1778

Massachusetts Bay Council

Printed document

Title: An Act, For apportioning and assessing a Tax of Two Hundred and Fifty-four THousand, Seven Hundred and Eighteen Pounds, Sixteent Shillings and Eleven Pence, upon the several Towns and other Places in this State, for defraying the public Charge.

Enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of Massachusetts. Breaks down the amount to be raised by county and town. Also enacts many rules for determining tax liability. Copy for Selectmen of Gorham. Printed by Benjamin Edes.

GLC04401

10 April 1786

Ivers, Thomas, ?-1800

Broadside signed

Title: [Massachusetts document assessing a tax]

A copy for the selectmen or assessors of the town of Gorham, Massachusetts. Signed by Thomas Ivers as Treasurer and Receiver-General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Docketed on verso: "Treasurer Warrant for Assessing 1037:19/ March 1786. Select Men or Assessors of Gorham. Rec'd. May 3rd 1786." Associated with the series of burdensome tax laws which led to Shay's Rebellion.

GLC04402

17 July 1798

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Silvanus Bourne

Refers to letter of Bourne's from 10 July 1798. Written to the American General Consul in Amsterdam. Tries to console Bourne about the publication of one letter and the false statements made about the contents of another that made him appear pro-French by Russell (possibly Boston newspaper publisher John Russell). Says the controversy is minor but that the explosive atmosphere in America after the XYZ affair will make it appear worse than it is. Claims the real letter would have been innocuous and the real controversy is the breach of trust of his correspondent. Says letter is short because…

GLC04403

February 11, 1862

Rowan, Stephen Clegg, 1805-1890

Letter signed

Title: [Congratulatory address to his men after capturing Elizabeth City, North Carolina]

Congratulating his men on the Union's naval victory and capture of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. During this battle the Union also destroyed what little was left of the Confederate navy, for the time being. Applauds his men's "coolness, gallantry and skill." Commends their "strict observance of the plan of attack, and the steady but onward course of the ships without returning a shot until within 3/4 of a mile of the Fort." Congratulates them for "refraining from trespassing in the slightest degree upon the private property of defenseless people in a defenseless town." Believes "the…

GLC04405

12 October 1864

Lydston, William, fl. 1813-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Forbes

States he was requested by H. P. Brothers to write to Forbes and send his watercolor drawing of the siege of Petersburg which he drew while watching the action that night. Gives a description of the siege and explains what is depicted in his drawing. " ... the cannonading, musketry and shelling lasted a full hour and a half. These shells were above, below all around and about us, but these are familiar scenes and one can trace at night the course of the shell in the air as the lighted fuse leaves a long trail in its course, you see them coming and going, but know not how they are timed, or…

GLC04406.01

28 September 1864

Lydston, William, fl. 1813-1881

Painting

Title: [Watercolor drawing of siege of Petersburg, Virginia]

Watercolor drawing on brown paper. Shows members of the band watching the siege from a distance. The sky is filled with missiles and explosions highlighted in white. See GLC04406.01 for the artist's description of the siege and his drawing.

GLC04406.02

9 April 1865

Broadside

Title: Union Sentinel - Extra

Announces the surrender of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox and publishes the correspondence between General Ulysses S. Grant and Lee leading up to the surrender, including the terms and Lee's acceptance.

GLC04407

circa April 1861

Perine, George Edward, 1837-1885

Sketch

Title: [Charcoal illustration of the bombardment of Fort Sumter, South Carolina]

Depicts the 12-13 April Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. Illustrates cannonballs soaring toward the Fort, which was situated in Charleston Harbor. Reveals firing cannons emerging from windows of the Fort as smoke billows above the building. An American flag remains flying on the roof of the Fort. The outline of a city (possibly Charleston, South Carolina) is evident in the background. Possibly created by an eyewitness, and reveals similarity to other depictions of the battle that were published in Harper's Weekly.

GLC04408

14 March 1942

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Lucien Cazebonne (c/s Francis Biddle)

Convicted of illegal sale of whiskey and maintenance of a public nuisance.

GLC04280

July 1778

Clinton, Henry, Sir, 1730-1795

Letter signed

Title: to Lord George Germain

Written by Clinton as Command of Chief of British forces in America to Germain as British Secretary of State for the American Colonies. Detailed report of his recent activity. Says he evacuated Philadelphia on 18 June 1778. Details the problems of the retreat across New Jersey. On page three lists the units undertaking certain actions in the margin. Mentions tough crossing of the Raritan River. Believes Washington's army to have 20,000 troops. Says the Queens Light Dragoons repulsed the American calvary under Lafayette, which was the opening movements in the Battle of Monmouth. Describes…

GLC04283

28 June 1849

Payne, Ann, fl. 1849

Document signed

Title: [Deed of sale for two slaves]

Possibly a copy possibly written in the hand of Lewis Carbery. Deed of sale for slaves Eliza Jones & son Sam Jones for $170 to William Fowler. Eliza, age twenty-nine, and son Sam, sixteen months, were sold on condition that Eliza be freed on Ann Payne's death and that Sam be freed at the age of 28. Signed by Payne with her mark. Second page is Lewis Carbery's autograph endorsement signed, attesting to the sale as justice of the peace. Docket signed by Jonathan A. Smith.

