Collections

This volume contains Hancock Taylor's notes about surveys he conducted in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, May-July of 1774. One page is detached from the bound notebook.

This journal (26 pages) contains surveying notes taken by Hancock Taylor between May 20 and July 7, 1774. The plots described are, to the extent that they are identifiable from his survey descriptions, in the vicinity of modern-day Louisville, Kentucky. The journal contains descriptions of 23 surveys.

Philadelphia (Pa.) Commissioners records contains records of property taxes collected in Philadelphia county on the eve of the American Revolution.

This volume contains records of property taxes collected in Philadelphia County on the eve of the Revolution. Entries are arranged block by block within the ten wards of the city, and community by community, alphabetically, in the surrounding region, including Cheltenham, Franconia, Germantown, the Northern Liberties, Passyunk, Southward, and Upper Merion.

Each entry in the record book includes the property owner's, valuation of the property in pounds, notice of abatement (when relevant), and -- in many cases -- the taxpayer's occupation. Since few outside the very poor evade taxes, the lists include mariners, milkmen, tinkers and tailors, and other members of the working class, producing a sort of surrogate census of taxables in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Although the city tax regulations of 1754 specified a rate of 2 pence per pound and 6 shillings per head, the levy in this volume appears to have been 3 pence per pound, with no indication of a per capita addition. Listings for many individuals include the notation "Phd.," in place of the property valuation, with a higher than average standard levy of 9 shillings. It is possible, though far from certain, that Phd. stands for "Per head."

There are no ownership markings in the volume, however each section of the list ends with a notation signed by the "Commissioners." In the 19th century, Philadelphia City Commissioners were entrusted with the responsibility of lists of taxables.

This collection is made up of 570 pages of handwritten extracts from Thomas Hutchinson's diary, dated between February 1770 and March 1780. An unknown copyist transcribed and summarized the diary in the late 18th or early 19th century.

This collection is made up of 570 pages of extracts from Thomas Hutchinson's diary, dated between February 1774 and March 1780. An unknown copyist transcribed and summarized the diary in the late 18th or early 19th century. The manuscript includes notations, additions, and corrections.

"Extracts from Gov. H.'s [Dia]ry," begins in England, after Hutchinson's exile from Massachusetts. Hutchinson frequently remarked on political and military circumstances related to Great Britain and the American colonies. The diary includes the author's interactions with and thoughts on many prominent public individuals. Hutchinson occasionally wrote about personal and family matters, such as his son's ailing health in early 1780.

The Charles Goore letter book contains letters, dated March 1774 to January 1783, from a prosperous Liverpool merchant to other English merchants, members of Parliament, British naval officers, customers, and friends. These letters touch on various aspects of Atlantic trade, including the detrimental effects of the American Revolutionary War on British commerce, whaling ventures off Greenland, and the trade in tobacco, hemp, flag stones, and ironware.

The Charles Goore letter book (170 pages) contains copies of 295 letters from Goore to other English merchants, members of Parliament, British naval officers, customers, and friends. These letters, dated March 1774 to January 1783, touch on various aspects of trade, including the detrimental effects of the American Revolution on the tobacco trade, his whaling ventures off Greenland, and trading interests in hemp, flag stones, and ironware. Goore discussed difficulties with war ships, effects of the Revolution on prices and trade, the practice of impressment of seamen, and news from the American colonies. He also described the effects of privateering on trade, the slave trade, and technical matters relating to navigation. Several letters concern helping friends who were hurt by the upheaval in America. For instance, he tried to place seamen, formerly in his employment, in the British navy. This letter book provides an interesting perspective of the British side of the Revolution and particularly English merchants' reactions to the conflict.

While the collection primarily consists of business, legal, and political papers, Goore occasionally related information about his family. Of particular interest are 6 letters related to Goore's niece, Jenny Tatlock, whom he placed as an apprentice to Mrs. Ann Carus (pages 15, 19, 28, 93, 144). Goore wrote two stern letters to his niece Ellen Tatlock, who often begged for money because her husband was in prison (pages 82, 97). Goore also wrote to his niece Jenny, advising her not to marry an apprentice painter because she would end up supporting him (page 162). Several letters document Goore's business relationships with women, and a few letters are condolences to widows of his employees.

• January 25, 1775: describing a crowd in a coffee house waiting to hear the "resolves of Parliament relative to American affairs..."
• June 13, 1775: revealing his opinions on the tense relationship between Great Britain and the American colonies: "The ax is laid to the root of the tree & it must be cut down or adieu to the colonies. God grant such measures may be taken that his Majesty may bring the Americans to become dutiful subjects."
• February 5, 1776: describing his early career in the tobacco trade and the effects of the Revolution on Atlantic trading.
• November 28, 1776: offering news of the war in America concerning generals Burgoyne and Howe.
• March 14, 1778: reprimanding a neighbor for physically abusing his wife.

The Peter Turner papers contain 21 incoming letters concerning Revolutionary War service, medicine, and family matters.

The Peter Turner papers contain 21 incoming letters, received by Peter Turner between 1774 and 1789. His friend and fellow army surgeon, Samuel Tenny, wrote 14 of the letters, while his half-brother, Jabez Campfield, contributed 4. Turner's brother, Daniel Turner; nephew, William Campfield; and fellow soldier, Charles Greene, wrote the remainder of the correspondence. The letters primarily pertain to Revolutionary War medicine and surgery, soldier life, and family news.

Many of the letters describe camp life, conditions, and the everyday experiences of Army surgeons Samuel Tenny and Jabez Campfield, as well as several major events of the Revolutionary War. In a letter of September 9, 1774, Daniel Turner referenced the Powder Alarm, which had taken place in Boston the previous week, calling it a "Bloody engagement" and noting that many had lost their lives and that the city had been damaged. He also wondered how Rhode Island would fare in "these Times of Tyranny & Opresion." Later letters express a great deal of dissatisfaction with the conditions, organization, and compensation of army life. In one, Tenny complained about the meager food, the "vile Whiskey," and the rarity of seeing women, and wrote, "This is not living--tis barely existing" (April 23, 1778). In another, he stated his objection to the army hierarchy, which he accused of rewarding rank rather than merit, and noted that he looked forward to telling the officers "how sincerely I despise them" (October 19, 1780). On July 31, 1781, he described his attempt to write a letter amidst the din of camp life: "such a ceaseless Buzz of Tongues assails my Ears, that my thoughts are much confus'd, as a Swarm of Bees, amidst the Clattering of a Spoon & Fryingpan." The collection also contains brief commentary on the Benedict Arnold treason (October 19, 1780) and the Pennsylvania Line mutiny (January 16, 1781).

Samuel Tenny and Jabez Campfield, in their roles as surgeons, also commented on the medical profession and on the health of the men under their care. On February 18, 1778, Tenny wrote that many men were sick in his regiment and dying at the rate of one per week, noting, "they relapse & rerelapse & relapse two or three times more." In another letter, he humorously described a "Pop-Gun," employed for performing enemas, as a piece of "ordnance" and discussed its use (December 17, 1780). Also mentioned is the inoculation of soldiers for smallpox (April 3, 1782) and the difficulty of starting a medical practice in cities already populated with doctors (March 20, 1782).

The correspondence contains several references to women and Turner family affairs. In a letter dated September 9, 1774, Daniel Turner informed his brother that Jabez Campfield disapproved of his attachment to a young woman and related the importance of a woman's virtuous reputation. Samuel Tenny also discussed his marriage prospects and lamented his "faint heart" for such matters (December 19, 1781). The volume closes with a letter dated May 16, 1789, that gives an account of the killing and scalping of Captain Zebulon King, Sr., by Native Americans near Marietta, Ohio (May 16, 1789).

The John Simcoe papers are a miscellaneous collection of letters and documents pertaining to Loyalist Colonel Simcoe's career as an officer during the American Revolution and as Governor of Upper Canada (1792-1796).

The John Simcoe papers are a miscellaneous collection of letters and documents pertaining to Colonel Simcoe's military career in the British Army during the American Revolution and his post-war life. The collection contains letters between Col. Simcoe and a variety of correspondents. Most prominent are 23 letters from General Sir Henry Clinton, dated 1782-1792; letters and documents related to the Queen's Rangers, including military orders and returns, dated 1774-1799; nine letters from Col. Henry Caldwell regarding a monument to General James Wolfe, dated 1802-1804; and letters between Simcoe and George Hammond, the first British minister to the United States. Several unofficial documents relate to Simcoe's advancement and the disposal of his Canadian estates. Other miscellaneous letters and documents include one by Margaret Graves, in which she defends the conduct of her husband, Admiral Samuel Graves, in Boston before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.

The collection contains one "Memorandum Book," which is made up of copies of letters and military orders written for Simcoe by his Secretary, Major Edward Baker Littlehales, dated 1792-1793. Maps from the Simcoe papers have been transferred to the Map Division, including several attributed to John's wife, Elizabeth Simcoe. An unsigned commonplace book and a selection of literary drafts (including one for Simcoe's publishedRemarks on the travels of the Marquis de Chastellux in North America, 1787) and fragments of other works complete the Simcoe papers

The Benjamin and William Oliver Vaughan papers consist of miscellaneous documents relating to the business affairs of Benjamin Vaughan and a business account book from his son, William O. Vaughan. Benjamin and William were both merchants in Hallowell, Maine.

The collection is comprised of 143 letters and financial documents kept by Benjamin Vaughan and one account book kept by William Oliver Vaughan. The correspondence (19 items) dates from 1774 to 1830 and are related to business matters; many of the letters are fragments. The documents date from 1786 to 1803 and are largely miscellaneous receipts, accounts, and other financial records. The collection contains correspondence and documents respecting business deals, the purchase of goods, and debts; accounts; land agreements; a list of publications; a geometrical drawing; and recipes for industrial goods.

William Oliver Vaughan's account book for 1816 is a record of personal and business expenses. William wrote daily entries, many of which include his expenses. Most notes record only amounts paid or received, with the name of the other party. Some entries some provide information about products such as "Buffaloe skins," clothing, hay, beef, oil, flour, lumber, and various services. Vaughan also kept trip notes, such as for his frequent week-long visits to Boston; he included rates for the stage, food, lodging, and personal items. A few pages in November and October contain written receipts or IOU's signed by various persons to Vaughan.

The account book itself is partially a farmer's almanac for New England with 6 printed pages at the front with information about eclipses, military fines, college vacations, a simple interest table, medical lectures, and lists of local yearly and quarterly meetings of The Society of Friends. An illustrated printed page introduces each month, and displays a list of holidays, a quote about the month, and detailed astronomical calculations.

The Whelen papers are made up of approximately three feet of papers relating to the mercantile careers of Israel Whelen, his son, Israel Whelen, and their partner Joseph Miller of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The largest portion is pertinent to their shipping enterprises, with some material relating to the Phoenix Insurance Company and the Lancaster Turnpike venture. Around two linear feet of business letters, retained copies, accounts and receipts pertain to Townshend Whelen's brokerage and banking career, particularly the firm of Charnley & Whelen.

This collection is made up of correspondence, research notes and extracts, bibliographies, financial records, and other items related to printer, publisher, and historian Peter Force. Most of the items pertain to Force's interest in early American history and to the source materials he gathered for publication in American Archives, his multivolume documentary history of the Revolutionary War era.

This collection is made up of correspondence, research notes and extracts, bibliographies, financial records, and other items related to printer, publisher, and historian Peter Force. Most of the items relate to Force's interest in early American history and to the source materials he gathered for publication in American Archives, a documentary history of the Revolutionary War era.

The Correspondence series (approximately 1 linear foot) largely consists of incoming and outgoing letters regarding Peter Force. The earliest group of items is copied and original manuscripts dated between August 17, 1774, and February 26, 1793. They concern the Boston Port Act (August 17, 1774), George Measam's desire to leave the bulk of his estate to the United States Treasury in support of the war against Great Britain (June 20, 1781), Kentucky residents' efforts to form a state (January 2, 1784), early efforts to collect primary sources related to American history, and other subjects.

The bulk of the material (April 18, 1820-December 25, 1867) pertains directly to Peter Force, and frequently concerns his efforts to collect and publish primary source materials regarding the history of North America (particularly the United States). Force's correspondents asked about and otherwise discussed letters, documents, pamphlets, and other materials from the 18th century (and, rarely, earlier), including some owned by Force and others held in state historical societies and similar repositories. The letters concern many aspects of early American history, including relations between Native American tribes and the government, and the years leading up to the Revolution. Charles Fenton Mercer wrote at length about the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (August 2, 1827).

Many items concern Force's publishing career, including a group of letters from William Thompson, who wished to work for Force (May 1825-July 1825), and items exchanged by Force and Matthew St. Clair Clarke, his collaborator on American Archives. Force, Clarke, and other writers discussed the project and similar efforts, such as a documentary history of Parliament. A significant group of letters and financial documents relate to a dispute between Force and John Cook Rives, another collaborator onAmerican Archives. Two letters from April 1861 mention the Civil War; Charles B. Norton offered to store Force's large library of Americana on account of the possibility of an attack on Washington, D.C., but Force refused the offer. Other items include a copyright document for Tracts & other Papers, relating principally to the Origin, Settlement, & Progress of the Colonies in North America, from the Discovery of the Country to the year 1776, Volume 1 (March 26, 1836). A small number of letters postdate Force's death; these concern historical manuscripts and related publications.

The Notes, Extracts, and Bibliographies series (approximately 1.75 linear feet) contains materials related to Peter Force's interest in early American history. Much of the series is comprised of lists of and extracts from historical manuscripts and publications, most frequently related to the American Revolution. The bulk of the series concerns the period from 1763 to around 1780, including commentary on the Stamp Act and economic relations between Great Britain and the North American colonies, the Continental Congresses, the Articles of Confederation, and the Revolutionary War. Items of note include a daily timeline of the mid-1770s, a 42-page bibliography of works on American history and travel published between 1742 and 1788, and an essay about the history of the United States flag. Some of the materials relate to slaves and to Native Americans, and many are arranged into bundles centered around topics such as the Declaration of Independence. A group of Revolutionary War songs is also present.

Additional subjects include disputes about the United States-Mexico border (April 5, 1853), a proposed history of Kent County, Maryland (April 5, 1852), and Force's book reviews and newspaper articles. A bound volume contains a list of publications printed at his shop between April 1826 and October 1839. The series includes a document by Force about his progress on American Archives and a few items respecting Congressional debate over funding for the project. A large group of materials relates to the early history of European printing and the evolution of standardized typography, including notes and extensive lists of early printed works.

The Financial Records (approximately 0.25 linear feet) pertain to Peter Force's professional interests, particularly with regard to the compilation and publication of American Archives. Accounts, agreements, receipts, and other items reflect the costs of printing, illustrating, binding, and publishing the work. Other items concern Force's attempts to defend the value of his work to Congress and Congress's role in funding the project. Many relate to Force's business relationships with Matthew St. Clair Clarke and John C. Rives. Personal records, such as an account of expenses during a trip to North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, are also present.

The Printed Items series (approximately 0.25 linear feet) consists of newspapers, newspaper clippings, and pamphlets. Peter Force and others wrote articles about the disputed United States-Mexico border, the possible discovery of the Northwest Passage, Force's personal library, and the founding of the United States. The series includes a number of pamphlets (housed in the Book Division) and whole issues of periodicals such as the Army and Navy Chronicle, Daily National Intelligencer, Daily National Republican, and other newspapers. The pamphlets concern the Revolutionary War, United States and Maryland politics between the 1830s and 1850s, and a panorama by "Sinclair" about the life of Napoléon Bonaparte after 1815. "Epeögraphy," a pamphlet by Joseph B. Manning, is a proposal for a phonetic writing system.

The Neil family papers consist of letters and documents primarily relating to the Neil family of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and their business as merchants of linen, tea, and other goods.

The Neil family papers comprise 87 letters, 26 receipts, 17 financial records, 9 legal documents, 3 printed items, and 2 speeches, spanning 1774-1872. Early correspondence and records document trading and business activities, especially between William Neil and George Andrews. In particular, letters and bills of lading provide much detail on prices, quantities, and types of items purchased by the Neils and other local merchants (including Quaker merchant Abraham Barker). Several additional letters refer to health problems suffered by Margaret Neil, for which she was repeatedly bled (June 8, 1802).

A series of 1814 letters, written by Andrews to William Neil, concerns the War of 1812, including the merchants' preparations for attacks by the British and the effects of war on the market (August 6, 1814: "Business I believe is dull every where…. I am afraid to purchase Goods."). Also present are letters concerning a settlement for losses suffered by the Neils when the schooner John was captured by the British in 1815. A letter of March 28, 1831, recounts the circumstances of the capture and the case for restitution. Approximately five letters and documents dating to 1825, the year of William Neil's death, relate to his estate and the dispersal of his property.

Approximately 30 letters postdate 1830, most of which are the incoming correspondence of Thomas Neil. These primarily concern family news from various relatives, health issues, and details of business transactions. A letter to Maria Neil from her young granddaughter mentions "Emily has been working in the factory but is now going to school" (December 14, 1848). In an unusual and witty letter to Thomas Neil, a 20-year old named "Dorothy" requested his help in finding a husband and provided a humorous description of the man she wanted to find, including his height, the characteristics of his nose, and her preference that he oppose slavery (April 2, 1849).

The collection also includes 21 items relating to the ship Judah Touro and its journey from Boston to Portsmouth in January and February, 1861. These are receipts, records of payments, and several partial inventories.

The Maps series contains one map, entitled Plan of the town of Belfast from actual survey.

The Lewis Cass papers contain the political and governmental letters and writings of Lewis Cass, American army officer in the War of 1812, governor and senator from Michigan, American diplomat to France, secretary of war in the Andrew Jackson administration, secretary of state under James Buchanan, and Democratic candidate for President. These papers span Cass' entire career and include letters, speeches, financial documents, memoranda, literary manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and a travel diary. In addition to documenting his political and governmental career, the collection contains material concerning relations between the United States and Native Americans, and Cass' role in presidential politics.

The Lewis Cass papers (approximately 1195 items) contain the political and governmental letters and writings of Lewis Cass, American army officer in the War of 1812, governor and senator from Michigan, American diplomat to France, secretary of war to Andrew Jackson, secretary of state to James Buchanan, and Democratic candidate for President. Included are letters, speeches, financial documents, memoranda, literary manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and a travel diary. In addition to documenting his official and governmental activities, the collection contains material related to Cass' influence on Native American policy and his role in presidential politics.

The Correspondence series (approximately 990 items) contains the professional and political letters of Lewis Cass. These reveal details of Cass' entire career and involve many of the most important political topics of the day. Within the series are communications with many prominent American politicians and military officers, including John Adams (2 items), Thomas Hart Benton (4 items), James Buchanan (20 items), John C. Calhoun (3 items), Henry Clay (1 item), Jefferson Davis (3 items), Stephen Douglas (2 items), Secretary of State John Forsyth (5 items), Albert Gallatin (2 items), William Henry Harrison (3 items), Samuel Houston (1 item), Andrew Jackson (23 items), Thomas Jefferson (1 item), Francis Scott Key (3 items), Alexander Macomb (4 items), James Monroe (1 item), Samuel F. B. Morse (2 items), Franklin Pierce (1 item), James K. Polk (8 items), Richard Rush (6 items), William Seward (3 items), Winfield Scott (3 items), Zachery Taylor (2 items), John Tyler (2 items), Martin Van Buren (8 items), Daniel Webster (4 items), and many others. This series also contains a small number of personal letters, including communications with Cass' siblings, his nephew Henry Brockholst Ledyard, and his friends.

The collection's early papers (1777-1811) contain material related to Cass' family, his education, his professional career in Ohio, and relations between the United States government and Native Americans. The earliest item is from Elizabeth Cass' father, Joseph Spencer, relating to his service in the Revolutionary War. Two letters are from John Cass, Lewis' father, concerning business, and five items are from Cass' siblings, written to him at Philips Exeter Academy (1790-1795). His service as an Ohio congressman is represented by a single resolution, drafted by Cass, and submitted by the Ohio Congress to President Jefferson, voicing their commitment to the constitution and the Union (December 26, 1806, with Jefferson's response enclosed). Also present are nine items related to Native American relations, including formal letters to the Chippewa, Delaware, Miami, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Shawnee, and Wyandot tribes, from Superintendent of Indian Affairs Richard Butler, Northern Territory Governor Arthur St. Clair, and Secretary of War James McHenry. Of particular importance is a signed letter from several tribes to President James Monroe, composed shortly after the Battle of Tippecanoe, stressing the importance of treaties and lobbying to employ John Visger on behalf of the Indians (November 13, 1811). Two miscellaneous items from this period are letters from John Adams: one letter to Charles Guillaume Frederic Dumas requesting permission for Adams to return to America after the Treaty of Paris (March 28, 1783), and one to a group of volunteer troops of light dragoons (July 12, 1798).

Eleven letters deal with Cass' role in the War of 1812. Topics discussed include raising a regiment in Ohio (March 23, 1813), concerns with obtaining food and clothing for troops and British prisoners at Detroit (November 1813), and Cass' thoughts on receiving the governorship of the Michigan Territory (December 29, 1813). Of note is a letter containing William Henry Harrison's impressions on Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's victory on Lake Erie, sent to Secretary of War John Armstrong (enclosed in September 13, 1813). For more material relating to the War of 1812 see the Manuscript Writing series.

The collection contains 55 letters from Cass' tenure as governor of Michigan Territory (1815-August 1831). These represent a broad range of topics including territorial administration, expeditions throughout the western territory, western expansion, and studies of and treaties with Native Americans. Contacts include travelers from the east coast interested in Michigan and Indian affairs, officials in outposts throughout Michigan, officials from eastern states, and officials from Washington including presidents, their cabinets, and congressmen.

• November 21, 1816, January 11 and February 2, 1817: A discussion between Cass and Henry Clay regarding opening a branch of the United States Bank in Lexington, Kentucky
• February 12, 1817: A letter concerning troop service under General Hull in the War of 1812
• August 14 and 25, 1817: Letters between Cass and President James Monroe relating to travel in the Ohio Territory
• June 10, 1818: Courts martial for depredations against Indians at Detroit
• October 20, 1818: A letter from Alexander Macomb concerning the purchase of Cass' servant Sally for $300
• December 9, 1821, October 14, 1823, and April 24, 1824: Three letters from John C. Calhoun about governmental promotions, the vice presidency, and Indian affairs
• November 14, 1821 and February 16, 1824: two letters discussing or addressed to John C. Calhoun from Cass.
• March 21, 1830: A letter from Cass to President Jackson requesting the reinstatement of a Major Clark into the army

Cass communicated frequently with David Bates Douglass, an engineer who worked with Cass in Michigan. In his letters, Douglass often mentions their mutual colleague Henry Schoolcraft, and Douglass' mapping areas of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. Also of interest are five letters to George Wyllys Silliman, a lawyer in Zanesville, Ohio, and nephew of Lewis Cass, from friend William Sibly (November 17, 1827-November 6, 1828) and from cousin Elizabeth Cass (May 1, 1829). Sibly discussed personal and social news and made several comments on women. Elizabeth mentioned a month-long visit from Martin Van Buren and described Detroit as being "in turmoil" because of conflicts between the "Masons & Anti-Masons--Wing men & Biddle men--Sheldonites and Anti Sheldonites . . ."

Cass served as Andrew Jackson's secretary of war from 1831-1836. Most of the approximately 195 items concern Washington politics; department of war administration; affairs of the president and cabinet; and requests for appointments, promotions, and political favors from congressmen and other politicians. Of note are 18 letters and memoranda from Andrew Jackson to Cass and other cabinet members, regarding Indian resettlement (1831-1836), firearms delivered to members of congress (November 3, 1834), and news of generals Samuel Houston and Santa Anna and the war with Mexico (August 31, 1836). Cass was also involved with the administration of West Point; he received news of leadership changes and recommendations for admissions and teaching posts, including one request from author Washington Irving (March 20, 1834). During this period, Cass kept in close contact with Secretary of the Treasury Louis McLane.

• August 1, 1831: A letter from General Winfield Scott voicing support for his appointment as secretary of war
• August 8, 1831: Cass' acceptance of the secretary of war position
• August 29, 1831: A long letter from William Henry Harrison discussing his loyalty to Cass, Colonel Shelby's personal jealousy and his attempts to replace Harrison in congress, the presidential aspirations of Henry Clay, and the poor state of Harrison's personal fortunes
• December 31, 1831: A letter from Susan Wheeler Decatur of Georgetown, South Carolina, concerning her declining finances
• February 24, 1832: A letter from Henry R. Schoolcraft describing the state of the settlement at Sault Ste. Marie and mapmaking at the mouth of the Mississippi River
• July 26, 1832: A letter from General Alexander Macomb to Cass offering condolences for the loss of his daughter Elizabeth and informing Cass of a cholera epidemic in western forts
• December 26, 1832: Callender Irvine, United States Army Commissary General of Purchases, to Cass regarding the design and procurement of Army uniforms
• January 24, 1833: Cass to Richard Smith, United States Bank cashier, with instructions to close the accounts of the war department and Indian Agency
• A bundle of letters and enclosures, January 1, 1834-March 5, 1834, written by Gorham Parks to Samuel Farrar, including copies of correspondence and a petition regarding the establishment of a military buffer between Maine and British Canada
• April 3, 1834: A letter from Cass' brother George Cass concerning his family's finances
• May 12, 1834: Congressman James K. Polk concerning a general appropriations bill and Indian annuity bill that passed the house
• June 20 and October 20, 1834: Two letters from Benjamin Waterhouse of Harvard University discussing temperance and early American history concerning General Wolfe's attack on Canada and Bunker Hill
• April 18- December 24, 1835: Seven letters concerning the territorial conflict between Michigan and Ohio over the Toledo Strip
• February 22, 1836: A letter from John Henry Eaton to Cass describing the state of affairs in Florida and a revolt of Indians in Tampa Bay
• July 4, 1836: Edgar Allen Poe to Cass concerning contributions to the Southern Literary Messenger

From 1836 to 1842, Cass served as Jackson's minister to France. Many of the 148 items from this period are letters of introduction from Cass' colleagues in Washington, New York, Albany, Boston, Baltimore, and Virginia, for family and friends traveling in France and Europe. Though most of these travelers were well connected young men from prominent families, two letters were for women traveling without their husbands (August 29 and September 27, 1841). In 1842, before Cass returned to America, he communicated with senators and the President's cabinet regarding negotiations with the British for Canadian boundary lines, and other news from the continent. Throughout Cass' time in France, he received updates on his finances and properties in Detroit from Edmund Askin Brush.

• October 4, 1836: President Jackson's acknowledgement of Cass' resignation as secretary of war, and Cass' appointment as minister to France
• February 5, 1837: Plans for the Cass family's trip to the Mediterranean on the USS Constitution, including the suggestion that the women wear men's clothing in the Holy Land
• November 3, 1837: Remarks regarding the reaction in Boston to a visit from Sauk Chief Keokuk (Kee-O-Kuk) and a group of Blackhawk Indians
• September 10-December 14, 1841: Ten letters about a court of inquiry concerning Assistant Surgeon General Dr. Edward Worrell's record keeping for medicine and supplies at the hospital at Fort Niagara
• March 14, 1842: A letter from Daniel Webster to Cass relating to the abolition of slavery
• April 25, 1842: A letter from Daniel Webster to Cass regarding the rights of "visit and search, the end of the African slave trade, the 'Creole Case,'" and the Oregon compromise
• June 29, 1842: A letter from John Tyler reporting on Congress' activities and further negotiations with Lord Ashburton, the Maine boundary and the "Creole Case"

Between 1842 and 1857, Cass served two senate terms representing Michigan, competed for the Democratic nomination for president in 1844 and 1852, and lost the presidency to Zachery Taylor in 1848. Letters from this time period amount to approximately 278 items. In December 1842, when first arriving back in America from France, Cass received a number of welcoming letters from officials in Boston and Philadelphia, including one that suggested he could be chosen as Democratic vice presidential nominee (December 28, 1842). Cass soon returned to Detroit but kept up with news from Washington. As presidential contender and then senator, Cass was concerned with the biggest issues of the day, including relations with England over the Oregon Territory; relations with Mexico; Indian affairs; and the Wilmot Proviso and the spread of the slavery to new states and territories. In addition to discussions of slavery in the South, Cass received reports on slavery in California, Missouri, Utah, Kansas, and Texas. The year 1848 is dominated with material on the presidential election, consisting of letters expressing support and discussing the landscape of the election. Of note are 45 letters, spanning 1844-1859, from Cass to Massachusetts Congressman Aaron Hobart of Boston, which feature both personal and political content.

