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The Elias and Andrew Durnford Royal Engineers orderly book contains copies of incoming and outgoing military orders and correspondence pertaining to the British Army's Corps of Royal Engineers in the late 18th century. Orders and letters from Major General James Bramham, Chief Engineer William Green, and others concern equipment, officers' pay, courts martial, and other military subjects.

The Elias and Andrew Durnford Royal Engineers orderly book contains 104 pages of copied incoming and outgoing military orders and correspondence pertaining to the British Army's Corps of Royal Engineers. Orders and letters from Major General James Bramham, Chief Engineer William Green, and others concern equipment, officers' pay, courts martial, and other military subjects. The correspondence is dated June 28, 1782-December 8, 1795.

The Durnfords' main correspondents, Major General James Bramham and Chief Engineer William Green, occasionally transmitted correspondence from King George III and Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond. The orders and letters often pertain to personnel-related issues, such as monetary compensation for lost baggage, officers' pay, command hierarchies, the creation of a Corps of Invalid Engineers, promotions, and hiring laborers in Canada and the West Indies. Others concern the maintenance of works and equipment and the relationship between the re-named Corps of Royal Engineers and other army units (pages 61-62). Lists relate to the reorganized hierarchical and pay structure of the Corps of Engineers (pages 22-24), items that officers should carry while stationed overseas (pages 2-3), and the distribution of engineers by seniority (pages 34-37) and by post (pages 37-40). At least two entries pertain to the court martial of Colonel Hugh Debbieg (November 2, 1784, pages 29-31; June 29, 1789, pages 73-79). Other entries address the court martial of Thomas Wheldale (May 25, 1791, pages 80-86) and the court martial of "Lieutenant Colonel Frazer" (September 10, 1792, page 91). Copied outgoing letters of Andrew Durnford include his acknowledgments of incoming correspondence (not present) and brief reports from St. George's, Bermuda.

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.

The Waldegrave Pelham Clay orderly books consist of three volumes of orders from Clay, a British lieutenant colonel who served in the Mediterranean in 1800, and as a major general, in the British West Indies between 1813-1815. The orders document the military's challenges in distributing food, water, supplies, clothes, and wages, and record disciplinary actions, promotions, and notable military events.

The Waldegrave Pelham Clay orderly books consist of three volumes from Clay, a British lieutenant colonel who served in the Mediterranean in 1800, and as a major general in the British West Indies between 1813-1815. The orders document the military's challenges in distributing food, water, supplies, clothes, and wages, and record disciplinary actions, promotions, and other notable military events.

Volume 1 (162 pages) spans from August 6, 1800-December 24, 1800, and consists of general orders and announcements relating to the 40th Regiment's movements in the Mediterranean and while it was stationed at Valletta and Malta, after the British Siege of Malta. The entries mention the HMS Hector (September 25, 1800) and the HMS Romulus (November 2, 1800). Many orders came from or mentioned Major General Henry Pigot, who was instrumental during the Siege of Malta. The bulk of the orders are from the December 1800, with daily entries covering several pages each. Included in the book are instructions on how to parade (August 7-14, 1800), a recipe for broth (August 19, 1800), and instances of sentencing for courts martial (November 27, 30, December 11, and 16, 1800). Also of note is an entry describing a soldier killed by a French sentinel after he "did not answer when challenged...[and] had straggled from his guard" (December 10, 1800). The order warned that this incident should not be "grounds for Disagreement or Jealousy" between the French and British troops. Women are also mentioned in the orders: the December 13 order stipulates that women and children would be able to draw rations (with amounts noted); and the December 23 order contains information on housing women in military hospitals. The back of this volume contains several charts for Captain Clay's 40th Regiment relating to "bread money accounts" and rations from 1793-1795. Approximately 80 pages were ripped out of the back.

This volume also contains one loose page (page 267) taken from a letterbook with three complete letters and one partial letter from Clay. Two letters, dated October 8 and December 27, 1817, are addressed to Charles Greenwood; a December 26, 1817, letter is addressed to General G. Gibbons; and the December 27, 1817, letter is to Edward. All are addressed from Southwell, England.

Volume 2 (212 pages) spans from November 8, 1811-March 20th 1813, and contains the day to day brigade orders of Clay's regiment while stationed at Antigua. The orders include the daily parole, information on food and supply rations, general instructions for the regiment, disciplinary records, and details on other British military outposts in the West Indies. The volume also contains copies of letters and circulars written from other headquarters in the West Indies including Barbados and Jamaica. The orderly book opens with an entry declaring Clay's command of Antigua.

• December 24, 1811, ordered rations for "Negros in the medical department"
• January 24, 1812, ordered a medical board to report "whether a Black Man named [Azer] Cadette, late a Private soldier in the 12th 10 F. Regiment is fit for [major] service."
• March 25, 1812, requested certificates for "Negros Employ'd not being the property of any officer."
• April 25, 1812, ordered an extra allowance of rum to those involved with extinguishing a fire.
• May 24, 1812, forbid bathing during the day because it was considered unhealthy.
• September 27, 1812, called for a celebration after a the Duke of Wellington's victory over the French at Salamanca in July 1812.
• January 26, 1813, news of a robbery and attempted murder by a group of men in a detachment at St. Johns.

This volume also contains a loose page, possibly from an orderly book. On one side are lists of "Allowances of Provisions to the Troops on board Men of War," and on the other are short entries of troop movements by sea of the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 40th Regiment, dated March 2-May 4.

Volume 3 (48 pages), which spans March 31-1813-May 13, 1815, documents Major General Clay's brigade orders, while he was stationed in Antigua and Port of Spain, Trinidad. This is like the other orderly books, in that this volume records how the regiment distributed water and rations, and notes disciplinary actions and celebrations. Though the book does not mention any military engagements, it does offer some information on events on the islands. Approximately 50 pages have been torn out of the book. The first page contains a copy of a form used when scheduling evening and night patrols. Notable entries include instructions to celebrate the Kings birthday with a "Royal Salute" and an extra allowance of rum (June 3, 1814); and the celebration of the Queen's Birthday on January 17, 1815. The entry from June 19, 1814, forbade smoking cigars or having fire close to the sea battery's magazines. Also of note are entries from February 24, 25, and 26, which reported the reactions of an "outrage of yesterday evening in the Green Market by some soldiers." The orders instituted a strict curfew with roll calls. Soldiers were also "strictly forbidden to appear in the Streets with large Sticks of Bludgeons or in the unmilitary practice of carrying their Bayonets, in their Hands, instead of having them suspended in their Belts" (June 25). The June 26 entry forbade soldiers from using their "firelocks for the purpose of using them as Fowling Pieces" (shooting at birds) after a child was wounded in the leg "by a slug fired in this manner by a Black Soldier."