1863/08/25

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel J. Harrison

Application for the position of Chief Engineer "on board the steamer to be commanded by Captain Dacey Va Volunteer Navy." Lists qualifications, former service record, and references enclosed testimonials of his qualifications. Docket on verso: "Application for Appointment in the Vol. Navy Aug 25th/63". Harrison was president of the Virginia Volunteer Navy Company. Marked "copy" in upper left hand corner.

GLC01896.057

1863/08/25

Anderson, Joseph Reid, 1813-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Recommendation for E.R. Archer]

Recommendation and certification of Archer's qualifications as a machinist written by J. R. Anderson, owner of the Tredegar works [on Tredegar Iron Works letterhead]. Pencil notation on verso: "letter of J R Anderson & Co Certifying my qualifications as Eng. [illegible] for Vol Navy". Anderson, a Confederate Brigadier General, resigned his position in 1862 to serve in ordinance.

GLC01896.058

1863/08/31

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Jeffery

Sends Aaron $5 to cover the cost for a subscription to the "Centinel" for him, and Robert's inability to advance $100 or more to him due to the high costs of food, lodging and particularly clothing in Savannah. Jeffrey apologizes to Aaron and explains that that what "...in ordinary times would have cost 50 or 60 Doll[ar]s...I wil pay almost 200 for them [now]..." Also, comments on traitors operating covertly in Savanah, the Yankees having a heavy artillery gun that is shelling Charleston, and hopes that General Bragg's Army of the Tennessee is larger than reported.

GLC01896.059

1863/09/22

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Anne [Jeffery]

Promises Anne that he will repay his overdue debt to her, and then goes on to muse on the fortunes of the war in the wake of Gen. Braxton Bragg's victory [Battle of Chickamauga]. He points out early Confederate victories at Mannassas and Big Bethel and the North's inability to find a successful commanding general for the western Federal army as evidence of major Yankee failures. Jeffery asserts that each time the Yankees have come into the South, they have been soundly "whipped", adding "...now that 'luck has changed' we may hope that success will follow success..." on to victory by wearing…

GLC01896.060

1863/09/23

Harrison, Samuel J., fl. 1855-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Steven R. Mallory

Letter of introduction and requesting permission for Edward R. Archer to go before a tribunal examination. "The bearer, Mr. E.R. Archer has been duly appointed by the Board of Directors of this company (Virginia Volunteer Navy Company) 1st Assistant Engineer, and we propose to send him with Captain Stiles, who will go abroad on our business about the 1st Proximo. You will please do us the favor to permit him to go before the proper tribunal for examination." Dockets on verso show that Archer was examined for the position of First Assistant Engineer by Chief Engineer Quinn at the Richmond…

GLC01896.061

1863/09/26

Mallory, Stephen R., 1813-1873

Letter signed

Title: to Edward R. Archer

Certifies Archer's examination and commissioned appointment as First Assistant Engineer in the Virginia Volunteer Navy.

GLC01896.062

1863/09/26

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

Letter signed

Title: to Edward R. Archer

Letter of transit written for Archer granting him permission to sail from any Confederate port to Europe. Written on offical paper with "Confederate States of America, War Department" letterhead. Seddon was Confederate secretary of war. On the attached integral leaf is an autograph endorsement signed by William Henry Chase Whiting (1824-1865), a Confederate major general who, at the time, was in charge of keeping open the port of Wilmington, North Carolina.

GLC01896.063

1863/11/02

Palacios, Cipriano, fl. 1850-1860

Document signed

Title: [Passport] [in Spanish]

Passport, in Spanish, granted to Edward R. Archer for travel without hindrance from Nassau to Havana aboard "la Goleta Lola." Green Spanish stamp on verso with docket. Palacios was Mexican consul in the Bahamas. Written from the Port of Nassau, in the Bahamas.