• July 8, 1843: A letter from Andrew Jackson regarding relations with France and England and the Oregon Bill
• May 6 and 11, 1844: Letters from Cass discussing his chances to be nominated to run for president at the Baltimore Democratic Convention, and his thoughts on the annexation of Texas and the "Oregon Question"
• July 1844: A letter from William Berkley Lewis describing the political climate surrounding Andrew Jackson's campaign and assent to the presidency (30 pages)
• July 30 and 31, 1845: Letters from Lewis Henry Morgan concerning a council of Iroquois at Aurora, New York, and the education of the Indians of western New York
• December 24, 1845: A letter from Henry Wheaton concerning commerce and communications through the isthmuses at Suez, Egypt, and at Panama
• March 19, 1846: A letter from Francis Parkman, Jr., regarding the study of the Indians of Michigan's Upper Peninsula
• August 5, 1846: A letter from Cass concerning Democratic Party politics and the war with Indians in Florida
• December 26, 1846: A letter from Cass on the state of the Democratic Party and his intention to run for president
• January 6, 1848: A letter from Cass discussing the Wilmot Proviso
• April 6, 1748: A letter from Henry Hunt regarding the war in Mexico and General William Worth
• May 23, 1848: A letter from W. T. Van Zandt who witnessed the French Revolution, and mentioned that two of the King's grandchildren hid in a nearby boarding house
• June 13, 1848: A letter from Stephen Douglas reassuring Cass that Southerners are "satisfied with your views on the slavery question, as well as all others"
• August 24 and November 14, 1848 and January 9, 1849: Letters from President Polk concerning the politics of slavery in the senate and the Wilmot proviso
• October 25, 1851: A letter from relative Sarah Gillman, whose husband is prospecting in California and is in need of a loan
• August 9, 1852: A letter from Cass to John George
• August 30, 1853: A letter from Cass to President Franklin Pierce congratulating him on his election and recommending Robert McClelland, regent of the University of Michigan, for the position of secretary of the interior
• April 1, 1856: W.W. Drummond of Salt Lake City commented on Mormons, polygamy, slavery, the statehood of Nevada, and local support for the Nebraska Bill. Enclosed is a printed bill of sale for a runaway slave
• June 24, 1856: Cass' explanation that the Democratic party must work to preserve the Union

The series contains 172 letters from Cass' service as James Buchanan's secretary of state from 1857-1861. During his time, he received communications dealing with political unrest in the South over the slavery issue, and concerning foreign relations with Mexico, England, France, Russia, Nicaragua, and Cuba. Of particular interest are ten letters from the Minister to England George Mifflin Dallas who reported on parliamentary and political news in London (April 28, 1857-February 2, 1858). He discussed the British views on slavery in America and about the Oregon border; activities of the British East India Company; England's conflicts in India, West Africa, and China; the planning of the transatlantic telegraph and the first communication between Queen Victoria and President Buchanan; and American relations with France and Russia. Cass also received frequent memoranda from Buchanan concerning foreign relations, focusing on treaties with Mexico. The series contains 10 letters from supporters, reacting to Cass' resignation from Buchanan's administration for failing to use force in South Carolina (December 14, 1860-January 2, 1861). Also present are three personal letters from Cass to his young nephew Henry Brockholst Ledyard.

• March 19, 1857: A letter from Judah Philip Benjamin relating intelligence on the political situation in Mexico, led by Ignacio Comonfort, and urging the United States to make a treaty with Mexico for control of California without delay
• April 20, 1857: A manuscript copy of a letter from Lewis Cass to Secretary of the Navy Isaac Toucey, concerning the U.S. commercial agent at St. Paul de Loando, Willis, sent dispatches informing them that "the slave trade on this Coast is flourishing" and that five vessels have lately left with enslaved persons. Willis also reported that "The Congo River and its neighborhood have been the head Quarters, and American gold is now quite plenty there, having been brought in vessels which clear from New York."
• August 3, 1857: A letter from Jefferson Davis discussing issues in Cuba, Panama, Mexico, and England, and offering his thoughts on states' rights and state creation
• August 5, 1857: A memo from Buchanan inquiring about the United States' relationship with England and political division in the Democratic Party
• November 17-20, 1857: Sculpture design for decorations on the Capitol building at Cincinnati, Ohio
• August 30, 1858: A letter from Francis Lieber explaining his poem celebrating the transatlantic telegraph
• October 27, 1858: A letter from Rebecca P. Clark, General William Hull's daughter, claiming that she had a long-suppressed pamphlet ready to publish that would redeem her father's reputation and prove that the United States did not invade Canada in 1812 in order to maintain the slave state vs, free state balance of power
• January 27, 1859: A letter from Buchannan expressing his desire to take lower California from Mexico
• December 6, 1859: A letter from George Wallace Jones regarding the administration's position on the slavery question and the "doctrine of non-interference"
• December 19, 1859: A letter from Jeremiah Healy, a prospector from San Francisco, requesting a loan to extract silver and lead ore from his mine to compare it to the "Comstock Claim"
• April 14, 1760: An unofficial letter from Robert M. McClelland concerning peace with Mexico and dealings with Lord John Russell
• May 29, 1860: A letter from former Governor John B. Floyd regarding a friend who wants to set up a commercial house in Japan
• December 6, 1860: An unofficial letter from General John Wool concerning South Carolina's secession and troops to protect the fort at Charleston
• December 17, 1860: A letter of support from Lydia Howard Sigourney for Cass' resignation

The collection contains only 9 letters written after Cass' resignation from the Buchanan administration until his death, though a few of these are from old connections in Washington. One particularly interesting letter is a response from President Lincoln's office concerning Cass' request that he parole two of Elizabeth Cass' nephews who were Confederate officers (June 30, 1864). Going against his standard policy, Lincoln agreed to the parole out of respect for Cass.

Of the 50 letters written after Cass' death (1766-1917), the bulk are addressed to Cass' granddaughter, Elizabeth Cass Goddard of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Cass' grandson, Lewis Cass Ledyard. These primarily relate to family and business matters and are not related to Lewis Cass. Of note are a letter from William Cook to Lewis Cass Ledyard containing copies of four letters from Cass to J. P. Cook in 1856 (September 15, 1909), and a letter to Henry Ledyard concerning Cass family portraits. Other notable contributors from this period include Ulysses S. Grant (August 18, 1868), Congressman James A. Garfield (1871) Julia Ward Howe (written on a circular for a New Orleans exposition, 1885), and Elizabeth Chase on women's suffrage (October 1886).

This series contains 24 undated letters from all phases of Cass' career, including his time in Detroit, Paris, and Washington. Of note is a letter to Cass from William Seward concerning a social engagement, and three letters to Elizabeth Goddard from Varina Davis, in which she voices her opinions on bicycling and offers sympathy for the death of a child.

The Diary series (1 volume) contains a personal journal spanning June 11 to October 5, 1837, just before Cass began his service as diplomat to France. The 407-page volume, entitled "Diary in the East," documents Cass and his family's tour of the Mediterranean and Middle East. Among the places visited were the Aegean Sea, the Dead Sea, Egypt and the Nile, Cyprus, and Lebanon. Entries, which were recorded daily, range from 3 to 20 pages and relate to travel, landmarks, local customs, and the group's daily activities.

The Documents series (116 items) is made up of financial, legal, military, honorary, and official government documents related to Cass and his relatives. Early documents relate to the Revolutionary War service of Dr. Joseph Spencer, the father of Elizabeth Cass and the military discharge of Cass' father Jonathan Cass. War of 1812 items include 16 receipts of payments to soldiers for transporting baggage, a payment of Cass' troops approved by Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin, and a report made up of eyewitness accounts of General Hull's surrender at Detroit (September 11, 1812).

Material related to Native Americans includes a treaty between Anthony Wayne and various tribes (August 3, 1795); the Treaty of St. Mary's with Cass, Duncan McArthur, and the Wyandot Indians; several permission bonds awarded by Governor William Hull to Michigan merchants for Indian trade (1798-1810); and Cass' 48-page report detailing the reduction of Native population in North America (with a population count by region), the agriculture and hunting practices of Native Americans, and the history and future of American Indian relations (July 22, 1829).

• March 11, 1826: Cass' oath of office for Governor of the Michigan Territory
• August 1, 1831: Cass' appointment to Secretary of War by Andrew Jackson.
• March 6, 1857: Cass' appointment to Secretary of State by James Buchanan.

Cass' personal accounts are documented in three ledgers kept by Edmund Askin Brush's agency, which managed his financial and land interests, including payments on loans, interest, rent, and land sales and purchases (September 1832-March 1843, January 30, 1836, and undated). Honorary documents include memberships in the New York Naval Lyceum, the Rhode Island Historical Society, and the Buffalo Historical Society, and a degree from Harvard.

• 1776: One bill of Massachusetts paper currency
• January 5, 1795: Power of attorney for Aaron Burr to Benjamin Ledyard
• December 21, 1816: An item documenting the Bank of the United States opening a branch in Lexington, Kentucky
• 1836-1841: Twelve items related to the divorce of Mary K. Barton of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from her violent husband Seth Barton
• November 11, 1842: A menu for a dinner celebrating Cass at Les Trois Frères Provençaux
• November 5, 1845: A printed protest from the citizens of Massachusetts who met at Faneuil Hall, Boston, concerning the annexation of Texas as a slave state
• 1850: Three signup sheets to purchase printed copies of a Cass speech on the Compromise of 1850 and a copy of "Kansas--The Territories"
• February 27, 1878: Lewis Cass, Jr.'s last will and testament

• March 17, 1821: A merchant pass for the Bark Spartan, signed by John Quincy Adams, illustrated with a ship and a harbor with a lighthouse
• July 19, 1833: A membership document from the Rhode Island Historical Society featuring neoclassical imagery of a woman in front of a city and a shield with an anchor inscribed with the word "Hope"
• 1837: A bank note picturing Greek gods
• 1858-1860: Three passports with large state department seals

The Speeches series (17 items) contains 16 items related to Indian affairs spanning 1792-1816, and one undated item concerning agriculture in Michigan. The speeches were delivered by individual Native Americans (Grand Glaize, Painted Tobacco, Maera Walk-in-the-Water, Yealabahcah, Tecumseh, and the Prophet); Indian confederacies to the Commissioners of Indian Affairs; and the Indian commissioners to the Cherokee, Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomie, Shawnee, and Wyandot tribes.

• November 29, 1796: A speech from George Washington to the Wyandot, Delaware, Shawnee, Ottawa, Miami, Potawatomi, Kickapoo, Piankeshaw, and Kaskaskia Indians
• August 18, 1807-1810: Five speeches to and from General William Hull and various Indian tribes, including the Wyandot Chief Maera (Walk-In-The-Water)
• December 21, 1807-January 31, 1809: Four speeches from President Thomas Jefferson to various Indian tribes
• 1816: A speech from Shawnee Chief Yealabahcah and the Prophet Tecumseh in a council with Lewis Cass

For additional Indian speeches see the Manuscript Writings series. The Clements Library Book Division has several published versions of Cass' political speeches spanning 1830-1856.

The Manuscript Writings series (41 items) consists of Cass' non-correspondence writings, of which 30 are undated. Though Cass did not pursue a formal higher education after his years at Philips Exeter Academy, he received many honorary degrees and published scholarly works on the history of Native Americans and American political issues. This series contains 13 items that reveal Cass' views on Native Americans, including a 104-page item on Indian treaties, laws, and regulations (1826); notes on the war with the Creek Indians in 1833 (undated); undated notes and articles on the Shawnee, Kickapoo, and Miami tribes and lands; a 23-page review of published works on Indians; two sets of notes with corrections by Cass that were later published in the Northern American Review, and a four-page essay on Indian language.

Two items relate to the War of 1812. The first is a notebook entitled "Extracts from Franklin's Narratives," which contains copies of letters, speeches, and documents relating to Tecumseh and The Prophet, Canadian Governor George Prevost, President Madison's speeches to Congress, and Canadian General Henry Proctor, spanning 1812-1813. The second is an eyewitness account of the siege and battles of Fort Erie in 1814 by Frederick Myers (September 27, 1851). Also present are copied extracts from other writers' works, including Charlevoix's Histories and a work on Indiana by an unidentified author.

• April 9, 1858: A memorandum in regard to an interview with Colonel Thomas Hart Benton on his deathbed
• Undated: 34 pages of autobiographical writings
• Undated: 42 pages of notes on the creation of the universe and the theory of evolution

• February 10, 1836: A poem by Andrew Buchanan performed at Mrs. White's party
• August 30, 1858: "An Ode on the Sub-Atlantic Telegraph," by Dr. Francis Lieber
• Undated: Two genealogical items related to Elizabeth Cass' ancestors
• Undated: a draft of a biographical essay on Cass' early years by W. T. Young (eventually published in 1852 as Life and Public Services of General Lewis Cass)

The Printed Items series (14 items) is comprised of printed material written by or related to Cass. Many of the items are contemporary newspaper clippings reporting on Cass' role in government and eulogies assessing his career after his death.

• November 4, 1848: A 4-page Hickory Sprout newspaper with several articles on Cass and his presidential bid. This paper also contains pro-Democrat and pro-Cass poetry set to the tune Oh! Susannah
• 1848: A political cartoon lampooning Cass after his defeat to Taylor in the presidential election
• March 25, 1850: An announcement for a ball at Tammany Hall in honor of Cass
• July 17, 1921: A Detroit Free Press article on the dedication of the Cass Boulder Monument at Sault Ste. Marie
• Three engraved portraits of Cass
• Undated: A newspaper clipping with recollections of Lewis Cass as a young boy
• Undated: An advertisement with a diagram of the Davis Refrigerator.

The Autographs and Miscellaneous series (21 items) contains various autographs of James Buchanan (October 10, 1860), Theodore Roosevelt (August 11, 1901), and author Alice French with an inscription and a sketch (September 29, 1906). This series also contains 19 pages of notes from Cass collector Roscoe O. Bonisteel, who donated many of the items in this collection, and four colored pencil sketches of furniture.

This collection contains two manuscript copies of Jean-Daniel Dumas' Traite de la Defense et de la Conservation des Colonies, an assessment of France's North American colonies by one of the most successful generals of the French and Indian War.

This collection contains two manuscript copies of Jean-Daniel Dumas' Traite de la Defense et de la Conservation des Colonies. One is 190 pages and the other is 281 pages. These copies each contain 27 chapters plus a conclusion. They describe France's colonies in general, as well as the challenges of defending the colonies, duties of the governors general, the cost of colonial administration, commerce in the colonies, and colonial legislation. In his preface, Dumas mentions having presented this essay to the brother of King Louis XV and to several of the ministers in 1773, and that he had expanded it since then.

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)

The Lexington and Concord collection contains 20 depositions given by eyewitnesses of the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The depositions were ordered by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress for the purpose of establishing the claim that the British fired first. The collection also contains a list of the men killed and wounded in the conflicts.

The Lexington and Concord collection (22 items) contains 20 depositions given by participants and spectators of the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The depositions were ordered by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress for the purpose of establishing the claim that the British fired first. The committee made several signed copies of the depositions. One set was dispatched to the Massachusetts agent in London, while other sets were sent to neighboring colonies.

This set of 20 depositions, signed by 94 men between April 23 and 25, was sent by the Cambridge Committee of Safety to the Albany Committee. Thirteen of the depositions relate to Lexington and the other seven relate to Concord. Chairman of the Cambridge Committee, Richard Devans, enclosed the depositions in a letter dated May 7, 1775. Also present is a list of men killed and wounded in the conflicts. Commissioned by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, the document lists the casualties' names, residences, and conditions (killed or wounded).

The Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 10th orderly book (56 pages) contains military orders kept by an anonymous British officer while stationed at Boston from March 3 through April 25, 1775. The entries document the British army's activities during the months leading up the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

The Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 10th orderly book (56 pages) contains military orders kept by an anonymous British officer while stationed at Boston from March 3 through April 25, 1775. The entries document the British Army's activities during the months leading up to the battles at Lexington and Concord. Topics covered include regimental and brigade orders and information on desertions, courts martial, prisoners, deaths within the regiment, provisions and clothing, church attendance, promotions, regimental debts, picket duty assignments, exercises, and military drills. Entries also contain daily administrative information, such as the parole sign and assignments for on-duty commanding officers. Though the author was a member of the 10th Regiment of Foot, the orderly book also documents the 59th, 43rd, and 23rd regiments.

The volume contains little on the Lexington and Concord battles (April 19, 1775), though orders from April 19th through April 25th betray a heightened sense of security among the ranks in Boston. Entries from these dates contain instructions for troop readiness, for maintaining arms and artillery, and for preparing the military hospitals. On April 19th, the regiment received the following order: "The Troops in Town not to Straggle from their B[arracks] but to be Ready to turn out with their Arms, Ammunition, & Provisions the Moment they are Ordered" (page 48). The order of April 22, contains a statement on the conduct of Lord Percy's forces at Lexington and Concord (page 53), and the entry from April 24, orders a portion of the 10th regiment to reinforce the British lines (page 56).

The HMS Levant and HMS Arethusa log book contains daily records about the weather, navigation, and incidences that occurred during the commissions of both ships while sailing in the Mediterranean and the English Channel.

This vellum-bound log book (15cm x 19cm) contains 259 pages of tabular data respecting voyages of the HMS Levant (1775-1776, 223 pages) and, beginning in the back of the volume, the HMS Arethusa (1777, 36 pages). Additional pages in the volume are either blank, or contain empty tables. The flyleaf is inscribed with the name of William Browell and with the names of the two ships and their commanders. The flyleaf also includes a pen-and-ink drawing of a man wearing a formal headdress or hairstyle, with curls above the ear and a single ponytail at the nape of the neck.

The HMS Levant and HMS Arethusa log book contains a daily record of locations, movements, sails, surroundings, weather, discipline, and out-of-the-ordinary occurrences. The log keeper recorded data in tables with columns marked "H" (the hour of the day), "K" (speed in knots), "F" (depth of the water in fathoms), "Courses," "Winds," and the date. Details about the positioning of sails, winds, and directional courses are included. Crew discipline is mentioned throughout the text, which involved floggings for reasons of insolence, drunkenness, going ashore without leave, fighting, and neglect of duty.

HMS Levant

The HMS Levantlog book spans approximately the first year and a half of the American War of Independence, beginning on Friday, June 23, 1775, and ending on Sunday November 24, 1776. In addition to regular data, the book documents navigational coordinates and landmarks from the ship's travels in the English Channel, North Atlantic Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea, and along the coasts and surrounding islands of England, Portugal, Spain, France, Algeria, and Italy. Noteworthy locations sighted or visited by the Levant include Lizard Point, the Scilly Islands, Lisbon, Cádiz, Gibraltar Bay, Majorca, Marseilles, Sardinia, the Bay of Naples, and Algiers.

From the commencement of the ship's voyage in June until late September, the ship traveled as part of the Mediterranean fleet under the command of Rear Admiral Robert Mann. The Levant log book contains references to Mann's flagship, theMedway, the Royal Oak (under Captain Peter Parker), the Enterprise, the Exeter, the Worcester, the Alarm, and the Zephyr. Early entries of the log book contain some description of pursuing and halting ships from England and America (one from Pennsylvania and one from Maryland). Other ships encountered by the Levant hailed from Amsterdam, Genoa, Martinique, Cádiz, Jamaica, and Antigua. The author also described exercising the ship's guns and practicing tactical fleet formations (forming a line of battle abreast, a line of battle ahead, and the bow and quarter).

On July 13, 1775, the ship's foremast was damaged near the Scilly lighthouse, but was repaired in Gibraltar Bay the following month.

Interactions with other ships, both friend and foe, occur regularly throughout the log. On March 7, 1776, while sailing in Algiers Bay, the sighting of a Dutch Man-of-War was reported: "Sail'd hence the Dutch man of war the garison saluted Capt. Murray with 5 guns at is going on shore, we return'd an equal number. Sent the slaves on shore." The crew of the Levant also encountered the Dey of Algiers who "sent onboard as a Present 3 live Bullocks of sheep with bread & Vegetables to the ship comp'y." (March 7, 1776).

From October 27, 1776 until November 15, 1776 the Levant traveled as part of a convoy with at least three vessels, including the sloop Neptune, theCharles, and theHope. The writer recorded the seizure of an American ship, the Argo, on November 18, 1776. After indicating that a sail was spotted to the southwest, the HMS Levant "spoke the chase and found her to be American ship from Charles Town bound to Bordeaux. Loaded with rices and indigo. Hoisted the boat out and sent it on board of her with the 2nd Lieut who immediately took command of her as a prize."

HMS Arethusa

The HMS Arethusa log book was kept between March 23, 1777 and June 3, 1777. Beginning its journey near Belém Tower in Lisbon, the Arethusa sailed through Cape Roxant and past the Isle of Portland. The volume covers the ship's travels along southern England with a convoy to Spithead Harbour, where the ship remained anchored between April 15, 1777 and May 19, 1777. During its time in harbor, the Arethusa underwent repairs, and its decks were washed in hot vinegar and smoked with charcoal, tobacco, and tar almost daily.

The Arethusa encountered other ships during this time, most of them British. They included the Romney, a ship of the line under Vice Admiral John Montagu, the privateer Terrible, the sloop Hawke, the Centaur, the Invincible, the Brilliant, the Resolution, and the Cameleon. On, April 7, the Arethusa encountered a Dutch ship, and on March 24, a Spanish battle ship.

This collection contains ten letters written between 1775 and 1778, by James Steuart Denham to Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton. In these letters, Denham discussed his opinions regarding the British war with America, and its toll on the British economy.

The Sir James Steuart Denham papers contain 10 letters written by Denham to Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton, between 1775 and 1778. In these letters, Denham discussed his opinions regarding the British war with America and its toll on the British economy. In the first letters, Denham suggested that England should not engage the colonies militarily, but should instead cut off trade with America, and let the economic damage subdue the revolt. He also defended General Gage, governor of Massachusetts and commander of His Majesty's army, for not using his forces to crush the American mobs. Even after the outbreak of the war, Denham preferred using economic means, rather than using military resources, to control the colonies. He was pessimistic about committing troops to North America: "We have seen ten thousand men at Boston, who have not been able to penetrate one mile into the continent of N. America. How far will forty thousand be able to penetrate?" (February 12, 1776). Denham wrote extensively about the economic impact of the war on the value of paper money in the colonies and British and American fiscal irresponsibility.

Though Denham did not support military action, he had no doubt that the British Army would suppress the rebellion. Victory, he believed, would require a system of forts to keep North America under control. "While they are under the Parliament of Great Britain they are under a free Government and people who have made choice of Rebellion should have no choice afterwards with respect to governing themselves" (March 17, 1776).

Throughout 1775 and 1776, Denham anticipated that the American resistance would be crushed. In the few letters from 1777 and 1778, Denham focused on discussing personal and family matters, and in the letter of May 16, 1778, he expressed despondency at the country's state of affairs.

These letters are significant because they document the candid views of an important British thinker as he witnessed the events of the American Revolution.

The Frederick North collection contains four letters written by North between 1775 and 1783 and a financial record for extraordinary military services and provisions incurred by and paid for by North and George Cooke as Paymasters of Forces, 1766-1767.

The Frederick North collection contains 4 letters from North to various recipients, 1775-1783 and one 1766-1767 record of payment for services. In the first letter (April 17, 1775), written to an unknown recipient, North mentioned transferring a "Dr. Tatten" to Westminster, which he considered "more profitable" than other institutions. He also expressed regret that John Burgoyne did not attend a meeting at which Lord Dartmouth gave "explicit & proper" instructions. In his letter of August 22, 1782, also to an unknown recipient, North referred to a month-long "Tour of visits," which prevented him from writing sooner. He pledged his assistance in recruiting men for the 40th Regiment of Foot, recently renamed the 2nd Somersetshire after Somerset County, but opined that he could "do but little" because of his residence outside the area. In the next piece of correspondence, dated January 19, 1783, North congratulated William Eden on the birth of a son, accepted the role of godfather, and noted that their friendship was a "principal happiness" in his life. North wrote the final letter to the Duke of Portland, September 23, 1783, informing him of the material needs of emigrants from East Florida to the Bahamas, and inquiring if the army's extra provisions could be sent to the Bahamas for the settlers.

Also included in the collection is a 7-page "Account of Extraory Services incurred & Paid by the right honble Lord North & Geo. Cooke," covering 1766-1767, when North and Cooke served as Paymasters of the Forces. This document contains sums paid to various military officials for services and supplies in Germany and colonies such as Grenada, East Florida, and Jamaica. Also provided in the document is a list of names of the compensated and dates of warrant.

The von Jungkenn papers comprise one of the major resources in North America for study of the "Hessian" auxiliaries to British forces during the American Revolution. The involvement of German auxiliaries in many of the most significant campaigns of the war make the von Jungkenn collection of great importance for understanding both military and social aspects of the Revolution.

The von Jungkenn papers comprise one of the major resources in North America for study of the "Hessian" auxiliaries to British forces during the American Revolution. The correspondence, diaries, and military returns of German officers hired by the British during the American Revolution provide a thorough documentation of the military activities involving German forces, and insight into the martial culture that bound them to the British authority. As professional soldiers, serving for pay, rather than patriotism, von Jungkenn and his fellow German officers were often more candid in their assessments of the war and less inclined to the self-serving or wishful myopia that hindered some of their British colleagues. The involvement of German auxiliaries in many of the most significant campaigns of the war make the von Jungkenn collection of great importance for understanding both military and social aspects of the Revolution.

Nearly all of the correspondence received by von Jungkenn is written either in German or French, reflecting the linguistic difficulties posed in fielding a multi-national, multi-lingual force. The letters in German are written exclusively in the old script. The correspondence of Adj. Gen. Maj. Bauermeister comprises the most extensive single correspondence in the collection -- almost one third of the von Jungkenn Papers -- and has been fully translated and published by Bernhard Uhlendorf.

This account book documents the financial transactions of the Ractcliff family of Vere, Jamaica, from 1775-1786, as they managed sugar plantations, enslaved laborers, and estate disputes. The Exeter Plantation is the principal nexus of activity, but the volume also relates to Greenwich Plantation and Harmony Hall, all in Vere. The Ractcliffs also had accounts with Rockland Farm, Tom King's Plantation, and Carver Plantation. Information relating to inheritance and estates from the Read and Ractcliff families is also present.

This account book documents the financial transactions of the Ractcliff family of Vere, Jamaica, from 1775-1786, as they managed sugar plantations, enslaved laborers, and estate disputes. The Exeter Plantation is the principal nexus of activity, but the volume also relates to Greenwich Plantation and Harmony Hall, all in Vere. The Ractcliffes had accounts with Rockland Farm, Tom King's Plantation, and Carver Plantation. Information relating to inheritance and estates from the Read and Ractcliff families is also present.

The volume begins with a two-page copy of an inventory of Tristram Ractcliff's estate in Clarendon Parish, prepared according to an order from Edward Trelawny on February 27, 1745. The inventory lists his household furniture and wearing apparel; his bonds, notes and outstanding debts; 28 enslaved men, women, and children; and horses, mares, asses, mules and cattle. Later entries relate to estate accounts of the Mackenzie family, seemingly through Tristram Ractcliff's mother Elizabeth (Mackenzie) Ractcliff, as well as his father's estate (for examples see pp. 17-18, 108, 115).

The volume's daybook accounts (192 numerated pages) begin on August 31, 1775, in Vere, Jamaica, with lists of names, expenses, and the nature of the financial matter, extending through May 17, 1786. The entries can be sporadic, sometimes with several pages recorded in one day before jumping ahead several months and occasionally more than a year between entries. References to a waste book and numerical notations in the margins indicate this daybook was part of a robust financial accounting system.

The volume contains records of routine transactions relating to plantation management, including tax payments; insurance; the purchase and sale of enslaved people; maintenance of equipment; purchase of supplies; freight and wharfage; and payment for specialized laborers like carpenters, penkeepers, overseers, wheelwrights, sawyers, blacksmiths, coopers, masons, bookkeepers, and more. Accounts relating to materiel and labor for sugar production, rum distilling, and mills provide information about the kinds of industry supported by the plantations. Sugar, rum, cotton, corn, and livestock accounting can be found throughout.

Financial documentation relating to enslaved people reveals some details about their lives. Entries relating to medical treatment speak to health care and costs, and accounts relating to food, clothing, and fabric purchases glean light on material conditions. For example, an entry for June 10, 1781 (p. 148), concerns a payment for George Henderson to "negotiate for provisions" for the enslaved laborers, and an entry on October 16, 1784 (p. 153), relates to a dispute over a case of ling fish and two kegs of split pease that were deemed "too dear for Plantation use." The account book also documents slave labor, with many accounts relating to the rent and hire of enslaved laborers and others detailing specific tasks, such as the account with Carver's Plantation for the hire of enslaved people for "Billing, Hoeing & Holeing 12 Acres" and "Clearing & Burning off Acres of Land" (p. 30). Some of the hired enslaved laborers performed skilled jobs like sawyers, masons, tailors, boilers, and bricklayers. Several entries relate to Billy Read, a mixed-race carpenter and wheelwright, who performed work or acquired rum and sundries from the Ractcliffs (see pp. 22, 33, 39, 109, 139, and 148).

Several entries hint at resistance efforts of enslaved men and women as well as the brutal punishments such attempts wrought. An entry for October 18, 1775, lists a payment in regards to "Candis a Runaway Negroe" (p. 11). A number of accounts appear to relate to the trial of Kent, a blacksmith who may have been enslaved (pp. 156 and 171). On October 29, 1784, Exeter Plantation hired a constable "for warning a Jury to try Kent & Quaco" (p. 174), and a payment on January 28, 1784, related to "Kent who was hanged" (p.167). On April 7, 1786, the Ractcliffs sold Quaco, "to be ship'd off for attempting to fire Exeter" (p. 185). An entry for January 11, 1779, reflects payments pertinent to a trial of Fortune and Congo Hector who Ractcliff prosecuted for stealing sheep (p. 118).

Occasional construction accounts and personal purchases shed light on the lifestyles of the Ractcliff family. For example, acquisitions of satin and lace (p. 6), jewelry and clothing (pp. 21-22, 27, 28, 48, 55), and a phaeton (p. 107) provide details about the family's fashion. Meanwhile, accounts like the one dated February 2, 1776, for the framing of a 47 foot long house at the Exeter Plantation with a "Piazza all round" and four windows with shutters, give a glimpse into the built architecture at the plantation (p. 36). The financial affairs of the family are also reflected in their handling of bonds, interest, bonds of exchange, and notes throughout the volume.

Several entries reflect the political and military unrest of the period. One from January 18, 1777 (p. 92), relates to the recovery of insurance for a shipment of sugar that was taken prize by Americans in July 1775. A note in an entry for February 25, 1780 (p. 146), reveals ships sailing in convoys. On January 28, 1784 (p. 167), Ractcliff recorded supplying cattle to the government "in Martial Law."

Additional information in the volume relates to Dorothy (Read) Ractcliff's inheritance of her father, Ennis Read's, estate, including property and enslaved laborers. Accounts refer to legal disputes, seemingly on a contested inheritance. Entries indicate the hiring of lawyers, noting the estate was "being illegally detained" (pp. 82-85, 124), and transactions that relate to serving an ejectment include the replacement of clothing and tack ruined by paint as well as doctors' fees for one of the men who served the ejectment being beaten (p. 103).

