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Collection

William Abbatt collection, 1927-1931

5 items

The William Abbatt collection contains correspondence related to Abbatt's authorial and editorial work about the American Revolution.

The William Abbatt collection contains correspondence and a newspaper clipping related to Abbatt's scholarly work about the American Revolution. The four letters in the collection represented Abbatt's efforts to ensure historical accuracy throughout his work. Specific subjects addressed in the collection included the historiography of the American Revolution and of Benedict Arnold's invasion of New York, archival records of two members of the Continental Army, the proper use of military titles for retired officers, and Return Jonathan Meigs' involvement in Montgomery's attack on Québec. The newspaper clipping, mounted on the back of a printed petition from George Wilkes to the House of Representatives (December 10, 1848), commemorated a site related to Benedict Arnold's Québec invasion, which was flooded following the completion of a local dam.

Collection

Ann Meech Williams Collection, 1809-1865

51 items

This collection contains 55 letters and legal documents related to attempts by Ann Meech Williams (ca. 1776-1857) to secure a widow's pension for the service of Timothy Meech (ca. 1741-1825), lieutenant in 10th Company, 2nd Regiment, Massachusetts Militia (Hampshire Company), during the American Revolution.

This collection contains 55 letters and legal documents related to attempts by Ann Meech Williams (ca. 1776-1857) to secure a widow's pension for the service of Timothy Meech (ca. 1741-1825), lieutenant in 10th Company, 2nd Regiment, Massachusetts Militia (Hampshire Company), during the American Revolution.

The bulk of the collection is 48 letters related to Ann's pension claim, including 27 between Ann's executor and son-in-law Hosea Allen, and attorney Horatio S. Noyes. The remaining items are legal documents, supporting or related to the pension claim.

The documents include:
  • Certificate of marriage, for Timothy Meech and Ann Caldwell (m. April 19, 1809).
  • Partially printed certificate of marriage, for Hosea Allen and Lydia Beech (m. April 8, 1834).
  • Title leaf of the New Testament with genealogical information on the verso, [after 1835].
  • Last Will and Testament of Ann Williams, May 31, 1843.
  • Partially printed widow's pension deposition form, State of Massachusetts, March 11, 1856.
  • Partially printed "Affidavit and Power of Attorney" form for "Revolutionary Pension Claims," 185-.
  • Marriage notice, for Timothy Meech and Mary Brumbly (1743-1807), undated.

The Clements Library holds the Hosea Allen and Rodman Palmer Collection, which is comprised of additional documentation related to Ann Williams's pension claims and Hosea Allen's efforts on her behalf. Finding aid: Hosea Allen and Rodman Palmer Collection.

Collection

The History of the Reign of George III, 1820-1823

3 volumes

This collection consists of volumes II, III, and IV of The History of the Reign of George III, King of Great Britain, which anonymous author "K. H." composed in Gloucestershire, England, between 1820 and 1823. The treatise covers Great Britain's domestic and international political affairs in depth, including conflicts in North America during the Revolutionary War era and the War of 1812.

This collection consists of volumes II, III, and IV of The History of the Reign of George III, King of Great Britain, which anonymous author "K. H." composed in Gloucestershire, England, between 1820 and 1823. The treatise covers Great Britain's domestic and international political affairs in depth, including conflicts in North America during the American Revolutionary era and the War of 1812. The location of volume I is unknown.

The three volumes, formally titled "The History of the Reign of George III, King of Great Britain (Designed as a Continuation of Mr. Smollet's History)," have 1,323 pages that cover the period between 1770 and the King's death in 1820. Volume IV also contains a 214-page appendix that provides supplemental information for the years 1763-1820. Each chapter is preceded by a detailed list of contents.

The densely-written account chronicles the country's internal and external political affairs, as well as events occurring throughout Europe and, to a lesser extent, North America and North Africa. Topics addressed concern parliamentary leadership, wars, shifting alliances among major European powers, the French Revolution, and Britain's relationship with Ireland. The final chapter contains the author's reflections on King George III, written shortly after the King's death.

The appendix at the conclusion of Volume IV contains annual lists of appointments, births, marriages, and deaths between 1763 and 1820, as well as other information about domestic and European political affairs. The appointments include British political, religious, and military figures, and reflect some changes in peerage. Also recorded are births and deaths of European royal families.

Collection

Revolutionary War diary, 1776-1793 (majority within 1776)

34 pages (1 volume)

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."

Collection

Letters to the Editor of the United Service Journal, 1829-1837

54 items

The collection consists of letters and essays submitted to the editor of the United Service Journal for publication, principally regarding British naval and military matters.

