9 March 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

Says there was a big fight at Newport News the day before. Says the "Merrimac" came down with the "Yorktown," "Jamestown," and other boats. Reports that "Merrimac ran into and sunk Cumberland killing half her crew, raked the Congress fore and aft till she struck her colors. Minnesota aground, but fought till dark and flies the colors this morning." Says the "Congress" is burned and her magazine blew up. Says the 20th and 99th New York were deployed as Confederate troops were reported landing above Newport News and advancing from Yorktown, but they did not come. Says "The Ericson battery [the…

GLC03681.01

10 March 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter

Title: to his mother

Not signed by Asa Smith. Says they are to remain there because of the "Monitor" and that if they can get through tonight they will be secure. Describes the sinking of the "Cumberland" and the burning of the "Congress" by the "Merrimac." Says the broadside from the Union ships "glanced off without doing much of any damaged and this seemed to satisfy them that our vessels could not hurt them." Says the "Cumberland" went down gloriously, firing her aft guns as the bow went under. Report that "During the evening or camp was full of sailors, and they were the hardest looking set of men I ever saw…

GLC03681.02

11 March 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

Continuation of his letter from GLC03861.02 - he numbers the pages 5-8. Goes on to describe the situation involving the Confederate attack near Newport News, as well as the action of the CSS "Merrimac" and USS "Monitor." Says the 20th and 99th New York infantry were sent to deal with a supposed Confederate attack near Newport News. Says "few eyes were closed that night as it was known that troops were advancing from Yorktown and a fight was expected in the morning, very little was said, but many an oath of revenge was registered." Says half the regiment wrote home last night because they…

GLC03681.03

31 May 1862

Elbert, fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Soldier "Elbert" writes concerning the death and destruction of the Peninsular campaign. Includes small map.

GLC03682

15 June 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter

Title: to Mrs. Smith [incomplete]

Written to his mother on patriotic stationery reporting on his movements from the time of leaving camp until his arrival at the site of the Battle of Fair Oaks.

GLC03683

18 December 1862

Borary, P., fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Johnny Borary

Describes the Battle of Fredericksburg and Stonewall Jackson.

GLC03684

July 1863

Corbin, Elbert, 1836-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Emily Corbin [Incomplete]

Lists some of the men and their injuries, all of which came from the 1st Regiment, Light Artillery, N. Y. S. Volunteers (Pettit's Battery). Also lists supplies lost, repairs made, patching up a Lieutenant Sheldon, and being left there "in care of the Boys." Mentions that General Alexander Hays has taken command of their corps and would not keep volunteer officers on his staff. Discusses "dressing our Boys wounds then...assisting to cut out Balls and dress the wounded Rebels." Comments that he "can do up wounds from shot or shell or Bullits quite like an M.D." and further claims that…

GLC03685

10 August 1862

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eliakim P. Scammon

Discussing troop movement and requesting transportation for squad losing their team. Written at "Camp at Green Meadows."

GLC03687

12 September 1864

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Multiple endorsements on a letter to General William D. Whipple]

Endorsed 12 September by Sherman, who orders the recipient to report to Major General Howard (Oliver Otis Howard). Endorsed 28 August 1864 by General George Henry Thomas, who forwards the document to Sherman; endorsed and forwarded 25 August 1864 by General Jefferson Columbus Davis; endorsed and forwarded 24 August 1864 by General James D. Morgan; endorsed and forwarded 23 August 1864 by John Grant Mitchell, Colonel Commanding. Contains the endorsements of General Thomas E. G. Ransom and [Sam Lesaggart?], Assistant Adjutant General, regarding the relief of Lieutenant [Beens?]. Endorsed by…

GLC03688

February 22, 1862

Polk, Leonidas, 1806-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ulysses S. Grant

Polk, Confederate Major General Commanding, writes to Union General Grant requesting that families of officers captured at Fort Donelson, including General Simon Buckner be allowed to visit. Mentions that the Confederate forces allowed the families of Union officers to visit after the Battle of Belmont.

GLC03690

1863

Manuscript document

Title: [An Act of the Confederate legislature regarding the Confederate Navy]

Proposes a bill to be entitled, "An Act for the establishment & Equalization of the grades of Officers of the Navy, and for other purposes." Includes a three page section titled Explanatory Notes.

GLC03691

29 October 1863

Maury, William Lewis, 1813-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Matthew Fontaine Maury

Both pages have had portions of the name of the writer and recipient cut-out. Pertains to docking, capture of one ship & burning of another [names cut]. Year is inferred.

GLC03692

3 May 1865

Hunter, William W., fl. 1865

Document signed

Title: [Parole permitting William L. Maury to return home]

Signed by Hunter, a captain in the U.S. Army.