The inside front cover bears the inscription "Mary Eleanor Elisabeth Bellairs" who may have lived ca. 1841 to 1910, and appears to have been the great-granddaughter of Mary (Read) Mackenzie and Peter Mackenzie, Tristram Ractcliff's sister-in-law and brother-in-law.

The Jonathan Chase papers contain letters and documents relating to the services of Colonel Jonathan Chase, of the 13th and 15th New Hampshire Militia regiments, during the Revolutionary War. These record Chase's involvement with recruiting soldiers and providing supplies for the army during the war.

The Jonathan Chase papers (74 items) in the Schoff Revolutionary War Collection contain 39 letters, 1 letterbook, and 34 documents and financial records (including receipts, soldier rolls, and commissions) relating to the services of Colonel Jonathan Chase, of the 13th and 15th New Hampshire Militia regiments, during the Revolutionary War. Chase was actively involved in recruiting soldiers and in providing supplies for the army during the war. This collection documents his part in these efforts and includes several wartime letters that depict the military situation in New England.

The Correspondence series contains 39 items, all of which are related to the Revolutionary War. Frequent correspondents include Benjamin Giles, a New Hampshire officer stationed in Charlestown, Massachusetts; Meshech Weare, President of New Hampshire; Major Jonathan Child; Major General Nathaniel Fulsom; and Jacob Bayley. The earliest letters are requests from officers at Charlestown, Massachusetts, with orders for Chase to send flour and meat to feed their troops. Meshech Weare wrote 10 letters on behalf of the Committee of Safety for New Hampshire, headquartered in Exeter. These dealt with military matters, informing Chase of the structure of the militia (July 18, 1777) and calling for him to draft a certain number of men from his militia units to fill a quota mandated by the Continental Congress. Weare specifically recommended that Chase must not trust prisoners of war or enemy deserters (March 9, 1778).

Other notable items include letters dealing with military matters such as deserters (July 23, 1779 and May 27, 1781), and pay incentives for enlisted soldiers (June 20, 1779). A report issued by the New Hampshire House of Representatives, dated April 15, 1781, outlined plans for the defense of the western New Hampshire frontier. One of several letters from Jacob Bayley warned of a possible attack near Otter Creek in Vermont and advised that "each man would equip himself with snow-shoes &c" (February 8, 1780). In an urgent letter, General Peter Olcott advised Chase to have his men ready "to march at a minutes warning to the relief of any quarter which may be invaded" (October 15, 1781). Post-war items, in both the Correspondence and Documents and Financial Records series concern reimbursements from the United States government for expenses incurred during the war. Though most of the items in the collection are official in nature, one letter reveals personal struggles during the war: Elisha Payne, in a letter dated May 12, 1777, explained to Jonathan Chase that he cannot stay with the militia because he must tend to his wife and many small children, and can find no one to take care of his land while he is away; also, he is unsure his health can take the strain.

The 14-page Letterbook contains 34 numbered letters. While the letterbook is largely comprised of copies of records dealing with supplies, food, and money, it also contains letters from Chase, Moses Hazen, Major Jonathan Childs, Jacob Bailey, and Horatio Gates. These describe troop missions and news about the war. Of note are two letters: one is from Moses Hazen mentioning that the French fleet is to be expected to arrive at the end of June, 1780 (p. 9, June [14], 1780); and the other is 1778 letter to the Chairman of the Committee of Bennington discussing the sending the 15th New Hampshire regiment to defend Vermont (p.12-13, [1780]).

The Documents and Financial Records series (34 items) contains lists of officers and soldiers recruited and dispatched by Chase, records of military expenses kept by Chase, and 3 printed items appointing Chase to various official positions. Nine items are regimental returns and other lists of soldiers, including returns for soldiers who marched with Chase to Ticonderoga and Saratoga. One document, of June 10, 1777, lists men under guard, with their infractions. The series contains 12 military records of payments for food, supplies, and soldiers pay. Two of these are post-war accounts kept by Jonathan Child and Jonathan Chase, documenting expenses incurred on behalf of the United States during the war, with calculations of interest up to December 13, 1786, and March 1, 1791.

• May 8, 1781, Jonathan Chase's appointment as "Colonel of the first Regiment in the 3rd Brigade & third Regiment of the Militia of this State [of Vermont]," signed by Thomas Chittenden
• December 25, 1784, Jonathan Chase's appointment as "Colonel of the Fifteenth Regiment of Militia, in the said State of New-Hampshire." signed by Meshech Weare
• September 13, 1786, Jonathan Chase's appointment as "a Brigadier General of the Militia, in the said State of New-Hampshire." signed by John Sullivan and Joseph Pearson. A note on the document, dated June 9, 1791, and signed by Josiah Bartlett, grants Jonathan Chase "leave to resign his Commission as a Brigadier General of the militia."

This collection is made up of the correspondence and business papers of Andrew Law, composer and compiler of tune books. Dating primarily during his most productive professional years, these papers also contain manuscript sheet music and printed proof sheets.

The Law papers contain over 500 letters written during the most productive years of Andrew Law's professional career as a singing master, composer, and compiler of tune books, 1780-1821. Most of the correspondence relates to Law's musical publications, his ideas on music, and family matters, and together, they form an invaluable archive of the mind and work of one of the most prolific tunesmiths of the Early Republic.

In addition, the collection includes approximately 700 accounts, receipts, and other business papers; personal memoranda relating to Law's travels and financial affairs (350 pp.); 35 lists of students; and miscellaneous sheet music (368 pp.).

The Nicholas Fish papers (97 items) consist of letters and documents that span Fish's career as a Revolutionary War officer and New York City politician. The collection is made up of 87 letters and 10 documents and financial records.

The Nicholas Fish papers (97 items) consist of letters and documents that span Fish's career as a Revolutionary War officer and New York City politician. The collection is made up of 87 letters and 10 documents and financial records.

The Correspondence series (87 items) is comprised of 14 letters written by Fish, 70 letters addressed to Fish, 2 letters to his son Hamilton Fish (1833 and 1844), and one item to the Committee of Defense of New York (August 4, 1815).

The series contains 52 items from Fish's military activities in the Revolutionary war (1776-1786). Forty-one of these letters are addressed to Fish as adjutant general of New York, 1785, regarding the raising and provisioning of troops to aid the first United States Army, commanded by Josiah Harmar on the frontier of the Northwest Territory. Discussed are transporting supplies, maintaining troop levels, defending the settlers of the region from Indians, taking prisoners of war, and punishing deserters. Fish received communications from the War Offices at Fort Schuyler; the Bronx; Albany; Philadelphia; and West Point. Many letters, notably, were from prominent American army officers, such as Secretary of War General Henry Knox, John Morin Scott (his former mentor), Major John Doughty, and Commissary of Military Stores Samuel Hodgdon. Of particular interest is a letter from Captain John Francis Hamtramck, who described catching and punishing 7 troops for desertion from Fort McIntosh in Western Pennsylvania (December 4, 1785), and another letter from Hamtramck, in which he discussed the poor treatment of the Six Nations hostages by the Americans in contrast to the civility shown Indian war prisoners held by the British (June 13, 1785).

A group of 36 letters relate to Fish's activities in New York politics between 1791 and 1830. These provide details of Fish's career as well as New York and American politics in general, including military affairs, the War of 1812, and presidential politics. On February 12, 1791, Fish wrote to President George Washington requesting an appointment as inspector for the district of New York. In his letter from March 10, 1794, fish discussed a dispute between Henry Dearborn and Theodore Sedgwick (March 10, 1794). In a letter to Fish, Jacob Radcliff expressed his support for Fish as New York alderman (November 8, 1810). Among letters written during the War of 1812, William Watson examined the role of Pennsylvania Germans in the Presidential campaign of 1812 (September 16, 1812); Fish wrote to James Madison concerning the punishment of Lieutenant William S. Cox for his part in the Chesapeake incident (after June 1, 1813); and Commodore J. Lewis, Chief Engineer Joseph G. Swift, and General George Izard all wrote letters regarding the defense of New York Harbor (May 8 and October 10, 1813, and August 4, 1815). (For a complete list of contributors, see the controlled access terms section.)

The Documents and Financial Records series (10 items) is comprised of military, personal, and official items.

• Two officer lists of the New York militia: one for the 1st Regiment (1775), and the other for the militia under Colonel John Lasher (September 25, 1776).
• Fish's bank deposit book with the U.S. Bank from April 1792-June 1793 (8 pages).
• Seven receipts for duties from the Supervisor's Office, District of New York, all signed by Fish (April 1795-February 1798).

The Josephus Stuart papers contain correspondence, diaries, and documents related to Stuart's early medical practice and his service with the 29th regiment of the United States Infantry. The collection also includes a series of diaries written by Stuart between 1815 and 1821, which document Stuart's service as chancellor to the U.S. Consulate in London, a visit to former president Thomas Jefferson at Monticello in 1816, and Stuart's experiences operating a steamboat.

The Josephus Stuart collection contains 34 letters, dated 1810-1834, the majority of which belonged to Stuart, though six letters are addressed to Gerrit Wendell, a Washington county judge and former member of the New York state senate. In addition, the collection contains 38 documents, nine of which are associated with Stuart's father-in-law, Enoch Leonard. Several of the papers deal with Stuart's early medical practice, including a letter regarding research related to Stuart's medical thesis, which was a defense of cutaneous absorption. Other documents concern Stuart's military service with the 29th regiment, United States Infantry, including his commission as paymaster, signed by President James Madison.

Of primary significance are Stuart's eight diaries, written from 1815 to 1821. The early diaries document Stuart's period as chancellor to the U.S. Consulate in London. He records the sea voyage, as well his observations of English life and customs, often unfavorably comparing them with his views on conditions in America. The diaries also record trips Stuart took to Ireland, Scotland, France, and the Netherlands; he took care to note his observations during his travels, including the landscape, sights, lifestyle, living conditions, economy, and politics. Diaries four and five recount Stuart's return to the United States and include a detailed account of his visit with Thomas Jefferson at Monticello on December 24 and 25, 1816. He recorded Jefferson's views on a wide variety of topics, and made notes on his appearance and home. Also contained within diary five are accounts of Stuart's role as agent for Francis Cazeau, James Monroe's inauguration, travels to Ohio, encounters with Native Americans, and various business transactions, including his steamboat venture. The next several diaries record his experiences running the Walk-in-the-Water, his marriage to Ann Leonard in May 1818, and the beginning of his financial troubles in 1819. In the last diary (#8), Stuart had settled in Jamesville, New York, as an attorney. The last month of the diary records the loss of the steamboat, which ran aground during a gale in 1821.

Also included in the collection are a set of architectural plans by noted New York architect Philip Hooker. Hooker designed a house for Stuart in 1818, which was apparently never built; the plans are contained within a small booklet. The Stuart papers also have eleven items related to family genealogy, and three 1810 New York newspapers.

Hudson's Bay Company papers consist of correspondence, financial records, and a memorandum book of the Canadian-based company. Also included is a printed version of Andrew Burnaby's Travels through the Middle Settlements In North America... and a manuscript of Thoughts on the Furr Trade With the Indians in N. America, extracted from the papers of the late John Gray of Quebec (1768).

Hudson's Bay Company papers consist of 4 letters, 4 financial records, 1 memorandum book, and 1 printed book containing manuscript contents. The first five items are letters and documents that came from the Hudson Bay Company's post at the mouth of the Michipicoten River (1859-1870), including two business letters between employees Lieutenant Denis de Larondo and James Watts, and an account of payment to Indians living on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The next three items are financial records from the company's New Brunswick post on the Missinaibi Lake near Moose River (1872, 1889, 1914). The Hudson's Bay Company Memorandum book contains a copy of the Hudson's Bay Company charter; copies of the charters for each of the 13 colonies; a map of the towns and rivers . . . that were ceded to Britain by Spain according to the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht (pages 24-25); memoranda and account information such as shipment details, personnel payments, and lists of goods traded; a shaded pencil sketch of a carronade gun (pages 34-35); and various historical reports, including one tracking company stocks from 1676-1779. Other interesting documents include a list of the provisions needed to support 40 men for 6 months, a proposed station for ships in 1790, and "Information of Isaac Ogden of Quebec to David Ogden in London," which describes the interior of North America from the Hudson Bay to the Pacific and discusses terrain and water features, as well as fur trading potential for the regions.

The final item is a single vellum covered volume titled "HB 1770" that contains both a printed version of Andrew Burnaby's Travels through the Middle Settlements In North America... and a manuscript of Thoughts on the Furr Trade With the Indians in N. America extracted from the papers of the late John Gray of Quebec (1768). The volume begins with a map of North America from 1763, just before the beginning of the 107-pages of Burnaby's Travels. The Gray writings detail interaction with the land's native populations and methods of trading for furs in the area (36 pages). Buried in the final 64 blank pages are five pages documenting the Original Proprietors of the Hudsonbay Stock 1667, 7 pages of stock accounts from 1720-1789, and accounts from 1776-1790. The volume also houses a loose letter to the Hudson's Bay House in London confirming a shipment of goods with prices (1791).

The Eyre Coote papers contain the military, family, and estate material of Sir Eyre Coote, a prominent British officer who participated in the Revolutionary war and many military expeditions in the early 19th century. The papers include military commissions, letters and letterbooks, orderly books, journals, notebooks, diaries, financial accounts, genealogical material, estate and legal papers, newspapers, and maps. The following calendar contains item-level description and additional background information on the Coote genealogy: Eyre Coote Papers Calendar.

The Eyre Coote papers consist of 41 boxes containing 1,925 numbered items, covering Eyre Coote’s military papers and family and estate material. These include: 13 Eyre Coote military commissions; 1,160 military letters, mostly to Coote; 22 letterbooks, containing copies of Coote’s correspondence, predominately to military and political figures; 69 orderly books covering Coote’s career from 1775 to 1809; 35 journals, notebooks, and diaries recording expedition details, day-to-day activities, and financial accounts; 14 items of genealogical material; 359 family letters; 200 financial papers; 235 estate and legal papers; 26 bound family and estate volumes; 83 newspapers, nearly all collected by Eyre Coote (1857-1925) with various references to either Sir Eyre Coote or the Coote family; and 40 maps.

The Military Papers series contains the letters, letterbooks, orderly books, and journals of Eyre Coote; these papers are organized into five subseries. See Additional Descriptive Data for a timeline of Eyre Coote's military placements.

The Commissions subseries (13 items) is comprised of Eyre Coote's official military commissions, from his assignment as an adjutant in the 37th Regiment in 1778 to his appointment as colonel of the 34th (Cumberland) Regiment in 1810. Such notable officers as William Howe, Henry Clinton, Thomas Townshend, William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, and Thomas Pelham signed these documents.

The Military Correspondence and Documents subseries (1160 items) consists of letters and documents concerning Coote's activities in the British military. These cover his role in the Revolutionary War with the 37th Regiment; his expedition to Egypt and the Mediterranean; his governorship in Jamaica; and his service in England, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Item types include letters from all ranks of the British army and navy; copies of letters written by Coote; accounts and receipts for supplies and payment of Coote's regiments; general orders, instructions, regulations, and memoranda; and copies of addresses given to various military and political audiences. Correspondence topics include notable military events and division maneuvers; regimental management, reviews and inspections; disciplinary actions and courts martial; capture and requests for parole; appointments, promotions, the purchases of ranks; military intelligence; soldier defections; and health and sickness of soldiers and family.

• A Loyalist poem entitled "An address to Americans" [1775]
• Revolutionary War items concerning the 37th Regiment in Virginia and Pennsylvania (1776-1782)
• Private six-page memorandum containing Coote's description of landing near Ostend, his destroying the gates, and his subsequent capture (May 1798)
• Letters between Coote and John Hely-Hutchinson concerning the British/French conflict in Egypt, including 5 reports from Coote on the state of the Abū Qīr Hospital (March 1801)
• Material documenting Coote's governorship of Jamaica, such as letters from British Administration at Downing Street, including one item from Robert Stewart Castlereagh warning of the likelihood of a "negro insurrection" (April, 4, 1807), and material related to slavery and the slave trade in the West Indies
• Letters describing the attack and unsuccessful occupation of Walcheren, Netherlands, (1809)
• Two printed reports on the parliamentary inquiry into the Walcheren expedition (published 1811)

This series contains two printed items: two findings of the parliamentary inquiry into the Walcheren expedition, published in 1811.

The Letter Books subseries (22 volumes) consists of books with copies of letters to and from Coote concerning his military activities (1786-1809).

• Bandon, Ireland, 1796-1798
• Ostend, Netherlands, 1798
• Dover, England, 1798-1801
• Alexandria, Egypt, 1801
• Southampton, England, 1800-1801
• Athlone, Loughrea, Castlebar, Fermoy and Cork, Ireland, 1803-1804
• Jamaica, 1805-1808
• Walcheren, Netherlands, 1809

Many of the copied letters concern other British officers, including: Major Boulter Johntone, Captain Thomas Neill, Lieutenant Thomas Walsh, and Lieutenant Colonel William Yorke, among others. Of note are copies of messages from the Jamaican House of Assembly with Coote's replies and speeches (21 October 1806 -- 5 April 1808).

The Order Books subseries (69 volumes) consists of regimental and battalion orderly books and rosters, as well as books of general orders.

• 37th Regiment of Light Infantry's activities in Dublin, Ireland; York Island [Manhattan], New York; and Elkton, Maryland; their march towards Chadds Ford, New Jersey; their participation in the Battle of Brandywine; and their efforts at Germantown, Philadelphia, Jamaica [Long Island], and New York City, 1775-1779
• Battalion Order Book: Staten Island; at sea; James Island; Drayton House; William’s House; Charleston; Monk’s Corner; Philipsburg, South Carolina; and Flushing, New York, 1779-1781
• 47th Regiment at New York and later at various English cities: Lancaster; Preston; Warrington; Warrington [Cheshire]; Whitehaven [Cumbria]; Whitehaven; Drogheda; and Limerick, Ireland, 1781-1785
• Also a duty roll of the 56th and 47th Regiments for 6 September 1783
• Standing orders for the 70th or Surrey Regiment, 1786
• Standing orders for the Sussex Regiment of militia, 1792
• General Order Book of the expedition to the West Indies, 1793-1794, with headquarters in Barbados, Guadeloupe, and Port Royal, Martinique
• General and Garrison Order Book of the regiment garrisoned at Dover, Canterbury, Bandon and Dunmanway, Cork, throughout 1797-1799
• General Order Book for the expedition to Ostend, Netherlands,1798-1799
• General and battalion orders for the expedition to Helder, Netherlands, headquartered at Schagerburg and Helder
• General orders for the expedition to Egypt, at sea on board HMS Kent, and at headquarters in Alexandria, 1800-1801
• General and district orders for the regiment garrisoned at Dublin, Cork, and the south-western district, Ireland, 1804
• General orders for the regiment intended for the West Indies, including Jamaica, 1805-1808
• General orders for the regiment intended for Walcheren Island, Netherlands, expedition, garrisoned at Portsmouth, London, and ‘at sea’ and later at headquarters in Middleburg and on Walcheren Island. Endorsed ‘Lieut.-Colonel [Thomas] Walsh', 1809

• A list of the General and Field Officers, as they Rank in the Army. Printed by J. Millan, London, 1758 (160 pages).
• Standing Orders to be Observed in the 47th (or Lancashire) Regiment, by Order of Lieutenant-Col. Paulus Æmilus Irving. Printed by Edward Flin, opposite Quay-Lane, Limerick, 1785. (40 pages with additional blank forms of documents).
• Regimental Standing Orders, Issued by the Field Officers and to be Observed by the 70th (or Surry [sic]) Regiment of Foot. And to be Read to the Men, with the Articles of War. Printed by Catherine Finn, Kilkenny, 1788 (50 pages with additional blank forms of documents).

The Journals and Notebooks subseries (35 items) contains journals, notebooks, and diaries related to both military and personal matters. Eyre Coote kept many volumes that contain his remarks and reflections on regiments, forts, and military expeditions lead by him. Fellow officers, including Major General Archibald Campbell, Major Henry Worsley, and Lieutenant Thomas Walsh, kept the other journals. Of particular interest are two of Walsh's journals kept during Coote's expedition to Egypt; these contain numerous maps of the region and sketches and watercolors of cities, landmarks, and monuments in Egypt and along the Mediterranean coast (June-December 1801). Locations mentioned are Alexandria, Egypt; Ceuta, Spain; Houat, France; Marmaris, Turkey; Tangiers, Morocco; and Valletta, Malta. Monuments pictured include the Grecian mausoleum at Marci; the Great Sphinx; the Great Pyramids of Giza; Pompey’s pillar; Cleopatra’s needle; Porte des Bombes; Palace of the Grand-Masters; and funeral monuments for various Grand Masters of the Order of St. John in Malta. Also of interest are 10 volumes recording Coote’s daily movements and his expenses (1784-1800).

The Family and Estate Material series contains genealogical materials, family correspondence, financial papers, and personal journals and notebooks; these are organized into five subseries.

The Genealogy Material and Notes subseries (14 items) consists of documents relating to Coote family genealogy. Among the 14 items are a 17th-18th century genealogical chart, a volume entitled Memoirs of the Anchent and Noble family of Coote (late 18th century), the wills of Reverend Chidley Coote (1730) and Sir Eyre Coote (1827), and memoranda of biographical information on Coote and the Coote family. The series also contains locks of hair from Eyre Coote's immediate family, and two official Coote seals.

The Family Correspondence subseries contains letters concerning various members of the Coote family.

• Coote, Eyre, Sir, 1726-1783, to Susan Hutchinson Coote
• Coote, Eyre, Sir, 1759-1823
• Coote, Jane Bagwell
• Fordingbridge Yeomanry Cavalry (1830-1833)
• Miscellaneous

The correspondence of Coote’s second wife Jane and his son Eyre are also catalogued under a separate heading. The remaining correspondence concerns Eyre Coote’s (d. 1834) education, and the organization of the Fordingbridge Yeomanry Cavalry.

The Financial Papers subseries contains 200 items largely grouped into bundles of bills and receipts for Eyre Coote and Lady Jane Coote's expenses. These include receipts for a service of china, a list of personal jewelry, and a veterinary bill for Coote's horses.

The Estate and Legal Papers subseries is organized into three groups: the Estates in Ireland (1798-1827); the Estates in England (1807-1828); and the Estate and family papers (1897-1925). These papers include letters and documents concerning leases and rent payments, property sales, land disputes, feuding tenants, land use (agriculture), property development, wills and estate transfers, and banking matters. This subseries also contains published correspondence between Coote's family and their legal representative, A plain statement of facts, relative to Sir Eyre Coote (London, 1816), relating to Coote's prosecution for indecency (1815-1816).

Lady Jane Coote handled many letters concerning the estates in Ireland, including decisions regarding raising or reducing rent and managing accounts that were in arrears. Other Ireland material includes 28 half-yearly accounts prepared by the firm Dublin and Maryborough, covering 1796-1817. The England papers largely concern the West Park property, which were largely handled by Eyre Coote. Of note are the audited income and expenditure accounts for West Park, prepared by William Baldwin (1815-1822) and a wine cellar inventory book (1810-1839 and 1966). Estate and family papers document Eyre Coote's (1857-1925) handling of the Coote properties.

The Family, Estate, and Financial Bound Volumes subseries contains the bound estate papers and the personal journals and notebooks of the Coote family. Estate volumes include an item containing copies of wills and accounts, and 5 lists of tenants at the Coote's West Park estate and their Irish estates. Among the personal items are two journals kept by Eyre Coote (1806-1834) that contain his observations of Italy and Switzerland (1821), and a sketchbook of pencil and ink drawings of coastlines, towns, boats, antiquities, buildings, and volcanoes, which he made while sailing in the Mediterranean. Financial volumes include private account books of Eyre Coote (1830-1864) and of his son Eyre Coote (1857-1925) and accounts for their West Park estate.

The Newspapers series contains 83 newspaper clippings, nearly all collected by Eyre Coote (1857-1925), with various references to either Sir Eyre Coote or the Coote family. These clippings span from 1766-1926 and come from 24 different publications (see Additional Descriptive Data for a complete list). Articles document honors bestowed upon the Coote family, death notices for members of the Coote family, and reports of Eyre Coote's activities in the House of Lords and in the military. Of note is an item mentioning the first Sir Eyre Coote's defeat of Hyder Ali at Porto Novo, Benin (The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser, December 18, 1781); a "Law Report" concerning Major Armstrong's attempt to summon Coote for a duel (The Times, June 11, 1801); and 16 items related to the Walcheren Expedition and Coote's attack on Flushing, Netherlands (The Morning Chronicle, July 1809-April 1810).

The Maps series (40 items) consists of maps of England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, and locations in the Mediterranean, including Egypt and Asia Minor (Turkey). Thirty-three maps are housed to the Map Division (see Additional Descriptive Data for list of maps). Additionally, the collection contains 63 maps found within the military papers, orderly books, journals, and notebooks. These have been cataloged and can be found in the University of Michigan library catalog (search for "Coote Maps").

The Manuscripts Division has detailed a calendar of the Eyre Coote papers. The following calendar contains item-level description and additional background information on the Coote genealogy: Eyre Coote Papers Calendar.

This collection is made up of 16 documents and financial records pertaining to the schooner Oliver Burden (or Oliver). John Dishon leased the ship from Joseph Bulkley of Wethersfield, Connecticut, for a voyage to the West Indies in 1776.

This collection is made up of 15 financial records and 1 contract pertaining to the schooner Oliver Burden (or Oliver). John Dishon leased the ship from Joseph Bulkley of Wethersfield, Connecticut, for a voyage to the West Indies in 1776.

John Dishon and Joseph Bulkley signed a contract on November 23, 1776, in which Bulkley, on behalf of the ship's owners, agreed to lease the Oliver to Dishon for a voyage from Connecticut to the West Indies. Dishon promised to captain the vessel, provide provisions, and hire a crew. The remaining 15 items are receipts, bills, and accounts, dated November 13, 1776-December 21, 1776. Several receipts concern wages paid to crewmembers for their first month of service, and the accounts pertain to goods shipped onboard the Oliver (foodstuffs and wood). Most receipts are addressed to Joseph Bulkley.

This collection contains 98 receipts from 1776 for supplies given to Indians and settlers in Western Pennsylvania.

The Indian Commissioners' receipts collection consists of receipts for supplies delivered to Native Americans in Western Pennsylvania in the second half of 1776. The receipts were most often written by John Montgomery, Jasper Yeates, Thomas Walker, and John Harvie and sent to "Boreman," "Morgan" (likely George Morgan) and, on one occasion, to "Wilson." The supplies include rum, clothing items, blankets, bridles, powder and lead, salt, utensils, dyes, and other items. Some receipts contain additional notes. For instance, the September 30, 1776, receipt for a keg of rum states, "There is no living without it." The October 1 receipt notes "add 6 lb Powder & 12 Lb Lead for the Shawnese to induce them to stay till the Treaty." An undated receipt lists "4 of the largest cutter of Scalping Knives that you have in your store." The Shawnee are the only tribe mentioned by name in the receipts, but supplies may have also gone to other Native American groups.

The Abraham Schenck orderly book contains orders at the brigade, division, regiment, and company level, recorded by Captain Schenck of the Duchess County Minute Man militia for 1776-1777.

The Abraham Schenck orderly book contains approximately 100 pages of orders and 15 pages of records, spanning September 26, 1776-January 1777. Though it is written in three different hands, with varying levels of spelling mastery, Schenck seems to have written most of it. The accounts in the back of the book relate primarily to his military-related financial transactions. The book accounts for daily orders, given variously at the brigade, division, regiment, and company level to the Duchess County Minute Man militia. It provides information on the movements and activities of the troops, as well as on the larger logistical and disciplinary problems experienced by the militia early in the war. The records include a company roster and documents concerning supplies and payments received by Schenck.

The orders shed light on many of the disciplinary problems that arose in the employment of a largely untrained force of militia, as well as other, more general issues. An order of October 7, 1776, urges officers to "prevent the Irregular and Promiscus [sic] Placing of huts," while another attempts to crack down on the plundering of "Fields Gardens Hens Roots and Even Beehives" (October 24, 1776), which it calls a "Disgrace." One order, dated October 9, 1776, addresses the proper use of tents, and forbids covering the floors with dirt. Alcohol was also a problem, and an order of October 5, 1776, addresses the problem of sutlers "crouding into" the camp and selling without permission or restraint, by allowing just one appointed supplier. Orders also mandated that scouting parties travel with advanced or flanking parties on all occasions, in order to provide for their "Safty and Sucsess [sic]." The orderly book records a number of courts martial for crimes such as robbery, cursing, desertion, and the plundering.

Orders reference engagements with the enemy and preparations for marching and fighting. On October 20, 1776, eight days before the Battle of White Plains, orders require that soldiers receive "4 Days provisions ready Cook" in order to be ready to march at any time. An entry in the book dated October 27, 1776, encourages the militia to attack mounted British soldiers by hiding behind stone walls and offered cash for "every trooper and his horse and acutriments [sic] which shall be brought in." Although the orders do not directly reference the Battle of White Plains, several entries incidentally praise militia conduct there. An item in the book entitled "Extract of a Letter to the President of the Convention of New York," which is dated December 30, 1776, contains a description of the Battle of Trenton, which states that General Washington "totaly [sic] Routed them About 50 where Left Dead in the Streets 919 taken Prisoners with Trophies." Included is a list of the spoils, some of which were pieces of Brass Cannon, 12 drums, 4 regimental standards, 1200 small arms, 6 wagons, swords, caps, trumpets, clarions, and about 40 horses. The orderly book closes with 15 pages of records pertaining to the militia, including a roster, several provision returns for January 1777, records of ordnance distributed by Schenck, and several documents of financial transactions.

