 July 1776

Paine, Robert T., 1731-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Informs Knox that the British approach necessitates a change in location for casting brass cannons and indicates that an air furnace will be set up in Pennsylvania. Congress will still offer to employ Mr. Byers for the job if it can be done at a reasonable cost. Inquires if brass cannons can be cast without sea coal and expresses concerns about the weight of the cannons to be cast. Reports that Congress has written Byers a letter and urges Knox to send it to him and have him reply expeditiously. Mentions that Knox has new visitors and asks him to "treat them in a very polite manner,"…

GLC02437.00379

18 July 1776

Knox, Lucy Flucker, 1756-1824

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Thanks Henry for taking the time to write her "amidst the hurry of public business," referring to the revolutionary war activities in New York. Explains her travel plans, which will bring her to New Haven, Connecticut. Discusses their child's development, including mention of her beginning to talk, and prays that Henry will survive to take care of them. Discusses her reaction to a recent letter from William Knox that included news about her family and explains that she wants to send for her mother (see GLC002437.00368). Seeks a boy recently discharged from the army as a new servant since…

GLC02437.00381

18 July 1776

Knox, William, 1756-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Remarks on Henry's talent for burlesquing William's writing. Expresses sympathy for Lucy's situation, in which she has to stay in Connecticut away from Henry. Offers to leave the bookstore in someone's care and go to Fairfield to bring Lucy back to Boston. Mentions that the Declaration of Independence will be read in Boston on the day of this letter's writing. Remarks that he heard the British sailed up the Hudson, which they did on 12 July 1776, and conjectures "it to be by way of experiment." Mentions that Captain Harry Johnson came in from Halifax. Also mentions that two persons were…

GLC02437.00383

18 July 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Indicates that this letter will be delivered by Mrs. Jonathan Pollard, who will bring other supplies with her. Apologizes for taking a harsh tone with Lucy in letters written earlier in the month. Expresses his desire for frequent communication with her. Criticizes Mrs. Jonathan Pollard for worrying about things that are out of her control. Showing his religious beliefs, Knox thinks such an unhappy person has not "drank of the streams of virtue and piety." Knox believes that unforeseen misfortunes in life and war should be weathered with "Fortitude and patience." Reaffirms his love for…

GLC02437.00384

22 July 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Asks his brother to write to Lucy Knox more often. Gives various directions for business affairs. Asks about the smallpox going around in Massachusetts. Discusses General Charles Lee's recent victory over the British at Fort Moultrie in Charleston, South Carolina, and the naval engagements near Sullivan's Island. Quotes at length from a letter written by General Lee.

GLC02437.00386

23 July 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Indicates that he is sending an indentured servant, Thomas Eliot, to her as she requested and he earlier mentioned (see GLC02437.00383 and GLC02437.00385). Heard that Lucy fell down some stairs and was worried. Remarks that the British have not acted and are possibly awaiting reinforcements. Mentions that the smallpox going around lacked virulence and he wished she had received it (in order to be inoculated). In response to Lucy's question, indicates that Mrs. Airey did not offend him, but did engage in duplicitious conduct, which he hates.

GLC02437.00389

24 July 1776

Dana, William, 1745-1809

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Captain William Dana's account for May, 1776]

Account of officer pay and bounties. Dana was a captain in Henry Knox's artillery regiment.

GLC02437.00390

24 July 1776 - 2 October 1776

Perkins, William, 1742-1802

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Supply list for officers in Henry Knox's artillery regiment]

Also signed by Fred Botticher, Florence Crowley, Samuel Sprague, Dimond Morton, Daniel Hodges, Daniel Preston, Jotham Horton, Samuel Shaw, and Jeremiah Freeman. Notes supplies received by officers from Jonathan Pollard, the quartermaster of Knox's artillery regiment.

GLC02437.00391

24 July 1776

Knox, William, 1756-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses a British ship that was captured near an American fort at Nantasket, Massachusetts. The vessel had come from Ireland to support General William Howe's army and had mistakenly thought the British were still in Boston. Tells a detailed story about how the Committee of Correspondence and Safety ordered every man between sixteen and sixty to gather with full military accoutrements and drafted thirty-two of them to join the invasion of Canada. Many men ran away but the draft was eventually made by offering larger bounties. The debacle caused some to call for the removal of John Brown…

GLC02437.00392

1863/1/3

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

He has an opportunity to join the regular army for the balance of his three years of service. He will get a $2500 bounty, double the pay and will be able to work in a blacksmith's shop. He is ill.