The collection consists of letters and essays submitted to the editor of the United Service Journal for publication, principally regarding British naval and military matters. Topics range from naval architecture, technology, and weaponry, to histories of naval and specific military engagements and defenses of individual persons. The letters also regard such matters as the recovery of the HMS Thetis off the Brazilian coast, charities and education efforts, discipline, piracy, officer promotions, and military mortality in Canada. Several letters reference disagreements over articles published in the United Service Journal.

Collection

Thomas Hutchinson diary extracts, 1774-1780

1 volume

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.

Collection

Revolutionary War orders, written in Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, [1781?]

1 volume

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]."

Collection

John Atkinson papers, 1742-1876 (majority within 1812-1840)

265 items

This collection contains business and personal papers of John Atkinson and his family, with the bulk of the items documenting their postwar business ventures in commercial trade, land speculation, and investments in the Bellows Falls Canal Company. The letters also describe contemporary reactions of British merchants before, during, and after the Revolution; events in New York City during the War of 1812; and domestic and social situations of a prosperous nineteenth-century family.

This collection contains business and personal papers of John Atkinson and his family, with the bulk of the items documenting their postwar business ventures in commercial trade, land speculation, and investments in the Bellows Falls Canal Company. Since Atkinson lived in New York City until 1819, the collection contains many detailed reports on the financing and operations of the canal company.

Business correspondence (includes letters to and from):
  • Alexander Fleming (1790-1867), husband to Atkinson’s daughter, Emma Seton
  • Francis Green, husband to Caroline Francis, cousin to Elizabeth Atkinson, and business partner with Alexander Fleming
  • Isaac and Richard Smith, business associates of John Atkinson
  • Charles Storer, Elizabeth's brother, who managed many of Atkinson's interests in Vermont and was the clerk of the canal corporation between 1804-1814
  • Joshua Wentworth, Atkinson's shipping agent stationed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Family letters (include personal and business correspondence to and from):
  • Betsy, John’s wife
  • John's brothers, Francis and Hodgson Atkinson
  • Daughters Mary Ann, Eliza, Emma, Caroline Francis
  • Sons John Jr., George, and William
  • George Atkinson, nephew of John

Beyond letters documenting Atkinson's business activities, this collection also accounts contemporary reactions of British merchants before, during, and after the Revolution. Letters from Joshua Wentworth, Atkinson's agent in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, describe difficulties procuring ships and transporting goods, before the war. John Atkinson, Jr. wrote several letters from New York City in the spring of 1813, in which he mentions events in the War of 1812, including the city's reception for the crew of the frigate United States, the blockading of the Atlantic coast, and seizure of coasters by the British. Many letters also contain domestic and social information written by Atkinson family women.

The Letter Books series contains three volumes of carbon copy letters concerning the management of George Atkinson’s property in America, including the canal company. They describe the toll that railroad traffic took on Bellows Falls Canal use. The first and second books, (October 10, 1836-September 17, 1840 and November 3, 1840-February 27, 1847, respectively) have alphabetical indexes of names mentioned in the books, while the third volume (March 12, 1847-September 15, 1849) has no index and is only ¼ full. The diary pages are extremely fragile and the texts are typically impressions from carbon paper copying except for the page numbers, which are in ink or pencil. The second and third volumes were kept by a J.L. Stackpole.

The Documents and Deeds series consists of various contracts, bills, inheritance documents, and land transfers. Included in this series are thirteen oversized items, all of which document the sale of land. Atkinson purchased land along the Delaware River in New York State; in Middle Island Creek in Ohio County, Virginia; in Ulysses, Pennsylvania; along the Cacapon River in Hampshire County, Western Virginia; and in Columbia Territory, Maryland. He sold land in Ontario, New York, and Bellows Falls, Vermont, to his son-in-law Alexander Fleming. The 1830 item is a deed recording the sale of Bellows Falls land by Fleming to his business partner Henry Green. These items not only document the transaction, but often describe the land's dimensions, characteristics, and previous ownership.

The Printed Items series consists of four newspaper clippings.

The Miscellaneous series holds one item: a detached book front cover with J. Atkinson's name printed on the inside.

Collection

John Thomas Batt papers, 1772-1808 (majority within 1780-1788)

60 items

This collection is made up of 49 letters and 11 documents and other items, consisting primarily of the incoming correspondence of barrister John Thomas Batt from English and Irish aristocrats, politicians, and state figures. The letters pertain to the end of the American Revolution, the Franco-American alliance, political turmoil in Ireland from the 1780s through the early 1800s, and matters relating to English politics.

