October 29, 1788

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eliza Trist

One letter addressed to Eliza Trist from James Madison dated New York, October 29. Discusses his travel plans and health. Also mentions a man named John, whom Madison arranged to be placed in the Almhouse (center for the homeless). Mentions Edmund Randolph, William Grayson, and Thomas Jefferson. Trist was the daughter of a woman who ran a Philadelphia boarding house where Madison and Jefferson frequently stayed. Signed "Js. Madison Jr."

GLC00647

October 6, 1862

Smith, Gustavus Woodson, 1821-1896

Letter signed

Title: to Robert E. Lee

Confederate Major General Smith discusses troop activities and movements, including an attack on Union gunboats. Also discusses a requisition for "negroes to work upon the fortifications under recent act of the Legislature - When we get negroes the works will be finished rapidly to completion." Refers to the request of North Carolina Governor Zebulon Vance "for more protection for the eastern portion of the state." Writes "The yellow fever at Wilmington will prevent the enemy from attempting anything in that quarter for some time to come - and during the epidemic the Troops had better be…

GLC00648

20 May 1863

Morgan, John Hunt, 1825-1864

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [John H. Morgan's endorsement on an offer for an exchange of prisoners]

Morgan's endorsement as Brigadier General and Confederate raider. On verso of a letter copy to Union Major General Ambrose Burnside from John W. Finnell, Adjutant General Kentucky Volunteers, dated 21 April 1863, regarding the exchange of a pro-Union Kentucky senator and Judge Buster and William Ingram. Morgan states these two men were arrested at Monticello, Kentucky, by Colonel Chennault of Morgan's command. Morgan reports that they have been " ... placed under bond & parole to Exchange themselves for Southern-rights men who have been arrested and placed in confinement by the Federal…

GLC00649

September 14, 1862

Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906

Letter signed

Title: to T. B. Roy

Will obey orders he has just received regarding surveillance. Is scouting enemy pickets and estimates enemy troop strength. Describes Union recruitment meeting and wonders what to do about disloyal citizens. Roy was Hardee's Assistant Adjutant General. Docket contains Hardee's autograph endorsement signed. Docket states the letter was forwarded to Braxton Bragg, and contains the signature of George G. Garner, Bragg's Assistant Adjutant General.

GLC00650

1860-1865

Header Record

Title: Collection of soldiers letters diaries &c. [decimalized]

[decimalized 00653.01-00653.26]

GLC00653

circa 1864

Manuscript document

Title: The Red River Expedition [incomplete]

Mentions Generals Andrew Jackson Smith, Joseph Anthony Mower, and Nathaniel Prentiss Banks, among others. Lists details of the campaign. Writes "We marched back to Alexandria... Gen Banks had arrived some days previous and taking command of the entire forces, prepared to move on toward Shreveport. Up to this time the expedition had been entirely successful but after this time I cannot say so much..." Possibly by Lieutenant Colonel William Heath. Written for publication in a newspaper.

GLC00653.02.02

1863-1864

Ives, Warren A., fl. 1863-1864

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Warren A. Ives] [Decimalized .01- .03 ]

Ives served in H company, 151st regiment, New York volunteer infantry. Collection contains three letters: an autograph letter signed dated 26 June 1863 and written from Maryland Heights (4 pages); an autograph letter signed dated 23 May 1864 and written from Fredericksburg, Virginia (1 page); and an autograph letter signed dated 24 October 1864 and written from Middletown, Shennandoah Valley (4 pages). The 24 October 1864 letter graphically describes "Sheridan's ride" at Cedar Creek.

GLC00653.03

May 1863

Header Record

Title: [Letters about the Battle of Chancellorsville]

Collection of two soldier's letters about the Battle of Chancellorsville. The first, written by an unknown soldier to his wife and children, is dated 8 May 1863 and written near Falmouth, Virginia. The second is an autograph letter signed from a soldier named Simeon to his mother. It is dated 10 May 1863 and was written from Court House, Virginia. Each letter is four pages long.

GLC00653.04

24 June 1864, 23 August 1864

Vanaernam, Henry, 1819-1894

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Henry Vanaernam, field and staff, 154th regiment, New York, infantry]

Surgeon in the 154th NY Volunteers, Surgeon in Chief. Describes Confederate resistance and the shelling of Atlanta just before its fall. Both written in pencil.

