7 October 1864

Collins, Napoleon, 1814-1875

Letter signed

Title: to Lester A. Beardslee

Signed by Collins as the commander of the USS "Wachusett." Written to Lieutenant Commander Beardslee. Collins tells Beardslee to take command of the prize steamer "Florida," and proceed with the "Wachusett" to the nearest northern port. He is only to stop at a neutral port in the West Indies out of great necessity. If they become separated he has permission to run into Key West, Hampton Roads, or any other port controlled by Union forces. Says he is to be vigilant, especially at night. Asks to have duplicate inventories made of everything on board. Collins had captured the "Florida" earlier…

GLC01920.01

31 October 1864

Beardslee, Lester Anthony, 1836-1903

Letter

Title: to Napoleon Collins

Copy of letter written by Lieutenant Commander Beardslee to Commander Collins. Beardslee's signature is in a clerical hand. Is disappointed to learn that Collins thinks poorly of his conduct while in charge of the captured Confederate ship "Florida." The ship was captured on 7 October 1864 and was steaming north. Says he has given the ship undivided attention since the arrival of the "Florida" in Bahia, Brazil. Says they are undermanned because of the many prisoners on board. Says he has been on such vigilance that he has not even taken off his clothes, except to bathe. Collins was angry that…

GLC01920.02

7 November 1864

Barclay, Charles J., fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lester A. Beardslee

Written by Acting Ensign Barclay to Lieutenant Commander Beardslee. Both were serving on the recently captured ship "Florida." As requested, Barclay is submitting his version of events from the night of 29 October, which have caused accusations of dereliction of duty from Beardslee's superior Commander Napoleon Collins. Says he was officer on deck that night and gives description of the sails that night. Says he noticed the "Florida" was drifting from the "Wachusett," where Collins was, but that it was nothing out of the ordinary. Describes how the "Wachusett" caught up to the "Florida."…

GLC01920.03

1861

Morey, Charles C., fl. 1830-1865

Diary

Title: [Diary of Sergeant in 2nd Vermont Vols.]

Mentions first Bull Run.

GLC01921.01

1862

Morey, Charles C., fl. 1830-1865

Diary

Title: [Diary of Sergeant in 2nd Vermont Vols.]

Mentions McClellan, Fair Oaks, Lincoln visit.

GLC01921.02

1863

Morey, Charles C., fl. 1830-1865

Diary

Title: [Diary of Sergeant in 2nd Vermont Vols.]

Gettysburg, service in Virginia. Mentions coming late to Gettysburg, hard fighting there in Hancock's brigade and rumored loss of Confederate General Longstreet.

GLC01921.03

1864

Morey, Charles C., fl. 1830-1865

Diary

Title: [Diary of Sergeant in 2nd Vermont Vols.]

Service in Virginia. Approximately 190 pages.

GLC01921.04

1865

Morey, Charles C., fl. 1830-1865

Diary

Title: [Diary of Sergeant in 2nd Vermont Vols.]

Autograph manuscript signed. About Petersburg.

GLC01921.05

14 June 1861

Gist, States Rights, 1831-1864

Letter signed

Title: to Arthur M. Manigault

Orders that Captain White's company, which had been ordered to fill a vacancy in Colonel Bacon's regiment, be furnished with supplies and ordnance "as tenth company of the 7th Regiment S.C. Vols." Indicates that the "Confederate authorities will furnish transportation" to Virginia.

GLC01922

27 September 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Petition for the removal of General David E. Twiggs from the command of the District of Louisiana]

Cosigned by Charles M. Conrad, a delegate to the Provincial Confederate Congress. Benjamin, Acting Confederate Secretary of War, represents the citizens of New Orleans, Louisiana. Speaking of Twiggs, writes: "advancing age has impaired his faculties to such an extent as to render it evident that he is incompetent to the command assigned him... We are his friends and always have been, and it is with pain but with a sense of public duty, that we feel compelled to solicit his withdrawal..."

GLC01923

circa 1864

Map

Title: [Manuscript Civil War map of Atlanta and vicinity]

Detailed map on blue lined paper of Atlanta and environs from General Sherman's Atlanta campaign. Shows roads, railroads, forests, and rivers. Directions and latitude not given.

GLC01924

January 31, 1863

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

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas Hill Watts

Seddon, Confederate Secretary of War, writes to Watts, Confederate Attorney General. Seddon states, "You are respectfully informed in reply to the applications of D H Parker submitted by you, that the Exemption Act has not embraced overseers of negro hounds among the exemptions and the Department cannot supply the omission."

GLC01925

24 September 1862

Smith, Gustavus Woodson, 1821-1896

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Endorsement submitting a proposal for the recovery of arms to Brigadier General Henry Alexander Wise]

Endorsement on a 22 September letter from [J. J. Frey?] to Major Smith Stansbury. Frey reports that he recently delivered rifles and muskets. Relates that a Mr. Sims, who resides near Turkey Island Creek (15 miles from Richmond), recently reported that Union General George Brinton McClellan's army threw 15,000 to 20,000 small arms into the creek. Sims is under the impression that it may be possible to recover the disposed arms. Major Stansbury signs, noting that the proposal for recovering arms has been forwarded to department commander General G. W. Smith. General Smith signs,…

GLC01926

4 April 1863

Jones, Samuel, 1819-1887

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eliakim Parker Scammon

Confederate General Jones, Commander of the Department of Western Virginia, writes to Union General Scammon. Transmits two letters (not included) regarding William Hughart and W. M. [Lydenstriker?], two prisoners taken from the Union Army. Reports that the captives were recognized as Confederate deserters, and will be tried before the proper tribunal. Relates that Union officers have threatened the Confederate captors, attempting to persuade them to parole Hughart and Lydenstriker. Jones declares, "I need hardly say that the threats of those men will have no weight whatever. I send the…

GLC01927

January 16, 1863

Wharton, Gabriel Colvin, 1824-1906

Letter signed

Title: to Eliakim Parker Scammon

Written from the Narrows of New River. Confederate Colonel Wharton writes to Union General Scammon for General Samuel Jones. Requests that Scammon allow several Confederates soldiers' wives living within Union lines to join their husbands. On page two, Wharton notes that this letter will be delivered by Lieutenants Roche and Douglas, with an escort, and is signed again by Wharton. Docket notes "Rebel communication by flag of truce."