This collection is made up of 49 letters and 11 documents and other items, consisting primarily of the incoming correspondence of barrister John Thomas Batt from English and Irish aristocrats, politicians, and state figures. John Thomas Batt received 48 letters from many associates, including John Pennington, 1st Baron Muncaster (14 letters. 1785-1788); George Spencer, 4th duke of Marlborough (1 letter, 1780); John Charles Villiers, 3rd earl of Clarendon (1 letter, 1784); Thomas Orde-Powlett, 1st Baron Bolton (2 letters, 1784-1785); Thomas Villiers, 1st earl of Clarendon (4 letters, 1776-1784); Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (2 letters, 1801-1805); Rev. Thomas Jeans (2 letters, 1777); Frederick Robinson (3 letters, 1772-1773); Robert Henley, 2nd earl of Northington (13 letters, 1774-1785); John Russell, Duke of Bedford (3 letters, 1783); John Freeman-Mitford, 1st baron Redesdale (2 letters, 1806-1808); and William Pitt the Younger (1 letter, undated).

John Pennington was Batt's most frequent correspondent. The baron's 14 letters mostly pertain to financial and business dealings, including the falling out of partnership between Muncaster and Batt. In 13 letters from the 2nd earl of Northington, he discussed many topics, including the possibly of a treaty as signed between the French and Americans through Benjamin Franklin (Undated), the fourth Anglo-Dutch war (January 1, 1781), and, as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, his attempts to secure better food bonds for the Irish people (June 14, 1783). Thomas Villiers, 1st earl of Clarendon, sent Batt four letters, congratulating him on becoming a "brother officer," eliciting meetings between the two, congratulating Batt upon his position of Clerk of the Crown at Lancaster, and assuring Batt that people have a high regard for him.

Batt's other correspondents shed light on English political jousting, the American alliance with France and war with England, and turmoil occurring in Ireland. In John Russell's three letters, he discussed the passage of the Sugar Duty in 1783 (November 23, 1783), an attempt to buy a Bishopship in Ireland (December 15, 1783), and the "late Revolution in the political world" as was occurring in England, Ireland, and America in 1783 (December 23, 1783). Frederick Robinson's three letters between 1772 and 1773 detail his life in Spain in Madrid and "Escurial" (El Escorial), working for the English embassy. In the three letters of Henry Addington, he discussed an unnamed position and invited Batt to Downing Street. In 1777, the Reverend Thomas Jeans wrote about the purchase of clothing, the Franco-American alliance, and his work at the British Embassy in Paris as a chaplain to the Viscount Stormont. John Freedman-Mittford, Lord Redesdale's correspondence with Batt respects Redesdale's opinions of the Irish people in 1806, as well as his opinion of the Irish House of Commons (June 14, 1806). Thomas Orde warned in one letter that a change in the English government would be "ruinous" (June 23, 1785). One note from William Pitt the Younger, written in the 3rd person, extends an invitation to dine at Downing Street (Undated).

The remaining 11 items include drafts, documents, appointments, a recipe for cleaning stone walls, and unattached covers. The drafts regard Parliamentary matters; two vellum documents certify Batt to practice in the court of law (April 6, 1776) and appoint him Clerk of the Crown at Lancaster (June 29, 1780). Two documents from George Townsend concern financial matters (June 21, 1786; April 6 1786) and two others from the Whitehall Treasury Chambers relate to a loan of 10 million pounds to fund the Navy, Victualing, and Ordinance (November 18, 1785; January 18; 1786). The three unattached covers are from letters to Batt by Robert Henley, 2nd earl of Northington.

Collection

D. Bell letters, 1777

4 items

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.

Collection

Bland family papers, 1665-1912 (majority within 1778-1834)

58 items

The Bland family papers contain correspondence, documents, and genealogical information related to the family of Theodoric Bland, a Continental Army officer, delegate to the Continental Congress, and Virginia politician.

The Bland family papers contain correspondence, documents, and genealogical information related to the family of Theodoric Bland, a Continental Army officer, delegate to the Continental Congress, and Virginia politician. The earliest items in the Correspondence and Documents series are related to his ancestors, including a court document from "James Citty," listing a "Theo. Bland" as a member of the court (October 16, 1665), and a 1720 letter regarding British military affairs. The Theodoric Bland in this collection wrote the majority of items, often copies of his outgoing correspondence related to local and national politics in the latter years of the American Revolution; among these are letters to Benjamin Harrison and to Patrick Henry. Two items concern the Siege of Gibraltar, including a 1778 warrant for John Sweetland and a letter by Thomas Cranfield to his mother and father about his experiences during the siege (September 7, 1783). The collection also holds a muster roll of Lt. Purviss's Company, in a regiment of guards, from 1779. Later legal documents pertain to the career of Maryland judge Theodorick Bland, of another branch of the Virginia Bland family. Later material includes several personal letters to "Mr. and Mrs. Bland" from family and friends dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as responses to genealogical inquiries.

