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

John L. Perley, a baker from Newburyport, was among the first to respond to Lincoln's call for recruits in April, 1861. His three letters to his wife describe the executions of deserters, a failed expedition up the Ashepoo River, and an account of skirmishes during the raid toward Baldwin, Fla. during the Civil War.

Perley's three letters to his wife, Jenny (Jane), are each outstanding. Each has its highlights, describing some of the more sensational aspects of a soldier's experience. In the first, Perley describes of the brutal execution of three men who had been captured while attempting to desert. In the second, he provides details on the failed expedition up the Ashepoo River; while in the third, he provides a stirring account of skirmishes during the raid toward Baldwin, Fla. In this last, Perley includes a description of the close-range killing of a Confederate officer who refused to surrender peacefully: "I asked him to surrender every time before i fired and he only threw down his armes after he had five bullett holes threw him from my revolver. I was sorry to have to kill him but it was his life or mine and he fell and I did not ... I should be proud of the honor that has bin bestowed upon me for what I have done if I was only happy but I am not."

The John Marshall autobiography is a 16-page autobiography written in 1827 by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Marshall.

The John Marshall autobiography consists of a 16-page autobiographical letter, written by John Marshall to Joseph Story, at the latter's urging, in 1827. Also included is an additional letter from Marshall to Story, expressing his approval of Story's biography of him, and an undated engraved portrait of Marshall.

The autobiography begins with a description of Marshall's happy childhood and the many sources of his education, both formal and informal. Marshall then moved to the topic of the Revolutionary War, first describing his service, and then the impact it had on him: "When I recollect the wild and enthusiastic democracy with which my political opinions of that day were tinctured, I am disposed to ascribe my devotion to the union, and to a government competent to its preservation, at least as much to casual circumstances as to judgment" (p. 4). Also covered in some detail is Marshall's legal practice, which he expressed a great reluctance to leave, and his role in the XYZ Affair, including the decision "to bring the controversy before the American People and convince them of the earnestness with which the American government sought a reconciliation with France" (p. 13).

Marshall also described the process of his selection for Chief Justice, which he portrayed as surprisingly casual: "[Adams] said thoughtfully 'Who shall I nominate now'? I replied that I could not tell….After a moment's hesitation he said 'I believe I must nominate you" (p. 15). Unfortunately, Marshall ended the letter without any discussion of his work on the Supreme Court.

This collection is made up of legal documents pertaining to a lawsuit filed by John Molson and George Davies against Jesse Hawley in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York in 1834.

This collection is made up of 8 legal documents pertaining to a lawsuit filed by John Molson and George Davies against Jesse Hawley in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York in 1834. Depositions and other court records pertain to the plaintiffs' attempts to recover payment from two promissory notes that had been executed by Hawley. The documents concern the history of the notes in question, witnesses' testimonies, the case's eventual postponement, and the issues the court sought to settle. Several items are signed by the defendants' attorney, Orlando Hastings.

The John Osborn Santo Tomas internment transcriptions are typed copies of letters that Osborn wrote from Manila, Philippine Islands, between February and April 1945. He described life in the city after Manila's liberation by the US Army and in the Santo Tomas internment camp, where he had been imprisoned during the war.

The John Osborn Santo Tomas internment transcriptions are typed copies of 21 letters (18 pages) that Osborn wrote about life in the Santo Tomas internment camp and in Manila, Philippines, between February 6, 1945, and April 15, 1945. Some of the letters are addressed to an acquaintance named Ruby.

Osborn wrote about many aspects of life in Manila just after the United States Army liberated the city. He described conditions in the Santo Tomas internment camp before the Americans' arrival, with most residents suffering from malnutrition and severe weight loss. He wrote during the final stages of the fighting, as Japanese bombs continued to reach Manila and the camp despite the presence of US forces. In his letter of February 23-25, 1945, Osborn listed some names and numbers of people wounded and killed during shelling on February 7 and February 10. In other letters he commented on Allied troops' progress in the Pacific, particularly in the Philippines.

Osborn often wrote about food and shared his appreciation for the army's provisions. He compared the fare to that from before the camp's liberation in his letter of February 16, 1945. He also wrote about the black market, war destruction, and the transition of Santo Tomas from an internment camp to a refugee camp. As the fighting became removed from Manila, Osborn met with acquaintances from outside the camp and attempted to recover some materials from his pre-war library, which consisted of around 900 volumes.

This typescript contains John Henry Otto's detailed recollections about his service in the 21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, Company D, during the Civil War.

This typescript (646 pages) contains John Henry Otto's detailed recollections about his service in the 21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, Company D, during the Civil War. The narrative is divided into an introduction and 52 chapters, with outlines provided at the beginning of each chapter. Otto made two longhand copies of his reminiscences around 1902 and presented them to his sons August and George; Vincent R. R. Carboneau, Otto's grandson, created another longhand copy in early 1943. This typescript, completed by Carboneau's daughter, Phyllis McGrath, in 1977, is a typed version of Carboneau's manuscript, with original spelling, grammar, and punctuation intact.

