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

1774 Philadelphia reprint of the first volume of The Works of Laurence Sterne (Tristram Shandy, Gentleman), containing manuscript orders for a brigade possibly encamped in Morristown, New Jersey, around May 1781.

The four pages of notes written in the flyleaf of Laurence Sterne's novel, Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, contain orders from a brigade commander and from General George Washington, likely given in May 1781 at Morristown, New Jersey. Orders were typically written in regimental orderly books, but, for an unknown reason, they were instead copied into the novel. The first portion of the document contains the orders of the brigade commander, which concern the shoeing of artillery and ammunition horses, the distribution of 50 pairs of stockings, and the securing of a hogshead of rum. Below this are orders from General George Washington, which establish a "standing Rule" forbidding the impressment of horses and wagons, except by commanding officers and colonels. The document also provides for punishment of violators, including arrest and "39 Lashes whithout Ceremony of a Cour[t] mar[tial]."

The Journal ou Campagne… documents the movements of the French naval squadron commanded by the Comte de Grasse during the American Revolution.

The journal, which is titled Journal ou Campagne des Armées de Terre et de Mer, depuis le 22 Mars, 1781, jour du départ de l'armée navale françoise, commandée par Mr. le Comte de Grasse, de la Rade de Brest jusques au 31 May, 1782, jour auquel l'escadre commandée par Mr. le Marquis de Chabert, est partie de la Rade du Cap François pour conduire en Europe un convoy de 126 voiles, avec les details de la traverse la ditte escadre, documents the movements of the French naval squadron commanded by the Comte de Grasse during the American Revolution. Written by an anonymous member of the French navy, the journal begins with the fleet's departure from Brest on March 22, 1781, followed by their arrival at St. Lucia at the end of April. While in the West Indies, the author recorded enemy activities and engagements, including a battle led by the Marquis de Bouillé, who landed on St. Lucia, "sous le fond d'une batterie des ennemis" (under a battery of enemies), and captured one-hundred prisoners (p. 4).

The fleet remained in the West Indies for the next several months. In July, while the ships were stationed at Cap François at Saint Domingue, dispatches arrived from Generals Washington and Rochambeau, asking for naval support to defend against General Cornwallis's forces, who were stationed in Virginia, poised to invade Maryland, and if it would be possible "d'arreter ces progrès et même de le prendre lui et son armée, si nos forces maritimes devenoient superieurer…"to stop their progress and even capture him [Cornwallis] and his army, if our maritime forces proved superior) (p. 6).

The author then discussed the preparation and departure of the fleet, which arrived at the Chesapeake on August 30th, where de Grasse proceeded to blockade the entrances of the York and James rivers. The journal then records the slaughter of Marquis de St. Simon's men by British soldiers at the James River. The author described corpses exposed on the river bank, and the devastation of a deserted region: "tel fut le triste et cruel spectacle, qui s'offrit a ces yeux," (such was the sad and cruel spectacle that showed itself to these eyes) (verso p. 8). After de Grasse's arrival, Cornwallis swiftly fortified his position at Yorktown. The journal contains details on the Battle of the Chesapeake, fought between French and British fleets on September 5th, and includes a diagram of the positions of the French and English ships on the Chesapeake (inlaid at p. 9).

By mid-October, Cornwallis was forced to surrender; the journal includes a copy of the articles of capitulation, signed on October 19th (p. 14). After successfully blockading the Chesapeake, and the surrender of Cornwallis, de Grasse returned to the West Indies. The journal contains accounts of the Marquis de Bouillé's attack on St. Eustatius, the captures of Martinique and St. Christopher, and the articles of capitulation for the surrender of St. Christopher. The journal also contains an account of the April 1782 battle in which Admiral Rodney defeated de Grasse's fleet. The end of the journal contains lists of the vessels under de Grasse and the Comte de Barras, along with a list of British ships (September 5, 1782).