The King's American Regiment orderly book (308 pages) contains the regiment, brigade, and general headquarters orders kept by an anonymous officer in a New York Loyalist unit from December 1776 to November 12, 1777. Entries contain details on the regiment's organization and staffing, recruitment and provisioning, and on troop movements and military engagements.

The King's American Regiment orderly book (308 pages) contains the regiment, brigade, and general headquarter orders kept by an anonymous officer in a New York Loyalist unit from December 1776 to November 1777. Entries consist of details on the regiment's organization and staffing, recruitment and provisioning, promotions and appointments, courts martial and discipline, and on troop movements and military engagements. Headquarters and troop locations include camps in Long Island and in the Hudson River Valley: Flatbush, Jamaica, New Paltz, Oyster Bay, Flushing, Jericho, Kingsbridge, New York City, Turtle Bay, Staten Island, and Verplank's Point. General orders describe troop activities and provide member counts of several other regiments in the area, including the 7th, 26th, 35th, 38th, 52nd, 57th, 63rd, 71st, 2nd Battalion of DeLancey's Brigade, Regiment of Waldick, Prince of Wales Royal American Volunteers, General Tryon's Regiment, and Anthony Brown's Brigade, among others.

• March 16, 1777: Dismissal of all "negroes, mollatoes, and other Improper persons who have been admitted into these corps…[and to] prevent such Abuses in the future."
• July 8, 1777: Appointment of Major General Vaughan as commander of the British troops at Kings Bridge and was ordered to Canada
• July 10, 1777: Command of New York Island assumed by Lieutenant Henry Clinton
• August 24, 1777: Description of skirmishes and battles at Valentine's Hill, Satauket, and a surprise rebel invasion of Staten Island, which the 52nd Regiment, the Regiment of Waldick, and provincial corps defeated with "great Slaughter"
• September 6, 1777: The burial of Ensign McNeil of Colonel Campbell's regiment, and a description of the ceremony
• September 11, 1777: Incident of seven provincial soldiers who "broke into Abraham Purchases's house, last night about 12 oclock, abused the family, stole some fowls, and a Quantity of Potatoes out of his garden"
• September 21, 1777: Henry Clinton's orders against plundering civilian houses, and "the money arising from the Sale of Said articles, be transmitted to the Mayor of New York, to be applied to the relief of Poor in the Work house of that City."
• October 4, 1777: Reference to the Battle of Saratoga "remember that our Brother Soldiers Under the Commander in Chief, and Lieut Genl. Burgoyne, are undergoing the severest fatauges, which a little Exertion on our side may Considerably lighten"

Samuel Correy kept this journal while serving with the Continental Army in Pennsylvania and New Jersey from December 1776-January 1777. He discussed military actions, including the crossing of the Delaware River and the Battle of Princeton; disciplinary measures and regulations; troop movements; and other aspects of military life.

Samuel Correy wrote 67 pages of daily journal entries in this volume from December 14, 1776-January 27, 1777, pertaining to his service with a Philadelphia militia regiment in southeast Pennsylvania and central New Jersey. The volume begins in the middle of an undated entry; several early pages are absent.

Correy's journal reflects his service experiences, including his participation in the ferrying of troops across the Delaware River on the night of December 25, 1776, and in the Battle of Princeton (described in an entry dated January 2-4). He described marches through Pennsylvania and New Jersey and occasionally reported news of prisoners, engagements, and movements of the Continental Army, British Army, and Hessian troops; some of his entries mention reports from spies. A few entries from January 1777 concern troop discipline, particularly with regard to soldiers looting local homes, impressing horses and wagons without the permission of superior officers, and distributing goods seized from the enemy. On December 31, 1776, Correy led a foraging party; his entry from that date describes an interaction with a local woman. Correy's journal entries mention many Continental Army officers, including George Washington, Nathanael Greene, Thomas Mifflin, Charles Lee, John Cadwalader, Israel Putnam, and Joseph Moulder.

This volume is a manuscript copy of Captain Moses Brown's diary, August 9, 1776 to January 22, 1777, bound into the end of a copy of Major-General William Heath's published memoirs [Memoirs of Major-General Heath (Boston: I. Thomas and E. C. Andrews, 1798)]. Captain Brown served in the 21st Massachusetts Provincial Regiment and the 14th Continental Regiment. His 11-page diary contains brief, daily records pertinent to the Battles of Long Island, White Plains, and Trenton, as well as returns of men belonging to Brown's company that went to Trenton, and of prisoners taken at Trenton. The volume is extra-illustrated with two printed portraits, one each of Brown and Heath.

This volume is a manuscript copy of Captain Moses Brown's diary, August 9, 1776 to January 22, 1777, bound into the end of a copy of Major-General William Heath's published memoirs [Memoirs of Major-General Heath (Boston: I. Thomas and E. C. Andrews, 1798)]. Captain Brown served in the 21st Massachusetts Provincial Regiment and the 14th Continental Regiment.

The binding together of the 11-page diary and printed memoir conveniently collocates Heath's and Brown's firsthand accounts of the same battles. Beginning when Brown left his hometown of Beverly, Massachusetts, the diary pages contain brief records of daily troop movements, lodging, dining, and correspondence around the Battles of Long Island, White Plains, and Trenton. The final pages include two military returns in the form of a list and a table: a return of men belonging to Captain Brown's company who went to Trenton, and a return of prisoners taken at Trenton, both dated December 26, 1776. The last diary entry shows Brown returning to Beverly.

A pastedown inscription reads "Ex Libres Theodore Satter; Retournez s'il vous plait," and precedes a black and white engraved printed portrait of Major-General William Heath. A printed portrait of Brown, originally painted by John Gilbert Stuart, is situated between the memoir and diary sections.

The Robert Howe orderly book (181 pages) was kept by an American officer at the headquarters of Major General Robert Howe (1732-1786), of the Continental Army's Southern Department, from June 16, 1776, to July 14, 1778. Included are orders relating to the anticipated British attack on Charleston, South Carolina, in 1776, and to Howe's expedition against the British at St. Augustine, Florida, in June and July 1778.

The Robert Howe orderly book (181 pages) was kept by an American officer at the headquarters of Major General Robert Howe (1732-1786), of the Continental Army's Southern Department, from June 16, 1776, to July 14, 1778. Included are orders relating to the anticipated British attack on Charleston, South Carolina, in 1776, and to Howe's expedition against the British in St. Augustine in June and July 1778. Howe's general orders contain details on troop instructions, promotions, the treatment of prisoners, care for the sick and wounded, troop discipline, troop rations and supplies, and records of courts martial. In addition to orders from General Howe, which comprise the bulk of the entries, are instructions from Major General Charles Lee, resolutions from the Continental Congress, extracts from minutes of the Department of War, and tables accounting for numbers of captains, subalterns, sergeants, and the rank and file in Howe's army.

• September 4, 1776: Orders threatening punishment for soldiers who were caught pulling down a house near Sunbury, Georgia (page 25)
• January 8, 1777: Orders concerning the relaying of orders between officers and their soldiers (page 39)
• May 8, 1777: Orders forbidding gambling among soldiers as commanded by General George Washington (pages 87-88)
• November 16, 1777: Orders concerning the appearance of soldiers (clothes and hygiene) (page 81)
• December 12, 1777: Description of annual supplies for each soldier (one coat, one blanket, one pair of breeches, etc.) (pages 90-91)
• May 10, 1778: Orders forbidding the use of bayonets as tent stakes (page 133)
• May 20, 1778: Orders regulating hunting and fishing parties (page 120)
• June 25, 1778: Marching orders for Howe's forces into East Florida to face the British (page 169)

• June 21, 1776: Copied extracts from War Office minutes signed by John Adams et. al. (page 17-18)
• November 29, 1776: Announcement that General Robert Howe and his forces arrived in Savannah, Georgia (page 33)
• May 26, 1778: Orders concerning the formation of enslaved African Americans into two companies, policies for their well-being (rations, camping conditions, and roll call), and their assignment for road clearing duty (page 148)
• May 11, 1778: Council of war at Fort Tonyn, presided over by Robert Howe, concerning the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia forces and the campaign against the British in East Florida
• May 31, 1778: News that France had publicly acknowledged the independence of the United States of America (page 154)

This 238-page volume contains an unknown writer's opinions on the Revolutionary War and proposed military strategies, composed September-October 1776 and February 1778. Among other topics, the author discussed the relationship between land and naval forces and their relative strengths, explained possible ways in which economic affairs might affect the progress of the war, and promoted a strategy of dissolving the unity of the colonies. This volume belonged to Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and includes his bookplate.

This 238-page volume contains an unknown writer's opinions on the Revolutionary War and proposed military strategies, composed September-October 1776 and February 1778. Among other topics, the author discussed the relationship between land and naval forces and their relative strengths, explained possible ways in which economic affairs might affect the progress of the war, and promoted a strategy of dissolving the unity of the colonies.

The volume is divided into two primary sections, with the author offering his thoughts on the war in late 1776 (pp. 1-146) and in early 1778 (pp. 147-238). Introductory remarks at the beginning of the first section suggest that the author intended his treatise for members of the British government. He focused on financial and economic affairs, such as the colonies' different currencies, the effects of privateering, and the difficulty of funding a war. In addition, he presented detailed proposals for British action, often revolving around a strategy of dissolving the colonies' confederacy. Some suggestions focused on specific cities or colonies.

The second section of the volume contains similar thoughts and strategies, with a focus on the differences between land and sea power. Though the author believed a British victory unlikely, he encouraged the government to focus on naval actions rather than land forces. Despite his skepticism, he concluded by affirming that the rebellion could be defeated by disrupting colonial unity and conquering Georgia by military force.

This volume belonged to Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and includes his bookplate.

The William Howe orderly book contains copies of orders for a brigade under British Commander-in-Chief Sir William Howe, from March 9, 1776, to May 1, 1778. Entries record the progress of Howe's army, from their embarkation at Portsmouth, England, through New York and New Jersey, to the end of their occupation Philadelphia.

The William Howe orderly book (554 pages) contains copies of orders for a brigade under British Commander-in-Chief Sir William Howe, from March 9, 1776, to May 1, 1778. Entries record the progress of the British Army under Howe from their embarkation at Portsmouth, England, through New York and New Jersey, to the end of their occupation of Philadelphia. Included are general orders from a moving headquarters, standing orders, brigade orders, regimental orders, morning orders, after orders, and memoranda. The orders contain reports on the following: troop movements and the activities of specific units; the planning and execution of attacks, including troop formations and details on command decisions; courts martial deserters and rebel prisoners; surgeons, hospitals, and accounting for the sick and wounded; instructions for working parties and recruiting troops; and promotions. Also present are detail lists with counts of troops and officers and information on food, water, liquor, arms, bedding, and other provisions. The memoranda are typically records of lost or stolen goods. Though the anonymous clerk recorded entries daily, no orders were kept from April 28 to August 2, 1776.

The volume has three sections of orders. The first section contains embarkation orders from the Earl of Loudoun and other commanders, given before the army left England. The battalion boarded the Royal George transport in April 1776, and arrived at Staten Island almost 4 months later in August 1776.

The second section consists of orders from various headquarters in Boston (January 27-February 12, 1776), Halifax (April 26, 1776), and finally, from on board the HMS Greyhound at Sandy Hook, New Jersey (June 29, 1776).

The third section, which comprises the bulk of the volume, documents the activities of Howe's army in America, including their landing on Staten Island, preparations at New Utrecht for the advance on New York, occupation of Manhattan, battles in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and the taking of Philadelphia. Of note is a copy of a November 3, 1777, letter from Burgoyne to Howe relating his account of the Battle of Saratoga and his surrender to General Gates, with a detail of each article of the terms of surrender (dated October 20, 1777). The volume ends on May 1, 1778, when Howe was still headquartered at Philadelphia. See additional descriptive data for a list of headquarters throughout the volume.

The back of the volume contains returns of a detachment from the brigade of foot guards commanded by Brigadier General Edward Mathew (March 22-August 13, 1776), a list of casualties from the summer of 1776, and 44 memoranda of general orders issued while the British were in Philadelphia (December 31, 1777-April 6, 1778).

The Henry Addison papers contain correspondence from Addison during his time as a loyalist exile in England during the Revolutionary War.

The Henry Addison collection consists of 38 letters written by Addison while an exile in England during the Revolutionary War. The majority of the letters are addressed to fellow exile and brother-in-law Jonathan Boucher. The letters not addressed to Boucher included one letter written to Addison's son Daniel Addison dated March 1, 1779 regarding Daniel's obtaining a commission in the British Army; a letter to George Germain seeking compensation for Addison's loses when fleeing America (April 1777); and a letter to Sir Guy Charleston asking advice in collecting debts and compensation (October 7, 1783). There is also a letter and petition from James Chalmers regarding injustices to his Maryland loyalist regiment enclosed in a letter to Boucher (1783).

Addison's letters document the life of an exiled, loyalist American including his political thoughts, financial hardships, health, and attempts to return to America. The letters describe Addison's life in Shropshire England and his travels though the county. His financial troubles are a frequent topic with Addison commenting on debts he occurred when going into exile, attempts to borrow money, reclaiming debts owed to him, and receiving compensation for property lost while fleeing America. In addition Addison's son Daniel is the topic of many letters as Addison attempted to secure him a position in the British Army, ensure that Daniel will be taken care of after his father's death, and reign in his expensive lifestyle.

In addition the letters provide insight into Addison's thoughts about the war. He comments on military progress, the British conduct of the war and English politics, including his eventual acceptance of independence and willingness to return to America. He also writes about his loyalist sympathies including the connections between loyalism and Anglicanism. Addison also took an active interest in the peace negotiation, particularly the status of confiscated property. Addison's letters written after his return to American detail his own attempts to regain lost property.

The collection also includes transcripts of Addison's letters to Boucher. In addition the collection came to the Clements with transcripts of other letters written to Boucher. The Clements does not own the originals letters.

This journal, kept by an author identified only as J. R., covers the service of a Hessian soldier during the Revolutionary War, including his trip to and from America and his service with the British auxiliary forces.

The Revolutionary War journal of Hessian soldier, J. R., spans the full period of his service in the British auxiliary forces, beginning with his departure from home in February, 1776, and continuing through his return with British forces to England during the winter of 1783-1784. This period of time is not, however, uniformly well documented. Almost half of the journal covers the author's first trip across the Atlantic and their service in New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, and the Philadelphia Campaign, 1776-1777. Unfortunately, the latter portion of the Philadelphia Campaign and the next three years of the war are covered summarily in only a few pages. Late in 1780, the author briefly returned to more regular entries, at which point the regiment was stationed in the area around New York city, followed by a two years lapse in recording anything at all. He again provides good coverage for the return home across the Atlantic and their stay in Chatham.

Written in old script German in a clear, legible hand, the journal reflects a degree of education on the part of its author. Reading of the journal is made difficult only by the occasional use of phonetic spelling (typical of pre-standardized 18th century language). J.R. is not, however, a particularly reflective writer, commenting only occasionally on the new sights in America, rarely discussing military matters in great detail, and virtually never considering larger strategic issues or the effect of the war on civilians or military personnel.

Although the journal's author is identified only by his initials, J.R., but the broad outlines of the author's identity can be reconstructed. The clearly came from Europe with the first division of Hessian troops, and given the particulars of his regiment's movements throughout the war, one can conclude with some confidence that he belonged to the Leib Regiment. In particular, the combination of service in the occupation of Newport (December, 1776-May, 1777), at Brandywine, and at other engagements in the Philadelphia Campaign makes any other attribution unlikely. Furthermore, it appears that the author is most likely to have been either a private soldier or non-commissioned officer, in that no commissioned officer listed on the regimental roll provided by Eelking bears those initials.

This collection is comprised of seventy muster rolls and 15 additional letters and documents of the German regiments employed by the British to fight in the American Revolutionary War.

This collection is comprised of seventy muster rolls and 15 related letters and documents of the German regiments employed by the British to fight in the American Revolutionary War. Most of the rolls are from 1781 and 1783 and include lists for soldiers captured at Yorktown. The rolls contain details such as the rank and names of the Hessians, casualties, and remarks, such as "sick in the Barracks." These rolls are certified by British commanding officers.

• Anhalt Zerbst army under Riedesel, Regiment Prinz Friedrich, Grenadier Battalion von Mengen, Regiment von Riedesel, Regiment von Specht.
• Hesse-Cassel. Grenadier Battalion vacant Graff; Grenadier Battalion von Loewenstein,Company von Biesenrodt, Company von Mondorff, Company von Wachs; Grenadier Regiment d'Angelelli, Leib Conmpany; Regiment von Bunau, Leib Company; Regiment Erb Prinz (4 folls for this list names of Hessians captured at Yorktown), Company von Cochenhausen, Company von Fuchs; Regiment von Lossberg, Jr., Company von Baurmeister, Company von Biesenrodt, Company von Romrod, Company von Wilmowsky, Leib Company.
• Hesse-Hanau. Artillery detachment under Pausch.
• Waldeck. Third Regiment, Company von Alberti, Company von Horn, Company von Penzel.

In addition to muster rolls is a copy of the treaty executed in 1776 between the Duke of Brunswick and George III for hiring German mercenaries. Also enclosed is a barrack account for the first regiment of Anspach troops during the winter of 1777-1778; several receipts, including three accounts submitted to the Great Britain Army Victualing Office (1786); an account of payments to foreign troops in America; and a statement from a surgeon named Pralle of the Bath infantry, certifying that several men belonged to Major General de Rhetz' regiment (1781). Documents are in English and German.

The Chevalier de Monteil logbook contains daily descriptions of events that occurred while Monteil served as an officer in the French naval fleet during the American Revolution. Included with the logbook are several letters as well as two royal commissions from Louis XVI.

The Chevalier de Monteil logbook is a single oversize volume of logs, four letters, and two commissions. The letters and commissions are laid into the volume.

The logbook contains Monteil's notes for the period of May 20, 1781, to March 21, 1782. Monteil wrote on the outside cover of the logbook that the volume comprises day-to-day accounts from onboard the ships Palmier, Languedoc, Ardent, Neptune, and Aigrette. The logs record such information as the ship's position, the weather, and conditions onboard, including the growing number of illnesses as stores became scarcer. They also document sightings of other ships at sea, both foreign and French; Monteil complained that it was often difficult to distinguish enemy mastheads (August 7, 1781 and September 5, 1781). The logbook provides information on only one significant engagement with British forces, which occurred January 26-28, 1782, and ended in a stand-off.

Laid into the logbook are two royal commissions and four letters. Of the four letters contained within the collection, Monteil wrote three, including one to his cousin (April 21, 1778) and one to Admiral Francois-Joseph-Paul de Grasse, commander of the French fleet (September 23, 1781). In the letter written to de Grasse, Monteil declined a request de Grasse had made to use one of his vessels for an expedition, citing his health and his desire to return home. De Grasse responded in a letter of September 28. Monteil wrote the final letter, dated March 8, 1786.

The two commissions from Louis XVI of France are dated June 1776; they assign Monteil as captain of the Renommée for service to Haiti. The documents order Monteil to lead a seven-month campaign to Haiti in order to provide protection to French vessels and prevent English traders from reaching Haitian ports.

The Gardner family papers document the management of Joseph Gardner's Jamaica plantation after his death in 1780. The letters primarily concern Joseph's brother Theophilus Gardner, a Philadelphia merchant, who inherited the estate and attempted to manage and sell the property over the course of the following decade.

The Gardner family papers consists of 7 letters, 2 drafts of letters, and 1 financial document. The financial document is a note for £1103 with interest, addressed to John Gardner. The next six items are letters sent to Joseph's eldest brother Theophilus Gardner, who was the "heir at law" to the estate.

Items include the following letters: James White of Savanalamar, Jamaica, who informed Theophilus of his brother's death (1780); Andrew A. Robinson of Kingston, Jamaica, who warned that the estate was being mismanaged (1784); John Wedderburn, temporary manager of the estates, who described the production of and debts accrued by the estate and looked into having the property sold (1785 and 1786); and John Cunningham of Montego Bay, Jamaica, who took over the estate management (1789). The final three items are letters from Theophilus Gardner while he is in Jamaica with his daughter Betsy, including a letter and draft to his wife Peggy in New York, in which he described in detail his efforts to settle the estate (1789). The final item is a draft of a letter, written by Theophilus Gardner, that further details dealings with the estate (1789). These documents provide insight into plantation management and the difficulties of estate transfers in 18th-century Jamaica.

This 34-page, pocket-size Revolutionary War diary was kept from August to September 1776 by an unidentified American soldier, likely a private from Pennsylvania. The diarist and his unit travelled through Philadelphia and along the New Jersey coast. Places named include Trenton, Princeton, Kingston, New Brunswick, the Raritan River, Perth Amboy, Elizabeth, Newark, Newark Bay, Bergenfield, Paulus Hook, and Kingsbridge. The author wrote of camp life, lodgings, food, occasional interactions with civilians, and military encounters. He appears to have been in the vicinity of New York, New York, in the early stages of the New York campaign. Later entries at the back of the volume predominantly relate to financial transactions and travel costs.

This 34-page, pocket-size Revolutionary War diary was kept from August to September 1776 by an unidentified American soldier, likely from Pennsylvania. References to the captain of his unit indicate the writer was likely at a lower rank, possibly a private. The volume measures approximately 4 inches by 3.25 inches, and phonetic spelling appears throughout.

The diarist and his unit travelled through Philadelphia and along the New Jersey coast. Places named include Trenton, Princeton, Kingston, New Brunswick, the Raritan River, Perth Amboy, Elizabeth, Newark, Newark Bay, Bergenfield, Paulus Hook, and Kingsbridge. He recorded where and how they traveled, noting trips on boats, wagons, and foot. He commented on distances, the scenery, time spent waiting, road conditions, and other irritations, like mosquitoes at Paulus Hook (pages 16 and 20). At times he described where they spent the night and efforts to secure lodging. In Perth Amboy, he noted that rooms were plentiful as many of the residents, especially women and children, had evacuated (page 7), and in Newark a "gentlewoman" offered food and lodging (pages 12-13). They encamped in a hay loft in Philadelphia (page 2), an orchard near Bergenfield (page 18), and in a barn near Trenton (page 25). He commented on getting drinks at taverns, eating rations, and hunting. At times he specified the types of food available (pigeon, dumplings, boiled beef, bread, butter, partridge, squirrel, etc.). Other camp details provided include the preaching of sermons (pages 20-21), washing of clothes (page 24), and the burial of a soldier (page 24).

The writer also noted several interactions with civilians. He described a dispute with a woman about paying ferry fees (page 3), the residents of Amboy opposing the idea of removing to Newark (page 10), and thousands in Elizabeth trying to learn if an alarm was false (pages 11-12).

The diarist wrote about military and combat activities. He noted working on breastworks along the river near Perth Amboy, parading at them, and maintaining sentries, all in sight of British troops. He mentioned a British man-of-war firing on Perth Amboy (pages 8-9) and responding to a false alarm of British troops arriving at Elizabeth (pages 11-12). His unit encountered fighting near Bergenfield, where he described British men-of-war firing, as well as an engagement near Kingsbridge (pages 15 and 18). He noted a "sham fight" between "Yankeys" and "Jerseys" and encountering some four hundred of "Lee's men" waiting to cross at the York ferry, possibly referring to Major General Charles Lee (1732-1782) (page 22). He appears to have been in the vicinity of the city of New York in the early stages of the New York campaign. He described seeing "Dead mens Bones" in the area and witnessing the sale of Colonel Caleb Parry's clothing, including his hat that was bloodied by his fatal head wound received during the Battle of Long Island (pages 23-24).

Several entries reflect on misbehavior. He described the theft of a coat in Perth Amboy, a search of the men, and its discovery in a sergeant's knapsack (page 13), as well as a large group of soldiers' attempt to desert near Bergenfield (page 16).

The diarist returned to Philadelphia before travelling home, arriving on September 17, 1776.

The last several pages of the volume appear to have been written at a later date. One set of entries relates to a trip, possibly for the delivery of goods, noting distances travelled, expenses, and the care of horses and wagons. The final page is dated March 27, 1777, and seems to document expenses for a trip to Cumberland with a [Rachel?] Davis and the receipt of money from John Davis. Other passages in this section further relate to financial transactions, such as a promissory note to John John and receipts for goods such as wool and cheese, many with Evan Thomas. Two other entries possibly refer to the diarist's further military service, with one entry recording a march to Trenton on August 9, 1780, with a return home "the 3 of September following," and another referring to "Gowing to camp" seemingly dated in 1793. One entry provides a location of upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, and another seems to be a poem or lyrics, possibly signed by George Davis.

The diary was kept in a slim green cardboard box addressed to Nellie C. Davis of Wichita, Kansas, with the pencil inscription "Grandfather's Diary."

The Andrew Billings papers contain letters concerning his business transactions, hardships in raising troops for the Revolution, the poor business climate of the early national period, the scarcity of money, and the new laws concerning the abolition of primogeniture. He also outlines an idea for creating a co-operative among Poughkeepsie-area merchants.

The Andrew Billings papers contain six letters written by Andrew Billings, two of which are addressed to Pierre Van Cortlandt, Sr., three to Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr., and one to Gilbert Van Cortlandt, Pierre's son and Billings' partner in the failed firm, Cortlandt, Billings & Co. The collection also includes two account sheets and a letter written by Gilbert during the Revolution, probably addressed to Pierre Van Cortlandt, Sr.

Three letters in the Billings Papers are of substantial interest beyond the information they provide on the business transactions of the Van Cortlandt and Billings families. In the first, dated March 6, 1776, Billings discusses his hardships in raising troops in Westchester County. In the later two letters, dated June 15, 1785, and October 16, 1790, he bemoans the poor business climate of the early national period, the scarcity of money, and the new laws concerning the abolition of primogeniture. In the 1785 letter, he also outlines an interesting idea for creating a co-operative among Poughkeepsie-area merchants.

The Thomas Paine papers at the Clements Library consist of twelve manuscript items either by, to, or about the noted 18th century radical.

The Thomas Paine collection at the Clements Library is comprised of a small number of extraordinary manuscripts documenting the life of the most feared radical in Europe during the late 18th century. Although the collection does not comprise a coherent whole -- beyond its reflection of Paine's all-encompassing radicalism -- it contains numerous highlights. The two manuscript essays are classic examples of Paine's intellect. Le Sens Commun is noteworthy as the manuscript from which the first French-language edition of Common Sense was prepared for publication. Based on Almon's London edition of 1776, Le Sens Commun was published in Rotterdam the same year. Paine's essay "To the Citizens of the United States... Letter the Sixth," is a powerful attack on Federalist Party politics in the wake of discussions of French-American foreign relations, the Jay Treaty, and Thomas Jefferson's policies.

The correspondence in the collection includes three letters written by Paine, six to him, and one about him. In his letter to William Petty, Lord Shelburne (1787 September 21), Paine claims an affinity with the earl, arguing that both opposed the war in America on principle. But Paine goes on to argue that the anti-French sentiment prevailing in England, and particularly the "clamor for war" are incomprehensible, based upon false ideas of France. Paine's letter to John Breckinridge (1803 August 2) includes an extended analysis of the constitutional issues raised by the Louisiana Purchase, with Paine arguing that Federalist attempts to derail the purchase by insisting upon Senate approval were legally insupportable.

The letters to Paine are equally interesting, including a letter from a supporter offering financial assistance (1798 March 20), a fascinating letter from an old friend in Bordentown, N.J., regarding the impact of the Rights of Man and events in the states since Paine's departure for Europe (1792 September 10), and a letter from Thomas Cooper, imprisoned in Philadelphia for his opposition to the Sedition Law, bemoaning the rightward turn in American politics under the Adams administration (1800 August 4).

The final item in the collection is an "obituary" of Paine written by the otherwise unidentified, T.H. A vicious assault on the man and his ideas, the obituary gloats over Paine's alleged turn to God on his deathbed, and even more at the failure of Paine's ideas to leave any legacy: "The blow he aimed at our constitution fell to the ground leaving no trace of its effects behind. The notions he propagated respecting religion (or rather, his endeavour to extirpate religion from the land), I am fearful still pervade the minds of too many" (1811 October 16).

This letterbook includes approximately 62 letters sent and received by Minne Voorhees, a commissary with the Continental Army medical department during the American Revolution. It includes eyewitness accounts from Valley Forge, West Point, White Plains, and Rhode Island, especially regarding military hospitals. It contains frequent reflections on women, courtship, and marriage.

This letterbook includes approximately 62 letters sent and received by Minne Voorhees, a commissary with the Continental Army medical department during the American Revolution.

Much of the correspondence is between Voorhees and his peers, other young men, physicians/surgeons working with the army hospitals, family, and acquaintances at home. He described army camps and hospital work at Valley Forge (1777-78), White Plains (1778), the Battle of Rhode Island (1778), Pennsylvania and New Jersey (1778-1779), and various sites in New York, including West Point (1779).

Of note are pointed letters between male peers about women, written at times in a joking manner--on courtship, marriage, and avoiding "vile Jades" (prostitutes). He reflected on military service and its discomforts, setting up hospitals and tending to the sick, fighting boredom in camp, and trying to remain solvent while performing his duties. As a young man of marriageable age, he was also concerned about his social circle, homesickness, flirtations with women, and marriage prospects.

Several entries relate to the death of his cousin, Peter Voorhees, who was taken prisoner and killed by the Queen's Rangers in 1779 while on leave in New Jersey. Letters indicate the commotion this caused in the region and the grief it engendered in the family, including Peter's fiancée.

On the front pastedown of the letterbook is an inscription by David Bishop (1824-1876), great-great-nephew of Minne Voorhees. Several pages at the end of the letterbook contain biographical details on Minne Voorhees, his correspondents, and his sister Elizabeth Voorhees's descendants.

The Levi and Ezra Bartlett papers contain personal correspondence and documents related to Dr. Levi Bartlett of Kingston, New Hampshire, who held several public offices in that town and who frequently discussed local and national political matters with his brother Ezra.