The typescript, based on Otto's original war diaries, concerns the entirety of his Civil War service, from his initial enlistment in August 1862 to his final discharge in June 1865. An early chapter contains brief notes about his previous military experiences in the Prussian army, with which he served in wars against Denmark (1848) and Austria (1850-1851), and he occasionally referred to his wife and children in Wisconsin. He discussed Wisconsin residents' response to the war and the renewed call to arms in late 1862 and shared stories of his interactions with civilians and military personnel throughout his time in the South, including other German-American soldiers and both Union and Confederate sympathizers. Otto encountered runaway slaves and freedmen and occasionally referred to the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1864, he expressed his negative opinion of George McClellan and McClellan's nomination for the presidency.

Most of Otto's reminiscences concern his daily experiences, and some parts of the narrative are structured like a diary. Otto described camp life, winter quarters, drilling, equipment, and the areas he passed through and visited in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. In September and October 1864, he visited Wisconsin on furlough. The typescript includes his detailed recollections of the Tullahoma Campaign, the Atlanta Campaign, Sherman's March to the Sea, and the Carolinas Campaign; numerous skirmishes; and major engagements such as the Battle of Perryville, Battle of Stones River, Battle of Hoover's Gap, Battle of Chickamauga, Battle of Resaca, Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Battle of Peachtree Creek, Siege of Atlanta, and the Battle of Averasboro. He recounted in-battle movements, the experience of coming under fire, and deaths. Otto witnessed a few executions, including that of at least one deserter, and wrote about the capture of Confederate prisoners and equipment. While in the Carolinas near the end of the war, he befriended a young mulatto boy, "Joe Hooker," who returned with him to Wisconsin in 1865. After the 21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment participated in the Grand Review of the Armies in May 1865, Otto remained in Washington, D.C., where he did some sightseeing. The final pages of the typescript include a copy of Sherman's farewell address to the army.

Brothers John P. Starbuck and Morgan Starbuck wrote 29 letters to their parents and sister in Nyack, New York, while serving in the American Expeditionary Forces in France and Germany following World War I. They discussed their health, daily activities, travel, and training.

Brothers John P. and Morgan Starbuck wrote 29 letters to their parents and sister in Nyack, New York, while serving in the American Expeditionary Forces in France and Germany following World War I. They discussed their health, daily activities, travels, and training.

John P. Starbuck wrote 20 letters home from March 6, 1919-June 23, 1919. He was stationed in Koblenz, Rhens, and Güls, Germany, where he described his army work, commented on German citizens, and reported news about his brother. He occasionally discussed the possibility and benefits of taking a vocational business course, and he was admitted to the 4th Corps Advanced Vocational School in Bad Neuenahr, Germany, in April 1919. While at the school, he copied his daily schedule, which included lectures, drill, and athletics. In May, Starbuck's regiment went to Malicorne-sur-Sarthe, France, where they awaited departure for home. Among other subjects, he mentioned his fellow soldiers' propensity for spending their money on "French booze."

Morgan Starbuck wrote 9 letters to his family from March [15], 1919-April 12, 1919. His early letters primarily concern his health and recovery from an influenza infection. His later letters pertain to his experiences in France while awaiting departure for the United States. In one letter, he shared his expectation that soldiers returning home would cause an increase in marriages.

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.

The John Peterkin journal includes letters written by Peterkin, a Scottish immigrant to Virginia and Georgia in 1817-1819, to family and friends in Scotland and Pennsylvania, as well as writings by William Russell, a later owner of the journal. Peterkin wrote about his thoughts on slavery, the displacement of Native Americans, and democracy.

The John Peterkin journal contains approximately 200 pages of entries, including letters written by Peterkin to family and friends in Scotland and Pennsylvania, lists, copies of letters, and writings by William Russell, a later owner of the journal, which are scattered throughout.

The majority of the journal resembles a letterbook and contains correspondence that Peterkin wrote to his family and his sweetheart, Harriet, between 1817 and 1819. In his letters, he described his journey from Scotland, including smuggling a companion onboard the ship (August 14, 1817); his first impressions of the United States; his negative feelings toward slavery and the displacement of Native Americans; and his ideas about democracy and the War of 1812.

On July 5, 1818, he wrote a letter to Harriet describing a visit to Powhatan, Virginia, and for several pages discussed the story of Pocahontas and the treatment of the Powhatan by settlers, which he found reprehensible. He also opined that whites "have no right to this country." In an additional letter of the same date, written to James Ross in Scotland, Peterkin described the brutality of slavery, particularly in the Deep South. He further explored this topic in his last letter in the book, dated August 4, 1819, in which he called Georgia "semibarborous" and stated, "I read in the declaration of the independence of this Country that all men are born free and equal, but I cannot look out door or window that I do not see the directest lie given to the assertion… it certainly appears to any reflecting mind a strange view of contradiction, and were it not that it involves consequences of so tragick a nature, it would be truly laughable." Peterkin also discussed signs of western expansion (July 5, 1818), the aftermath of the War of 1812 (March 27, 1818), and compared his experiences in Virginia and Georgia (March 25, 1819).