This volume contains excerpts from correspondence, reports, and treatises concerning the relationships between the United States, Great Britain, France, and Spain during the Revolutionary War era. Two of the five excerpts originated from letters written by Silas Deane, an American agent in France; the other three narrate Benjamin Franklin's dealings with the French court, report on the British Army's finances, and analyze available options for amphibious military action. A later owner added brief biographical notes on the key Americans referenced within the volume.

This volume (117 pages) contains excerpts from correspondence, reports, and treatises concerning the relationships between the United States, Great Britain, France, and Spain during the Revolutionary War era. The first two segments (pp. 1-8 and pp. 9-33) are extracts of "intercepted letters" from Silas Deane to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons (May 14, 1781) and Robert Morris (June 10, 1781) concerning diplomatic relations between the United States and the three major Continental powers (England, France, and Spain). Deane concentrated on the possible motives of France in assisting the American rebellion, noted the historical animosity between France and Great Britain, and shared his suspicion that France merely wished to see Great Britain's power diminished. He also questioned Spain's supposed neutrality and urged Parsons and Morris to consider reconciliation with Britain. The second letter focuses heavily on economic arguments, while the first primarily considers international politics and power relations.

The next excerpt is a third-person account of "Doctor Franklin's representations to the Court of France" (pp. 34-37), which recounts the American response to a recent French proposal. The summarized response cites the United States government's continuing desire to achieve full independence from Great Britain and its reluctance to accept the presence of large international military forces on its soil. Franklin also discussed French loans to the United States and reported his responses as the wishes of the United States Congress. The fourth, and lengthiest, excerpt, entitled "Extracts from the seventh report of the Commissioners of Public Accounts" (pp. 38-82), reflects the finances of British forces in North America from January 1, 1776-December 31, 1781. The report, issued on June 18, 1782, and later published, discusses funding for "extraordinary services of the Army" and notes specific amounts of money owed and supplies used during the Revolution.

The final essay, entitled "On Conjunct Expeditions" (pp. 83-114), discusses Great Britain's naval strength and posits a possible strategy for amphibious warfare combining infantry and naval forces. The treatise mentions several previous battles and examples and considers the drawbacks and benefits of these tactics. The essays are followed by brief biographies of Silas Deane, Samuel Holden Parsons, Robert Morris, and Benjamin Franklin, adapted from A Universal Biographical Dictionary, Hartford. S. Andrews & Son, 1856 (pp. 115-117).

This collection contains manuscripts related to a proposed wine-growing enterprise in North America in the late eighteenth century.

The Eighteenth-Century Wine-Growing collection contains a set of documents related to a proposed wine-growing enterprise in North America in the late 18th century. A majority of the documents are financial papers presenting calculations based on various aspects of the wine industry. A reference to land from "the 41st to the 35th degrees of northern latitude" suggests that the collection refers to land somewhere between Connecticut and North Carolina. The documents propose a number of possible plans that the business might follow, and provide a picture of the fledgling American wine industry. Calculations reflect the amount and nature of labor and supplies necessary to begin such a venture, and include in one assessment of the "purchase of 10 Stout Negroes," estimated to cost £40 each. In addition to the financial information and proposals, many of the documents contain prose descriptions of expected developments and project actions to be taken several years into the business. Of note is an undated three-page prospectus calling for the United States to begin producing more of its own goods, including wine: "The late happy revolution having placed the United States of North America in a line with the first known powers of the universe, the earliest attention ought to be given to every measure which may promote their utmost improvement in every branch of agriculture and Commerce."

This collection contains around 100 land surveys pertaining to property along the southern Mississippi River in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

This collection contains around 100 land surveys with maps pertaining to property along the southern Mississippi River in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Many of the items are signed by William Dunbar, Valentine Layssard, and Carlos Trudeau, surveyors under the Spanish government in West Florida and Louisiana. The collection contains petitions, grants, and other documents, many of which are in French or Spanish. The lands fell under the jurisdiction of several administrative districts, including Natchez, Baton Rouge, Feliciana, Rapides, San Bernardo, and Galveston.

