22 March 1778

Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Heath

Written by General Burgoyne as a prisoner of war after his defeat at Saratoga in October 1777 to Heath as commander of the Convention Army, which consisted of the British prisoners of war previously commanded by Burgoyne. Says he is obliged by Heath's handling of his last dispatch and regrets the loss of any of Heath's men because of it. Asks for duplicates of Captain Dalrymple's parole to secure the transports and money he is arranging, presumably for Burgoyne's return to Britain, which took place on 5 April 1778. Postscript says Mr. Clarke has not heard from Heath's commissary yet. Letter…

GLC04762

30 August 1778

Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Kingston

Written by General Burgoyne in England as a parolee after Battle of Saratoga to Kingston as Burgoyne's Adjutant General. Mentions that he received information that the government might use intelligence from Boston as grounds to return him to America as a prisoner of war. Says if it comes to that, he will not obey the order. Asks Kingston to keep that information confidential. Says box that might contain a summons from the American Congress sent by the Manchester coach has not arrived and expresses his impatience since he is moving to Scarborough the next day. Tells Kingston to remain in…

GLC04763

1776/12-1779/03

Kingston, Robert M., ?-1794

Header Record

Title: Burgoyne-Kingston collection: papers concerning Convention Army after Saratoga [word processed inventory available] [decimalized]

Bulk 11/1777-04/1778. Papers retained by Lieut. Gen. John Burgoyne's Adjutant General, mostly his (frequently strained) communications with Maj. Gen. William Heath concerning the conditions of the British officer prisoners (41 items). The collection includes a broadside "Burgoyne's Lament" printed at Boston, eight dispatches from various company commanders, three cypher templates, documents on daily business before and after surrender (25 items) and a packet of four miscellaneous items. The broadside is apparently rare. Materials of interest include the broadside, cypher templates, and an…

GLC04764

31 May 1803

Chase, Samuel, 1741-1811

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Winchester

Discussing appropriate division of compensation among sailors who salvaged the French ship "Blaireau." Chase discusses the situation and offers his advice. On subject of a black sailor who helped during the salvage, says if he is free he deserves a share, though less than white sailors, and if a slave, still deserves some small payment for taking risks to assist in the salvage. Chase acknowledges the case may be appealed to him in the Supreme Court, and one year later it was, in the case of "Mason v. Ship Blaireau." Among the rulings of the court was that the compensation for the black…

GLC04765

1833/11/29

Clay, Henry, 1777-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Tuttle, John N. Millington, William Holliday, James K. McNeal, and George W. Sherwood

Declines invitation to the Baltimore Typographical Society's anniversary supper on account of his travel plans. Praises their toleration of divergent views, writing, in part: "all would be unworthy of liberty who, whilst they exercise free judgment themselves should be disposed to deny it in others."

GLC04766

1789/05/05

Clinton, George, 1739-1812

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Huntington

The governor of New York sends to the governor of Connecticut the New York legislature's proposed amendments to the Constitution (not included). Asks that this draft of the Bill of Rights be circulated in the Connecticut legislature.

GLC04767

9 October 1777

Clinton, Henry, Sir, 1730-1795

Manuscript

Title: [Clerical copy of report on battle of Fort Montgomery]

Report on General Clinton's feint northward up the Hudson in support of General John Burgoyne's southward thrust. But in the late summer and early fall of 1777 Clinton, who was given vague orders, decided not to move his forces against Albany, which was Burgoyne's destination, but to only create a diversion that extended little further than Kingston, about 40 miles south of Albany. In October, he moved up the east side of the Hudson and crossed to the west side at Stony Point. With a force of about 3,000, he moved north against the combined forces of about 600 Americans led by General George…

GLC04768

June 18, 1789

Clymer, George, 1739-1813

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Rush re: coming glories of Constitution, future end of slavery & rum

Also concerns his hopes that slavery and alcohol would be abolished (prohibition), and the debate on the power to remove officials from office. He expects that the excise tax on rum will help defend people "against the poison." Concerning New Yorkers, "[t]he people here presumptuously call their town the Capital. I don't suppose this folly will be suffered to last very long...." Dating inferred per correspondence with Kenneth Bowling, Documentary History of the First Federal Congress.

GLC04769

1788 ca.

Manuscript document

Title: Proposed amendments to the Constitution

This document, in a contemporary hand, compiles and compares the proposals of several states. Many of the proposals are in the form substantially used in the Bill of Rights.

GLC04770

1776/03/23

Broadside

Title: Rejection of Olive Branch Petition by Congress; lets colonists arm vessels

The document sets regulations for arming vessels for defense and privateering. Printed by John Dunlap.

GLC04771

1794/04/02

Bradford, William, 1755-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox re: considering constitutionality of a Pennsylvania Act

GLC04772.01

1781/08/28

Carmichael, William, fl. 1781

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Morris re: conditions in Europe, prospects for treaty, Jay in Spain

GLC04772.02

1788/03/15

Dane, Nathan, 1752-1835

Autograph letter signed

Title: to S[amuel?] Holten re: ratification of the Constitution

GLC04772.03

19 March 1794

Livingston, Robert L., 1746-1813

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Clinton

Written by Chancellor Livingston to New York Governor Clinton. Encloses petition at the request of Dr. Robinson (not included). Mentions seeing Clinton's family. Mentions political controversy involving himself and William P. Van Ness. It involves the unpopular removal of someone from office (the name cannot be deciphered - Benthingsen?) Wants Clinton to clarify the situation for him. Says Egbert Benson is going to come forward with the story for the newspapers and wants to be able to meet it. Wants to know if Clinton recollects him ever recommending the person. If he or other members of the…

