27 May 1858

Johnston, Joseph Egleston, 1807-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to the Assistant Adjutant General

A report for the general commanding. Describes the numbers, condition and discipline of the troops preparing to march towards Utah. Docket reads: "marched on the 28th. [illegible]." Signed as Lieutenant Colonel and Acting Inspector General.

GLC04685

1786/06/12

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Letter signed

Title: to John Franklin, William Hooker Smith, and John Jenkins

Franklin, writing as president of the Pennsylvania Council, discusses the strife in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania, land that was claimed by both Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Acknowledges the "affliction" of the Yankee settlers, describes the testimony heard by the Council, and offers safe passage for an agent. The Connecticut settlers were later given clear title to the land, but John Franklin was imprisoned for treason. The conflict arose under the Articles of Confederation and helped justify support of a new Constitution.

GLC04686

1856 ca.

Anson, Rufus, fl. 1856

Photograph

Title: 1/4 plate daguerreotype in uniform by Rufus Anson

Daguerreotype showing George Lucas Hartsuff in regular US Army uniform as second artillery officer. Sothebys suggested it was probably taken shortly before he returned to West Point as an instructor in 1856. Case (not original): 12.75 x 10.3 x 2.4 cm.

GLC04688

2 June 1826

Cornplanter, 1732-1836

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Receipt for $250 annuity paid to Cornplanter, a Seneca chief, for the Six Nations]

Records payment made by Roy Bayard and Thomas Morris in accordance with a treaty made with Robert Morris at Big Tree "in September 1797, up to September 1825." Witnessed and signed by Charles F. Cort and H. James, Jr. Signed by the Seneca Chief Cornplanter with an X.

GLC04691

11 May 1920

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Document signed

Title: [Presidential sentence commutation for Richard E. Polen, who was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon 7 December 1912]

Richard Polen was convicted in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia and sentenced to ten years in the State penitentiary at Baltimore, Maryland. The judgment was affirmed by the Court of Appeals and Polen began serving his sentence November 21, 1913. Wilson commuted his sentence to expire at once, no explanation given. Countersigned by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. Printed document with blanks filled in with type.

GLC04544

1831

Warner, Samuel, fl. 1831

Book

Title: Authentic and impartial narrative of the tragical scene which was witnessed in Southampton County (Virginia) on Monday the 22d of August last...

(title continues)... when fifty-five of its inhabitants (mostly women and children) were inhumanly massacred by the blacks! Communicated by those who were eye witnesses of the bloody scene, and confirmed by the confessions of several of the blacks while under Sentence of Death. Printed for Warner & West. Includes fold-out leaf opposite title page with the woodcut "Horrid Massacre in Virginia." Foldout measures 19.8 x 27.3 cm. The Southampton Insurrection is also known as Nat Turner's Rebellion.

GLC04548

22 April 1919

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Document signed

Title: [Presidential commutation of the sentence of Otto Bruno Reichelt, convicted of violating the Espionage Act on 4 October 1918]

Reichelt was convicted in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey, for violation of the Espionage Act of June 15, 1917, and sentenced to eight years in the State Penitentiary at Baltimore, Maryland. Wilson commuted his sentence to end at once, no reason given for clemency. Countersigned by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. Printed document with blanks filled in with type.

GLC04549

19 July 1860

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of John Day for manslaughter in July 1852].

Countersigned by Acting Secretary of State William Henry Trescot. Day was convicted in July, 1852. Buchanan pardoned Day near the end of his sentence for his valuable assistance to the wardens in maintaining order in the penitentiary. Day's service was attested to by Warden C. P. Sengstack, previous wardens I.B. Ellis and Thomas Thornley, and on the report of District Attorney Robert Ould. 2 black and white bust engravings of James Buchanan included.

GLC04550

18 April 1895

Cleveland, Grover, 1837-1908

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Arnold Catlin re: commuting sentence of Howard Buner rather than pardon.

Commuting sentence 1 year and 3 months instead of an unconditional sentence due to the character of the offense. Catlin's assurance that Buner would receive a job immediately after his released helped to sway Cleveland's decision for the better.

GLC04551

2 July 1845

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: [Remitting sentence of Daniel Linkins and Augustus Lucas, who had attempted to assist a prisoner escape].

Countersigned by Secretary of State James Buchanan. Linkins and Lucas had both been sentenced to serve 20 days in prison and pay a $50 fine. Following Lucas' release from prison, Polk decided to also pardon Linkins. 1 black and white bust engraving of James K. Polk included.

GLC04553

1 January 1865- 11 August 1865

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Diary

Title: [Diary of a soldier 2nd Brigade Band, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, during Petersburg Campaign]

States that his band played out the old year and in the new 1 January. 2 January, mentions "Rebs threw a shell at us while playing the Star-spangled Banner at Div Hd. Qrs shelling continued for some time afterwards. Notes that his band performs and practices nearly every day. 12 January, notes that a flag of truce has been sent by Confederates, with a sealed communication for General Ulysses S. Grant. 17 January, notes that Fort Fisher, North Carolina, was taken with 1400 prisoners. After celebrating, his band was practicing when they were "astonished By music out-side of the tent, which…

GLC04562

1781/12/12

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Letter signed

Title: to Moses Rawlings re: moving British POW's to Lancaster & Philadelphia

Washington also mentions allowing foreigners to stay in frontier towns.

GLC04566

1804

Derbigny, Pierre, 1767-1829

Pamphlet signed

Title: Memorial presented by the inhabitants of Louisiana to the Congress of the United States, in Senate and House of Representatives convened. Translated from the French...