GLC01896.064

1863/11/06

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron [Jeffery]

Requests that Aaron always write "...as fully as you did in the last letter," and praises him for deciding not to take Ann out of school to save money. Richard promises that as soon as he is able he will send money to help the family out--enclosing twenty dollars in this letter. He admits that his "extravagance and high prices" have kept him from saving any of his pay. Goes on to speculate that the "Yankees will demolish Sumter if they can but thus far their ability has not been equal to their desire," even though their artillery daily kills and wounds some of the garrison. Richard frets…

GLC01896.065

1863/11/15

Archer, William M., fl. 1863-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Annie [Jeffery]

Archer writes on a Sunday morning "when you are all at church listening to Dr. Minnigerade..." to remind Annie of her repeated promises that he'll "never see the form of [her] handwriting again this year...," and for this reason he is writing home for the first time. He continues with a description of his Confederate camp near the Orange County depot, it being the "prettiest" he has stayed in "for many a 'coons age'". William says that he and his comrades dread having to leave their comfortable shelters but admits that "...all must expect such in circumstances as long as there is a Yankee…

GLC01896.066

1864/03/07

Jeffery, Aaron, fl. 1855-1900

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Robert W. Jeffery]

Greatly relieved to have finally heard from Richard, Aaron Jeffery writes a battle account of the "fight of which you enquire" which he had been involved in "accidentally." The Armory Battalion, to which he was attached, initially pushed back Yankee pickets but was then surprise-attacked by a much larger body of 500 or 600 infantry and dismounted cavalrymen, and the Armory Battalion broke and retreated. Later, however, the Confederates were reinforced by another battalion and two Virginia regiments and managed to push back the Federals. Mentions poor condition of his battalion from lack of…

GLC01896.067

1864/03/24

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Jeffery

Seeking information about Grant's anticipated attack on Richmond, Richard is particularly interested in what his brother thinks might happen and in how local opinion is running. Jeffery expresses his hope that the attack will "...end as have all their other attempts heretofore." He then goes on to talk about Confederate victories in Florida and Generals Morgan and Longstreet peformances. He discusses Longstreet's Tennessee Campaign, his failure to capture Knoxville, and the poor conduct of Confederate soldiers there. Requests subscriptions to several outside newspapers so that he can be…

GLC01896.068

1864/07/16

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Jeffery

Richard apologizes for the delay in answering Aaron's last letter noting that the break in the mails kept him from getting a letter dated 29 June until 15 July. Richard hopes that the family is safe now that Grant's campaign against Richmond has failed and that "...the future efforts of the enemy will all be vain..." Mentions high expectations for General Early's and Johnston's campaigns. Concludes with a series of questions about whether letters and telegraphs have been received. "Let me know if you still are in the field & how long a time you have spent in it. I am very uneasy about…

GLC01896.069

1864/10/06

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Jeffery

Thanks for the bolt of cloth that Aaron sent, but maintains that he has enough clothes and that it would have been better used for the children. Hopes that Sherman "...will at last be outgeneralled & that his army will be entirely destroyed,...[and] that Grant will fail before Richmond...so we will have peace." Adds that Early continues to make up lost ground and push Sheridan even more. Written at the Confederate States Naval Hospital

GLC01896.070

1865/01/08

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

Archer writes to his mother, Frances, from England where he has sailed in the steamer C. S. S. Hawk in order to sell it at auction. His spirits are very low as he discusses the damage done by the failure of the "scheme to establish the V[irginia]. V[olunteer]. N[avy]." and says he desires to defend his role in the matter. Furthermore, he makes repeated references to H. [Samuel Harrison, President of the Board of the Volunteer Virginia Navy] who has apparently vanished. Lamenting that he is almost broke, he borrowed money to pay his expenses in Bermuda, and has "one and sixpence just enough…