GLC00653.05

November 18, 1861

Leavenworth, F.P., fl. 1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his father

A Confederate captain in an ordnance unit tells his father about Civil War activities in Arkansas and Missouri. He comments on the arrival of Union General David Hunter with 36,000 soldiers. He discusses the strength and position of Confederate General Ben McCulloch's men. He claims that "The burning of the bridge in Tenn. has virtually cut the Confederacy in two," and consequently the mail has been limited, and may be worse still if Union General William T. Sherman moves into South Carolina. He notes that they have not heard from their enemies in the Creek nation, indicating that…

GLC00653.07

July 18, 1863

Bud, fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Writer is identified only as "Bud." The letter-writer calls Gettysburg "one of the Bloodiest Battles of the war." He reports on people from home and describes damages. Letter is considerably damaged by water staining with slight text loss in center.

GLC00653.08

1863-1864

Header Record

Title: Collection of Joseph B. Gorsuch, Company I, 83rd regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry [Decimalized .01-.22]

Letter GLC00653.09.10 indicates that Gorsuch also served as Provost Marshal of the 13th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee from June 1864 until his death in 1865. Gorsuch's letters span from Vicksburg to the Red River Campaign. Most letters are written to Joseph Curtis, Gorsuch's uncle. Collection includes a sketched map of Vicksburg (.02), a pencil note citing an unknown person's fever from malaria (possibly Gorsuch's own illness) (.17), and Regimental resolutions following his death (.18).

GLC00653.09

1862-1863

Swain, Julius Marshall, 1835-1811

Header Record

Title: Collection of Julius M. Swain [decimalized]

Describes activities of B company, 39th regiment, Massachusetts infantry. Includes 12 letters, mostly to family members, describing his war responsibilities, his surroundings, and other issues. Includes description of events following the defeat of the Army of Northern Virginia at the Battle of Gettysburg.

GLC00653.10

1861-1865

Wolcott, Laurens W., fl. 1861-1865

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Laurens W. Wolcott] [Decimalized .01- .38]

Wolcott served as Lieutenant in the 52nd Illinois Infantry, D Company. He served with General Sherman on his march to the sea & in the Battle of Atlanta. The collection includes a General Order with battle map on verso, a coat of arms, an appointment order and war-time and post-war photographs (including a formal portrait). Collection includes 33 letters, 4 photographs and 2 miscellaneous items.

GLC00653.11

July 1, 1864

Sheridan, Philip Henry, 1831-1888

Letter signed

Title: to Andrew Atkinson Humphreys

This report, signed twice by Major General Philip H. Sheridan, describes the nearly disastrous Wilson-Kautz Raid of June 22-30, 1864. Sheridan tells Major General A. A. Humphreys, the Army of the Potomac's chief of staff, about his efforts to find Wilson and Kautz after the rout of their cavalry, and provides details of the battle. His five-line autograph postscript explains that the infantry brigades of Confederate generals Joseph Finegan Saunders (John Caldwell Calhoun Sanders) and William Flank Perry were under the command of General William Mahone. Sheridan also mentions Federal colonels…

GLC00653.12.01

December 21, 1863-August 23, 1864

Waltz, Henry J., 1832-1910

Diary

Title: [Collection of Henry J. Waltz, Company I, 93rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry]

Autograph manuscript signed by Waltz, a Lieutenant in I Company of the 93rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered from service in 1864. Diary entries include Battles of Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Ana, and Cold Harbor. Includes separate manuscript concerning the Battle of Petersburg in Size 1.

GLC00653.13

1862-1863

Smalley, Herbert L., fl. 1862-1863

Diary

Title: [Diary of Herbert L. Smalley]

Autograph manuscript. Smalley served in Company A of the 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Consists of a small black pocketbook. A note inside the diary says it was found on a battlefield by another soldier. Includes entries Second Bull Run and Antietam.