GLC01928

24 March 1865

Allen, William Wirt, 1835-1894

Endorsement signed

Title: [Endorsement on verso of letter from Captain J. Gardner]

In an autograph letter signed, Captain J. [D.?] Gardner writes to M. G. Hudson (possibly Marcellus G. Hudson), Acting Assistant Adjutant General for General Gabriel Colvin Wharton's corps. Gardner requests that several men from his company, now serving in another battery, be ordered to return to their command. Major V. M. Elmore signs on verso, noting that this request has been forwarded and approved. Also on verso, Colonel D. T. Blakey and General William Wirt Allen approve and forward Gardner's request. J. Warren Grigsby, Colonel and Chief of Staff, reports that the soldiers Gardner…

GLC01929

circa 1864

Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906

Letter

Title: [Draft letter regarding recent conflict between soldiers and citizens]

Creator and circa year previously inferred. Reports that the previous day, Colonel Dibrill had informed Wheeler's adjutant that a man near Dibrill's camp had two hundred bushels of corn that he refused to sell. Wheeler instructed Dibrill to take some of the corn, and a fight ensued. One soldier was wounded from a shot, and the citizens guarding the corn finally surrendered. Wheeler ordered the citizens arrested, and is investigating the incident. Remarks, "I exceedingly regret this occurrence as my command was getting along remarkably well and all the citizens in the neighborhood of…

GLC01931

16 April 1863

Hardee, William J., 1815-1873

Letter signed

Title: to Braxton Bragg

Hardee, commanding 2nd Corps, Army of Tennessee, writes to General Braxton Bragg, commander of the Army of Tennessee. Discusses Bragg's accusations that General Polk (possibly Leonidas Polk) disobeyed his orders during previous operations in Kentucky. Writes "... you ask me... to inform you to what extent I sustained the General in his acknowledged disobedience. In answer, I have the honor to say that, while I do not desire to shrink from any responsibility incurred by me in the part I took in the Councils of war called by Lieut General Polk, I do not consider it proper in answer to a…

GLC01933

25 July 1863

Wharton, John Austin, 1806-1838

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Colonel Isaac W. Avery

General Wharton discusses Avery's failure to follow orders regarding a horse intended for Colonel Smith. Remarks that because Avery did not follow his orders, "Smith in consequence was compelled to walk across the mountains... to this place, whilst one of yr men rode his horse." Bottom left corner of page is missing.

GLC01934

1836/04/13

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Col. Geo. Bomford re: $50,000 being set aside for building (gun?) carriages

Written on stationery of the War Department's Engineer Dept.

GLC01943

January 20, 1803

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Letter signed

Title: to the Marquis of Casa Yrujo

Madison, Secretary of State, encloses a copy of a letter (not included) addressed to President Jefferson by Oliver Pollock, a New Orleans trader and planter who supplied the United States with military materials obtained from the Spanish during the American Revolution. Informs the Marquis de Yrujo, Spanish Minister to the United States, that Pollock "has claims upon the Spanish administration at Havana, Cuba." Requests that Yrujo make interpositions on Pollock's behalf.

GLC01948

23 August 1872

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretaty of State to affix the seal to the pardon of Amos Owens, William Teal, David Collins and William Scruggs].

GLC01949

21 November 1866

Comstock, Cyrus Ballou, 1831-1910

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward Ortho Cresap Ord

Serving as senior aide-de-camp to General-in-Chief Ulysses S. Grant, Comstock authorizes General Ord to move soldiers from Little Rock to Fort Smith, Arkansas. Referring to reconstruction policies, informs Ord that "It is impossible for the General-in-Chief to give instructions which shall guide you in all extraordinary and exceptional cases; whenever such cases come within the provisions of the Civil Rights Bill, Freedmans Bureau Bill, or other laws, these laws must be your guide." Instructs Ord to return property to pre-war ownership, and to suppress all robbers and bushwhackers in his…

GLC01951

December 10, 1862

Foote, Andrew H. (Andrew Hull), 1806-1863

Letter signed

Title: to James Wilson Grimes

Written by Rear Admiral Foote from the Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting to Senator James Grimes of Iowa (Grimes served in the U.S. Senate 1859-1869). Grimes was a member of the Committee on Naval Affairs when this letter was written. References a letter he sent to Grimes the day before. Says he did not stress the qualifications of the ship builder John Lenthall as he should have. Praises Lenthall: "As far as I know and believe, Mr. Lenthall is incomparably beyond any of our Naval Constructors in making the profound calculations indispensable to ensure good results in the construction of a…

GLC01952

17 November 1870

Douglass, Frederick, 1818-1895

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas B. Pugh

Douglass refuses to speak at the Philadelphia Academy of Music because of its discriminatory policies towards African Americans. The letter escalates into a barrage of criticism against the Academy and Philadelphia the "City of Brotherly Love", which according to Douglass "stands almost alone in the intensity of its wolfish hate and snobbish pride of race."

GLC01954