The Levi and Ezra Bartlett papers contain personal correspondence and documents related to Dr. Levi Bartlett of Kingston, New Hampshire, who held several public offices in that town and who frequently discussed local and national political matters with his younger brother, Ezra Bartlett.

The earliest item is a letter from Mary Bartlett to Levi Bartlett (May 23, 1776), in which she offered motherly advice and news of the family's health. Other early items include Levi's commissions for positions such as lieutenant colonel commandant (September 26, 1797), justice of the peace (June 19, 1806), and postmaster of Kingston, New Hampshire (December 28, 1811). The remaining items, which comprise the bulk of the collection, are letters from Levi Bartlett to his brother Ezra, in which Bartlett discussed state politics, acquaintances' health, and family news.

This collection mostly consists of correspondence and documents related to Nicholas Low, a merchant who lived in New York City during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Much of the material concerns Low's financial interests. A small group of letters pertains to General Rufus King.

This collection (199 items) primarily consists of correspondence and documents related to Nicholas Low, a merchant who lived in New York City during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Most of the material concerns Low's financial interests. A small group of letters pertains to General Rufus King.

The Correspondence series (152 items) contains Low's business letters, which concern his relationships with merchants in the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe. Low's correspondents reported on subjects such as local prices, shipments of goods, and trade between Europe and North America. A few writers mentioned political issues, such as Low's participation in the Poughkeepsie Convention to ratify the U.S. Constitution (March 15, 1788), and the Embargo Act (December 28, 1807). Some of the letters are addressed to the firm Low & Wallace. Other letters pertain to Isaac Low's finances, the Society of Useful Manufactures, and Nicholas Low's real property. The series also includes a draft of a letter to the editor of the Commercial Advertiser, written by Nicholas Low in response to an editorial about lottery drawings in Paterson, New Jersey (July 21, 1798). Personal letters include Lewis Littlepage's account of his dispute with John Jay (December 5, 1785) and Henrietta Low's statement of her intention to marry Charles King, written in response to her father's objections [July 1826].

Four letters relate to Rufus King, Henrietta Low's stepson. Willie Fisher, an acquaintance, wrote 2 letters to King about his social life and leisure activities, including a trip to a brothel that resulted in a riot (January 9, 1859). Charles Rebello wrote a personal letter to King in January 1863. Rufus King wrote a letter to an unidentified general in the Union Army about his frustration with a Times article that had criticized officers' conduct during the war (July 22, 1862).

The Documents series (47 items) is comprised of receipts, accounts, contracts, price lists, and other legal and financial records, mainly related to Nicholas Low. Some indentures pertain to land in New York, and at least one legal document concerns the Bank of the United States.

This collection is made up of correspondence and legal documents pertaining to Martha Bradstreet of northern New York State. Much of the material pertains to Bradstreet's efforts to recover titles to her inherited land along the Mohawk River. The collection also contains materials related to Samuel Bradstreet and a group of Civil War letters from Silas E. Crandall to Phoebe Bradstreet.

This collection is made up of correspondence and legal documents pertaining to Martha Bradstreet of northern New York State. Much of the material pertains to Bradstreet's efforts to recover titles to her inherited land along the Mohawk River. The collection also contains materials related to Samuel Bradstreet and a group of Civil War letters from Silas E. Crandall to Phoebe Bradstreet.

The Martha Bradstreet Papers are divided into subseries of Martha Bradstreet Correspondence (126 items) and Martha Bradstreet Documents (25 items). The correspondence, including letters by and to Martha Bradstreet, largely pertains to her legal and financial affairs. Many items concern disputes over the land she inherited in upstate New York. Bradstreet's personal correspondence includes letters that she received from her children while traveling and letters to her children and others about their personal activities, such as her daughter Sarah's return to an abusive husband (November 26, 1840). Bradstreet's children wrote to one another about their personal lives, their mother's legal difficulties, and finances. The series' legal documents concern Bradstreet's New York property disputes, the will of Elizabeth Livius, and a civil suit between Elizabeth C. Bennett and Washington Garlock. A map of Mary Bradstreet's land along the Mohawk River is housed in the Map Division.

The Samuel Bradstreet Correspondence (138 items), dated 1800-1866, reflects the contentious relationship between Martha Bradstreet, her brother Samuel, and her husband, Matthew Codd, particularly with regard to real property and inheritance. The series includes several items written by Samuel's sons and grandsons.

The S. E. Crandall and Phoebe Bradstreet Correspondence (12 items) largely consists of letters that S. E. Crandall sent to Phoebe Bradstreet, whom he addressed as "Mother," while serving in the 17th Army Corps during the Civil War. He discussed his experiences in and around Atlanta, Georgia. He also sent letters before and after his military service about his life in Minnesota and about possible conflicts with the Sioux Indians (June 6, 1863).

The Photograph is a large portrait of a woman, mounted in a card frame.

The Phoenix family papers contain correspondence and documents relating to the firm Phoenix, Ingraham & Nixon and its failure in 1811, resulting in Alexander Phoenix's imprisonment for debt. They also include 11 letters from Harriet Beecher to Elizabeth Phoenix, dating to the late 1820s and 1830s.

The Phoenix family papers consist of 67 letters, 32 legal documents, 10 financial records and receipts, 2 drawings of land lots, and a printed bill. The materials span 1776-1884, though the bulk centers on the periods between 1808 and 1814, and 1826 and 1833. Early letters and documents relate primarily to the firm Phoenix, Ingraham, & Nixon. They include a letter from Alexander Hamilton to Nathaniel G. Ingraham, denying him financial assistance because of other obligations (March 5, 1801); the firm's articles of agreement (February 15, 1803); and 27 letters written by Nathaniel Ingraham to Alexander Phoenix concerning business acquaintances and hardships faced by the company, and its eventual bankruptcy (1810-1811). A document of October 11, 1811, gives a full account of the firm's losses.

Between November 1811 and March 1813, nearly all of the 20 letters and documents relate to attempts to free Phoenix from debtors' prison; his attorney, Silvanus Miller, wrote many of them. Also of interest is a manuscript, dated November 1811, containing copied extracts from letters by Phoenix during his imprisonment. In several of the letters, he criticized Albert Gallatin, the Secretary of the Treasury, and discussed other political matters. A copy of a congressional act of March 3, 1813, documents the release of Phoenix and several associates.

Of note is a series of 11 letters written to Phoenix's daughter, Elizabeth, by a young Harriet Beecher in the late 1820s and early 1830s. Many of the letters are undated, but can be traced to this period based on their postmarks. Beecher and Phoenix had been schoolmates at Hartford Female Seminary around 1823, and in her letters, Beecher frequently reminisced about their time at the school, including how strange she must have seemed to the other girls, and discussed mutual friends. Much of Beecher's correspondence is very introspective in nature, and consists of her religious and philosophical thoughts, including a recommendation that Phoenix read the works of Joseph Butler in order to develop her argumentation. Several of the later letters include postscripts written by Catharine Beecher, Elizabeth's teacher in Hartford. A letter of June 11, 1833, mentions their plans to open a "small school" in Cincinnati, where they had moved with their father, Lyman Beecher. Overall, the letters shed light on Harriet Beecher's intellectual and religious development during her young adulthood.

Several items postdate 1836; two of these relate to the estates of Alexander Phoenix and Shearjushub Bourne, a relative of Edgar Ketchum. Two other documents, located in the "Miscellany" series, illustrate land lots.

The David McKinney papers consist primarily of letters written by McKinney while serving as a quartermaster during the Civil War and include detailed descriptions of his work.

The bulk of the McKinney papers, 57 items, consists of letters written by David McKinney to his sister, Jeanette, and other siblings between June 25, 1863, and December 9, 1865, covering most of the period of his military service. As quartermaster, McKinney had little combat experience, though his descriptions of conditions during the siege of Vicksburg (13) and the battles of Sabine Cross Roads and Pleasant Hill (30) are detailed and colorful. He comments frequently and forthrightly about generals, generalship, and Copperheads and often alludes to the French presence in Mexico. McKinney's letters are perhaps most noteworthy for the interesting and unusual glimpse they offer into the workings of the Quartermaster's Department. Particularly in his letters from Mouth of White River (47-63), McKinney provides detailed discussions of his responsibilities and his brushes with the ubiquitous profiteers. In a later letter (66), he describes his personal role in the reconstruction of the South -- the hiring of a former Rebel colonel as a teamster.

The remainder of the collection, 24 items, consists of miscellaneous materials relating to various members of McKinney's family. Among these items are two Revolutionary-War-era letters (1, 2), a will from 1796 (3), and a series of five letters of recommendation written for David McKinney by his professors at Jefferson College (5). In the post-war period, three items relating to Abraham Smith McKinney's involvement with the Ingleside Plantation are noteworthy (70-72), as are three short letters written by David McKinney just prior to his death (78). Genealogical charts and material regarding the provenance of the papers are located in the last folder of the collection (82).

The most important of these family letters is one written in December, 1859, that includes a discussion of the role of Chambersburg, Pa., as headquarters for John Brown's forces prior to the raid on Harper's Ferry, and an account of the fate of some of the insurrectionists (11).

This collection is made up of 4 letters that D. Bell, Jr., wrote to his parents in England while traveling in Canada during the summer of 1777. Bell discussed his uncomfortable transatlantic voyage, his leisure activities in North America, his relationship with a woman back home, and other subjects. His letters contain brief references to the colonial "Rebels" and to General John Burgoyne.

This collection is made up of 4 letters that D. Bell, Jr., wrote to his parents in England while traveling in Canada during the summer of 1777. Bell discussed his uncomfortable transatlantic voyage, his leisure activities in North America, his relationship with a woman back home, and other subjects. His letters contain brief references to the colonial "Rebels" and to General John Burgoyne. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information about each item.

Arnold and John Nesbitt of London, England, received these six monthly reports for the Mount Nesbitt sugar plantation in Saint John Parish, Grenada, between October 1777 and March 1778. Each document is headed "Journal of the Proceedings on Mount Nesbitt Estate." The tabular reports include daily numerical data on the numbers of enslaved workers on the plantation and the types of work being performed, including watch and stock keepers, "Black tradesmen," domestics, and as part of great and small gangs. Days where no plantation work was undertaken were noted, such as on Sundays, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The tables also document numbers of enslaved people identified as "Sick & Lame," "Superannuated" or children; the deaths and births of the month identified by name; and the numbers who ran away. The reports also record numbers of livestock, weather, and provisions broached. General remarks include particulars of agricultural tasks, plantation maintenance, and other labor undertaken by the enslaved, work demanded of the sick, names of enslaved people who escaped and were recaptured, and notable events like the meal served on Christmas.

Arnold and John Nesbitt of London, England, received these six monthly reports for the Mount Nesbitt sugar plantation in Saint John Parish, Grenada, between October 1777 and March 1778. Each document is headed "Journal of the Proceedings on Mount Nesbitt Estate." The tabular reports include daily numerical data on the numbers of enslaved workers on the plantation and the types of work being performed, including watch and stock keepers, "Black tradesmen," domestics, and as part of great and small gangs. Days where no plantation work was undertaken were noted, such as on Sundays, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The tables also document numbers of enslaved people identified as "Sick & Lame," "Superannuated" or children; the deaths and births of the month identified by name; and the numbers who ran away. The reports also record numbers of livestock, weather, and provisions broached. General remarks include particulars of agricultural tasks, plantation maintenance, and other labor undertaken by the enslaved, work demanded of the sick, names of enslaved people who escaped and were recaptured, and notable events like the meal served on Christmas.

This collection contains 15 letters, in French, mostly to Choiseul to the Marquis de Monteil, during his time in Turin, Sardinia. These document a strong interest in the American Revolution, particularly in naval matters.

The Choiseul correspondence consists of 13 letters from Choiseul to the Marquis de Monteil, one from Choiseul to "monsieur le comte,” and one letter from [Nicolas François Tricot] de Lalande. All letters are addressed from Turin, Sardinia. More than half of these letters were written between September 1777 and October 1778, with the remainder dated from late 1780 to early 1781. All letters are in French. Typed transcripts are available for 9 letters between Choiseul and the Marquis de Monteil.

Choiseul's letters document a strong interest in the American Revolution, particularly in naval matters. Beginning as early as 1778, Choiseul was pessimistic about British chances for retaining the American colonies, and his pessimism increased after French Admiral Charles-Henri d'Estaing's fleet was sent to aid the Americans' fight against the British at sea. He was opposed to plans circulating among members of the French military command to continue the war with the English. The letters also contain discussions of Choiseul's and Monteil's diplomatic efforts in Sardinia, Genoa, and Piedmont, as well as commentary on the Bavarian Succession.

The David Greene letterbook contain copies of the outgoing correspondence of an American loyalist and merchant from his wartime exile in Antigua and postwar residence in Connecticut. The letters record his business affairs, including the West Indies trade of his firm, Rose & Greene, as well as personal reflections on his experiences as a Loyalist exile.

David Greene's letterbook contains copies of Greene's outgoing business correspondence, almost evenly divided between his period as a Loyalist refugee in Antigua (ca.120 letters) and his stay in Norwich, Conn., awaiting permission to return to Boston (ca. 110 letters). The final twenty letters are written from Boston. The bulk of the letterbook consists of letters written by Greene, and are either unsigned, signed by Greene, or in a few cases, signed in the name of the firm, Rose & Greene. Most of the letters in the first half of the letterbook appear to be full text copies of letters sent, with most in the second half consisting only of brief excerpts or paraphrases.

Greene's business affairs form the core concern of the majority of letters in the letterbook. These letters include discussions of the usual round of commercial topics: the shipment of cargo to or from Antigua, East Florida, or Boston, the status of various markets, prices current, and shipping accidents. Greene occasionally records bills of lading, invoices, and insurance requirements, as well. The letters from Antigua (1777-1781) include an interesting account of an accident involving ships captained by John Callahan and William Blake and rumors of the scandalous activities of Richard Leake, a merchant indebted to Greene. In addition to his correspondence with the firm Lane, Son & Fraser, Greene corresponded with William Gardiner Greene, a Boston merchant living in Demerara, William Cowell from Grenada, William Priddie, and William Hubbard, a Loyalist merchant from Boston and old compatriot of Greene's, now conducting his affairs from New London, Conn. Greene's letters from Norwich (1781-1785) continue his correspondence with former partner and father-in-law John Rose as well as with Lane, Son & Fraser. Several letters from this period relate to a dispute over the misplacement of a debt payment to John Smith, Jr.

In Antigua, Greene was personally and financially absorbed with an interest in the course of the Revolutionary War in the West Indies. One of his letters discusses the activities of armed merchantmen capturing American ships and claiming them as prizes (p. 5, 13 February 1777), and several later letters record naval skirmishes between the French and English fleets, beginning in the Fall of 1778 (p. 99, 27 September 1778; p. 101, 21 October 1778; p. 107, 13 January 1779; p. 115, 12 November 1779; and p. 154, 29 June 1781). In a letter dated 29 June 1781 (p. 154), Greene comments on the British command. Several letters offer particular insight into the effect of the War on trade, both in Antigua and Connecticut. Letters dated 6 September 1777 (p. 63), 27 September 1779 (p. 113), and 18 August 1780 (p. 130) reveal the stagnation of commerce in the West Indies, and later letters from Norwich discuss the difficulties in exporting goods from America prior to the signing of a commercial treaty between Britain and America (see esp. p. 215, 30 March 1783; p. 216, 10 May 1783; p. 224, 16 July 1783; and p. 239, 11 December 1783).

Throughout the letterbook, Greene interweaves business matters with personal reflections on his experience as a Loyalist exile in Antigua or, later, as a former exile living in Norwich, not yet permitted to return home to Boston. Such reflections are quite common in the letters written to his friend and colleague, Thomas Fraser, but may be found in letters addressed to other individuals as well. Safely removed in Antigua, but still concerned, Greene often muses about the state of the War, yearning for a stable peace so that the can return home (see p. 106, 13 December 1778; and p. 132, 19 August 1780), worrying about the conditions of Loyalists who chose to remain in America during the War (p. 82, 17 December 1777; and p. 96, 30 July 1778), and, in one letter, offering his opinion of "his countrymen" (p. 112, 11 June 1779). Greene was displeased with the social climate on Antigua where, he felt, "every man seems to live... with a View to some other Place to which he hopes to remove at some future Period." (p. 125, 15 June 1780).

Once in Norwich, Greene quickly became frustrated at not being allowed immediately back into Boston and with the steps required to gain permission (p. 234, 20 October 1783; p. 241, 19 February 1784; and p. 243, 17 April 1784). Prior to the signing of the Peace of Paris, Greene notes that he felt restrained from speaking freely (p. 171, 12 February 1782), and thereafter, he carefully tracks the evolution of public sentiment with regard to Loyalist exiles (see esp. p. 234, 20 October 1783; p. 236, 5 November 1783; and p. 237, 22 November 1783).

Greene's letters to Thomas Fraser in particular demonstrate Greene's clever wit and a sensitivity to those to whom he is close (see esp. p. 214, 30 March 1783; and p. 216, 10 May 1783). Also of interest are two letters that refer to the treatment of and attitudes toward slaves shipped to the United States from the West Indies (p. 257, 30 October 1784; and p. 263, 7 January 1784).

The Charles Winstone letterbook, 1777-1786, contains the business correspondence of Winstone, attorney general and planter in Dominica during and after the American Revolution.

The Charles Winstone letterbook contains 131 letters written between December 22, 1777, and July 20, 1786, comprising a total of 210 pages. Winstone wrote 126 of the letters. His clerk, Thomas Pryor, wrote an additional 5 items, on Winstone's behalf, during Winstone's business trip to Antigua from July to September 1780. The letters primarily concern legal, financial, and plantation affairs, and are addressed to 40 different recipients. They include references to the effect of the American Revolution on trade, the activities of American privateers, the defenses of Dominica, French naval and military activities in the West Indies, the capture of Dominica by France, and conditions there after the capture. Winstone wrote most frequently to John Rae (29 letters), Benjamin Sandford (13 letters), David Chollet (11 letters), John Fordyce (8 letters), John Greg (5 letters), and the firms of Bordieu, Chollet & Bordieu (7 letters) and Langston & Dixon (5 letters).

Many of the letters narrate political activities and developments in the West Indies during and after the American Revolution, including the increasing presence of the French Navy, the French invasion and capture of Dominica, and conflict over neighboring islands. On December 22, 1777, Winstone wrote to the governor of Dominica, William Stuart, and described the "very weak state" of Dominica's garrison, Fort Shirley, as well as the "swarming" of numerous "Rebel Privateers" around the island. He also nervously anticipated "something unfriendly" based on the presence of 12,000 soldiers and numerous ships at the nearby islands of Martinique and Guadaloupe. Several months later, he wrote to James Irvin, and recounted the story of Sharpe, a slave stolen by an American privateer and later recovered (January 6, 1778). A highlight of the letterbook is Winstone's letter to David Chollet of October 26, 1778, in which he described Dominica's feeble resistance to France's invasion and subsequent takeover: "we had only the Name of a Garrison [and] about forty Regulars to carry Arms…. We partly lay the blame on our Admiral who remained [at] an Anchor in Carlisle."

Winstone wrote particularly revealing letters concerning the war's financial consequences, to which he was well attuned. He noted that property in the West Indies had lost half of its value, and bemoaned the embargoes enacted by the British to halt French trade via Dominica, which had made his position as attorney general unprofitable (October 26, 1778). On June 18, 1779, he reported the difficulty of trading because of the risks associated with sending items to St. Eustatius en route to Europe. He also provided the prices of sugar, beef, and salt-fish, and requested assistance from Chollet in convincing Dutch ships to come to Dominica for trading purposes. On January 12, 1780, he wrote to Robert Melvill and described the ubiquitous high prices, the seizure of livestock for use by the military hospital, and the general suffering of the population. A terrible hurricane and destructive fire in the town of Roseau, described by Winstone on July 16, 1781, compounded the distress of the inhabitants.

Although many letters in the volume relate to political events and their financial consequences in Dominica, others concern more routine financial matters and events. On October 27, 1778, Winstone wrote a letter to accompany a slave he sold to Thomas Campbell, in which he intimated, "the Reason of my selling the Fellow is that he is disliked by the rest of the Negroes on the Plantation & he is addicted to running away." Many later letters relate strictly to financial matters, such as the mortgages of planters and the settling of accounts. The final letter in the volume, dated April 30, 1786, gives a rare glimpse into Winstone's personal life; in it, he hopes his daughter Rebecca ("Becks"), wife of his business associate Benjamin Sanford, has successfully delivered her first child.

The Henry and Lucy Knox collection contains miscellaneous letters and documents related to Henry Knox, Continental Army officer and 1st United States secretary of war, and his wife Lucy Flucker Knox. The bulk of the collection is comprised of War Department documents concerning the American forces on the Ohio Frontier between 1791 and 1794.

The Henry and Lucy Knox collection (50 items) contains miscellaneous letters and documents related to Henry Knox, Continental Army officer and 1st United States secretary of war, and his wife Lucy Flucker Knox. The bulk of the collection is comprised of War Department documents concerning the American forces on the Ohio Frontier between 1791 and 1794.

The collection contains 4 items related to the American Revolution, including three letters to Benjamin Lincoln concerning military intelligence and prisoner exchange with the British (1780-1781), and a draft of an 11-page letter to General George Washington, in which Knox discussed possible courses of action for the Continental Army to take after their winter training at Valley Forge (April 23, 1778).

Material related to Knox's activities in the War Department comprise the bulk of the collection. These document his decisions regarding military provisioning (food and arms), recruiting, troop payments and pensions, and logistics, and his leadership role under the Continental Congress and President Washington. Of note are 20 letters from Henry Knox to Quartermaster Samuel Hodgdon concerning preparations for war with the Western Indian Confederacy of the Miami River Valley in the Ohio Territory (1791-1794).

• September 28, 1789: Knox to Arthur St. Clair concerning a bill about troops is postponed; Senate postponed treaty with Six Nations; advised president to ratify treaty with Wyandot
• June 27, 1792: Henry Knox to Joseph Brant, inviting Brant, a Mohawk, to a treaty with the Six Nations
• February 28, 1793: Henry Knox to William Hull concerning American relations with Indians and a council with hostile Indians to negotiate peace. Discusses arrangements that need to be made with Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada John Simcoe
• May 3, 1794: Henry Knox to Samuel Hodgdon regarding the inspection of articles for the United States Army and complaints made by General Anthony Wayne

• May 13, 1777: Lucy Knox to Henry Knox, discussing the prices of local goods, the health of their child, and advice on attacking Boston and the attitudes of the people of Danbury, Connecticut, toward the war
• October 25, 1777: Lucy Knox to Henry Knox expressing tenderness, love, and concern for the effect the war will have on him: "I fear I greatly fear, that in the soldier I shall lose the lover, the tender, delicate engaging friend…"
• June 11, 1780: Lucy Knox in Morristown, New Jersey, to Henry Knox, discussing Dr. Shippen's treatment of her poor health, news of their children, her lack of tea and spirits [liquor], and waiting for a black servant to arrive
• August 11, 1806: Henry Knox to Lucy Knox discussing business matters and the Thomas O. Selfridge and Benjamin Austin affair
• February 17, 1807: Lucy Knox to General Henry Jackson, discussing her recovery from an illness, and news of her son Henry Jackson Knox
• Undated: From Lucy Knox in Boston during the Revolution to Henry Knox, relating her recent stiff neck, her growing anxiety over not hearing from him, and her plan to join him soon in New York

The Pennsylvania Iron Furnace collection is made up of accounts, receipts, and correspondence pertaining to iron furnaces in the state of Pennsylvania in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The Pennsylvania Iron Furnace collection is made up of accounts, receipts, and correspondence related to iron furnaces in the state of Pennsylvania in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Of the 11 financial records, 9 pertain to the Joanna Furnace in Berks County, Pennsylvania, including tax receipts and accounts related to its founders. An early document between Samuel Van Lear and James Old (September 11, 1777-May 25, 1782) and records of iron received from the French Creek Slitting Mill (June 4, 1802-December 14, 1802) are also present. The collection has letters written by Peter Astor at the Green Lane Forge (July 30, 1783), Robert Coleman at Elizabeth Furnace (February 7, 1798, and April 14, 1798), and Waters Dewees at Laurel Forge (April 11, 1803). The correspondence mostly concerns financial affairs.

The James McHenry papers contain correspondence and documents related to the political career of James McHenry. The majority of the materials pertain to his tenure as Secretary of War from 1796 to 1800. In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a full list of letter-writers in the James McHenry papers: James McHenry Contributor List.

The James McHenry papers contain over 800 items related the life and career of James McHenry. Included in the materials are approximately 670 letters and 106 documents, primarily related to McHenry's political career, as well as financial records and miscellaneous documents, including poetry and genealogical materials. The majority of the correspondence and documents are drafts or retained manuscript copies.

The Correspondence and Documents series spans 1777-1832, with the bulk of materials concentrated around 1796 to 1803. The first box of the collection contains documents and correspondence related to McHenry's service in the Revolutionary War, including correspondence with Sir Henry Clinton, George Washington, and Alexander Hamilton. The materials include a draft of a letter to British general Henry Clinton regarding his military failures, written in McHenry's hand but signed "Z" (October 26, 1779), as well as a copy of a letter allegedly written by Clinton to Lord George Germain, which McHenry sent to Samuel Louden of the New York Packet to be published (March 24, 1780). The postwar materials in the collection pertain to McHenry's tenure as a Maryland statesman. Along with documents related to McHenry's political career during those years is a letter dated August 13, 1794, which relates news of the massacre of French colonists at Fort Dauphin in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), led by Jean-François, an important figure in the Haitian Revolution.

The bulk of the collection, representing 1796 to 1803, documents McHenry's tenure as secretary of war under presidents Washington and Adams. The correspondence and documents relate to military structures, provisions, international relations, treaties, politics, and relations with Native American tribes. The collection contains frequent correspondence with other cabinet members and politicians, including Secretary of State Timothy Pickering and Secretary of the Treasury Oliver Wolcott as well as President George Washington, John Adams, and the Marquis de Lafayette. McHenry served as secretary of war during the Quasi-War with France and, as a staunch Federalist, favored positive relations with Britain over France. A large portion of the correspondence during this period relates to the ongoing feud with that country. A letter from James Winchester to McHenry describes the suspicion with which the Federalists regarded Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans, who favored closer relations with France: "…tho' they will not openly shew at this time their predilection for France, they will discover it in the first calamitous event which may happen to our Country. Depend on it they are not to be trusted. I speak of the party here" (April 18, 1789). Several months later McHenry wrote in an unaddressed letter draft that he believed the President should recommend a declaration of war with France to Congress. He also expressed his concerns over "a faction within the country constantly on the watch and ready to seize upon every act of the Executive which may be converted into an engine to disaffect the people to the government" (November 25, 1798).

In addition to national and international politics, many of the items relate to U.S. relations with Native American tribes, including the Creek, Chickasaw, and Miami. The materials frequently concern attempts to maintain peace and create treaties with the tribes, as well as to prevent them from giving their loyalty to other countries, such as Britain, France, or Spain. Box 2 contains a copy of a "Talk of the Chickasaw Chiefs at the Bluffs represented by Wolf's Friend, Ugalayacabé" regarding the tribe's concerns about the Americans: "Tell me if I may return to my Nation to appease the tumult of their minds. Shall I tell them the talk of the Americans is falsehood? Shall I assure our warriors our children and our women that your flag will always wave over our land, or tell them to prepare to die?" [1797]. This box also contains a small series of letters from General Anthony Wayne, written from his headquarters in Detroit, where he was stationed before his death, after successfully leading U.S. troops in the Northwest Indian War (August 29 to October 3, 1796). After the war, Miami Chief Little Turtle, became a proponent of friendly relations with the Americans. McHenry wrote to him upon his resignation as secretary of war, thanking him for his friendship: "…I shall carry with me the remembrance of your fidelity, your good sense, your honest regard for your own people, your sensibility and eloquent discourse in their favour, and what is precious to me as an individual, a belief that I shall always retain your friendship" (May 30, 1800). Other documents include an extract of a letter from Major Thomas Cushing to Brigadier General James Wilkinson, writing that he had given gifts to the Native Americans in order to prevent them from siding with the Spanish at New Orleans, who were attempting to win their favor (February 15, 1800).

Boxes 6 through 8 contain correspondence and documents written after McHenry's resignation as secretary of war at the end of May 1800. Though he retired from politics, his letters document that he maintained a keen interest in domestic and international issues. Senator Uriah Tracy wrote regular letters to McHenry in February 1801, keeping him up-to-date on the daily events regarding the presidential election between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. After the election, McHenry wrote a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands William Vans Murray, in which he discussed the election and why public opinion had shifted from the Federalists to Jefferson: "I still am of opinion, that we should have gained nothing by the election of Mr. Burr, could it have been accomplished by federal means. The general sentiment is so strong and ardent for Mr. Jefferson, that experience alone can correct it" (February 23, 1801). This section of correspondence also contains a draft of a letter to the speaker of the House of Representatives containing McHenry's defense against charges brought against him regarding disbursements while secretary of war (December 22, 1802), as well as his opinions of current political happenings, including the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and the Embargo Act of 1807. Several of the letters written during this period also relate to McHenry's low opinion of John Adams, who forced him out of office. In a series of letters exchanged by McHenry and Oliver Wolcott in 1800, McHenry described his anger regarding Adams, and expressed regret that Adams remained in office after George Washington left. Over ten years later, McHenry wrote a letter to Timothy Pickering, responding to a series of memoirs Adams had printed in the Boston Patriot . He accused Adams of making significant errors and misrepresentations, and mused, "How many recollections have these puerile letters awakened. Still in his own opinion, the greatest man of the age. I see he will carry with him to the grave, his vanity, his weaknesses and follies, specimens of which we have so often witnessed and always endeavored to veil from the public" (February 23, 1811).