(title continues)... Sole copy acknowledged to be conformable to the original. Famous pamphlet expressing the grievances of French settlers in Louisiana after annexation by the United States. "Henry" written on first page. Derbigny signs last page, under a note: "Conformable to the original deposited in the house of Representatives." Also signed by P[ierre] Sauve, and [Jean Noel] Destrehan, delegates representing the merchants, planters, and other inhabitants of Louisiana before the United States Senate. Printed by Samuel H. Smith. In fragile condition.

GLC04571

5 February 1849

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Obliges recipient's request to be introduced to Colonel Fremont and General Smith if he decides to travel to California. Assures him that the reports of abundant gold resources are true. Buchanan is unable to suggest the best route to California over land, but suggests taking a boat to Chagres, Panama, and crossing the isthmus to board the steamer for San Francisco.

GLC04575

4 May 1882

Arthur, Chester Alan, 1829-1886

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal to the pardon of Fitz-John Porter].

GLC04576

3 January 1824

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Letter signed

Title: to Manuel Eyre

Informs Eyre that his appointment as Director of the Bank of the United States is being forwarded to the President of the Bank [Nicholas Biddle]. With Eyre's draft response at bottom where he asks Adams to thank the President of the Bank for the confidence he has in Eyre.

GLC04578

15 July 1861

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of Anson Burlingame as envoy extraordinary to China].

This document is an appointment of Anson Burlingame as envoy extraordinary to China by Abraham Lincoln. It is countersigned by Secretary of State William Seward. Accompanied by an impression stamp. Document is mounted, dimensions are 43.3 x 53.6 cm.

GLC04580

26 July 1939

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

Typed letter signed

Title: to William F. Russell

Roosevelt congratulates Dean Russell of Teachers College, Columbia University, on the Congress on Education for Democracy being held there. Gives his thoughts on the importance of educating teachers about democracy.

GLC04581

20 December 1878

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Butler Woster

Regrets that he cannot part with his commissions and a letter signed by Abraham Lincoln stating that he and his children have agreed that they are too precious. Written on stationary of the Headquarters Army of the United States.

GLC04582

26 May 1866

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Pamphlet

Title: Treaty between the United States of America and the Camanche and Kiowa Tribes of Indians.

Peace treaty between the United States government and Camanche and Kiowa Indians along the Arkansas River in Kansas. Lists the articles of agreement, the commissioners of the United States, and the chiefs and councilmen of the Native American tribes involved.

GLC04588

25 October 1864

Fisher, Benjamin Franklin, 1834-1915

Manuscript

Title: [Battle report during the seige of Petersburg]

Written at Headquarters, Army of the Potomac. Originally written by Fisher, Major and Chief Signal Officer, Army of the Potomac. Written to Lieutenant Colonel William Joseph Leonard Nicodemus, Commanding Signal Corps, Washington, D.C. Marked as a true copy by Stephen M. Eaton, Captain of Signal Corps, United States. Fisher submits monthly reports from his department for July, August, and September 1864. Discusses in detail important stations in operation near Petersburg, Virginia. Mentions a concentration of Confederate forces 27 June 1864, possibly in anticipation of the 19 June Battle…

GLC04592

6 September 1863 - 8 Novermber 1863

Dana, Charles Anderson, 1819-1897

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Letterbook of telegrams from Dana to Edwin McMasters Stanton in the War Department]

Contains handwritten and signed transcripts of one hundred twelve telegraphs. Sent by Dana from the front lines of the Tennessee campaign to the War Department, where they were transcribed by hand into this book for consultation by Stanton, Lincoln and others. Updates nearly every day, sometimes many per day, on events of the Western campaign, including firsthand accounts of battles at Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, and others. Details strategies, outcomes, casualties, etc. Begins with arrival at front lines and a meeting with Andrew Johnson. Dana, assistant secretary of state, had been…

GLC04605

18 October 1863

Longstreet, James, 1821-1904

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Daniel Harvey Hill

General Longstreet writes, "Your note of today is received. I am surprised and grieved to learn that you have been relieved from duty with this Army. We have stood side by side in so many severely contested battlefields that I have learned to lean upon you with great confidence... I am yet full of faith that a kind and infinitely merciful Providence will not abandon us. And that we shall, after all, be successful."

GLC04545.02

24 December 1886

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Letter

Title: to Daniel Harvey Hill

Written from Beauvoir, the estate of former Confederate President Davis. Written and signed in the hand of Davis's wife, Varina. Davis relates, "I truly regret that you should have misconstrued my action in relieving you from duty with the army of Tennessee as a condemnation of your conduct in the battle of Chickamauga. That was not the question upon which I had to act... I assigned you to duty with the Army of Tennessee without an application from the commander of that Army... The relations which I found existing between yourself and the Commander of the Army of Tennessee, made it…

GLC04545.03

circa 25 May 1863

Hill, Daniel H., 1821-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isabella Morrison Hill

At the time he wrote this letter, Hill was in command of the Department of North Carolina. He expresses his disappointment over an embarrassing incident during the actions around Kinston, in the southeastern part of the state. Date inferred from content. Hill relates that his troops at Kinston recently suffered a surprise attack, during which 150 of his men were captured before Confederates fired a shot. Hill signs as "Husband." Says "...A Regt. was most disgracefully surprised on the 22d," he writes, "& without firing a shot had 150 men captured. The day was intensely hot, but I got…

GLC04545.04