GLC04294

1899, 1915

Washington, Booker T., 1856-1915

Header Record

Title: Book and leaflet created by Washington [Decimalized .01-.02]

GLC04297

February 21, 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Letter signed

Title: [Appointment of James R. Partridge as Minister Resident of the United States at Honduras]

Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward. Official notification of President Lincoln to Victoriana Castellanos, Acting President of the Republic of Honduras, that he has appointed James R. Partridge of Maryland as "Minister Resident of the United States" to Honduras. Partridge was appointed on 10 February 1862, presented his credentials in Honduras on 25 April 1862, and terminated his mission on 14 November 1862.

GLC04306

13 November 1777

Brown, Elijah, fl. 1777

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Morris

Requests that Morris deliver letters from Brown to his wife. Brown calls his separation from his wife cruel because he is "conscious of not administering any offence to the true friends of America." Addressed to Morris as a Member of Congress at Yorktown. Brown, a Philadelphia Quaker, had been exiled to Virginia on suspicion of Loyalist sympathies.

GLC04263

1860

Photograph album

Title: Album with 31 CDVs of prominent Mormons, including Brigham Young; Indians

Album includes Brigham Young, Indians, Salt Lake City buildings. Most with Salt Lake City imprints of Savage & Ottinger and Carter's Lake View Emporium.

GLC04264

4 April 1799

Roberts, Enoch, 1757-1853

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Receipt for payment made for quartering General William McPherson and his family]

Duplicate receipt for $12, signed by Roberts, during Fries' Rebellion in Pennsylvania. Fries' Rebellion was caused by the passage of a window tax.

GLC04268

14 October 1880

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Letter

Title: to Marcus Wright

Written and signed by Varina Davis, for her husband. Responds at length to General Wright's questions concerning the conduct of General Joseph E. Johnston's defense of Richmond during the Peninsula Campaign of 1862. With references to numerous letters, Davis explains his own decisions, comments on problems with supplies, and discusses the role of records in building, maintaining, and defending personal reputations. Many of Davis's official letters had scattered since the war, and so-called supporters of Davis had stolen quite a few, including much of the correspondence between Davis and…

GLC04269

1862

Stevenson, C. L. (Carter Littlepage), 1817-1888

Manuscript document signed

Title: Regulation under the act of Congress providing for the granting of bounty & furlough to privates and non commisioned in the provisional army.

Clerical copy of Judah Benjamin's orders regarding reenlistments, signed by Carter L. Stevenson. Those who reenlist to receive fifty dollar bounty and thirty day furlough. Also discusses reorganization of regiments. Date inferred, based on Stevenson's rank as major general.

GLC04270

1905

Header Record

Title: Stephen Lee letter and engraving [Decimalized .01-.02]

Letter from Stephen D. Lee, and engraving.

GLC04271

29 October 1864

Patterson, Joab N., 1835-1923

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George A. Bruce

Possibly written in Virginia. Lieutenant Colonel Patterson of the 2nd Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteers, writes to Bruce (possibly George Anson Bruce) from Headquarters of the 3rd Brigade. 1st Division, 18th Corps, from the field. Four pages including an inserted note attached to page two, unsigned and written in pencil. Reports the movement of his Brigade, and operations 26-29 October. Mentions the Williamsburg Road, White's Tavern, and Charles City Road.

GLC04272

1861-1865 ca

Brady, Mathew B., 1823-1896

Photograph signed

Title: [Alexander Stewart Webb]

Wardate carte de visite

GLC04273

12 June 1863

Dick, Franklin Archibald, 1823-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Charles Drake

Written as provost marshal of St. Louis. Replies to Drake's request for information concerning the Missouri congressional laws about emancipating slaves in compliance with the Emancipation Proclamation. Details General Orders no. 35, which instructed the provost marshals "to take testimony as to the acts of disloyal slave owners," and ascertain the facts. Explains that there is great opposition to the enforcement of the law. "...for the spirit of resistance to it amongst the Enrolled Militia, has left those officers nearly powerless in the absence of U.S. troops, and they being the first…

GLC04274

2 April 1898

Lee, Fitzhugh, 1835-1905

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Sampson

Dispatch regarding the arrival of Spanish torpedo fleet at Martinique. Written in pencil.

GLC04275

July 10, 1875

Schley, Winfield Scott, 1839-1911

Typed letter signed

Title: to William Sampson

Attempting to correct newspaper reports that he was responsible for victory over the Spanish fleet on 3 July. Encloses a copy of the cipher telegram.

GLC04276

19 September 1898

Sampson, William Thomas, 1840-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mrs. Sampson

Discusses the conditions in Havana and the importance of the Spanish withdrawal from Cuba.

GLC04277.01