The Bound Items series consists of a diary, a published book of letters, a book of U.S. Army regulations, an account book, and a book of poetry. McHenry kept the diary from June 18 to July 24, 1778, beginning it at Valley Forge. It contains accounts of daily events, intelligence, orders, the Battle of Monmouth, and the march of Washington's army to White Plains, New York. The 1931 book, entitled Letters of James McHenry to Governor Thomas Sim Lee is the correspondence written by James McHenry to Maryland governor Thomas Sim Lee during the 1781 Yorktown Campaign. The book of army regulations spans ca. 1797-1798, while the account book covers 1816-1824. The book of poetry is handwritten but undated and unsigned.

In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a full list of letter-writers in the James McHenry papers: James McHenry Contributor List.

The Henry Newman family papers document Henry Newman's land speculation in the southeastern United States and Ohio, and Henry Newman, Jr.'s, efforts to manage these properties and resolve legal quandaries--primarily in relation to the family's involvement with the Yazoo Land Fraud. The collection also details activities of Henry Newman's other children, particularly William Newman and the business he established in Buffalo, New York, in the 1820s.

The Henry Newman Family Papers document Henry Newman's land speculation in the southeastern United States and Ohio, and Henry Newman, Jr.'s, efforts to manage these properties and resolve legal quandaries--primarily in relation to the family's involvement with the Yazoo Land Fraud. The collection also details activities of Henry Newman's other children, particularly William Newman and the business he established in Buffalo, New York, in the 1820s.

The bulk of the Correspondence Series is letters between Henry Newman and his son, Henry Newman, Jr., from 1803 to 1811, relating to the management of their land holdings. Notably, they discussed Henry Newman, Jr's, lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C., regarding their Georgia claims. In this work, he interacted with President Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the commissioners appointed to consider the Yazoo land claims-- James Madison (1751-1836), Albert Gallatin (1761-1849), and Levi Lincoln (1749-1820)--as well as Perez Morton (1751-1837) and Gideon Granger (1767-1822), agents for the New England Mississippi Land Company. The letters from 1803 to 1811 periodically reference John Peck, another speculator in the Yazoo lands who would eventually become embroiled in the landmark Supreme Court Case Fletcher v. Peck in relation to the Georgia land claims.

Henry Newman, Jr., also wrote detailed letters to his father describing his travels, meetings, and financial difficulties as he worked to manage issues with land titles, taxes, surveys, squatters, and determining the quality of their disputed properties in Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Ohio. Several of Henry Newman, Jr.'s, letters also describe his interest in Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, and western New York as developing centers of settlement, commenting on business prospects and rising land prices.

William Newman's letters detail his business enterprises in Buffalo, New York, where he settled in the 1820s. Other letters written between members of the Newman family, particularly the siblings, document the family's social life.

• Descriptions of meeting Samuel Blodget (1757-1814) in Debtor's Prison and discussions regarding his failed lottery to finance construction in Washington, D.C. (November 26, 1803; November 30, 1803; December 11, 1803; December 21, 1803)
• Land speculators' deliberate fraud in Virginia (December 10, 1803; November 9, 1805)
• Legislative negotiations concerning compensating Yazoo claimants (March 5, 1804; March 14, 1804; December 2, 1804; December 18, 1804; February 4, 1805; February 18, 1805; February 28, 1807)
• Mentions of the Burr conspiracy (January 28, 1807; February 1, 1807)
• Tennessee Governor Willie Blount's comments on Congressional support for settlement in the state and the possible threat of Native American conflict should war break out with Great Britain (March 17, 1812)
• Discussion of Ohio's promise as a site of settlement (December 2, 1804; January 28, 1807; February 28, 1807)
• Description of Huntsville, Alabama Territory, and its prospects (July 16, 1818; May 5, 1819)
• Prospects for settling in Texas and inducements provided by the Mexican government (October 27, 1833)
• Commentary on a German communal society (the Community of True Inspiration) and how the rising value of western New York lands convinced them to emigrate (April 15, 1856)

The Land and Estate Documents Series consists of eight items relating to the estates of William Newman and Henry Newman, Jr., as well as documents concerning Newman lands in Alabama, Mississippi, and Virginia, including three survey maps.

The Genealogy, Family Record, and Poetry Series consists of six items, which relate to the Newman and Cushing families' histories, including a detailed account of Henry Newman's final illness and an acrostic poem written for Henry Newman.

The Valley Forge Headquarters orderly book (55 pages) contains the general orders and brigade orders issued by Continental Army headquarters at Valley Forge during winter encampment, from January 20-February 22, 1778.

The Valley Forge Headquarters orderly book (55 pages) contains the general orders and brigade orders issued from Continental Army headquarters at Valley Forge during winter encampment of January 20-February 22, 1778. An anonymous American officer, stationed at the "Head Quarters, Great Valley," recorded the orders. Each entry provides the signal, the names the field officers on duty, and the brigade major on duty. Later, the author made grammatical corrections to the volume.

Entries primarily concern disciplinary actions and courts-martial decisions for soldiers in Continental Army regiments. The most common crimes were stealing, drunken fights, and desertion attempts. The Commander-in-Chief, George Washington, is mentioned frequently, and on page 47 the author refers to General Washington by name. Orders also concern parade duty, officers' meetings, and rations and supplies. Brigade orders deal almost exclusively with alcohol use.

• "A report having circulated that Mr. Jones [D.C: of I. Jones] had granted a pass to a woman to carry 3 [lbs] of Butter Philadelphia, the Matter has been inquired into, and appears to be without foundation" (February 3, 1778).
• "The most Pernicious consequences having arisen from persons, women in particular being allowed to pass & repass from Philadelphia to camp, under pretense of coming out to visit their friends in the army, & returning with necessities for their families, but, really, with an intent to intice the soldiers to desert...[officers must forbid] the soldiers, under the severest penalties, from having any communication with such persons" (February 4, 1778).

This volume holds a loose fragment containing brigade orders for August 23, 1777, and a list of men found guilty by a court-martial (located between pages 1-2).

This collection is made up of correspondence regarding prisoners of war during the American Revolution, particularly members of the Convention Army. The letters address topics such as prisoners' injuries, parole, and labor.

This collection (6 items) is made up of correspondence regarding prisoners of war during the American Revolution, particularly members of the "Convention Army," made up of prisoners from the Battle of Saratoga. Several items refer to Major General William Heath and British Major General William Phillips. The letters pertain to passes, prisoners' treatment, parole, and a road-building project in Pennsylvania. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information on each item.

The William Rawle letter book contains copies of letters that Rawle, a Loyalist, wrote to his sisters, mother, and stepfather from New York; Cork, Ireland; London, England; and Boulogne, France, between 1778 and 1782. Rawle commented on the progress of the war, local customs and politics, and his travels, among other subjects.

The William Rawle letter book (162 pages) contains copies of letters that Rawle wrote to his family from New York and Europe between 1778 and 1782. He most frequently addressed his letters to his sisters P. R. ("Adelaide") and A. R. ("Anna" or "Fanny"). Rawle occasionally wrote to his stepfather, former Philadelphia Loyalist mayor Samuel Shoemaker, with whom he had fled to New York, and to his mother, who had joined him in New York the following year. The letters sometimes appear out of chronological order, and the first 2 pages are missing. Rawle often signed his letters "Horatio."

Rawle's earliest letters to his sisters, dated around 1778, describe his journey from Philadelphia to New York on the sloop Harlem in mid-June 1778, a journey of nearly 2 weeks. After his arrival, he mentioned Long Island residents' preoccupation with politics and his own confidence in British success against the French fleet in the Caribbean. He commented most frequently on his social life, his concern for family members in Philadelphia, and news of acquaintances. In 1781, he began to discuss his desire to leave for England. He sailed on June 13, 1781, and arrived in Cork, Ireland, on July 15, 1781, where he wrote 2 letters to his mother, providing his impressions of the country. He also noted Irish support for the American Revolution, and expressed surprise at the freedom with which the Irish voiced their opinions. By October 1781, he had arrived in London, where he wrote about his activities, including his studies at the Middle Temple. Rawle also noted some differences between life in England and North America, and developed a desire a return to Pennsylvania, despite his Loyalism. His final letters pertain to his decision to go to France in 1782 and note his arrival in Boulogne that summer. Rawle's letters are followed by a page of brief biographical notes and a 2-page poem entitled "On the Death of a young Lady."

The United States Continental Army record book contains weekly and monthly military returns for various Continental Army brigades and regiments between March 1778 and August 1783.

The United States Continental Army record book is an elephant folio with 98 leaves, containing military returns for March 1778 to August 1783. The volume begins with returns for March 7, 1778, for brigades "under the immediate command" of George Washington stationed at Valley Forge. The regular weekly and monthly reports document the number and types of commissioned and non-commissioned officers, staff, and "rank and file members" at the brigade and regimental level. Also present are records of any alterations since the last return, including the number of soldiers killed, injured, deserted, transferred, and promoted. Various functions within the Continental Army, including artillery, cavalry, and "sappers and miners" are represented periodically within their own tables, as are invalids. After the Continental Army left Valley Forge, the adjutant general produced statistics on brigades and regiments encamped at White Plains, New York (August 1778); Fredericksburg, Virginia (October 1778); Middlebrook, New Jersey (March 1779); and New Windsor, New York (January 1781).

On December 8, 1780, the adjutant general recorded the returns of the Southern Army, commanded by Nathanael Greene. Also included are returns for regiments under General Heath in March 1781 and for Sheldon's Legion in May 1782. The volume ends with returns for August 16, 1783, and Adjutant General Edward Hand signed the final page.

This orderly book was kept by Major David Bradish during the Revolutionary War, when he was stationed in Providence, Rhode Island, at the headquarters of General John Sullivan.

Major David Bradish was stationed in Providence, Rhode Island, at the headquarters of General John Sullivan, from August 16, 1778, to April 3, 1779. The orderly book (210 pages) contains general orders, brigade orders, regimental orders, reports of courts-martial, punishments apportioned to soldiers, extracts from acts of congress, and other entries. Of note is the entry from January 15, 1779, which records General Washington's court-marshalling of Major General Lee, Major General St. Clair, and Major General Schuyler. Lee was charged for disobedience of orders in not attacking the enemy, for misbehaving (retreat) in front of the enemy June 28th, [1778], and for disrespect of the Commander-in-Chief, June 28 and July 1, 1778. He was found guilty and relieved of command for 12 months. St. Clair was charged for neglect of duty, treachery, in-attention to progress of the enemy, and for shamefully abandoning Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence. He, however, was cleared of these charges, with honor. Schuyler was found not guilty of neglect of duty for not being at Fort Ticonderoga.

After the last orderly book entry, a number of pages are missing, following which are brief notes on loan payments from 1782-1786.

The Ralph Forrester account book (62 pages) contains the accounts of a Pennsylvania farmer who supplied food to the Continental army during the Revolutionary war. The accounts document agricultural and economic activity in rural Pennsylvania at the end of the 18th century.

The Ralph Forrester account book (62 pages) contains the accounts of a Pennsylvania farmer who supplied food to the Continental army during the Revolutionary war.

• Sales of livestock (horses, pigs, and cows), meat (beef, bacon, mutton, and veal), and produce (cabbages, Indian corn, rye, flower, buckwheat, flax, potatoes, turnips, and hay).
• Payments, both in cash and commodities, for labor (chopping wood, making shingles, splitting rails, fencing, harvesting, hulling grains, "ditching", and cider making).
• Receipts for food, household equipment, textiles, and other supplies (shoes, whiskey, clothes, guns, linen, bonnets, tobacco, lime, bricks, and nails).

The book contains accounts for Forrester, many of his family members, and several local laborers, doctors, and farmers. The detailed and numerous accounts provide historical evidence for a late-18th century rural economy, where work was exchanged for cash and goods. Many entries document the role of women in the labor force. Forrester lists payments to women for doing house work; making clothes, handkerchiefs, and yarn; farming chores, such as planting seeds; and nursing the sick.

• Documents for supplying livestock for General Nathanael Greene and Captain Josiah Hait of Colonel Spencer's Division, February 19, [1782?], (page 2).
• Documents for grain sales to feed Lieutenant Colonel William Hull's horses, 1791, (page 17).
• Documents for Forrester's partnership with Joseph Clark (page 16).
• Accounts for Tamer Gregory, Forrester's mother (page 34).
• A table for annual grain production for the Forrester farm from 1785-1788 (page 37).

This volume contains an extra-illustrated edition of Thomas Gilpin's Exiles in Virginia... (1848), concerning Philadelphia Quakers who were imprisoned in Winchester, Virginia, between September 1777 and April 1778. This copy includes marginal notes, as well as 3 original, tipped-in manuscripts related to prisoner John Pemberton and Philadelphia lawyer Nicholas Waln.

This volume contains an extra-illustrated edition of Thomas Gilpin's Exiles In Virginia: With Observations On the Conduct of the Society of Friends During the Revolutionary War, Comprising the Official Papers of the Government Relating to That Period, 1777-1778 (1848), which concerns a group of Philadelphia Quakers who were imprisoned in Winchester, Virginia, between September 1777 and April 1778. This copy includes marginal notes, as well as 3 original, tipped-in manuscripts related to prisoner John Pemberton and Philadelphia lawyer Nicholas Waln. A handwritten bookplate on the inside cover of the volume reads: "Lindsey Nicholson, with the respects of his friend, Thomas Gilpin. Philadelphia, June 1851."

• 1778 January 7. James Logan letter to John Pemberton, his cousin, from Philadelphia, sharing news of the family's health, including that of Pemberton's wife, Hannah (tipped into the flyleaf).
• 1810 February 23. Nicholas Waln note to Mordecai Churchman regarding a potential financial arrangement, inserted next to a page regarding a petition signed by Waln and others regarding the Winchester prisoners (pp. 60-61).
• [1778]. Timothy Matlack, Secretary of Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council, manuscript pass for John Pemberton, certifying his release, inserted next to a page that reprints its text (pp. 230-231).

Exiles in Virginia... includes three printed facsimiles, as issued (between pages 64 and 65), which reflect efforts to send supplies to the prisoners at Winchester. The facsimiles include a letter that Mary Pemberton wrote to George Washington (March 31, 1778) and 2 related letters that Washington wrote to Pennsylvania President Thomas Wharton (April 5, 1778, and April 6, 1778).

The Wilkes County, Georgia collection is made up of probate inventories, estate records, indentures, receipts, accounts, and other documents relating to the inhabitants of Wilkes County, Georgia.

This collection contains 204 items, chiefly probate inventories, receipts, records of sales of decedents' property, indentures and other legal documents. Eighty-seven of the items pertain to the estate of Robert Toombs (d. 1826). Most of the items date from between 1778 and 1830. Twenty-one items date from 1839 to 1867; there are no probate inventories for those decades. Almost all of the material in this collection comes from Wilkes County, but a few documents are from other counties.

The probate inventories provide a wealth of details about the lives of Wilkes County residents, enslaved and free. Inventories can be used to reconstruct some details of slaves' lives. These documents show the number of slaves on plantations with the monetary value assigned to them, often give names of slaves, and indicate if women had children. Sometimes appraisers noted the names of a woman's children. For some decedents, the records of the disposition of estates show the scattering of slaves to various slaveholders as well as the distribution of other property. The "List of the property sold of Lewis Biddles Estate Deceased," has unusual value: It breaks down the slaves sold into family groups (information beyond the more frequent notations of mothers and children). A poignant 1828 estate sale record relates that Old Andrew and Old Amy were "offered & no bidder." The collection includes other material about slaves and slavery, such as records of the hiring out of slaves and a 1784 bond that expressed a preference for a "country born negroe boy." Four court documents from the late 1780s and early 1790s reveal cases of "Negroe Stealing" but with scant detail. Another court document, from 1792, declares that a Capt. John Man "saw a Negro man Ben, said to be the property of Richard Baily on the morning of the 29th June Instant, much wounded, which appeared to be done by shooting." Man testified that one Norcut Slaven had told Man that Slaven "has shot the said Negro Ben." The court took action against Slaven and other men, though the documents do not show the final outcome of the case. The records in this collection can be used to study the economy of Wilkes County. In addition to slaves, inventories list livestock and equipment, such as plows, cotton cards and looms, and blacksmiths' tools -- details that allow scholars to study the extent of plantations' self-sufficiency or participation in the market. With qualifications due to uncertainty about completeness, these inventories can be used to study wealth and consumption over time and to compare the lifestyles of the well-off versus the poor. The records also allow analysis of levels of literacy. The collection also offers information regarding material culture and consumption. William Grant furnished his house with "3 Painted Pine dressing tables," "1 Dozen Rush Bottom Chairs," and several pieces of mahogany furniture among other things. Inventories indicate that Wilkes County residents might own musical instruments, pillow cases, sugar dishes, custard cups, decanters, looking glasses, and books (occasionally listed by title) to name a few of the consumer goods that turn up in the records. The "Inventory of the estate and effects of William Rogers" suggests that Rogers may have been a teacher or bookseller. His books included Lessons for Reading, Schoolmasters asst, two copies of Ovid's Metamorphoses, a few dictionaries and a number of grammars. Some other miscellaneous inventory items listed were traps for rodents, 55 gallons of peach brandy, 22 thimbles, spice mortars, coffee mills and waffle irons.

Inventories can be used to study women's and men's legal and financial roles. Some probate inventories contain lists of debts. Women rarely served as administrators or controlled property that went through the probate process, but a few women appear in this collection in those positions. Women's presence is greatest as buyers of property sold at estate sales and as slaves. The collection contains a few wills, receipts, contracts and miscellaneous legal documents.

Approximately 80 documents about Robert Toombs's estate provide an especially full record of one family's spending on goods and services. Toombs's wife, Catherine, settled the estate's accounts over the few years after Toombs's death in 1826. Pages of accounts and receipts show the cost of education, library fees, the children's board, food, clothes, furniture, postage, medical services (including those of midwives), legal services, piano tuning, transportation, and taxes. The records also show the price that Toombs's got for their cotton and corn. A picture of the lives of the Toombs's family emerges from these records. The sons attended Franklin College, daughter Sarah Ann played the piano. The family received the Wesleyan Journal according to a receipt for paying postage for the journal. To drink, the Toombses might choose from coffee, gin, whisky or "the best Madeira Wine."

This collection contains letters, biographical newspaper clippings, cartes de visite, and other material related to Episcopal bishops between the late 18th and early 20th centuries.

This collection contains letters, biographical newspaper clippings, cartes-de-visite, and other material related to 155 Episcopal bishops serving in the United States between the late 18th and early 20th centuries. Many of the newspaper clippings provide biographical information and dates of ordination, as well as autographed letters, often related to church matters. Of the five volumes, two contain biographical sketches of bishops, two pertain to the consecrations of bishops, and one includes descriptions of churches and cathedrals in Europe.

See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing and Subject Terms for a complete list of bishops represented.

The Langstroth Family papers document the activities and relationships of several generations of the Langstroth family, originally of Philadelphia, including the founding of several schools for women and African Americans, the experiences of a patient the Friends Asylum, and service in the Civil War.

The correspondence series comprises 600 items covering 1831-1955, and sheds light on the personal lives, careers, and activities of several generations of the Langstroth family. The bulk of the earliest letters, dating from the 1830s, are from Catharine Langstroth to her father and siblings. These letters concern the death of her sister Sarah, financial issues, and the health of several family members, including Margaretta, and refer to temperance (July 20, 1835 “It affords me much pleasure to know that you gathered in your hay on temperance principles”) and religious study. One letter of particular interest is dated January 3, 1839, and was written by Margaretta during a stay at the Friends Asylum in Philadelphia. It describes a harrowing series of treatments for unspecified mental problems: “My head has been cut open to the bone for 3 inches; and large [peas?] inserted; a lead placed over the slit and on the top of this a bread & milk poultice has been applied for two months… My hair has been shaved at least 6 times; and three times since the head was opened.” Margaretta also described the Asylum’s lectures, food, and other patients (“only deranged at intervals”).

Letters from the 1840s and 1850s were written by a variety of family members and document the founding of Mount Holly Institute for Young Ladies; the courtship of Thomas Langstroth, III, and Mary Hauss; and a range of religious attitudes, from Margaretta’s intense piety to Thomas’ doubt (December 12, 1853: “most all the young men in our church just before they got married have made a profession of religion, and how have they turned out! Look at them one half are as bad as they were before: but I have no right to judge.”). In early 1855, Margaretta wrote a series of letters from near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, describing her efforts at religious and educational outreach to slaves, for whom she felt sympathy (February 7, 1855: “Slaves! poor slaves! how my heart bleeds for them, they toil from night to morn, from morn to night--live and die here without knowledge enough to save the soul.”).

Little documentation of the family exists from the Civil War period, despite Edward and Thomas’ service on opposite sides, but Edward’s letter to Margaretta of July 14, 1865, indicates a rift between himself and his sisters, perhaps arising from his joining the Confederacy. Letters of the 1860s and 1870s are mainly incoming to Margaretta and concern teaching, finances, and advice. A number of letters to Thomas from the 1880s contain information about his brother Edward’s health. Approximately 25 folders of letters date from the 20th-century and were written between Hugh Tener Langstroth, his sister, Sara Paxson, and other relatives. These concern travel, social visits, health, and business matters.

The financial and legal documents series consists of 124 items relating to the Langstroth family, covering 1778-1913. It includes wills, records relating to milling, land indentures, an account book of 1814-1817 kept by Thomas Langstroth, Jr., paperwork related to loans, and other materials. Some materials relate to the bank failure which forced Langstroth to sell his mill in 1836. Only 15 items date from 1851-1913.

The diaries and journals series represents six volumes and a few fragments, covering the 1830s to the 1860s, all written by Margaretta Langstroth. The volumes dating from the 1830s contain biographies of historical figures and may have been used in school. Subsequent diaries recorded daily entries of varying length, covering parts of 1864-1868. The 1864 volume includes Margaretta’s memorials of deceased family members and is thus a good source of genealogical information. More commonly, her entries describe daily activities, religious meditations, and frequently seem to reflect a fragile mental state, as in this exceprt of April 15, 1865: “Abraham Lincoln shot in the Washington Theatre Secretary Sewar [sic] had this throat cut I hope Edwar [sic] has no hand in this what makes me fear that he had” or an entry of June 19, 1866, describing the death of a robin: “I felt very badly cannot describe my suffering poor bird…read hymns as it was dying wondering if it would live elsewhere[.] In bed all day so distressed so wretched…” In a number of passages, Margaretta noted the Sunday School classes that she taught, and commented on the number of students and the subjects of her lessons.

The United States Presidents collection contains materials authored by, signed by, or related to presidents of the United States of America.

The United States Presidents collection consists of single items authored by, signed by, or related to presidents of the United States of America. Including personal correspondence, land deeds, official appointments, and various manuscript and printed documents, the United States Presidents collection touches broadly on presidential politics, social activity, and national affairs from 1784 to 1992.

• A manuscript description of an exchange between a Revolutionary War soldier and Andrew Jackson in 1832, in which Jackson was presented with a candle originally used to commemorate General Charles Cornwallis's defeat, intending that he should now use it to honor the victory at the Battle of New Orleans
• A handwritten eulogy for President Benjamin Henry Harrison, describing his life, career, and character
• Three letters by William Howard Taft, documenting the legal dispute over whiskey production in 1909
• Nine letters written by Herbert Hoover to Wilson W. Mills between 1923 and 1952, relating to Michigan banks, and state and national politics
• Eight Associated Press teletypes reporting on the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963

The United States Presidents collection contains a diverse array of materials that reflects broadly on personal, presidential, and national affairs. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information about each item.

The George Philip Hooke journal is a 21-page officer roster and journal of the 1st Battalion of Grenadiers in the British army, which describes their travel from New York to South Carolina. The volume also contains copies of 30 catch tunes, many with lyrics.

The George Philip Hooke journal (21 pages) is comprised of an officer roster and a journal of the 1st Battalion of Grenadiers in the British army under Henry Clinton, from December 1779 to May 1780. Hooke described the battalion's voyage from New York to South Carolina; gave the movements of his battalion during the landing at St. Simons Island, Georgia; and provided eye-witness accounts of various scrimmages in the southern campaign, including the siege and surrender of Charleston. Hooke described sinking the damaged "Judith Transport" (January 16, 1780); meeting the British fleet under Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot, at Tybee Harbor, [Georgia] (February 3, 1780); and positioning and attacking the rebel forces at Charlestown, South Carolina, between March 29 and April 13, 1780.

At the back of the journal, after 48 blank pages, are copies of 30 catch tunes (comic rounds). The British baroque master Henry Purcell and popular composer Henry Harington wrote several of the songs, though many are unattributed, such as "The Quaker Wedding: A Catch for three voices," and "Come Honest Friends" (52 pages of music in total).

This collection consists of an orderly book kept by Lt. Col. Richard Boycott of the 91st Regiment of Foot, largely documenting the regiment's stay at St. Lucia from December 7, 1779-May 27, 1781.

This collection is a 300 page orderly book kept by Lieutenant Colonel Richard Boycott of the 91st Regiment of Foot, December 7, 1779-May 27, 1781. This volume largely describes the regiment's stay on St. Lucia from March 1780, to March 1781, and also describes the head quarters in Barbados. The book contains daily orders, general orders, deaths, and accounts of courts martial. These entries provide the official schedules, activities, promotions, and movements of the regiment, but also document the mood of the solders and notable daily events.

The John Vaughan papers document British activities in the West Indies during the American Revolution. Covered are Vaughan's incoming letters, dispatches, bills, reports, and memoranda during his command of the Leeward Islands from November of 1779 to March 1781, as well as several postwar manuscripts pertinent to the British Colonial West Indies.

The John Vaughan papers (3 volumes and three loose items) document Vaughan's first two years as commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands, from November of 1779 to March 1781. The papers comprise approximately 470 items, almost all of which are incoming letters, dispatches, bills, reports, and memoranda from naval commanders and subordinates, officials in England and North America, and friends and relatives in England.

The papers primarily relate to the conduct of the Revolutionary War in the West Indies, and reveal a close coordination between the army and navy in the region. Topics documented include the capture of St. Eustatius, the capture of transports by the French, the treatment of prisoners of war, and the provisioning and paying of troops. Also covered are promotions, discipline, and reports on hardships, such as endemic sickness, supply shortages (food, candles, rum, and money), poor barracks, a lack of doctors and medicine, and bad weather. Of note are the letters from William Mathew Burt, governor of Antigua and St. Christopher's; Gabriel Christie, commander at Antigua; Lucius Ferdinand Cary, commander at Tobago; George Ferguson, governor of Tobago; Commodore William Hotham; Admiral Hyde Parker; Admiral Samuel Hood; George Brydges Rodney, commander of the Leeward Island Station; Anthony St. Leger, brigadier general at St. Lucia; Major Henry Fitzroy Stanhope; and Loftus Anthony Tottenham, brigadier general at Barbados.

• Volume 1, item 23: After March 19, 1780: Memoranda for an answer to Christie's letter of March 18-19
• Folder 1: May 11, 1784: Vaughan's deposition sent to Isaac Howell, for a property dispute involving Edward Foord, Samuel Delprat, Richard Clark, and Simon Nathan, over a lawsuit in Jamaica
• Folder 1: September 29, 1789: Vaughan to an unknown property owner (partnered to a Mr. Alexander Ellis) concerning purchasing land on the Mohawk River
• Folder 1: September 17, 1794: John Vaughan to William Wyndham, reporting on specifics of British troop strengths throughout the Caribbean. Mention of surrender of Belville Camp, Guadeloupe, by capitulation in October, and lost companies in that affair. Martinique is the most important island from a military perspective. St. Lucia. Enemy strength at Guadeloupe, specifying around 400-500 "whites" and 4,000 or 5,000 "Blacks" armed with muskets and bayonets. Guadeloupe would require a Garrison of troops, with the number of men needed to attack. Believes that they should raise the siege of Basse-Terre and keep the enemy in check. Royalists can't be relied on. Strength at Antigua, St. Christopher's, and Dominica. Sir Charles Grey, Admiral Jarvis, and islands of St. Bartholomew and St. Thomas. Current assessment of privateers. British and French reinforcements. Capt. Hare's 10th Light Dragoons: when they came from America, they had "hardly a sound horse amongst them"--consider discontinuing this expensive Corps.

Volume 1 contains 246 items; Volume 2 contains 276 pages; and Volume 3 contains 207 pages.

The Richard Oswald collection contains three of Oswald's memoranda ("Plans for Russian Conquest of the North-West Coast--1781," "London, 9th August 1779--General Observations, Relative to the Present State of the War," and "Supplement to the Papers of August 1779 Relative to the State of the Present War") and three letters to and from Oswald concerning the Revolutionary War.

The Richard Oswald collection contains three memoranda and two letters written by Oswald, as well as a letter written to Oswald by William Pulteney, all spanning 1779-1783.

Volume One contains two memoranda of 1779: the 72-page "General Observations, Relative to the Present State of the War" and its continuation, the 33-page "Supplement to the Papers of August." In the former, Oswald anticipates a prolonged conflict (p. 25: "…if we wish to have a good Peace, we ought to prepare for a long War.") and speculates on the relationship between the Americans and French ("…I am of opinion that we have a much better chance of making France tired of the Contest by taking of America, than of recovering America by dint of our attack upon France." [p. 9]). He also suggests that the British "break the Internal Union amongst these Colonies by Dismembering one part from the other" (p. 27), and recommends that this be accomplished by expeditions into Georgia and South Carolina. In the "Supplement," Oswald doubts the value of "be[ing] so tenacious of every Individual part of these possessions as to suppose that the preservation thereof, in the Interim of this War, may not cost more than it is worth" (p. 2). He also comments further on the French, and emphasizes the necessity of taking possession of Charleston, South Carolina, in order to defeat the Americans (p. 9).