The journal also includes writings during the 1830s by a later owner, William Russell, of Augusta, Georgia, who wrote poems, lists, and a few letters in the volume. Several of his poems concern the beauty of nature and his longing to return to Scotland, and his writings describe his travels in New York City (January 24, 1838) and Philadelphia (January 25, 1838). His entries are scattered throughout the volume, but the two hands are easily distinguishable.

The John Polley orderly book contains orders kept by a Connecticut soldier stationed in Roxbury, Massachusetts, from September 19 to December 31, 1775. Entries consist of brigade orders issued from General Artemas Ward's headquarters and general orders from Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The John Polley orderly book (162 pages) contains Continental Army orders kept by a Connecticut soldier stationed in Roxbury, Massachusetts, from September 19 to December 31, 1775. Entries include brigade orders issued from General Artemas Ward's headquarters at Roxbury, and general orders from Cambridge, Massachusetts. Subjects treated are camp conditions, hospitals, pickets and guard duties, construction, courts of inquiry for desertions and other crimes, punishments, provisions and rations, furloughs, and enlistments. Particularly well documented are courts martial under Artemas Ward. Polley's signatures are on page 16, 139, and 158. Besides Ward, other officers mentioned include General Charles Lee and Colonel Ebenezer Learned.

• September 22, 1775: Men were whipped and drummed out for disobedience, mutiny, and riot (page 6)
• September 28, 1775: Inquiry into Dr. Benjamin Church's conduct (pages 22 and 28)
• October 2, 1775: Order against gambling and "games of chance" (page 31)
• October 3, 1775: Dr. Isaac Foster became Church's replacement as head of hospitals (page 32)
• October 17, 1775: Announcement of a public auction for books, furniture, and accoutrements taken from the British (page 50)
• October 22, 1775: Deputies from the Continental Congress met in Washington with the governors of Connecticut and Rhode Island, the Council of Massachusetts, and the Convention President of New Hampshire, concerning continuing troop levels in the army (page 56)
• November 5, 1775: Comments on the danger of the "Rediculas and Childish Custom of the burning the Effigy of the Pope…at a time when we are Soliciting and have really obtained [the] friendship and alliance of the people of Canada whom we ought to Consider as Brethren…" (page 72)
• November 10, 1775: Mention of a skirmish with the enemy at Leechmore's point (page 77)
• November 12 and December 30, 1775: Discussions of free African Americans wanting to enlist in the Continental Army (pages 81 and 157)
• November 28, 1775: News that Montreal had fallen to the Continental Army (page 112)
• November 28, 1775: Order from Washington that forbade officers from "cursing and swearing and all profanity and Drunkenness" (page 114)
• December 3, 1775: Mass desertion of Connecticut troops
• Undated: List of the allowance of rations for officers July-December 1775 (page 159)
• Undated: Holdings of the Brig Nancy coming from London to Boston (page 160)
• Undated: Fragment of a description of a battle (page 162)

John P. Reynolds, Jr., was 19 years old when he enlisted in the Salem Light Infantry, one of the first units to respond to Lincoln's call for volunteers in 1861 at the beginning of the Civil War. His journal provides an account of life in the army during the opening states of the war, and includes long, detailed passages describing drills, parades, ceremonies and celebrations, and the ways in which soldiers chose to entertain themselves.

John P. Reynolds' journal is an unusually literate and well-written account of life in the army during the opening stages of the Civil War, and includes long, detailed passages describing drills, parades, ceremonies and celebrations, and the ways in which soldiers chose to entertain themselves. It is an example of a superb Civil War journal containing almost no reference to military activity. While nostalgically reviewing the events since the unit was called, Reynolds himself noted that "the pastimes we had experienced...combined together presented more the aspect of a pleasure excursion or mammoth pic-nic, than a military campaign during the period of actual warfare" (p. 90).

Particularly noteworthy descriptions include those of the camp at Relay House, of particular drills, flag-raising ceremonies, and of celebrations of the anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill and of the Fourth of July. Reynolds is at his best when recounting an operation on July 3rd to capture a Rebel recruiter, Samuel Ogle Tilghman, at his home on the coast. Though no shots were fired, the atmosphere Reynolds sets provides a strong sense of what it must have been like for a young soldier on patrol. Tilghman was released on parole of honor just two weeks later, on July 26, 1861.

The Reynolds journal appears to be the second and only surviving part of a series that probably originally contained three volumes. The first covering muster to June 6, 1861, the third, from July 14th to mustering out on August 1st.