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

The John Peddie collection is made up of a signed letter from John Peddie to William Henry Clinton, written from a bivouac on the "banks of the Bayoue Catalan" and dated January 24, 1815. Peddie wrote of "the fate of our unfortunate Expedition," referring to operations surrounding the Battle of Lake Borgne and the Battle of New Orleans. He enclosed a manuscript map and a copy of Charles Ramus Forrest's journal dated November 25, 1814-January 7, 1815. The letter and enclosures are part of the larger Henry Clinton papers.

The John Peddie collection includes a signed letter from John Peddie to William Henry Clinton, written from a bivouac on the "banks of the Bayoue Catalan" and dated January 24, 1815. Peddie wrote of "the fate of our unfortunate Expedition," referring to operations surrounding the Battle of Lake Borgne and the Battle of New Orleans. He offered his opinions about the causes of the British failures. Peddie requested Clinton's aid in securing a promotion.

Peddie enclosed a manuscript map of "Genl Lambert's position on the River Mississip[p]i," signed by John Fox Burgoyne, and a 15-page copy of Charles Ramus Forrest's "Journal of the Movements of the Army acting in the Southern part of the North American Coast." Forrest's account describes events from November 25, 1814, through January 7, 1815. He remarked on Major General Keane's command in Negril, Jamaica, the movements of the British Fleet as they proceeded to the American coast, and subsequent military decisions, maneuvers, and engagements leading up to the Battle of New Orleans. Forrest provided details on difficulties faced by British troops, including unfavorable tides and geography, and described military encounters with American forces. He also noted work on the Villeré Canal and included copies of orders and memoranda concerning military preparation and actions. Forrest concluded by summarizing the circumstances that stymied the British efforts in New Orleans, including their distance from supplies; the "impossibility of gaining intelligence" from locals, prisoners, and African Americans; the bad "nature of the Soil"; Americans' ability to prepare in advance and establish a strong line of defense; and the unexpected local opposition to the British.

The letter and enclosures are part of the larger Henry Clinton papers, though they are housed separately.

This "Missionary Journal" chronicles Congregational minister Timothy Mather Cooley's missionary trip to the New York counties of Oneida, Onondaga, and Chenango between June and October 1803. During his travels, he preached 108 sermons, visited 27 schools, baptized 53 people (of whom 50 were children), and helped establish a church in Verona, New York.

This "Missionary Journal" chronicles Congregational minister Timothy Mather Cooley's missionary trip to the New York counties of Oneida, Onondaga, and Chenango between June and October 1803. During his travels, he preached 108 sermons, visited 27 schools, baptized 53 people (of whom 50 were children), and helped establish a church in Verona, New York. He left his home on June 5, 1803, and headed for Northampton, where he received his formal commission from the Hampshire Missionary Society. From there, he went to Utica, and spent the next several months traveling around rural New York. Throughout his travels, he kept a log of his activities in various settlements, which often included delivering sermons, distributing literature, and talking to local residents; he frequently composed footnotes giving a general outline of each town. These notes usually recorded the year of the town's settlement, the number of families, churches, and schools, and the number of people who belonged to other Christian denominations, most frequently Baptists and Methodists. Though generally optimistic about his mission, he often commented that local residents were "poor, stupid, and ignorant" or, in one case, "stupid and vicious" (June 24). On July 9, he copied two drawings of coins resembling those Judas received for betraying Christ, and on July 23 described a visit to Baron von Steuben's gravesite. He also occasionally met with Native Americans, and described Oneida buildings (August 2) and a tour of an old burial ground (August 25). Often accompanied by the Reverend Peter Fish, he helped establish a church in Verona, New York, in August. He returned home on October 5. The back of the volume contains Cooley’s summary of his trip, a chart of distance traveled, sermons preached, schools visited, people baptized, donations received, and books distributed, and a note by C. Green, MD, a later owner of the journal, providing evidence for Cooley's authorship (December 1876).

• Map of Black River Settlements (June 24) (Housed in the Map Division)
• Map of Chenango County (August 14)
• Map of Onondaga County (October 5)