This bound manuscript contains the text of a sermon delivered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in December 1783, about a desirable political future of the United States from a Christian point of view.

This bound manuscript contains the text of a sermon delivered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in December 1783, about a desirable political future of the United States from a Christian point of view. The 31-page volume, entitled "An Exhortation to Peace under the American Revolution, addressed to the Inhabitants of Lancaster in the State of Pennsylvania, December 11, 1783," is divided into several sections, each copied by a distinct, clear hand and signed, though the text runs unbroken throughout the book. The first page of the address indicates that it is based on Jeremiah 24:7, and it begins by examining the situation of the Jews in ancient Babylon, and comparing that to the situation that led to the American colonies' fight for independence. From there, the sermon continues to expound upon religious and political themes, encouraging a "cordial union among the members of each particular state, as well as among the United States in general" and arguing that a Christian ethos would serve as a strong foundation for the new nation. The treatise weaves together themes of Christian faith and contemporary politics to create a vision of a positive future for the United States.

This log book pertains to the voyage of the bark Neptune from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Mauritius and back to Philadelphia between May 1789 and August 1790, as well as multiple voyages of the schooner Federal between Pennsylvania and the Caribbean between March 1791 and November 1791.

This log book (around 200 pages) pertains to the voyages of the bark Neptune from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the Isle of France (present-day Mauritius) and back to Philadelphia from 1789-1790 and voyages of the schooner Federal between Pennsylvania and the Caribbean in 1791. The log entries are written in a pre-printed The Seamen's Journal Book (London, 1785), with sections for each day's measurements and remarks.

The log entries from the voyages of the Neptune (which comprise the bulk of the volume) and the Federal are typically notes on the wind direction, ships' courses, and ships' positions. Additional prose remarks concern weather conditions, the sighting of land, encounters with other ships, and anchorage at a port or harbor. The log has gaps during the Neptune's stay at the Isle of France and during the Federal's time in Caribbean and United States ports.

The first page of the volume, preceding the printed title page, has calculations involving an epact. The book's final pages contain entries from one of the Federal's voyages and additional notes about the Neptune's time at the Isle of France in December 1789 (particularly regarding a thunderstorm). A sheet of paper laid into the book contains notes about an unknown vessel's anchorage at Saint Helena in May and December 1783.

This account book contains financial records pertaining to the sale of food, alcohol, leather and skins, and general merchandise from around 1783 to 1859.

This account book contains financial records pertaining to the sale of food, alcohol, leather and skins, and general merchandise from around 1783 to 1859. The first page has a list of items purchased of George Walter Farrington "for Use of the Store" on May 1, 1783, including an iron stove, furniture, and measuring devices.

The general store sold a variety of goods, such as foodstuffs and alcohol, shot, powder, thread, and shoes. The earliest accounts reflect individual purchases, organized chronologically (March 12, 1783-May 12, 1785).

These accounts are followed by a separate series of entries pertaining to Richard Powell and Charles Willess, who sold animal hides and skins in 1799, and miscellaneous accounts between the bookkeeper and various individuals (1804-1805). One of the latter records concerns transactions with an African American man named Elius, who paid for clothes and meat by performing manual labor. The remainder of the volume contains financial transactions related to food, wood, and other materials (1825-late 1850s).

The Brig Kitty logbook spans April 9 to August 19, 1785, detailing the merchant ship's voyage from the port of Piscataqua, likely near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to the West Indies and back to the region near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The bulk of the brig's daily entries are recorded in columns to notate the hour of the day, knots and half-knots for speed, the brig's course, the direction of the winds, and general remarks. Most of these remarks relate to weather, sea conditions, handling of sails, and latitude observations. The volume also includes a "Harbour Logg" kept from May 22 to July 22 at the "Lee Cayes [Cays]", recording the unloading of staves, boards, and shingles while the Kitty was at its destination in the West Indies, as well as molasses taken on board for the return voyage.

