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Manuscripts

Civil War Journal of William S. Trask, 1862-1865

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  • Journal of an officer of the 47th Regiment of Foot, after 1783

    Journal of an officer of the 47th Regiment of Foot, after 1783

    Manuscripts

    A fair copy of a journal kept by an unnamed officer of the 47th Regiment of Foot, probably of Major Acland's Grenadier Battalion, from April 19, 1775 through October of 1777. The journal covers the battles of Lexington and Concord (ff. 1-5), the siege of Boston (ff. 5- 23), and Burgoyne's invasion and the Saratoga Campaign,(ff. 23 -- 101), including the articles of surrender at Saratoga. The text comprises daily entries, copies of general orders, various returns and other regimental records, and routes from Saratoga to Cambrdige, Mass. and Charlottesville, Va. Also included are "Return of the Killed and wounded and Prisoners of the Army under the Command of His Excellency Lieutenant General Burgoyne in the course of the Campaign" (ff. 80 v. -- 87), "Return of the British Troops under the command of His Excellency Leiutenant General Burgoyne Camp at Saratoga. October 16, anno 1777," and the "Return of the Army of the United States of America Commanded by Major General Gates. Camp at Saratoga, Oct. 16, anno Domini 1777," (ff. 88-90), copies of various general orders of Burgoyne's command of issued from July 19 to June 1777, and an incomplete account of Lady Harriet Acland's ordeal, evidently taken from Burgoyne's memoirs (ff. 103-109 v.) The copy was probably created in the late 1780s or early 1790s.

    mssHM 66

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    John William Bruce reminiscences of the Civil War

    Manuscripts

    Typed address given by John William Bruce to Merrill High School. With the speech is an ambrotype of John William Bruce in his Army uniform, approximately 1861.

    mssHM 27219

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    Journal of a cruise on board of the U.S. ship of war Chesapeake James Barron Esq. Commander in the Mediterranean Command of Saturday, 16th June, 1807, by Lieut. W.H. Allen

    Manuscripts

    The log book kept by William H. Allen onboard of the Chesapeake. The entries cover the periods of June 6 - July 11 and Sept. 2-6, 1807; and June 11-13, July 13-23, Aug. 2- Sept. 1, 1808.

    mssHM 564

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    David S. Maynard diary of an overland journey from Ohio to Puget Sound

    Manuscripts

    In this journal, David Maynard relates details of his journey such as supplies purchased, medical treatment sought, as well as brief details regarding progress in his travels. Pre-printed diary filled in by hand; many blank pages. Diary bound in black limp leather, and dated 1850, January 1 - December 30. Also included is printed receipt for a $200 loan from the Banking House of Ben E. Snipes & Co., Ellensburgh, Washington, signed by Maynard.

    mssHM 997

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    Civil War collection

    Manuscripts

    A collection of 546 items containing chiefly letters written by prominent military figures during the American Civil War (1781-1915, bulk 1861-1865); also included are some documents, a diary, manuscript maps, and battle plans. The collection focus is upon the land forces with a few pieces related to the Union navy. Significant persons represented in the collection, among others: Pierre G. T. Beauregard, Benjamin F. Butler, Jefferson Davis, David G. Farragut, Ulysses S. Grant, Henry W. Halleck, Edward Hatch, Joseph E. Johnston, Robert E. Lee, Francis W. Pickens, Philip H. Sheridan, William T. Sherman, and George H. Thomas.Material created by U.S. presidents in this collection include: James Buchanan autograph note, 1861 February 28, added to Winfield Scott letter to Joseph Holt, 1861 February 26 (CW 388); James A. Garfield, Chattanooga, autograph letter signed to "Brother Evrett," Detroit, 1863 October 5 (CW 133); Andrew Johnson, Washington, D.C., autograph letter signed to Edwin M. Stanton, 1867 February 11 (CW 215). Also present are the following Ulysses S. Grant items: autograph note signed to unidentified recipient, 1862 February 26 (CW 144); autograph letter signed, Pittsburg Landing, to Henry Halleck, 1862 April 28 (CW 146); autograph order no. 111, 1863 April 21 (CW 154); autograph letter signed, Culpeper, to Edward Davis Townsend, 1864 March 30 (CW 153); autograph letter signed, Washington, D.C., to Lorenzo Thomas, 1864 April 4 (CW 152); autograph letter signed, City Point, to Benjamin Butler, 1864 November 30 (CW 145); autograph letters signed to George Henry Thomas sent from Chattanooga, 1863 November 7 (CW 149); Nashville, 1864 January 19 (CW 150); and City Point, 1865 January 31 (CW 151); and autograph letters signed, City Point, to George Gordon Meade, 1864 July 14 (CW 147) and 1865 March 27 (CW 148).

    mssCW

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    William S. Elder letterbooks

    Manuscripts

    Two letterpress copy books of outgoing letters sent by William S. Elder between 1890 and 1904 from Deadwood, South Dakota. The first volume, which covers March 1890-December 1899, primarily focuses on Elder's law practice, including his activities as a land agent, debt collector, mediator of mining claims, and probate attorney. The cases described in his letters involve clients from Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas, and New York. Occasional references are made to the American Express Mine, the Brookline Mining Company, and the Imperial Gold Mining and Milling Company. Some notable items include a letter outlining Elder's own potential mining plans in the Black Hills (February 7, 1899), his opinion on the prohibition of liquor sales (June 11, 1890), and a letter on property issues surrounding the Burlington and Missouri Railroad (August 12, 1890). The second volume, dated February 1903-April 1904, also includes references to Elder's legal cases, some involving clients from Pennsylvania and Germany and including references to divorces and mining issues. References are made to the Gold Hills Mining Company, Reliance Gold Mining Company, Homestake Belt Gold Mining Company, the American Express Mine, The Black Hills and Kansas Oil and Gas Company, and the Columbus Consolidated Company. The majority of the volume revolves around Elder's own mining interests with the Imperial Gold Mining and Milling Company and the Black Hills Copper Company, as well as his investments in developing the Black Hills Trust and Savings Bank. Many of the letters - including those to clients, investors, and associates - describe Elder's various money-making schemes to finance his mining operations, the outlook for which was initially dire. Elder wrote to an associate in Arizona in August 1903 that "...things are in pretty bad shape here, as you know; our mill is closed down, our mines are closed down, we have no developments going on and we are in debt." But conditions seem to have improved by April 1904, when Elder wrote to a New York colleague that "...after a long, hard battle I believe we are going to make money out of our mining company." Included throughout both volumes are approximately 15 letters, dated 1898-1903, dealing with Chinese-American business owners and Chinese immigration issues. The majority of these letters were written by Elder to agents in Port Townsend, Washington; to the Director of Immigration in Portal, North Dakota; to the Collector of Customs in San Francisco; and to the Secretary of the Treasury in Washington, D.C. Legal matters discussed include the detention of American-born or legal resident Chinese unable to prove their citizenship claims (see April 21, 1898, May 7, 1898, November 4, 1899, and September 29, 1903), the procurement of travel documents allowing Chinese-Americans, most of them business owners, to visit China and return to the United States (see November 7, 1895, May 22, 1903, July 20, 1903, August 11, 1903, and August 21, 1903), debt claims among Chinese-American merchants (see August 31, 1899, September 29, 1899, and November 14, 1899), and questions on Chinese immigration and residency issues (see August 20, 1903, and December 2, 1903).

    mssHM 78058-78059