Volume Two of the Richard Oswald collection contains a 1780 letter from William Pulteney announcing the surrender of Charleston, South Carolina, and two letters by Oswald to unspecified recipients. In the earlier of the two letters, dated November 16, 1782, Oswald described the willingness of the Americans to continue fighting ("America would carry on the War with Eng'd for 50 years rather than subscribe to…evidence of their own iniquity…") and treaty negotiations concerning the treatment of Loyalists. In the later letter, dated January 8, 1783, he discussed the conflict over rights to cod fishing in Newfoundland. Also included is a memorandum written by Oswald and dated April 12, 1781, suggesting the formation of a Russo-British alliance in order to attack Mexico and California, and thereby challenge Spain in the New World. The 19-page document, entitled "Plans for Russian Conquest of the North-West Coast--1781," presents the unusual idea as an inexpensive way of "cripling [sic] the power of the Bourbon Family for ever."

This collection is made up of correspondence and financial records pertaining to John and Godfrey Malbone's claims against the British government for damages to their property during the Revolutionary War. The Malbone brothers complained that a British garrison had been responsible for destruction to and thefts from their farm near Newport, Rhode Island, between 1776 and 1779.

This collection (10 items) is made up of letters, documents, and financial records pertaining to John and Godfrey Malbone's claims against the British government for damages to and theft of their property during the British occupation of Newport, Rhode Island, from 1776-1779. The letters, including one item from John Malbone to General Henry Clinton (April 10, 1779), pertain to the brothers' efforts to receive compensation for their losses, which are further described in several detailed financial documents; the Malbone brothers believed that British soldiers and sailors had been responsible for the losses. A brief note to John Malbone indicates that the claim had not been settled before August 18, 1787. The collection also includes a document granting John Malbone power of attorney for Godfrey Malbone, then residing in Pomfret, Connecticut (May 5-6, 1783).

The Manchester papers primarily contain the diplomatic correspondence, memoranda, and treaty drafts of George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester, who was appointed British Ambassador to France to oversee the negotiations regarding the Peace of Paris in 1783.

The Manchester papers contain 250 letters, 30 drafts, 13 instructions, 9 notes, 4 letter books, and a map, spanning 1779 to 1788. These items primarily relate to diplomacy and Manchester's role in the negotiation of the Peace of Paris in 1783.

The Documents and Correspondence series contains 331 items pertaining to British politics, the American Revolution, the negotiations of the Peace of Paris, and other topics. These include diplomatic correspondence, memoranda, drafts of treaty clauses, and instructions for the period of 1783 to 1784, when Manchester participated in the negotiations with France, Spain, and the Netherlands as ambassador to France at the end of the American Revolutionary war.

Just nine letters in the collection predate 1783. These include several accounts of the British military situation in North America from Captain F. Taylor, Manchester's agent in London, in which Taylor noted that "things are as bad, as they can be" and criticized British politicians for leaving London for their country homes in a time of crisis (September 30, 1780). He also condemned the naval tactics of Admiral Henry Darby (February 12, 1781) and commented on British ships headed to Jamaica (October 30, 1781). Beginning in the spring of 1783, the primary topic of the letters and documents shifts to diplomacy and negotiations between Great Britain, France, Spain and the Netherlands. This includes the April 23, 1783, instructions given to Manchester by King George III, which discuss the release of prisoners, the rights of the "French naturalized English," and mandate that Manchester maintain frequent contact with other "Ministers employed in Foreign Courts."

The collection also contains numerous drafts of the treaty's articles and clauses, nearly all of which are in French. With these, it is possible to trace the course of negotiations through the various changes proposed and accepted by the principal negotiators. The drafts of articles pertain to the wide array of issues addressed in the treaty, including boundary negotiations and the ceding of territory, the privileges of British citizens in areas newly controlled by other nations, trading privileges in the West Indies, fishing rights in Newfoundland, use of wood cut in Central America, the release of prisoners of war, and other topics.

Also included is Manchester's incoming and outgoing correspondence concerning the treaty and negotiations, including several dozen letters from the French foreign minister, Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes; a roughly equal number from the Spanish Ambassador to France, Pedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea, Comte d'Aranda; and 23 letters from British secretary of state for foreign affairs Charles James Fox. Correspondence concerns such issues as possession of the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon and associated fisheries in the north Atlantic, restitutions to be made in India between the English and the French, and minor changes to the wording of the treaty. Correspondence between Manchester and Fox, in particular, reveals the inner workings of the British side of negotiations, including concerns that plenipotentiary David Hartley would "be taken in by [Benjamin] Franklin" and "disgrace both himself and us" (May 15, 1783), and comments on Fox's strong support for Russia and Austria (August 4, 1783). In several letters, Fox comments on specific articles within the treaties.

The collection also has a substantial amount of correspondence relating to diplomacy and European politics, which Manchester received in his position as ambassador. This includes complaints by British citizens about their alleged mistreatment at the hands of the French, such as the seizure of the merchant ship Hereford after it took shelter from a storm in Nantes, France (May 17, 1783), and the capture of the ship Merlin by privateers ([May 1781]). Several of Manchester's colleagues wrote to him about Russian politics and activities, including Sir Robert Murray Keith, who described growing tensions with the Turks (May 30, 1783), and John Collet, who gave an account of the Russian mode of colonizing Crimea, which was to pay Genoan families to settle there (June 2, 1783).

Just 27 letters postdate 1783. These give news of European politics, including information on the Russo-Turkish War, a commercial treaty between France and Portugal (February 2, 1787), and several updates on the movements and activities of the French Navy.

The Letter Books and Map series, 1782-1783, contains four volumes of correspondence and a 1783 map. The first volume contains letters and extracts of correspondence written by Alleyne Fitzherbert to Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham (27 letters) and Charles Fox (10 letters). Covering a total of 216 pages, the letters span November 29, 1782, to May 3, 1783. They chiefly concern the peace negotiations, including discussion of the restoration of enemy ships (December 7, 1782), the wording of the treaty's preamble (January 19, 1783), ongoing negotiations relating to territory in India, and numerous associated topics.

The second volume, which covers August 9, 1782, to May 30, 1783, contains letters written by Grantham to Fitzherbert (86 letters) and Fox (7 letters), totaling 427 pages. These letters announce various appointments and refer frequently to peace negotiations. Also included are many drafts of treaty articles.

The third volume is divided into two parts, which cover April 30, 1782, to December 7, 1783. The first part includes 10 letters between Grenville and Fox, and two between Grenville and Shelburne. These contain further discussion of territory negotiations and the demands of the French, Spanish, and Dutch. The second part of the volume has 58 letters with 49 enclosures, written by Manchester to Fox.

The fourth volume contains 67 letters from Fox to Manchester, dated April 29 to December 2, 1783 and occupying 169 pages. In his letters to Manchester, Fox wrote about the Spanish treatment of British citizens, control of the wood trade in Central America, possession of Tobago, and specific treaty articles.

The map, dated 1783, is housed in the Map Division and depicts several rivers in the Yucatan Peninsula.

This 30-page notebook by William Case Clark of South Kingston, Rhode Island, contains very brief notes on the 1776 British attack on Newport, Rhode Island, a copy of the numbers of soldiers of different ranks killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill, financial accounts for the purchase of foodstuffs in the 1780s, and a weather journal spanning January to May 1775. Clark also copied extracts from the poems "The Ballad of Chevy Chase" and "A New Song Called the Gaspee."

This 30-page notebook by William Case Clark of South Kingston, Rhode Island, contains very brief notes on the 1776 British attack on Newport, Rhode Island, a copy of the numbers of soldiers of different ranks killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill, financial accounts for the purchase of foodstuffs in the 1780s, and a weather journal spanning January to May 1775. Clark also copied extracts from the poems "The Ballad of Chevy Chase" (9 pages) and "A New Song Called the Gaspee" (3 pages).

The final page of the volume bears an illustration of a sailing ship.

This item is a bound collection of espionage correspondence from Paris, 1780, that describes the locations and numbers of French and Spanish ships in Gibraltar, New York, Canada, and the West Indies.

This volume is a bound collection of espionage correspondence from Paris, 1780. The 37 reports (65 pages) describe the locations and numbers of French and Spanish ships in Gibraltar, New York, Canada, and the West Indies. Many entries discuss the number of troops stationed at various ports, the conditions of the crew ("They are badly manned and sickly, especially the Spanish who also find it difficult to recruit their navy" p.40), and the outcomes of engagements ("The French had suffered greatly, most of the ship's masts being damaged...100 men have been killed and at least 1,200 wounded" (p.47). The author often provides logistical information such as lists of ships and crew sizes, as well as the names of the ships' captains.

The Eleazer Everett orderly book contains 66 pages of Revolutionary War orders, kept by an American soldier stationed at West Point, and 42 pages of hand-copied vocal music. The military entries are comprised of general orders, garrison orders, and marching orders, from Generals Richard Howe and George Washington, and include a discussion of Benedict Arnold's treason and the trial and execution of John André.

The Eleazer Everett orderly book is comprised of 66 pages of Revolutionary War orders, kept by an American soldier stationed at West Point, and 42 pages of hand-copied vocal music. The military entries date from July 2-8, August 15-25, and September 26-October 10, 1780, and contain general orders, garrison orders, and marching orders. Benedict Arnold's treason and the trial and execution of John André are mentioned in the orderly book.

Orders include specific instructions for the troops (rations of food and liquor, bathing requirements, etc) as well as orders to the officers concerning conduct: "The Major Generals to wear a blue coat with Buff under Cloaths, two epilates with two Stars on Each, a black & white Feather in the Hat..." (July 3, 1780). The volume also contains garrison orders issued by Major General Robert Howe, and extracts of general orders issued from Washington's headquarters, with mentions of other generals such as Jedediah Huntington and British General Henry Clinton.

• Copies of headquarters accounts of Arnold's treason and the capture of André, and the order to execute André (September 26 and October 10).
• A brief description of Fort Arnold (soon to be renamed Fort Clinton) (July 3, 1780).
• Comments on the court martial trial of Major Thomas Frothingham, commissioner of military stores in the Continental army, for disobeying an order (July 5, 1780).
• Description of punishment for desertion (July 8, 1780).
• Numerous passages of strong patriotic language.

In addition to the military orders, the volume contains 14 songs (42 pages) for four voices. The majority of the songs are unattributed, though two are by French, one by Morgan, and one by Everett (song titles are listed in the additional descriptive data). Lyric content is primarily religious in nature.

The Charles Forrest watercolors consist of five topographical watercolors of the island of St. Lucia produced by Lieutenant Charles Forrest of the 90th Regiment of Foot while stationed there in 1780 to 1781.

The Charles Forrest watercolors consist of five topographical watercolors of the island of St. Lucia produced by Lieutenant Charles Forrest of the 90th Regiment of Foot while stationed there in 1780 to 1781.

Three of Forrest's views focus on Carenage Bay on St. Lucia's west coast, and include notes on the fighting between the British and French on the island in December 1778. The other two views depict the anchorage of Gros Islet Bay in June 1781, drawn while Forrest was onboard the HMS Lizard.

While the Clements only has five of Forrest's St. Lucia watercolors, he is known to have produced at least seven more. Between 1783 and 1786, twelve of Forrest's views, including the five in this collection, were published as engravings in London.

The Charles Cornwallis orderly book (148 pages), contains orders from Cornwallis' moving headquarters in the southern theater of the American Revolutionary War. These document the British march across North Carolina, the aftermath of the Guilford Courthouse campaign, and Cornwallis' campaign in Virginia. The book contains lists of promotions and reports of courts martial, as well as general marching orders and information on supplies, transportation, and the sick and wounded.

The Charles Cornwallis orderly book (148 pages), written by an anonymous British officer, contains orders from a moving headquarters in the southern theater of the American Revolutionary War, covering November 10, 1780 through July 13, 1781. These document the British march across North Carolina, the aftermath of the Guilford Courthouse campaign, and Cornwallis' campaign in Virginia. The book contains lists of promotions and reports of courts martial, as well as general marching orders and information on supplies, transportation, and the sick and wounded.

The orderly book's entries are not ordered strictly chronologically. The bulk of the orders are from Cornwallis' army in North Carolina and Virginia; these entries run from February 8-July 13, 1781. However, orders from New York, dating from November 10, 1780-February 8, 1781, are periodically copied out of sequence. The Box and Folder Listing provides the page numbers of the different blocks of entries.

Many of Cornwallis' orders concern disciplinary matters such as courts martial and guidelines for enforcing authority. For example, the order of May 11, 1781, states: "Lord Cornwallis has had several Complaints of Soldiers going out of camp in the night & plundering the Inhabitants of the Country. Commanding Officers of Corps are desired to use every means to prevent such Shameful Irregularities in future" (p.69). Other Cornwallis orders praise the army for bravery on the battlefield, and send news to the troops. For example, the May 8, 1781, entry states that: "Lord Cornwallis has the pleasure to inform the Army that he has the greatest Reason to believe that Lord Rawdon has gained a Signal Victory over the Rebel Army near Camden" (p.68). To celebrate, he ordered a double allowance of rum for the troops. The orders also reveal information on other important military subjects, such as the use of horses and the practice of recruiting loyalists (see the subject index). Of note are several entries on African Americans' role in the British side of the conflict.

Among other entry types, the book contains 81 marching orders. Roughly half specify the order in which participating units would be marching; the other half simply mention that battery horses and wagons were to be loaded and troops ready to march the following morning. Two directly state that the regiments would not be marching. These orders typically specify the daily parole and countersign, and the location of the army. Entries in the orderly book terminate before Cornwallis's defeat and surrender at Yorktown in October 1781.

The volume documents the promotions of 32 British regiments between 1779 and 1781. The book lists promotions by regiment (see the General Subject Index), and pages 148 to 152 contain lists of promotions by rank. The book documents the promotions of the following regiments:

• 7th foot
• 17th foot
• 17th light dragoons
• 7th regiment
• 9th regiment
• 16th regiment
• 17th regiment
• 21st regiment
• 22nd regiment
• 23rd regiment
• 24th regiment
• 33rd regiment
• 37th regiment
• 38th regiment
• 42nd regiment
• 43rd regiment
• 44th regiment
• 54th regiment
• 57th regiment
• 60th regiment/2nd battalion
• 60th regiment/3rd battalion
• 60th regiment/4th battalion
• 62nd regiment
• 63rd regiment
• 64th regiment
• 70th regiment
• 71st regiment
• 71st regiment/2nd battalion
• 76th regiment
• 80th regiment
• 82nd regiment
• 84th regiment

The HM Sloop Zebra log book charts happenings on board the ship during its time in the English Channel, August 1780-July 1781, and en route to the Caribbean, July-August 1781.

The HM Sloop Zebra log book, titled "Remarks &c. On Board His Majesty's Sloop Zebra," charts happenings on board the ship during its time in the English Channel, August 1780-July 1781, and en route to the Caribbean, July-August 1781. The book begins shortly after the Zebra was launched, and the first several entries noted only that carpenters were at work preparing her for sea. Soon, however, the Zebra began maneuvers in the English Channel. Entries in the log book were usually brief summations of daily weather conditions, provisions taken aboard, and the everyday work necessary to maintain a sailing ship. The author frequently mentioned beer and beef as being main provisions, but also described visits from officers of other vessels. Occasionally, the Zebra encountered, and noted, ships of Dutch, Danish, Swedish, and French origin, but had little combative contact.

The author of the log book also noted punishments (usually by the lash) meted out to seamen and marines for a variety of offenses, including disobedience, neglect of duty, fighting and quarreling, and theft. On October 13, 1780, for example, the Zebra's commander "dischd. 4 men being Deserters," and on November 6, 1780, "Jno. Pick & Jas. Cheater Seamen" deserted as well. During the Zebra's time in the Channel, the log book reflected frequent exercises of the ship's guns as well as numerous readings of the Articles of War to the crew. Occasionally, the log book also discussed events of particular import. On one occasion, "a marine being Centry on the Starboard Ganway [sic] fel [sic] over board & was drownd. with his musquett Cartouch box [and] Balls" (January 16, 1781). Overall, the Zebra's service was primarily uneventful, though her crew observed "the Juno & Chace Exchange several shot" prior to receiving 20 prisoners following the capture of the French privateer Revenge (February 11, 1781). Before embarking for the Caribbean, they "Passed Admiral Digby and cheered him" and later "cheered Admiral Pye" (July 17, 1781). The log book concluded after the Zebra arrived in the Caribbean, with the final entry made in the Bermudas on August 27, 1781. The first page of the log book and remarks for August 21-27, 1781, are missing.

The Jethro Sumner papers contain incoming and outgoing letters relating to the progress of the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War, including the battles of Charlotte and King's Mountain, logistical and personnel concerns, and Sumner's resignation.

The Jethro Sumner papers contain 69 letters (both incoming and outgoing), and 3 militia lists, all spanning August 24, 1780, to April 1, 1781. All but two of the items date from August 24-October 20, 1780. The letters primarily concern strategic and logistical matters of the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War. Several letters in September 1780 document Cornwallis' invasion of North Carolina and the Battle of Charlotte. These include a series of letters between Sumner and Major General Horatio Gates, in which Gates promised aid to North Carolina's western counties (September 17, 1780), Sumner reported on the British occupation of Charlotte and requested orders on how to handle soldiers claiming discharge (September 29, 1780), and Gates ordered Sumner not to abandon the defense of the Yadkin Ford and criticized him for writing too infrequently (September 30, 1780). In a letter of September 23, 1780, Colonel Francis Lock wrote to Sumner from camp at Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, requesting that he send any men he could spare. Several letters from early October 1780 provide intelligence concerning the British, including their numbers, activities, and weapons; others refer to the scarcity of provisions, which Gates promised to address (October 7, 1780). On October 8, General William Lee Davidson recommended that Sumner "retain all the good Rifles from the Inhabitants who pass your Camp," judging that this might "induce some to return in Defence of their Country." Sumner and Davidson also exchanged several letters regarding the Battle of King's Mountain and the aftermath of the occupation of Charlotte, including the British departure (October 13, 1780). Sumner wrote three of the last letters in the collection to General William Smallwood, describing the condition of troops and movements, and finally, informing him of his resignation on October 20, 1780.

The collection also contains three militia records. Two identical items, dated October 12, 1780, give a statistical breakdown of officers and soldiers under Sumner by rank and function. Another document, dated October 13, 1780, provides the number of drafts and "Minute Men of the Foot" from the towns of Rowan and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina, under Brigadier General William Lee Davidson.

The Benjamin Gilbert letter book (219 pages) contains copies of 83 personal letters written by Sergeant Benjamin Gilbert during his service in the Revolutionary War (1780-1783). The letters provide a picture of a junior officer's perspective on the progress of the war.

The Benjamin Gilbert letter book (219 pages) contains copies of 83 personal letters written by Sergeant Benjamin Gilbert during his service in the Revolutionary War (1780-1783). The bulk of Gilbert's letters are to his father and other family member, living in his home town of Brookfield, Massachusetts. The letters provide a picture of a junior officer's outlook on the war.

Gilbert wrote these letters during his service in upper New Jersey in late 1780; during his stay at West Point in early 1781; and while fighting with the Marquis de Lafayette's troops at Trenton, New Jersey; Wilmington and Christiana, Delaware; Elkton and Annapolis, Maryland; and Yorktown, Virginia. He wrote the letters dated 1782-1783 from West Point and Continental Village, New York, where the army awaited the withdrawal of Carleton's forces from New York. Gilbert discussed Arnold's treason; the revolt of the Pennsylvania Line; the burning of Manchester, Virginia; southern hospitality; the exhilaration of the impending triumph at Yorktown; widespread desertion of Hessians during the evacuation of New York; and severe shortages of pay, food, and clothing. Throughout the volume, Gilbert wrote reflective comments on the progress of the war.

Several letters concern personal matters. Four are love letters, two to an anonymous recipient (October 14, 1780, October 19, 1780) and two that relate to a paternity claim made by a Patience Converse, with whom he was romantically involved (September 30, 1782 and March 24, 1783). Family news and personal finances are mentioned frequently throughout the volume.

For an annotated transcription of the letterbook, with a comprehensive index, see: Winding Down: the Revolutionary War Letters of Lieutenant Benjamin Gilbert of Massachusetts, 1780-1783

The Christopher Mason letter book contains copied incoming and outgoing letters of a British navy officer who fought in America during the Revolutionary War. The volume covers communications from three of Mason's commands: HMS Delaware (1780), HMS Quebec (1781-1783) and HMS Zealous (1794-1795).

The Christopher Mason letter book (143 pages, 124 letters) contains copied incoming and outgoing letters of a British navy officer who fought in America during the Revolutionary War. The volume covers communications from three of Mason's commands: the HMS Delaware (1780), the HMS Quebec (1781-1783), and the HMS Zealous (1794-1795). The volume contains 79 incoming letters, an index for the 1794-1795 incoming items, and 43 outgoing letters. These include Mason's contact with the British Navy Board and with fellow officers serving during the Revolution.

The inscription on the front cover of the book reads: "Letters Relating to the War in America. Movements of Ships & Men, Information regarding the Enemy, Convoys, Lists of Rebel Ships, Victualling & Refitting, Exchange of Prisoners, List of Prizes taken, ETC."

Pages 1-49 and 1a-22a cover Mason's time on board the Delaware while it was stationed in Halifax Harbor and during its patrol of the coast of Maine (April 3-December 24, 1780). These letters contain details on the naval operations in the northern theater of the war. Topics include the conditions and activities of the British army and navy in Nova Scotia, the French and American navies, the Americans' use of whale boats to attack the British scouting ships, coal mining in Nova Scotia, and conflicts near Spanish River (Sydney, Nova Scotia), Penobscot River, St. Lawrence, and the Bay of Fundy.

• June 12, 1780, page 1a: Warren 's acknowledgement of control of the British fleet from Captain Cosby.
• June 20, 1780, page 4a: News that the Nautilus was burned by the rebels.
• July 9, 1780, page 37: Intelligence on conflicts with the French Fleet and rumors that George Washington had disappeared from the army for three weeks and might not return.
• July 20, 1780, pages 14-19: A long letter from Peter Aplin describing enemy activities near Halifax. This item contains a list of rebel ships in the area and was delivered by two Native Americans.
• July 27, 1780, page 13: Intelligence on the American ships the America, Thorn, and Brutus.
• August 9, 1780, page 9a and August 11, 1780, page 24: A description of the condition of the Delaware, which had many rotten boards and was infested with rats. On September 16, 1780, page 13a, Warren "smoked" the ship to kill the rats.
• September 11, 1780, page 48: News that General Horatio Gates was defeated in North Carolina by Cornwallis.
• September 16, 1780, pages 14a-15a: A list of officers serving under Mason in Nova Scotia (name, office, ship, and reason for promotion), and a list of prizes seized or destroyed under Mason.

Pages 58-60 and 29a-34a document Warren's service patrolling the Delaware River and the North River (Hudson River) in the HMS Quebec (October 27, 1781-September 19, 1783). These communications are primarily between Warren and the admiralty office.

• October 27, 1781, page 30a: A list of convoy ships under Mason.
• July 30, 1782, page 58: Complaints against Lieutenant Piers of the Argo for "Molesting the Inhabitants, turning cattle into their grounds, taking their wood without paying for it &ca. &ca. &ca."
• December 23, 1782, page 31a: An account of taking the American ship the South Carolina and bringing the ship to New York.
• January 2, 1783, page 32a: Rumors that peace has been settled and concern by Warren that this will decrease the value of the prize ship South Carolina.

Pages 62-88 and 41a-55a cover Warren's time when he was patrolling the British Channel and while he was stationed at Spithead and Plymouth in the HMS Zealous (May 17, 1794-April 24, 1795). Communications are largely to and from officers in the Admiralty Office, Navy Office, Office of Ordnance, and the Vitualling Office. These letters concern supplying ships with ammunition, cannons, and other provisions; disciplining and discharging sailors, and securing bounty owed to his crew on board the Zealous.

• November 21, 1794, page 44a: A report that failure to follow anchoring signals at sea caused damages to ships.
• January 9, 1795, page 51a and January 15, 1783, page 83: Reports of Greek sailors replacing sick seamen on Warren's ship.

This 10-page account book contains a register of forfeited Pennsylvanian estates formerly belonging to persons attainted of treason by the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Benedict Arnold and Hugh Ferguson are among the estate owners in the volume. William McMullin received payments for the purchased estates largely between 1780 and 1782, with several transactions paid for using Continental currency. The register contains information about the size and scope of the estates, the date and amount of the sales, and to whom the forfeited estates were sold. A fragment from the February 13, 1779, issue of the Pennsylvania Packet newspaper was pasted to the inside covers of the volume.

The advertisements that are visible on the Pennsylvania Packet include lots and estates to be sold by public vendue or sale; miscellaneous items or merchandise advertised for purchase; rewards posted for stolen moneys or goods; and inquiries regarding employment.

• Army, British
• Arnold, Benedict
• Eve, Oswald
• Fagan, Lawrence
• Ferguson, Hugh
• Fox, John
• Griswold, Joseph
• Gordon, Thomas
• Jeans, Daniel
• Knight, John
• Kearfly, John
• Pistorius, Abraham
• Roberts, Nathan
• Robeson, John
• Shoemaker, Samuel
• Taylor, Isaac
• Williams, Daniel

The Kemble collection consist primarily of letters and documents sent to Stephen Kemble in his role as commander of the Nicaraguan expedition. The bulk of collection falls between the period of his appointment to the expedition in April 1780, to the evacuation of Nicaragua in January, 1781.

The Kemble papers consist primarily of letters and documents sent to Kemble in his role as commander of the Nicaraguan expedition. The bulk of collection falls between the period of his appointment to the expedition in April 1780, to the evacuation of Nicaragua in January, 1781.

The papers contain information on the logistical difficulties in arranging for food, water, supplies, and transport for the garrisons at St. John's Castle and Cooke's Post, and document the confusion, errors in judgment, and ineptitude that were the hallmark of this expedition.

An important series of letters and documents from Colvill Cairns and James Thomson record British efforts to mediate affairs with the Mosquito Indians and includes a copy of the treaty Cairns and Thomson negotiated at Tebuppy, along with a list of concessions the British were willing to make.

Post-expedition correspondence includes a series of letters written by Kemble to protest his assignment to a position under the command of a junior officer in Quebec plus copies of the War Office replies. There are also a few letters from Kemble's brother, Samuel, relating to problems finding an apartment in London, and two long letters concerning prospects for the settlements in New Brunswick, Canada.

This collection is made up of correspondence and financial records related to vessels of the United States Revenue Cutter Service, United States Navy, and United States Merchant Marine in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

This collection is made up of correspondence and financial records related to vessels active in the United States Revenue Cutter Service, United States Navy, and United States Merchant Marine in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The materials relate to crews' wages, ships' cargoes and expenses, cutter construction, privateering, and other subjects. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information about each item.

The donor has collected, arranged, transcribed, and annotated each document and has written a well-researched collection description.

This collection holds 18 business letters written by Philadelphia merchant Stephen Girard, as well as approximately 25 legal and financial documents concerning his professional affairs in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Also included are 17 partially printed bank checks drawn on Girard and approximately 170 bills and receipts related to the expenses of Girard College, a school founded by a bequest in Stephen Girard's will.

This collection contains 18 business letters written by Philadelphia merchant Stephen Girard, as well as approximately 25 legal and financial documents concerning his professional affairs in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Also included are 17 partially printed bank checks drawn on Girard and about 170 bills and receipts related to the expenses of Girard College, a school founded by a bequest in Stephen Girard's will. The collection is arranged in two series: Correspondence, and Documents and Financial Records. The Documents and Financial Records are divided in two subseries: Stephen Girard and Girard College, and Israel Kinsman and Kinsman & Wright bank checks.

The Correspondence series consists of 18 letters from Stephen Girard to business acquaintances concerning his shipping interests between 1787 and 1829. The first 2 letters, dated March and April 1787, were written in French and addressed to Garnier of Spring Hill, New Jersey. Girard wrote one letter to F. D. Petit du Villers of Savannah, Georgia, about the shipment of Georgia pine wood (February 21, 1810); one to Allen M. Lane, an official in Wilmington, Delaware (April 22, 1812); and six to William Adgate, supercargo of Girard's ship Good Friends (August 5, 1811-May 20, 1812). In his letters to Adgate, Girard discussed the Non-Importation Act's effects on foreign trade and provided him with instructions as the Good Friends sailed between Newcastle, England, and Amelia Island, Georgia.

Girard sent 8 letters to eight different recipients between June 19, 1814, and June 27, 1829 - all related to his shipping interests. In a letter to David Parish of Washington, D.C., dated June 19, 1814, he expressed his thoughts on peace and on his recent meetings with John Jacob Astor. On December 3, 1827, he wrote to Secretary of State Henry Clay respecting French spoliation claims originally filed on June 4, 1795. Girard's final letter advised Captain Levi Bardin of the North America that the ship was to sail from Alexandria, Virginia, to Amsterdam, Netherlands, with a load of tobacco (June 27, 1829).

The Documents and Financial Records series is divided into two subseries: Stephen Girard and Girard College, and Israel Kinsman and Kinsman & Wright bank checks. The Stephen Girard and Girard College subseries contains materials related to Stephen Girard's shipping and financial interests ([February] 1781-March 20, 1827) and to the operations of Girard College (March 13, 1857-January 12, 1870). Approximately 25 receipts, bills of sale, accounts, inventories, contracts, and other documents relate to Stephen Girard's business affairs. Many of these items are partially printed documents, signed by Stephen Girard. Several early documents were written in French. Four documents include values of specific ships' cargoes and relevant duties. At least one item, a subscription form, pertains to the Second Bank of the United States (January 14, 1817), and another reflects shipping insurance purchased from Samuel Coates (November 23, 1793).

This subseries also contains approximately 170 bills and receipts issued to Girard College for a variety of supplies, including foodstuffs, cleaning supplies, and clothing. The largest portion concerns vegetables and meats, and everyday items, such as brooms and pails, cloth, and shoes. Others reflect the costs of keeping up the building, such as painting the college, repairing one of its boilers, purchasing coal, and paying wages.