GLC04772.04

January 2, 1782

Pettit, Charles, 1736-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nathanael Greene

Written by Pettit as an importing merchant in Philadelphia to Major General Greene as commander of the Southern Department. Pettit was Greene's assistant adjutant general 1778-1781. Mentions he sold Greene's and his own shares in the Batsto Estate. Says they are going to have to wait for their money because of issues with the estate. Says he has little ready money as a result. Mentions political backbiting at the Pennsylvania Assembly. Talks about the reduction of salaries of certain officers in order to starve them out so the current Assembly can appoint new ones. Says they are considering…

GLC04772.05

1 April 1778- 10 June 1779

Continental Congress, 1774-1789

Manuscript document

Title: [Military account book]

Includes detailed records for the payment of generals, aid-de-camps, other military posts, and military supplies. Cited as created by the Second Continental Congress, though possibly created by the Massachusetts Board of War.

GLC04773

1787, 1788, 1794/05/21

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Book signed

Title: A Defence of the Constitutions of the government of the United States...[1st ed]

First Edition. Vols. 1-2 issued 1787; vol. 3 issued 1788. Each volume inscribed by Adams to the famous French diplomat Charles M. Talleyrand, who in turn gave them to someone else. In this work, Adams forcibly states the principles on which he perceived the United States to be founded. The book was popular and went through numerous editions. Later, Adams' detractors sought to find in it a hidden desire for a monarchy. In 1788 Adams extended this work by publishing two additional volumes in London. Howes a60. Sabin 233. Evans 20176. DAB 1: 76. USE WITH CARE: volumes have chemical odor;…

GLC04878

1865-1866 ca.

Pywell, William R., fl. 1862-1866

Photograph

Title: Old Capitol Prison, [1st and A Streets NE,] Washington, D.C. 1865-1866 ca.

Title taken from text on recto. Negative by William R. Pywell. A view of the prison from the street. Several soldiers stand guard around the prison with bayonets fixed and arms at the right-shoulder shift. Plate "No. 90."

GLC05111.01.0284

1865/05/24

Smith, Alexander, fl. 1865

Photograph

Title: Pontoon Bridge from Georgetown to Analostan Island. [Washington] 24 May 1865.

Negative by W. Morris Smith. "Incidents of the War" series. Shows civilian men and women crossing the bridge in the background while, in the foreground, some civilians ride in an open carriage.

GLC05111.01.0299

circa 1861-1865

Smith, William Morris, fl. 1865

Photograph

Title: Officers 63[rd] New York Infantry. [near Washington, D.C.] [red mount] [1861-1865 ca.]

Title taken from inscription on recto. Co. A., Capt. William H. Terwilliger..

GLC05111.01.0317

circa 1861-1865

Guesner, fl. 1864

Photograph

Title: Capt[ain]s Restieaux and Santingen with families. [1861-1865 ca.]

Title taken from pencil inscription on recto. Two families posed in yard in front of porch. Image shows two middle aged men, one young woman, two middle aged women, three young girls, and two young boys.

GLC05111.01.0222

1860

Photograph

Title: [Portrait of an unidentified eleven member family]

A print of a photograph showing family members in their yard with the corner of a brick building to the left side of the photograph. The image shows two small boys one small girl, one teenage girl, one teen age boy, two middle aged men, one middle aged woman, an elderly man and an elderly woman. All the woman are wearing dark dresses. All the men are in civilian clothes. Good image of period clothing. Several of the subjects are smiling.

GLC05111.01.0223

circa 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: Birth-Place of Lieut.-Gen. U. S. Grant, Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ohio.

A mounted print of a photograph showing the birthplace of Ulysses S. Grant. Title taken from text on recto. A small white house stands with two trees on either side of it, surrounded by a wooden fence with its gate open. A small boy huddles in the front doorway. There is debris scattered in front of the fence. Also printed on recto: "Entered according to Act of Congress, July 6th, 1864, by Goodwin & Dickinson, in the Clerks Officer of the Southern District of Ohio." "J. G. Rogers, M. D. Family Physician."

GLC05111.01.0224

1863/07/09-11 ca.

Gutekunst, Frederick, 1831-1917

Photograph

Title: Evergreen Cemetery gatehouse, Gettysburg, PA., 9-11 July 1863 ca.

Taken by Gutekunst. Accompanying panel of text reads: "Scenes from the Battlefield at Gettysburg, PA. Gateway of the Cemetery. Being our Centre, looking West, on the 2d and 3d of July, 1863." A wagon, perhaps an ambulance, stands just inside the cemetery gate. Note also the shattered window panes and dismantled fence. The Tyson brothers took a very similar view that August. See GLC 5111.01.0305, .0523

GLC05111.01.0225

1863/07/15 ca.

Gutekunst, Frederick, 1831-1917

Photograph

Title: Gen. Meade's Headquarters, Gettysburg, PA., 15 July 1863 ca.

Taken by Gutekunst. Accompanying text panel reads: "Scenes from the battlefield at Gettysburg, PA. General Meade's Head-quarters, on the Baltimore Turnpike, in the centre of our lines, during the last two days of the battle, according to statement of Adjutant General Thomas, U.S.A." Actually a photograph of Meade's Headquarters at the widow Pfeffer House used after the battle. A civilian man stands near the fence gate.

GLC05111.01.0226