January 12, 1849

Hunter, B.B.B., fl. 1849

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Young Mason

Writes from the Border Post Office about the effect of gold in California and announces his plans to be among the miners shortly. Asks Secretary of the Navy Mason to put in a good word with the President so he may receive an appointment once he arrives in California. With note by Mason on address leaf, replied on 16 February 1849.

GLC04897.04

21 July 1780

Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796

Autograph document signed

Title: [Minutes of field council held during attack on Bull's Ferry blockhouse]

Co-signed by six field officers, including Brigadier General William Irvine of the 2nd Brigade of the Pennsylvania Line. The minutes of a council of war held during an attack on Bull's Ferry blockhouse. It appears that Knox wrote this on the verso of a letter he received from Captain Zebulon Pike while in the field. Says ammunition was nearly expended and even though artillery had made it within 60 or 70 yards of the blockhouse, it could not be captured and a withdraw was ordered. The attack at Bull's Ferry was a lopsided defeat, as Wayne's force of 2000 troops could not dislodge the 70…

GLC04898

18 April 1801

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Pitcairn

Discusses their correspondence, personal matters, and politics. Mentions the "Silesian letters" and comments on the cession of Louisiana to Florida. Pitcairn was stationed at Hamburg. Sealed with black mourning wax.

GLC04900.01

16 December 1815

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Letter signed

Title: to Joseph Pitcairn

Written in the hand of Louisa Catherine Adams, requests that Pitcairn purchase and send Adams a copy of Johann Bode's "Uranographia," which contains "the most complete exposition of the starry Heavens, that has ever been exhibited." Mentions writing to Secretary of State James Monroe to obtain an appointment for Mr. Mowbray as Consul of the United States at Leith. Pitcairn was the U.S. consul in Hamburg. .

GLC04900.02

16 July 1851

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isaac G. McKinley

Buchanan voices his support for the Fugitive Slave Law, enacted under the Compromise of 1850. Believes the law will be the deciding issue in the upcoming election, and that the Democrats should strongly support it. He writes: "The great issue...ought to be: the maintenance of the fugitive slave law without modification." Another central issue must be "the repeal of our State law denying the use of our jails for the detention of fugitive Slaves." Worries that the South is already distressed, and will become more so if the Fugitive Slave Law is attacked. Mentions a Colonel, possibly Bigler…

GLC04903

2 April 1865

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Gordon Meade

Grant, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army, writes from Headquarters of the Armies of the United States to Meade, Commander of the Army of the Potomac. Discussing an assault on Petersburg, states that General Horatio Wright can contribute his force, except for a garrison of enclosed works. Relates that General Edward Ortho Cresap Ord is moving to assist Wright. Reports that General Philip Henry Sheridan "intended to start at day break and sweep the White Oak road and all North of it down to Petersburg." Accompanied by two collateral maps; one depicts the Siege of Petersburg 31…

GLC04907.01

29 October 1760

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Daniel Perkins

Hancock writes to Reverend Perkins, his step-father. Hancock has not yet received communication from Perkins, and writes to let his family know that he is well. Hancock discusses the death of King George II and the impending coronation of George III.

GLC04908

1914-1923

Harding, Warren G., 1865-1923

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Speech given to an Elks Club]

A draft of a lengthy disquisition on the nature of history and memory, human fellowship and greatness, and the enduring quality of true goodness. Contains many autograph edits. Date approximated from his tenure in national public offices.

GLC04909

27 March 1866

Lincoln, Mary Todd, 1818-1882

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Ann Foot

Expresses deep sympathy for the illness of her husband, Senator Solomon Foot, and refers to her own trials, "I pray that our Heavenly Father may be merciful to you . . .and spare you the cup of affliction, which I have been called upon, so freely to drink. I have passed through such a baptism of sorrow as but few have known." Laments that it would have been better if Abraham Lincoln had passed away after an illness so that she would have been able to say goodbye to her husband. Written on mourning stationery.

GLC04923

January 20, 1862

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Philemon Ewing

Brigadier General Sherman reflects upon his suitability for high command and notes the handicap of having been influenced by his years spent in the South, "I am not fit to be a leader in such a war, and have from the first desired to keep in the background ..." Written from Benton Barracks near St. Louis on stationary marked "Head-Quarters, Camp of Instruction."

GLC04931

1920

Allied and Associated Powers, 1914-1920

Book

Title: The Treaty of Peace between the Allied and Associated powers and Germany and other treaty engagements signed at Versailles, June 28th, 1919

Signed by David Lloyd George. Title continues "Together with the reply of the Allied and Associated powers to the Observations of the German Delegation on the Conditions of Peace."

GLC04937

1861-1865 ca.

Photograph

Title: Monitors on the James River with ALS to Hallie Mayers from "Joe" and album

Albumen print of monitors on the James River and an accompanying letter. ALS measures 20.2 x 12.5 cm.

GLC04938

2 May 1863

Forrest, Nathan Bedford, 1821-1877

Autograph letter signed

Title: to the authorities of Rome, Georgia

Forrest, commander of a cavalry brigade in the Army of Tennessee, writes from Headquarters (of an unspecified post), "twenty miles west of Garrison." Informs the authorities of Rome "There is a Federal Force of Fifteen Hundred cavalry marching on your place I am pursuing them prepare your selves to Repulse them- they have 2 Mountain Howitzers. I will be close on them I have kild 300 of thir men They are Runing for their lives."