The Brig Kitty logbook spans April 9 to August 19, 1785, detailing the merchant ship's voyage from the port of Piscataqua, likely near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to the West Indies and back to the region near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The bulk of the brig's daily entries are recorded in columns to notate the hour of the day, knots and half-knots for speed, the brig's course, the direction of the winds, and general remarks. Most of these remarks relate to weather, sea conditions, handling of sails, and latitude observations, and the writer often used phonetic spellings. The log keeper also indicated when barrels of supplies were broached, like water, bread, beef, and pork, but also indicated when they observed other ships. Occasionally, they would speak with other captains, and the writer would record their port of departure and destination, principally ports in New England and the West Indies. The logbook documents land sightings and their distances from the ship. Some places named include Tobago, Rockley Bay, Grenada, Hispaniola, Cape Tiburon, Cape St. Nicholas, Acklins Island, Crooked Island, among others.

The volume includes a "Harbour Logg," kept from May 22 to July 22 at the "Lee Cayes [Cays]", recording the unloading of staves, boards, and shingles while the Kitty was at its destination, as well as molasses taken on board for the return voyage. Several entries also relate to routine shipboard activities, like mending sails, having a cooper come on board, sending a crew person ashore because of ill health, securing the hold, and watering the ship. A Captain Nott appears to have had control of the ship upon its return voyage. The entry for August 17th includes notes on taking depth soundings with brief remarks about sand samples.

The volume's cover is sailcloth. One edge of the cloth appears to be the selvage, where the cloth was finished to prevent unraveling, suggesting this may have been a repurposed remnant.

A loose receipt dated October 3, 1787, from Dover, New Hampshire, is laid into the volume, recording Benjamin Peirce's survey of pine boards and planks for widow Lydia Tibbits. The verso of an interior page includes several accounts, including one for Miss Plummer of Dover, dated September 19, 1785, for food items and other goods. The final two pages of the volume feature mathematical notations as well as financial accounts, seemingly related to room and board as well as some transactions relating to molasses and other items.

In this book, a traveling New England schoolteacher recorded instructional exercises, instructional explanations, poetry, and biographical information about pupils. The author taught in New Hampshire and present-day Maine. Subjects of instruction include arithmetic, surveying, geometry, nautical navigation, and writing.

A traveling New England schoolteacher recorded instructional exercises, instructional explanations, poetry, and biographical information about pupils in this volume (220 pages, 8" x 12") between 1787 and 1811. The author taught in New Hampshire and present-day Maine and entered personal information about teaching appointments throughout the volume. Individual lessons are dated as early as 1787, and the volume includes several lists of male and female pupils from teaching engagements in various towns, dated as late as 1811. Some lists of students are accompanied by the students' birthdates. Classes convened in schoolhouses, other public structures, and private homes.

Each page has a subject label, and several pages are comprised of miscellaneous questions entitled "A Collection of Questions," occasionally attributed to The London Magazine. Much of the volume pertains to instruction in mathematical subjects such as algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, and it includes diagrams, examples, and practical applications. Lengthy sections are devoted to surveying and nautical navigation (including "plane-sailing"), often with many diagrams. Other sections concern subjects such as writing and history, with examples of proverbs, deeds, marriage licenses, and letters for copying. Some pages have collections of anecdotes, proverbs, and poems, usually pertaining to morality and religion. A number of lengthier poems concern death and weddings, and one is entitled "Rodgers & Victory[:] Tit for tat. Or the Chesapeake paid for in British Blood!!!" Other parts include a cure for jaundice, a "rebus," a table of symbols for astronomical objects, information about "Occult Philosophy or Magic," instructions for gauging a copper kettle and a man of war, and a list of nouns with corresponding verbs and participles. Some of the material is copied from outside sources, such as John Love's Geodesia.