GLC00653.14

1863-1864

Wilber, Eseck G., fl. 1862-1864

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Eseck G. Wilber] [Decimalized .01- .05]

Consists of one signed diary (136 pages) and 4 photographs. Wilber served in the 120th New York Volunteer infantry and fought at Gettysburg (which he describes). Diary was kept irregularly but mentions his capture, Libby Prison, Richmond, and Andersonville. Wilber died at Andersonville 15 September 1864. Includes 4 faded photos (cartes de visite) of an older man, an older woman, a young girl, and a young boy. Photos were taken by H. B. Aldrich of Catskill, New York.

GLC00653.15

1863-1866

Macgowan, Ed, fl. 1863-1866

Manuscript

Title: [List of deceased soldiers for New York State Soldiers' Depot]

Book lists soldiers who died in New York State Soldiers' Depot. Entries on first thirteen pages include possessions for the deceased. These entries list name of deceased, their unit and residence, any effects they had, and whom these effects were given to. Some entries also include notes. Most soldiers left clothing and cash, generally sent to their families. The remainder of the book lists chronologically those that died in the hospital. This section begins "The N.Y.S. Soldiers Depot for Reception of Soldiers 20th May, 1863. The first case received in hospital was on that date...Was…

GLC00653.16

1865

Wilson, William L., 1843-1900

Diary

Title: [Diary of William L. Wilson, B company, 12th regiment, Virginia, cavalry]

Diary of a Confederate private in the 12th Virginia cavalry which includes detailed entries on the Appomattox campaign leading up to General Robert E. Lee's surrender. Begins entries for 1865 by saying that the end of the war seems farther away than ever. Entries for early January describe the movements of his regiment through the Alleghany Mountains, Cheat Mountain, and the Tygarts Valley in Virginia. Reports a skirmish with Union forces near Beverly, West Virginia, 9 January. Often mentions the arduous journey, the weather, prisoners of war, plunder, and his horses. On 28 January he…

GLC00653.17

1862-1864

Moseley, Josiah, 1862-1864

Diary

Title: [Diary of Josiah Moseley]

Autograph manuscript. Moseley served in K company of the 6th regiment, Virginia infantry, in the Confederate Army. Describes the Battles of White Oak Swamp, Brandy Creek Station and Gettysburg, Malvern Hill, Second Manassas, and Chancellorsville.

GLC00653.18

1862

Tucker, John S., fl. 1862-1865

Diary

Title: [Diary of John S. Tucker, D company, 5th regiment, Alabama, infantry]

Tucker's 1862 autograph manuscript diary contains his account of day-to-day life in D company and discussions of battles such as Seven Pines, Williamsburg, Mechanicsville, and the Seven Days battles. Also mentions the evacuation of Yorktown.

GLC00653.19.01

1861-1862

Hollingsworth, William T., fl. 1861-1862

Header Record

Title: [Collection of William T. Hollingsworth, D company, 3rd regiment, Georgia, infantry] [decimalized]

Collection includes eight letters and envelopes written from Confederate surgeon William T. Hollingsworth to his brother James H. Hollingsworth. The collection includes numerous postal covers and a family genealogy book. The correspondence mentions the Battles of First Bull Run, the duel between the Monitor and the Merrimac (Battle of Hampton), and a detailed personal account of the Battle of Seven Pines. Draft transcripts are available.

GLC00653.20

1862-1864

Spencer, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Header Record

Title: [Collection of George A. Spencer] [Decimalized .01-.10]

Spencer served with the 7th Rhode Island Volunteer infantry, in I Company. He includes in his letters to his parents a sketched map (entrenchments before Petersburg) and diagrams of tents, and artillery. Spencer was captured at Fredericksburg and paroled. Also includes a handwritten poem titled "Ellsworth's Avengers."

GLC00653.21

1864-1865

Cook, George B., fl. 1845-1865

Header Record

Title: [Collection of George B. Cook, E company, 42nd regiment, North Carolina, infantry] [decimalized]

This collection consists of a series of letters from Private George B. Cook of the 42nd North Carolina infantry regiment to members of his family. Cook was drafted into the army of the Confederate States of America on September 11, 1864. He was 19 years old at the time. He was mustered into E Company of the 42nd infantry regiment as a private on the same day. The date and method of his discharge is unknown, but he was paroled on June 7, 1865 in Mocksville, North Carolina. At the time of Cook's enlistment, the 42nd North Carolina was part of the Army of Northern Virginia. Cook fought at the…

GLC00653.22