[ 08 ] December 1880

Document signed

Title: Certifying vote of Georgia presidential electors for Winfield S. Hancock

Document signed by James C. C. Black, Richard E. Kenner, Samuel D. Bradwell

GLC03713

26 March 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to John Barry

Hancock, Thomas McKean, Richard Henry Lee, John Alsop, Joseph Hewes, Robert Morris, and Edward Rutledge sign as members of the Marine Committee (all but Alsop went on to sign the Declaration of Independence). Hancock et al. inform Captain Barry that the Committee of Safety has ordered four provincial armed boats to assist Barry in "taking, sinking, destroying, or driving off" a British man of war. Instructs Barry, Captain of the Lexington, to coordinate signals with the vessels sent to assist him.

GLC03714

April 11, 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to John Barry

Signed by members Hancock, Robert Morris, John Alsop, Richard Henry Lee, Joseph Hewes, George Read, William Whipple, and Stephen Hopkins as members of the Congressional Marine Committee (all but Alsop went on to sign the Declaration of Independence). The Committee praises Barry's capture of the prize sloop Edward. Mentions sending the prize to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Reports on the presence of Captain Boys and four or five marines at Cape May, New Jersey. States "As the Men of Warr in Virginia, Delaware and New York will undoubtedly hear of you they will probably lay some plans to…

GLC03715

01 April 1861

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward D. Townsend re: reports for duty before being offered command of army

Written as Colonel in the 1st Cavalry. Lee was informally offered command of all US armies but refused in order to defend Virginia. He resigned on the 20th (that document is reproduced in Freeman's biography of Lee).

GLC03717

22 May 1863

Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893

Printed document signed

Title: [General Orders No. 143 regarding the organization of African American troops]

Establishes a bureau for organizing and recruiting African American troops. Issued by Townsend as Assistant Adjutant General based upon the orders of Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War. Excerpts include: "III. Boards will be convened at such posts as may be decided upon by the War Department to examine applicants for commissions to command colored troops, who, on application to the Adjutant General, may receive authority to present themselves to the board for examination. IV. No persons shall be allowed to recruit for colored troops except specially authorized by the War Department; and no…

GLC03721.01

26 May 1863

Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893

Document signed

Title: General Order #147 re: reversing dismissal, remitting death sentence of Private

Reversing a decision against Lt. John C. Walsh, 28th Reg. NY Vols.

GLC03721.02

25 June 1863

Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893

Document signed

Title: General orders no. 190

Order stating that "All men enlisting in the Regular Army for five years' service...shall receive a premium, advance pay, and bounty, of $402."

GLC03721.03

25 June 1863

Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893

Document signed

Title: General orders, no. 191

An order regarding the recruitment, enlistment , pay, and service of veteran volunteers.

GLC03721.04

28 May 1863

Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893

Document signed

Title: General Orders no.152

Appointing R. M. Scott as secretary to General in chief.

GLC03721.05

18 February 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Robert L. Weakley who had fought against the United States].

A citizen of Tennesse, Weakley, was pardoned by Lincoln because he had taken the oath prescribed in the proclamation of the president dated 8 December 1863. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC03743

5 December 1864

Halleck, H.W. (Henry Wager), 1815-1872

Letter signed

Title: to Joseph Barnes

Addressed to the Surgeon General and marked as "Confidential Circular" at top. Instructs that the Secretary of War [Edwin M. Stanton] directs that all supplies for General William T. Sherman's army be sent to Hilton Head, South Carolina immediately.

GLC03749

6 June 1780

De Kalb, Johann, 1721-1780

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Written by General De Kalb, known as Baron De Kalb, as second in command of the Carolina campaign. Written to General Washington. Encloses a copy of a letter he sent to the Board of War so Washington would know his route of march (that letter is not included). Says he put the Second Brigade on their march and claims he is setting out at this moment to come up with the troops in front. De Kalb died from wounds he received at the Battle of Camden on 19 August 1780. Some staining on verso, from what appears to be a mat border.

GLC03758

26 May 1774

Read, George, 1733-1798

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Virginia Committee of Correspondence

Countersigned by Thomas McKean and John McKinley. Read, McKean, and McKinley were members of the Delaware Committee of Correspondence. Discusses the Boston Port Bill, nonimportation, and the formation of a continental congress.