GLC01896.071

1865/01/14

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his father

Archer announces that the "Hawk" has been sold at public auction for a little more than ten thousand pounds, leaving a balance of more than five thousand pounds outstanding to cover travel costs. A ship built for a "particular" purpose [blockade running], the Hawk would require a complete refit to be useable by the buyer and that, Archer asserts, depressed the price. Most of the letter continues the theme of his previous letter to his mother in which he refers to his father [GLC 1896.071]. Archer claims that he is totally broke and informs Edward that he is going to use the proceeds of his…

GLC01896.072

1865/04/24

Evans, D. M., fl. 1865

Document signed

Title: [Parole certificate]

Parole agreement for Aaron Jeffery as a prisoner of war in the "Headquarters Department of Virginia" signed by Evans, certifying parole, and again giving permission for him to return to Norfolk.

GLC01896.073

1865/04/29

Evans, D. M., fl. 1865

Document signed

Title: [Oath of loyalty]

Aaron Jeffery's signed loyalty oath "to support, protect, and defend the Constitution... [including] with references to slaves." Written at "Office of Provost Marshall", Richmond, Va.

GLC01896.074

1865/05/25

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Newcomb

Written on Archer's return from Cuba through the blockade around Florida. First half of the letter details his belief that the war was lost because of the failure of the public to support the war effort. "...[I]f the people had have stood by them [the Confederate soldiers] and given them all their aid instead of speculating and quarreling among themselves everything would have gone as we could have desired..." However, Archer expresses his belief that the south will rise again--"...but still there exists a smouldering flame which I have no doubt will one day burst forth and fire again the…

GLC01896.076

1865/06/31

Capron, Ann E., fl. 1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her cousin

Condolences for the death of her husband [Richard W. Jeffery]. "I know that only Time that great calmer of all great troubles can soothe you enough to listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit, to tell you that God did take him, and at the right time, for we know He can not err..." Continues with news of other loved ones and acquaintances, including William Jeffery.

GLC01896.077

1865/07/14

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to W.W. Dungan

Letter seeking to renew friendship with W. W. Dungan, one of Archer's friends from his service in the U. S. Navy before the war. "Now since the war is ended and the South has returned her allegiance to the United States, are feelings of wrath, envy, hatred or malice...should vanish without a record for the future..." Ends with a plea for a return to an ante-bellum status quo: "An acknowledgement of the receipt of this letter will assure me that we still remain old friends and are willing to forget and forgive." Marked "copy."

GLC01896.078

1865/01/13

Epperly, Christian M., 1837-1904

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Epperly

Discusses losses at Franklin, Tennessee. Writes that he hopes to get a furlough.

GLC02715.116

February 17, 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: A Return of Cannon, Mortar & Howitzers with their Ammunition & belonging to the Continent, which can be collected from the respective States, so as form part of a Train for a Siege.

Address to George Washington, Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de, Rochambeau, and D'Aboville. Lists guns and ammunitions by type supposing "New York the point of operation." Mostly in the hand of Samuel Shaw, who also signs for Knox; two paragraphs are in Knox's hand.

GLC02437.00895

1878/07/15

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Manuscript document

Title: [Itemized list of furniture]

Numbered list 5. Itemized "list of articles drawn at the division of furniture," with monetary amount for each item. The list contains such items as "one small sofa, Parlour," "1 pr. End tables," "one odd washstand," and "one Feather Bed." Overall, all fifteen items are tabulated to fetch $56.42. Scrawled in pencil on the reverse side is a list of items not included and also drawn by Archer such as "2 Water Bottles,"1 Red Cover," and "1 sugar bowl."

GLC01896.102

1878/10/08

Archer, William M., fl. 1863-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Edward R. Archer]

Impending Bankruptcy of the Vulcan Iron Works, William's financial woes and his attempts to remedy the situation. Written on "Vulcan Iron Works" stationery: "Manufacturers of Every Variety of Bolts. Nuts and Washers, Iron Railings. Iron Works for Bridges and Buildings. Engines, Saw Mills and Machinery on Short Notice."

GLC01896.104