GLC03693.01

25 May 1865

Scoville, C.E., fl. 1865

Document signed

Title: [Certifying oath of allegiance taken by William L. Maury]

GLC03693.02

15 October 1853

Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward A. Stansbury

Writes to Stansbury about the use of the word "Free" verses "Independent" as a prefix to the democratic political party. States "I...mean never to call myself any thing but an Independent Democrat until I can claim the name Democrat without that prefix." Discusses their party's victories in the Ohio elections and is pleased that the Whigs were so disorganized.

GLC03695

1861

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Asa Smith, K company, 16th regiment, Massachusetts, infantry] [decimalized]

The Asa D. Smith collection of Civil War correspondence includes letters written to his family in Massachusetts. Smith writes most of his letters from Camp Hamilton in Hampton, Virginia, with a few from Suffolk, Virginia as the regiment moves into battle in June of 1862. His letters describe camp life and second-hand stories of fighting around the Newport News, Virginia area. Smith himself does not enter battle until June 18, 1862, ten days after the last letter in the collection. His letters do not describe particular battles, but he does include details of smaller guerrilla skirmishes (#2,…

GLC03696

7 November 1785

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Letter signed

Title: to Matthew Griswold

Written as Secretary of War to Connecticut governor Griswold about postponing the recruitment of troops until March. He would like those already enlisted to be forwarded to West Point.

GLC03697

6 March 1656

Stuyvesant, Peter, 1592-1672

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Commission of Captain Frederick de Coninck and Captain Lieutenant Brian Nuton for operations in Westchester] [in Dutch]

Cosigned by Nicasius de Sille, First Counsellor of New Netherland Jan La Montagne, and Secretary of New Netherland Cornelis Van Tienhoven. Details a secret mission to the English town of Westchester to seize criminals, banish the other inhabitants, and burn the town, except for such dwellings that can be used to house troops and those who will care for livestock. Beginning of document is missing. Second page is a draft of page one and is struck. Written from New Amsterdam.

GLC03699

1 April 1665

Nicolls, Richard, 1624-1672

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: To the Right Worshipfull And Honorable Gou'vonnor Richard Nicolls

Clute and Bruyns, residents of Albany County, request Governor Richard Nicolls to approve thier purchase of a parcel of land from the Indians. Nicolls approves the purchase.

GLC03700

1860

Object

Title: [Campaign election token of 1860]

Stamped with profile of Abraham Lincoln with an inscription on edge, "Abm: Lincoln, Rep. Candidate for President." Also includes inscriptions on reverse, "Protection to American Industry," and slogan, "Free homes for free men." With hole punched at top.

GLC03702

1839-1844

Jones, William, fl. 1823-1860

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Plantation Book]

Plantation account book of William Jones, the owner of a cotton plantation in the vicinity of Jonesville, Liberty County, Georgia, near Savannah. Also mentions planting rice, but cotton appears to be the main staple of the plantation. Gives a nearly day-by-day account of the operation of his plantation. The book was kept as a record of planting, harvests, weather, preparation of ground, allocation of slave labor, crop yields, prices realized, and other agricultural matters. Provides extremely little on Jones's personal life. No systematic listing of slaves on the plantation is provided, but…

GLC03703

21 September 1838

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to editor of Quincy Patriot

Written as Member of Congress. A report to his constituents regarding petitions made concerning the right to petition and its suppression through the Gag Rule, abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia and the slave trade in the US, his opposition to the admission of Texas, a condemnation of the "fraudulent" Treaty of New Echota which removed the Cherokee Indians and a bill for suppressing duelling between representatives. Pages are stained.

GLC03707

14 August 1779

Jay, John, 1745-1829

Letter signed

Title: to George Clinton

Signed by Jay as President of Congress to Clinton as the Governor of New York. Closing in Jay's hand. Circular letter. Congress is informing the country that the British are reinforcing themselves. Says 7,000 troops are coming from Europe and another 3,000 from the West Indies. Claims America's allies - mainly the French - are concerned that better preparations were not made for a vigorous campaign. Says America needs to exert itself more. Wants Clinton to comply with Congress's wish to have battalions filled and militia ready. Says forces might be called forth to operate offensively.

GLC03709

6 September 1796

Jay, John, 1745-1829

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas Mifflin

Discusses the issue of Connecticut claimants to the Western Reserve lands taking refuge from Pennsylvania authorities by entering New York State. Expresses his opinion that the states have relations between them far more intimate than those between separate nations. Believes that new laws are necessary to handle the relations and that laws already in place do not properly address the issue of the intruders. Informs that the Attorney General Josiah Ogden Hoffman, will return soon and Jay will turn this problem over to him.

GLC03710

20 February 1787

Huntington, Samuel, 1731-1796

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Bowdoin

Connecticut Governor Huntington expresses his approval of the suppression of the insurgents (involved in Shays rebellion). Agrees to cooperate with Massachusetts Governor Bowdoin in apprehending insurgents hiding in Connecticut and not supplying them with arms or provisions. Reassures Bowdoin that the people of Connecticut "detest the lawless and violent courses which insurgents have taken." Indicates "copy" on the upper left hand corner.

GLC03711