Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This manuscript contains detailed descriptions of boxing matches, biographical information about prominent boxers, and related poetry, portraits, and illustrations, primarily concerning the sport's history in England during the early 1800s.

This 546-page manuscript contains information on boxing and boxers in the early 19th century. Approximately 512 pages include detailed descriptions of boxing matches and biographies of prominent boxers, with an additional 27 pages devoted to boxing- related poetry. A 7-page index of names, matches, illustrations, and poetry finalizes the volume.

The round-by-round descriptions of matches provide details about the combatants and their movements, locations of the fights, histories of the participants, physical states of the fighters after the bouts, and prizes awarded. The biographies vary in length and are occasionally accompanied by portrait illustrations of the men in everyday or formal attire. English and American boxers are represented, including some African Americans. Additional drawings depict boxing matches and trophies.

This copy of Jedidiah Morse's The American Geography (1789) contains manuscript annotations by Indian agent George Morgan. Morgan's notes include corrections, additions, and commentary on subjects such as Native American culture, geography, and history.

This copy of Jedidiah Morse's The American Geography; or, a View of the Present Situation of the United States of America (1789; 280 pages) contains annotations by Indian agent George Morgan.

The printed matter consists of the first 280 pages of Morse's text, with blank pages separating each printed page. Morgan composed most of his notes on the plain pages but sometimes wrote directly over printed text; parts of some later pages have been cut out of the volume. Morgan provided commentary on Morse's errors and misconceptions, especially regarding geographical features, historical events, and Native Americans. He discussed European views of Native Americans, attempted to correct the biases that he discovered, and copied a creation story he had heard from a Wyandotte or Iroquois chief while observing mammoth bones (pp. 55-58). Other notes refer to the American Revolution, European settlement in North America, and the character of early European colonists. Morgan also occasionally mentioned the work of other historians or geographers. His latest notes are dated 1791. A newspaper clipping containing reprinted letter about the discovery of Uranus is pinned into the volume after the table of contents.

This volume is a manuscript version of the second edition of Bethune's A History of the Late Siege of Gibraltar, written by the British Army captain just after the cessation of the Spanish efforts to win the city.

This volume (356 pages) is a manuscript version of the second edition of Bethune's A History of the Late Siege of Gibraltar, written by the British Army captain just after the cessation of the Spanish efforts to win the city. The book begins with a brief preface, outlining the purpose of the work and providing a detailed table of contents, covering the most important events over the course of the siege. The first of the work's eight chapters provides a brief general history of Gibraltar from its discovery to the eve of the Spanish action, and is followed by a chapter outlining the history of the British garrison at the post. In the next six chapters, Bethune relates in detail the history of the lengthy siege, aided by his own firsthand recollections, from the conflict that preceded the action to the British celebrations of 1783. A number of appendices provide statistical information on British casualties, use of ammunition, the prices of provisions, and the distribution of prize money.