GLC04940

20 November 1838

Weld, Theodore Dwight, 1803-1895

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Milton Sutliff

Weld writes to Sutliff, an Ohio abolitionist and lawyer, from the Office of the American Anti-Slavery Society. The Society will be publishing a series of tracts refuting the main objections to abolition, and Weld seeks information on slavery and the relationship between the North and South. The tracts will report "facts and testimony as to the actual condition of the Slaves... Showing that they are overworked, underfed, have insufficient sleep, live in miserable huts... fastening upon them iron collars, yokes, chains, horns and bells, branding them with hot irons, knocking out their teeth,…

GLC04941

22 March 1847

Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Broadside

Title: Proclamation [in Spanish]

Arguing that the army entered Mexico not to wage war on peaceable citizens, but to seek an honorable peace. Taylor therefore expects the citizens to make reparations for encouraging guerillas to loot and sabotage the army's property. Printed by Onslow & Gee, printers to the U.S. Army of Occupation.

GLC04943

12 July 1755 - 15 September 1755

Moses, Robert, fl. 1755

Diary

Title: [Diary of Robert Moses kept during the French and Indian War]

Moses served in a New Hampshire regiment under the command of Colonel Joseph Blanchard. He describes, sometimes in graphic detail, accounts of fighting Indians and the French in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire during the early stages of the Seven Years' War. Emphasizes the Indians "very barbarous manner." Contains an extensive description of General William Johnson's victory at the Battle of Lake George on 9 September 1755. In the course of the diary he mentions visits to Fort Dummer, Fort Bellows, Charlemont Fort, Fort Massachusetts, Fort Albany, Lake George,…

GLC04944

1776

Watson, James, fl. 1974

Print

Title: Sir Jeffery Amherst [mezzotint by James Watson, after Joshua Reynolds]

Sold by Ryland and Bryer at the Kings Arms, in Cornhill. Printed by J. Watson. Sir Jeffery Amherst (Smith IV, 1488.2). Mezzotint based on a painting by Joshua Reynolds. "Knight of the Most Honorable Order of Bath, Governor of Virginia, Colonel of His Majesty's 15th & 60th Regiments of Foot, Lieutenant General & Commander in Chief Of His Majesty's Forces in North America from 1758 to 1764." He is posing with a map entitled "Plan of the Island of Montreal & its Environs." The background is largely dominated by dark clouds, although a river crowded with large boats is visible in the…

GLC04951

9 May 1794

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert R. Livingston

Monroe, Senator from Virginia, urges Livingston, Chancellor of New York, to accept Washington's offer to succeed Gouverneur Morris as Minister Plenipotentiary to France. Tells Livingston it will be good for the party if he accepts. Says "the effect of you're. declining cannot be perceived." Ultimately, Livingston declined the honor because he did not want the Chancery Court to go to someone of differing political beliefs and because he did not think he could work well with the Washington Administration. Monroe himself was eventually selected to go to France.

GLC04822

November 26, 1818

Header Record

Title: [Patent for Jacob Bromwell's improvement of the wheat fan, or winnowing machine and J.Q. Adams and Engraving of James Monroe and James Monroe]

Document signed by John Quincy Adams and James Monroe, 1 engraving of John Quincy Adams, and 3 engravings of James Monroe.

GLC04823

2 December 1823

James C., Dunn & Co, fl. 1823

Broadside

Title: President's Message

Same-day printing of the Monroe Doctrine in an extra for the Washington Republican and congressional examiner. One of the most important lines includes: "the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintained, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for further colonization by any European powers." Text in five columns with ink stains that create small amounts of text loss. Writing and calculations on verso. Signature on verso is hard to read, but might be "Bernard V. Stewart."

GLC04824

22 June 1775

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Document signed

Title: [Commission of Captain Daniel Morgan]

Partially printed document signed by Continental Congress President John Hancock and co-signed by Charles Thomson as Secretary to Congress. The writing in the document's body was done by General George Washington. Document appoints Daniel Morgan as "Captain of a Company of Riflemen."

GLC04825

6 January 1816

Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John McHenry

Encloses a collection of sermons by Rev. Richard Price that shaped Pickering's faith. Over forty years ago Pickering renounced the "Calvanistic scheme" in which he had been educated as "utterly incompatible with the perfections of the Deity." Price's sermons gave Pickering the concept of the Trinity which he now embraces.

GLC04835

May 1, 1787

McHenry, James, 1753-1816

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [George Washington] re: explaining his absence from the Convention

Misdated May. McHenry writes the Convention's president, Washington, that he was unable to attend the opening sessions because his brother lay ill. He did attend in August and kept a private record of proceedings.

GLC04842.29

January 17, 1797

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Document signed

Title: Land grant transferring land from Capt. Gallohill Minnis to Richard Means

Signed by George Washington as President and countersigned by Timothy Pickering as Secretary of State. Includes handwritten description of the boundaries of the property. Docket on verso signed by James McHenry as Secretary of War on January 16, 1797. Also docketed and signed by the Chief Clerk at the Department of State. Features paper and wax seal.

GLC04842.39

22 August 1775

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Palmer

Washington discusses supply and armament of the Army, strategic locations for placing artillery, how best to prosecute the war, and his public image. Asks Palmer for his advice on strategy for defending Boston and the surrounding area, and has solicited the advice of other men on this topic.

GLC04858