The Genealogy and Images series contains engravings and drawings of several Bland family members, including a detailed pencil drawing of P. E. Bland, who served as a colonel in the Civil War. Other genealogical notes trace branches of the family through the mid-19th and early-20th centuries.

The Bookplates and Printed Items series holds several bookplates, 20th century newspaper clippings, and pages from books.

Collection

Henry Addison papers, 1776-1784

39 items

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.

Collection

Richard Boycott orderly book, 1779-1781

1 volume

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.

Collection

Burd-Shippen papers, 1738-1847

0.5 linear feet

The Burd-Shippen papers contain personal and business documents concerning Edward Shippen, Edward Burd, and their families and Philadelphian colleagues. Many of Major Edward Burd's items concern the 1st Battalion of the Pennsylvania Regiment of Foot in the early years of the Revolutionary War.

The Burd-Shippen papers (184 items) contain personal and business documents concerning Edward Shippen, Edward Burd, and their families and Philadelphian colleagues. Many of Major Edward Burd's items concern the 1st Battalion of the Pennsylvania Regiment of Foot in the early years of the Revolutionary War.

The bulk of the collection is comprised of approximately 75 letters addressed to Edward Burd and his son Edward Shippen Burd, with a small group of correspondence from Edward Shippen. The collection also contains ten items concerning Edward S. Burd and his legal colleague William Tilghman. The remainder of the collection is composed of receipts and various legal documents, most relating to Edward Shippen, including a receipt for a slave and a woman's petition against her husband for abandonment of their child.

Edward S. Burd's legal notebook (95 pages) covers from 1817 to 1846, and contains real estate transactions, illustrated plans of lots, title briefs, and cost lists.

Collection

John Calef memorials and petitions, 1766-1782

12 items

This collection contains 12 official government documents concerning John Calef, a doctor and British loyalist, who lobbied on behalf of the Penobscot colony. Included in the collection are: memorials and petitions to the British House of Commons and Secretaries of State, memoranda and circulars from the Penobscot colony, and various official letters and requests, from John Calef.

The John Calef memorials and petitions contains 12 government related items including: memorials and petitions to the British House of Commons and Secretaries of State, memoranda and circulars from the Penobscot colony, and various official letters and requests, from John Calef. Two items of interest are a 1782 memorial and petition appointing Calef Inspector of His Majesty's Woods, and an Estimate of Losses sustained by the rebels, which lists Calef's personal possessions lost or destroyed by rebel forces between 1768 and 1782. The loyalist claims commission, after listening to his petitioning, awarded him a lump sum of £2,400 for his losses.

The Remarks of the Eastern Country of Massachusetts Bay gives a brief history of the land transactions between the Plymouth company and various colonists for the Penobscot between 1630 and 1780. Also of note is a document of excerpts of letters from various notable British officers praising Calef for his efforts and achievements during the war.

Collection

Lexington and Concord collection, 1775

22 items

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).

Collection

Jonathan Chase papers, 1775-1797

74 items

Online
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.

The collection contains 3 printed military certificates:
  • 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."
Collection

Choiseul correspondence, 1777-1781

15 items

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.

Collection

William Case Clark notebook, 1779-1788

1 volume

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.

Collection

Loftus Cliffe papers, 1769-1784

33 items

The Loftus Cliffe papers include seventeen items dating from Cliffe's service in the British Army during the American Revolution, 1776-1778. The letters detail his participation in campaigns in the mid-Atlantic theater, and include excellent descriptions of the Battles of Long Island, Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown.

The Loftus Cliffe papers consist of letters and receipts dating from Cliffe's service during the American Revolution, 1776-1778. The letters detail his participation in campaigns in the mid-Atlantic theater, and include excellent descriptions of the Battles of Long Island, Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown. As a junior officer assigned to a regiment under the direct command of William Howe Cliffe's letters form an important resource for study of the British military during the Revolution, but the importance of the collection goes beyond just this. Cliffe's strident masculinity, his love of the military, and his fondness for local color and for discussing the lifestyle of both Americans and British make these letters unusually entertaining, and his antagonism toward Major Joseph Ferguson of the 46th Regiment adds another interesting dimension. The post-Revolutionary portion of the Cliffe Papers consists of letters written from Britain, with the exception of a single letter written from India in January, 1784.