GLC03718

19 June 1771

Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Lee

Signed with initials "RHL". Describes the Regulator movement in North Carolina, a rebellion by backcountry farmers against lawyers, whose high legal fees and manipulation of debt laws were hurting them. North Carolina Governor William Tryon, although he claimed to agree with the insurgents, resorted to suppression by force: he "fell upon the unsuspecting multitudes and made great slaughter with cannons." The royal governor needed more than a thousand troops to defeat the Regulators at the Battle of Alamance on May 16, 1771.

GLC03719

6 November 1779

St. Clair, Arthur, 1734-1818

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Reed

Discusses difficulties obtaining clothing and related supplies. Wonders where French support is, but is unconcerned. "Our patience is fairly exhausted and we begin to doubt the Existence of the Count D'Estaing his Fleet and even Georgia or Carolina. It is certainly very unaccountable but the delay that he has met with is not I believe any great misfortune to us." Has unconfirmed reports of troop movements in New York.

GLC03720

12 July 1865

Lee, Stephen D., 1833-1908

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Oliver O. Howard

Howard was head of the Freedmen's Bureau. Asking for Howard's assistance in his pardon application. "I write this truly trusting the war has not changed your feelings towards me personally..."

GLC03722.01

22 August 1865

Lee, Stephen D., 1833-1908

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Oliver O. Howard

Howard was head of the Freedmen's Bureau. Lee reponds to Howard's letter (not present) of 26 July 1865 in which Howard declined to take an interest in his pardon application. He describes his motives in fighting for the Confederacy and refers to the South's failure.

GLC03722.02

26 June 1863

Seddon, James A. (James Alexander), 1815-1880

Letter signed

Title: to Joseph E. Brown

Disagreement over whether the replacement for a deceased officer in a Georgia regiment is to be elected or chosen by the President. Brown, who often believed Jefferson Davis exercised too much power, believed that the officer should be elected, however Seddon writes that Confederate law states he will be chosen by the President. Written on Confederate States of America War Department stationary.

GLC03723

19 April 1861

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Document signed

Title: Appointment of Alexander H. Stephens as agent to treat with Va. (c/s Toombs)

Countersigned by Robert Toombs. Stephens was to negotiate Virginia's joining the Confederacy.

GLC03724

19 May 1831

Clay, Henry, 1777-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Switzer

Written from Ashland, Clay's estate, to Switzer at Union Bridge, Frederick County, Maryland. Replying to a request from Switzer, Senator Clay discusses his opinions on colonization and slavery. Refers Switzer to an address he gave to the Colonization Society of Kentucky in 1829. Argues for leaving the decision of emancipation up to individual states. Attests that slavery can only be justified in America by necessity, if at all, and that Congress has no power to establish a system of emancipation.

GLC03725

September 11, 1779

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elbridge Gerry

Adams talks about his efforts to persuade France to send reinforcements for D'Estaing's fleet, his discussions with Genêt, his relations with Lee and Franklin, and describing Lafayette's arrival in Paris to plead America's cause.

GLC03726

October 1794

Chase, Samuel, 1741-1811

Document signed

Title: [Recommending pardon of Philip Holton for manslaughter].

Recommends pardon of Philip Holton because of his youth, his good character and his peaceable behavior. Written as chief judge of the general court of Maryland.

GLC03727

29 April 1779

Hopkinson, Francis, 1737-1791

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Harwood

Written as Treasurer of Loans to Harwood, who was Commissioner of Loans at Annapolis, Maryland. Forwards a tally of William Hyde's loan office certificates, which he is sending (not included).

GLC03728

17 October 1787

Huntington, Samuel, 1731-1796

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses Connecticut's progress in raising troops for duty in the Northwest territory and the appointment of officers. Retained copy, as noted on docket. Written as governor of Connecticut to Knox as the Secretary of War.

GLC03729

November 27, 1793

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Pinckney

The letter talks about the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, negotiations with the Northwest Indians, Citizen Genet, Lafayette, and copper and silver metals for coinage. The federal government moved from Philadelphia to Germantown because of a yellow fever epidemic that lasted through the late summer and autumn. Failure of negotiations with Indian tribes led to the battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. Jefferson, in his capacity as Secretary of State, had previously requested the recall of Edmond Charles Genêt because of his outrageous behavior as Minister to the United States. In 1792,…

GLC03730