The Israel Kinsman and Kinsman & Wright bank checks subseries consists of 17 partially printed checks, drawn on "Stephen Girard, Banker" by Philadelphia merchants Israel Kinsman and Kinsman & Wright (January 21, 1818-December 22, 1824).

The Thomas Jefferson collection contains 54 miscellaneous letters written by or to Jefferson, 1780-1826, and an 1881 letter from Jefferson's granddaughter, Septimia Meikelham, concerning him.

The Thomas Jefferson collection contains 53 miscellaneous letters to or from Jefferson, dated 1780-1826, as well as an 1881 letter concerning him, written by his granddaughter, Septimia Meikleham. The letters address numerous topics, including fundraising in Europe for the American Revolution, various scientific subjects, the Louisiana Purchase, trade, and political appointments. For more information, see the inventory located under the "Detailed Box and Folder Listing" heading.

The Green-Mitchell family papers are made up of correspondence, legal documents, receipts, and other financial records pertaining to the business and personal affairs of New York attorneys Timothy Green and John W. Mitchell (Timothy Green's son-in-law). Much of the collection pertains to mercantile affairs and land speculation in the South, Northeast and Western United States. A large portion of the collection pertains to South Carolina (Charleston), New York, and Massachusetts (Worcester). The Manuscripts Division has also created an inventory of the letter-writers in the collection: Green-Mitchell Family Papers Correspondent Inventory.

The Green-Mitchell family papers are made up of correspondence, legal documents, receipts, and other financial records pertaining to the business and personal affairs of New York attorneys Timothy Green and John W. Mitchell (Timothy Green's son-in-law). Much of the collection pertains to mercantile affairs and land speculation in the South, Northeast and Western United States. A large portion of the collection pertains to South Carolina (Charleston), New York, and Massachusetts (Worcester).

The Correspondence series contains 1,470 letters to and from members of the Green and Mitchell families between June 26, 1780 and October 1, 1880. Four hundred and sixteen incoming letters to Timothy Green date between 1780, and 1812. He received the bulk of them from family members, business partners, and clients in South Carolina, New York, and Worcester, Massachusetts. Timothy's brother, Samuel Green, a prominent merchant in Columbia, South Carolina, was among his most frequent correspondents. The collection includes 160 letters by Timothy Green, primarily sent from New York. Timothy Green's correspondence comprises the bulk of the collection's materials related to land speculation.

John W. Mitchell received 540 letters, approximately a third of the series, between 1806 and 1880. His primary correspondents wrote from Charleston, South Carolina; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and New York. The subject matter represented in these letters is diverse, pertaining to business and personal affairs, and the Episcopal Church. Other frequent writers include Timothy Ruggles Green, Clarence G. Mitchell, Samuel Green, and Judge Peter P. Bailey, founder of Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The Legal Documents series relates to estates administration and 48 legal suits in which the Green and Mitchell families were involved, either as attorneys or as parties to a suit. Materials for some of these cases are extensive and others include only a few pages. The cases comprising much of the series are Conklin v. Mitchell and Davis v. Duffie. Conklin v. Mitchell (New York, 1852-57) pertains to a land dispute between George Conklin and defendant John W. Mitchell. Davis v. Duffie (New York, 1825-1861) concerns charges brought against Smith Davis for fraud and a related mortgage taken out by Cornelius R. Duffie. John W. Mitchell and Clarence G. Mitchell defended Duffie.

Five certificates document commissions held by John W. Mitchell and Clarence G. Mitchell. Additional legal papers include insurance policies, powers of attorney, deeds, civil actions, summonses, depositions, agreements, and other items compiled by Timothy Green and John W. Mitchell in carrying out their work as attorneys.

The Financial Documents series contains 143 receipts, checks, bank notes, accounts, and other financial records dating from 1785-1874. Timothy Green compiled 11 summaries of accounts, representing a portion of his business transactions between 1787 and 1809.

Printed materials include a quarterly chronicle for the Mission to the Working Men of Paris (1877), two monthly bulletins for the Charity Organization Society in New York (1884), a notice of sale, and a cover page from the book One Day With Whistler.

Miscellaneous materials include two items: a partially-printed report card for Clarence G. Mitchell at the Episcopal Institute at Troy, New York, in 1837, and a genealogical document concerning the Boudinot family of Philadelphia.

The Manuscripts Division has also created an inventory of the letter-writers in the collection: Green-Mitchell Family Papers Correspondent Inventory.

The Fenno-Hoffman papers contain the personal correspondence of three generations of the Fenno and Hoffman families of New York City. Correspondence from, to, and between the family members of Maria Fenno Hoffman, daughter of John and Mary (Curtis) Fenno of Boston and Philadelphia, and wife of Josiah Ogden Hoffman of New York.

The Fenno-Hoffman papers contain the personal correspondence of three generations of the Fenno and Hoffman families of New York City. It appears that the collection was initially assembled by Maria Fenno Hoffman, who was the bridge linking the Fennos and Hoffmans, or one of her children. The majority of the letters in the collection are addressed to Maria, and those written following her death are mainly from her three children. As a whole, the collection forms a diverse and uniformly interesting resource for the study of family life, politics, and literary culture in the early Republic. The Fennos and Hoffmans seem all to have been blessed with literary talent and excellent educations, enjoying interests ranging from politics and commerce to publishing and writing, but cursed with short lives and disastrous fortune. Their correspondence creates a vivid impression of a once-wealthy family struggling with adversity and personal loss. Yet despite all of their connections to the centers of political and social power, and despite all the setbacks they encountered, the overriding impression gleaned from the Fenno-Hoffman correspondence is of the centrality of family in their emotional and social lives.

The collection can be roughly divided into two, interrelated series: the letters of the Fenno family, and the somewhat later letters of the Hoffmans. Within the Fenno series are 25 letters from John Fenno to his wife, Mary, and six from Mary to John, written primarily during two periods of separation, in the spring of 1789, and summer, 1798. This correspondence conveys a sense of the passionate attachment these two held for each other, expressed with their exceptional literary gifts. John discusses the founding of the United States Gazette in 1789, including a visit with Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia where he had gone to purchase type. His letters are full of political commentary relating to the establishment of the federal government in 1789 and the young nation's Quasi-War with France, 1798. Although Fenno's letters to his wife are filled with political opinions, he urged her not to get involved in political controversies herself, nor to form opinions of her own. Mary apparently felt free to express herself to her husband, but significantly, her letters tend to mirror his staunchly Federalist political sympathies. The collection also contains four letters from John Fenno to his children, in which he discusses the French Revolution (1794) and general political news (1797-98), while doling out some fairly standard fatherly advice.

All nine of the Fenno children who survived infancy are represented as writers in the Fenno-Hoffman Papers, each one of whom seems to have been blessed with literary talent. The most frequent correspondents among the Fennos -- Maria, Charles J., and Edward -- display an intense interest in the affairs of their family, and express a powerful attachment for one another.

The collection contains twenty letters from Maria Fenno Hoffman (1781-1823), wife of lawyer and judge Josiah Ogden Hoffman (1766-1837), and most of the other letters in the collection were addressed to her. The letters written by Maria were nearly all addressed to her children and contain information on the family, laden with large doses of motherly advice. Among her most notable letters is one addressed to Washington Irving, whose fiancée, Matilda Hoffman, Maria's step-daughter, had died shortly before their wedding day.

The young British Navy officer, Charles J. Fenno, wrote thirty-nine letters, all to his siblings, and the collection also includes one letter to Charles from British Navy officer Charles Williamson (1757-1808), advising him to take an appointment in the West Indies. Fenno's letters include detailed descriptions of his attempts to cope with the debts incurred by his brother, John Ward Fenno, his part in the Tripolitan War and the turmoil in Haiti in 1802-3, naval sparring between French and English on the high seas, and family matters. With the typical Fenno style, Charles' letters provide an excellent view of these conflicts from the perspective of a young junior officer. His last letter was written while on vacation at Coldenham, N.Y., five weeks before his death.

Charles' younger brother, Edward, wrote 69 letters to his sister and surrogate mother, Maria, and 31 to his brother, James, along with a few miscellaneous letters. As lengthy as they are literate, Edward's letters provide an engrossing, running commentary on all facets of life in New Orleans during the 1820s and 30s, when it was still more a French city than American. His interests range from politics to business, high society to love affairs (his own, as well as others'), the annual yellow fever season, death and dying, race relations, piracy, and military exploits. They offer an intimate and detailed view of Louisiana during the years in which it was undergoing a rapid Americanization, and Edward's membership in the American militia, and his keen observational abilities provide a memorable account of the changes. His last letter to Maria, written a month before her death, discusses the necessity of family loyalty.

Comparatively speaking, the other Fenno children are represented by only scattered letters. Only two letters survive from the shortest-lived of the adult Fennos, John Ward, both written in 1797. In these, Jack discusses the acute controversy between Benjamin Rush (1745-1813) and the Federalist Gazette of the United States. Three of Harriet Fenno Rodman's letters survive -- containing social news and observations -- along with seven poems, including love poetry to her husband. Harriet's daughter, Anne Eliza Rodman, is represented by 24 letters, mostly addressed to her aunt Maria Hoffman, that include excellent descriptions of politics, society, and race relations in St. Augustine. George Fenno's four letters, also to his sister Maria, reflect the tedium felt by an educated urbanite set down in the countryside. Mary Elizabeth Fenno Verplanck's nine letters describe social life in Philadelphia, Fishkill, and Ballston Springs, and her efforts to mend a serious rift between her fiancée (later husband) and her brother-in-law Josiah. The ill-fated Caroline Fenno apparently had little time to write before dying, leaving only two letters describing life in Albany in 1804. James Bowdoin Fenno's six letters concern the business climate in South Carolina and Georgia and, as with all other Fenno correspondence, underscore the importance of family ties.

The second major series of correspondence in the Fenno-Hoffman Papers is centered on the children of Josiah Ogden Hoffman and his second wife Maria Fenno, Charles Fenno, George Edward, and Julia Hoffman. This series also includes eight letters from Josiah to his wife and sons, consisting principally of advice to his wife on how to run the household and, to his sons, on how to study industriously and become a credit to their "indulgent father." The letters he received in his old age from his children are particularly revealing of Josiah's personality. In these, Josiah appears as a hypochondriac and as a literal-minded businessman obsessed with commerce who had difficulty understanding any mindset other than his own.

As a poet and writer, Charles never ceased to perplex and irritate his father. Charles was a sensitive, observant man and an exceptional literary talent whose ability to express his thoughts and feelings grew as he grew older. His 62 letters to his brother (1826-1834, 1845) and sister (1833-1845) include discussions of many issues close to his heart, from his literary career to the "place" of the artist in society, from the continual rack and ruin of his personal finances to his family relationships, pastimes, politics, and general reflections on life. His letters to George are pun-filled and witty, even when he was in the throes of adversity. Charles wrote nine letters during his famous western trip, 1833-34, some of which were rough drafts intended for publication in the American after his sister Julia edited them. His letter of July 22, 1829 offers a marvelous description of an all-night party, and the single extant letter to his father (April 26, 1834) exhibits an uncharacteristic interest in politics, perhaps to please the elder Hoffman. There are also five excellent letters from a classmate of Charles, written while Charles was recuperating from the loss of his leg in New York. These are enjoyable, but otherwise typical schoolboy letters describing the typical assortment of schoolboy pranks.

The largest run of correspondence in the series of Hoffman letters, and the core of the collection, consists of the 63 letters from Julia to George. Julia's letters (1834-45) relate her experiences in several residences, particularly in the Philadelphia home of Jewish philanthropist, Rebecca Gratz (1781-1869). Julia comments frequently on Charles's literary activities and George's checkered career as a civil engineer. Much of what she writes is commonplace yet her style makes each episode intrinsically interesting. There are no letters from George. Considering that George was Julia's executor in 1861 and was responsible for Charles's well being after being committed to an asylum in 1849, suggests that George may have assembled the collection. The only item in the collection written by George is a love poem written for Phoebe on their first wedding anniversary. He was the recipient of letters from his brother and sister, but also his cousin William J. Verplanck, niece Matilda Whitman, sister-in-law Virginia Hoffman, and nephew Ogden Hoffman, Jr.

There is a single letter from Ogden Hoffman (1794-1856), Josiah's son by his first marriage to Mary Colden, in which he gives friendly advice to his young half-brother Charles. Ogden appears to have been a valued friend to his half-siblings. He was considered the outstanding criminal lawyer of his generation. There are no letters from the servant, Caty, but there are several excellent discussions of her, particularly in Julia Hoffman's letter of February 18, 1837 and James Fenno's letter of December 1, 1821.

Among the few miscellaneous pieces written by non-members of the family are four letters from Rebecca Gratz, a close friend of the family whose name runs throughout the entire collection, particularly in Julia Hoffman's correspondence.

The Francis Edmonds papers document the art and business world of the early 19th century and the interrelationship between business and the arts. The correspondence reveals both the practical and aesthetic concerns of artists, and the interest of business men in art as a symbol of personal and national "culture."

The Francis Edmonds papers are about evenly divided between the banking and art scene. The collection is valuable in depicting the interrelationship between business and the arts in mid-nineteenth century New York, where a small group of men dominated art promotion and patronage. Edmonds, a man with one foot in both worlds, naturally occupied a prominent position, and his correspondence reveals both the practical and aesthetic concerns of artists, and the interest of business men in art as a symbol of personal and national "culture."

There are 70 different correspondents represented in this small collection, so its story must be pieced together from multiple fragments. Luckily, there are two published biographies of Edmonds which help to make sense of this scattered correspondence by placing it in context. Roughly, the letters can be divided into those from artists, those from business contacts, and those to or from family members. Their subject matter, however, is not so neatly separated -- and that is what makes the Edmonds Papers so interesting, for bankers talk of art in addition to business, artists of finances as well as aesthetics, and Edmonds may have been the only man to whom these combined interests were communicated.

The largest set of correspondence consists of letters from Francis Edmonds to elder brother John Worth Edmonds, who became prominent as a judge, politician, and writer on spiritualism. Letters written between 1823 and 1829 show the young man to have been much inclined toward personal improvement, and to have looked upon his elder brother as a worthy critic and role model. He self-consciously uses their correspondence as a means to improve his writing style and intellectual development, and mentions writing projects he is at work on. An 1829 letter refers to progress in art work: "About my neighborhood I am getting to be a little known as a painter however I am not at all intoxicated with success as yet."

Edmonds' letters to his brother reveal little of marriage or home life, but are good barometers of his psychological state and his views on life. Clearly he had no illusions about the business and political world, commenting in a March 31, 1829 letter that the Edmonds family had been "to [sic] kind in this world, too much trusting to the good will of mankind and they have suffered for their generosity. It is time we changed their nature's [sic]. ... if two hands are offered you spit in the worst & shake the best." Perhaps this attitude sustained him later on when he lost his prominent banking position, for he comments to his brother in October 1856 that "the sensitive feeling which has so influenced my conduct in going into the world is rapidly wearing away," which he knew would happen with time. In August, 1859, he writes that he is unhappy with his new position at the American Bank Note Company, and has to take the "bile" of those who are jealous and competitive of one another. It appears that he may have had an opportunity to regain his old bank job, but writes to John in 1861 that he has no interest in it, as his old boss would feel threatened by him.

Letters to Edmonds from John Gourlie, Charles Leupp, Jonathan Sturges, and Fanning Tucker, primarily dating from the 1840's, depict the interest in art held by some in the business world. These men, all of whom knew Edmonds in a business setting, also associated with him in societies for the promotion of art, bought and commented upon his paintings and those of other artists, and looked to him for advice when acquiring art for themselves. Many of the letters discuss both banking and art. A particularly interesting one, from Gourlie on June 15, 1841, criticizes artists' refusal to be business-like. Commenting upon rivalry between the Apollo Association and the N.A.D., he remarks that artists "are a queer set. ... So sensitive and at the same time so blind to their own interests." He believes popularization of art, as the Apollo does with its subscriptions for pictures or engravings, is the key to supporting artists, for "[a]ssociations in this country are what the aristocracy is in Europe." Gourlie asserts that rivalry between the Academy and Apollo is a good thing, for "rivalry is the life of all business and pictures may be made business matters as well as cotton or cocoa.!"

Yet correspondence to Edmonds from fellow-artists show them to have been aware that their work was a commodity. An 1841 January 30 letter from Daniel Huntington to Edmonds in Paris comments on hard times in New York, remarking that the arts are now "stagnant," as "[t]he mass of painters are I believe lasily waiting with hands in empty pockets for the revival of Commerce & the increase of orders for portraits." Huntington has sold a sketch he began in Rome of "one of those ragged and flea-inhabited beggar boys" for $100, and sold two heads painted at Florence for $150 each. He must be concerned with what will sell well "in these starving times." Artists Joseph Adams, Thomas Cole, and John Kensett also write of both art and money. They seem to have used Edmonds as a combination personal banker and agent, asking him to sell paintings for them, choose and execute stock transactions, or make loans with paintings offered as collateral. Because of his contacts he was also able to secure artists commissions, contracting with Cole for a painting, employing Asher Durand to copy a picture for engraving, hiring engravers to work from paintings to prepare Apollo Association and Art-Union premium offerings.

The artists' letters are highly interesting for their gossip and commentary on the art scene, both in New York and abroad. They describe work in progress, discuss the merits of major exhibitions, comment on the activities of the N.A.D., and chronicle the life of the expatriate artist as he moves from place to place in season, sending work home for display and (hopefully) sale, scrambling for funds to finance work abroad. It seems to have been a small and convivial "old boys' network" who worked and traveled together and critiqued each other's painting. Edmonds enjoyed seven months of the artist's life in 1840-41, and perhaps this cemented his position as an insider with other artists.

In two important letters of 1840 November 7 and 1842 December 14 Thomas Cole agrees to do a painting of Mt. Etna on commission and describes the finished product. He explains the location and elements of the picture in detail, noting that he may be accused of having "scattered the flowers with too profuse a hand. This is not possible. Sicily is truly the land of flowers..." He hopes the picture "will come to the lot of some one whom we would choose," or that "some good New Yorker will purchase it. I myself will give a hundred dollars & the View of Lake Schroon in Mr. Ridner's room for it." In April 1843 John Kensett writes extensively of the Paris art scene, describing specific works he has seen and including a small pencil sketch of one by Jules Louis Coignet.

Also of particular interest are three 1844 London letters from publisher and bookseller George Putnam, who worked to raise awareness of American art abroad. One solicits articles on American art from Edmonds, assuring him that despite prejudice there are many in England who would be interested in "a little information about American doings in some other arts than the art of raising the wind." In December, reporting on the disappointing reaction of a major critic to three American paintings Edmonds sent for display, he ruefully remarks that the criticism typified English ignorance of America. Putnam was advised to "'tell them to paint some American subject (!) Something of the Indian life.' He was rather incredulous when I suggested that Indians were as great a novelty, nearly, in New York as in London." Still, he wrote, hundreds had viewed and appreciated the paintings, so they had served a good purpose.

One letter in the collection involves neither art nor banking, but Civil War service in Virginia. It is from an old friend of Edmonds, William Fenton, who went to war along with his two sons and served as a colonel in the 8th Michigan regiment. Fenton describes a massive camp along the Rappahannock in detail and indignantly decries the "slaughter" at Fredericksburg as "almost unjustifiable," and due to "old fogeyism" in military strategy. "What was good strategy in the time of Napoleon may not be now." He criticizes political meddling in war and the advancement of "pets." Fenton encourages Edmonds to visit camp, for "[s]uch sights will never again be seen on this continent."

Besides correspondence, news clippings, some later genealogical material, and a draft excerpt from Edmonds' autobiography (ca.1860), the collection includes several pencil sketches by the artist. Eight rough but skillful sketches on small scraps of paper feature indoor and outdoor scenes of people and animals. One is water-colored. There is also a large preliminary study of Edmonds painting "The Bashful Cousin". It is not identified as such, and background scene and details differ from the finished version, but the two main characters are clearly recognizable.

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).

The Charles Henri, comte d’Estaing, Journal Militaire traces the role of France in the siege of Gibraltar, (August 15, 1781 April 12, 1783) and contains copies of orders sending Commander d'Estaing and his fleet to America, in early 1783.

The Charles Henri, comte d’Estaing, Journal Militaire is a 188-page volume, entitled, "Journal de l'Expedition de Mahón en 1781 et 1782; de l'Expedition de Gibraltar en 1782; de l'Expedition projetté en Amerique sous les Ordres de Monsr. le Cte d'Estaing en 1783." The volume is a French account, by an anonymous author, describing the campaign of the combined French and Spanish armies and fleets against the British at Minorca and Gibraltar, August 15, 1781-April 12, 1783. The volume also contains orders sent to d'Estaing directing him to prepare his fleet for America in early 1783.

In pages 1-65, the author detailed organization of the French forces in Toulon and its departure for the British held Port Mahón in Minorca. He described the make-up of the army at the siege, as well as casualties, weapons, troop movements, conditions of Fort St. Philip (Castell de San Felipe), and the eventual British capitulation. Also noted are disagreements among the French commanders.

In the remainder of the volume, pages 65-188, the author outlined the plan for sending troops to Gibraltar (April 1782), and described stops at various Spanish ports, such as Cádiz, Almería, Málaga, and Algeciras. He also discussed Gibraltar's fortifications, and the British use of heated shot to set fire to French ships. The journal reports on the activities of Louis Berton des Balbes Crillon, duc de Mahón, Marquis de Lafayette, and comte d'Estaing.

• A list of ships involved in the siege of Gibraltar in June 1782 (page 99).
• A description of the lead-up and action of the "Grand Assault" on September 13-17, 1782 (pages 120-126).
• A notice of orders sent to d'Estaing on February 22, 1783, commanding him to prepare the fleet for America (page 170).
• A list of ships to be sent first to America and then to the East Indies under the command of d'Estaing.

The volume contains the orderly book of Captain Hector MacLean of the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants), as well as a journal of his postwar life in Douglas, Nova Scotia.

The Hector MacLean journal and orderly book is a small volume that contains 155 pages of writing. The first and last sections of the volume contain copied orders, beginning July 17, 1781, and covering the final months of the Revolutionary War, particularly the events leading up to the Battle of Eutaw Springs on September 8, 1781, and its aftermath through September 16, 1781. MacLean later used the volume's middle section as a diary, documenting pioneer life in Douglas, Nova Scotia, from 1785-1787.

MacLean first recorded orders at Orangeburg, South Carolina; they state that "Each Corps will send to the Genl Hospl tomorrow morng by day light three men with one Tomyhawk to receive their orders from the Steward there" (July 17, 1781). Illness is the topic of several additional entries, which note the number of sick soldiers and how their absence affected strength reports. On September 9, 1781, the day after an extremely bloody British victory at Eutaw Springs, MacLean documented, and likely read aloud, a statement from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart to the men who had fought under him. In it, Stewart expressed deep gratitude for their "gallant conduct," singled out several officers for praise, and segued into a prohibition on burning tents and wigwams. A few additional entries concern passes, the foraging of horses, and the preparation of returns. The final orders in the book, recorded September 16, 1781 and issued by Charles Cornwallis, provide restrictions on the use of carts by officers. The book also contains returns for MacLean's company, including the number of men fit for duty, sick in camp, and sick in the hospital, for July, August, and September of 1781. Also included are the names of some British casualties at Eutaw Springs.

Approximately 100 pages in the volume are devoted to MacLean's postwar experiences in Douglas, Nova Scotia, between December 24, 1785, and March 26, 1787. His brief, near-daily diary entries center on the planting and harvesting of crops, the activities of his farmhands, hunting, road-blazing, and his visits to friends. In late June and early July 1786, he described a boating expedition though Tennycape, Noel, and Selma, Nova Scotia, the highlight of which seemed to be "visit[ing] the sweet Girls at Mr Putnams" (July 2, 1786). He also mentioned the raising of a mill (August 23, 1786) "airing" a wet wheat stack (September 22, 1786), constructing a wood shed (November 22, 1786) and barn (January 22, 1786), and other tasks of an early Canadian pioneer. The diary closes with a description of a failed, multiday hunt, in which his party and their dogs chased a moose for many miles, only to lose it to other hunters who caught the fatigued animal (March 21-23, 1787).

This collection contains correspondence and documents related to the legal and financial affairs of Dr. William Plunket (or Plunkett) of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, and to his lawyer, Stephen Chambers of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

This collection (21 items) contains correspondence and documents related to Dr. William Plunket of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, and his lawyer, Stephen Chambers of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The bulk of the collection (18 items) pertains to Plunket's financial and legal affairs, including 13 letters that he wrote to Chambers (June 12, 1785-May 2, 1789). In these letters, Plunket discussed his financial difficulties, powers of attorney, and a dispute with "Dr. Rush" [Benjamin Rush] regarding property ownership. Some of his later letters express his fear of being jailed or becoming destitute. Other items concerning Plunket include a list of his creditors (October 3, 1785); a power of attorney (May 28, 1787); a financial document concerning interest on a bond (October 1787); and an unsigned document about his dispute with Rush (undated). Robert King also wrote a letter to Plunket on February 19, 1789, in which he promised to explore land in the "New Purchase" when the rivers again became navigable.

The remaining 3 items are a letter from Stephen Chambers to Jasper Yeates about land surveys (December 6, 1781), a letter from Chambers to Jasper Yeates and Thomas Hartley about a man whose son had been accused of murder (May 22, 1787), and a letter to Chambers from P. Bond, who discussed finances.

This collection consists of six manuscript poems written by Anna Seward (1742-1809), including a copy of Monody on Major André, which was published in 1781.

This collection consists of two volumes that contain six manuscript poems written by Anna Seward (1742-1809). The first volume includes a 21-page copy of Monody on Major André, which was published in 1781, as well as an untitled 6-line poem in French on the follies of young women. Major John André, about whom she composed her Monody, had courted one of Seward's close friends and went on to be accused and executed by the Americans as a spy during the Revolutionary War. The pieces in the second volume include 8 pages of "Verses by Miss Seward, on receving [sic] Mr Hayley's Picture drawn for her by Mr. Romney," signed by Seward and dated Litchfield, November 7, 1781; a 12-line "Epitaph On Anne Whately who died May 1793 aged ten years"; and two undated sonnets.

William Hayley was an English poet who briefly courted Seward and with whom she corresponded throughout her adult life. The William L. Clements Library holds prints of the George Romney portrait to which her poem refers. Anne Whately has not been identified.

The Glen papers consists of fifteen letters written to Henry Glen over a period of twenty years by family members and business acquaintances while Glen served as a member of the first three Provincial Congresses, as a member of the Committee of Safety, and as the deputy quartermaster general.

The Henry Glen collection consists of fifteen letters written to Mr. Glen over a period of twenty years by family members and business acquaintances. All but one of the letters was written while Glen was a representative in Congress. Nine of the letters date between February 1795 and February 1796.

The subject matter varies considerably. Two themes, corresponding to the two areas where letters are focused, dominate the letters. Five items, dated March 1795 through September 1795, follow the Jay Treaty from its arrival in Philadelphia through ratification and the ensuing political turmoil. Three letters, dated October 1797 through August 1799, discuss the difficulties involved with supplying troops in northwestern New York.

Three individual letters are interesting for their observations on local politics. Leonard Bronck's, a first term New York State Senator wrote to Mr. Glen in February 1796, describing the activities of the state senate. Joseph Hopkinson's letter (1801 February 15), is the reply to an earlier Glen letter (missing). Hopkinson's letter describes the responses within Philadelphia to Congressional debates over who should be the next president. Mr. Glen's earlier letter was the basis for Philadelphia's knowledge of the Congressional debates at that time. Finally, one letter from Glen's son, John Visscher, (1795 September 5) touches tangentially upon the Jay Treaty, but also provides a description of the political turmoil and suspicions in Philadelphia at the time.

The Horatio Nelson collection consists of two bound volumes of Nelson’s incoming and outgoing correspondence, and chronologically arranged box of letters and documents, primarily related to the Royal Navy and British international relations during the early 19th century.

The Horatio Nelson collection (117 items) consists of two bound volumes of Nelson’s incoming and outgoing correspondence, and one chronologically arranged box of letters and documents, primarily related to the Royal Navy and British international relations during the early 19th century.

Volume I, "Lord Nelson and the Battle of Copenhagen" (35 items, April 4, 1801-July 30, 1801), contains 20 letters between Nelson and Hans Lindholm concerning the battle and diplomatic relations between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Russia, including efforts to secure peace between Great Britain and Denmark. Letters to Nelson from other writers about the Royal Navy and Nelson's military career are also present.

Volume II, "Letters of Horatio Lord Nelson to Captain S. Sutton, R. N. with Memorabilia of the Battle of Trafalgar" (30 items, October 28, 1773; October 22, 1801-September 25, 1805), contains Nelson's letters to Sutton (18 items), as well as additional correspondence and documents related to the Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson's death. In his letters to Sutton, Nelson discussed various naval issues, such as ship movements, the possibility of treaty between Great Britain and France in 1801, and tensions with France in 1805. Other items include engravings of Nelson, "Bacchante," and Nelson's column; Cuthbert Collingwood's orders for Nelson to sail to Cadiz and spy on the enemy fleet (August 24, 1805); Samuel Sutton's admission ticket for Nelson's funeral; and illustrated manuscripts about Royal Navy night signals, its order of battle, and Nelson's final flag-based signal to the fleet ("England expects every man will do his D U T Y").

A chronological series of manuscripts (52 items, 1781-1805) covers Horatio Nelson’s naval career in the West Indies, Mediterranean, and Baltic. A 46-page manuscript describes Horatio Nelson’s attempts in the British West Indies to curtail illegal trade with the United States of America from June 1784 through July 1786. Several letters relate to Nelson’s diplomatic and naval efforts in Italy in the late 1790s. Others detail Nelson’s involvement in and opinion of European political and military affairs, including relations with France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Sweden, Denmark, and Russia. The collection also includes series of correspondence with William Hamilton, Robert Barlow, and John Hookham Frere. For additional information about each individual item, see the Detailed Box and Folder Listing.