GLC04189.22

1863/1/10

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith and children

The army is still in the same location and is in a state of suspense concerning what will happen next. General Burnside announced a Grand Review which was canceled due to rain. One man in the regiment contracted small pox. The doctors isolated him in the woods where he died and was buried.

GLC04189.23

1863/1/18

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith and children

The regiment has orders to cross the Rappahannock and attack Fredericksburg. Smith describes details of the attack plan. He also mentions a review of the Second Corps by General Ambrose Burnside and provides a description of the general.

GLC04189.24

1863/1/30

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith and children

Rain and mud foiled the attack on Fredericksburg. The pontoons and artillery became stuck in the mud. Confederate soldiers taunted the stranded union soldiers by offering to help build the pontoon bridge, if the federals could get the pontoons to the river. A snow storm has left fifteen inches of snow on top of the already deep mud. Generals Burnside, Franklin, and Sumner have resigned and General Hooker is now in command of the army. There is much sickness in the regiment.

GLC04189.25

1863/2/4

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to C. Carroll Smith

The snow has melted but the weather remains bitterly cold. He reiterates the changes in command discussed in the previous letter. Also mentions losses to his unit and the 72 PA. The latter has only 300 men on active service out of the 1,880 who enlisted nineteen months ago.

GLC04189.26

1863/2/8

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

The army has begun to issue furloughs. The mud is still extremely deep. He discusses the children's health and whether or not they should attend school. He speculates on Hooker's plans for the army. "Joe Hooker will do One of 3 things he will eather [sic] take us out of Virginia or else we shall advance toward Richmond & if we advance we shall give the Rebels the damdest licking they ever had or they will us & I am afraid it will be us that will get it."

GLC04189.27

1863/2/12

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

The army has begun to move out via the railroad to Acquia Creek. His regiment is still on picket duty and must keep the Rebels from noticing the movement of the rest of the army. General Hooker feeds the army better than Burnside did.

GLC04189.28

1863/2/13

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Charley

General Hooker has given orders that all Union troops and sutlers must be out of Falmouth by 10 AM the following day. He advises his son not to go to school as it may interfere with his health. He tells his younger son, Rufus, to begin chewing tobacco.

GLC04189.29

1863/2/26

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

Contains a lengthy description of the weather including rain, snow, and more mud. Discusses picketed duty and his mess mates. He has not shaved "except with a pair of scissors" since he left Salem.

GLC04189.30

1863/3/5

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

His wife has rented out part of the Barn. He is very ill.

GLC04189.31

1863/3/6

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

Discusses picket duty in a ravine and guard duty near the Lacy House. He agonizes over keeping warm and adds "the way we kept warm at the Lacy House was by Running around it[.] The main house was about 100 ft long." He also discusses fraternization with the Confederates: "The Rebels are very sociable across the River and are very anxious to trade anything they have got for Coffee & the way they get it across the River is to fastening it to a board & hoist sail in it & set it afloat & the wind will carry it across."

GLC04189.32

1863/3/17

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

Discusses skirmishing along his picket line and mentions the funeral of a member of their regiment. His regiment got into a fight with a New York regiment over wood. Only twenty-five men from his company are fit for duty.

GLC04189.33

1863/3/25

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

He is ill again. Sickness has decimated the regiment: "a good many get sick that never get well again[.] [W]e have a funeral in the Regiment nearly every day on an average[.] [L]ast night we had 3 . . . ." Describes a skirmish on the 17th between Cavalry units.

GLC04189.34

1863/4/13

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith and children

He is ill with dysentery. He requests a box [i.e. care package] containing Wrights pills, medicine for diarrhea, and food. The regiment has not been paid in a long time. Thirty-six men in the regiment are now fit for duty.

GLC04189.35

1863/4/15

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

The regiment's orders to move out have been delayed by rain. He asks his wife not to send the box [see #35] since boxes become lost when they are forwarded. He believes the regiment may go to Charleston, Vicksburg, or Richmond.

GLC04189.36