Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 70,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World to soldiers’ letters from World War II and Vietnam. Explore primary sources, visit exhibitions in person or online, or bring your class on a field trip.

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26 June 1783

Campbell, John (fl. 1782-1783)

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Receipt for shoes]

Receipt for three hundred pairs of shoes from Morris Carl for troops marching towards Philadelphia.

GLC02437.02189

26 June 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Manuscript letter

Title: to John Paterson

Written and signed for Knox by Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide-de-camp. Informs General Paterson that Knox has sent him three hundred pairs of shoes for his troops. Writes that other companies have been instructed to follow Paterson as soon as they arrive. See GLC02437.02189, the receipt for the shoes.

GLC02437.02191

28 June 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Hugh Maxwell

Written by Major General Knox to Colonel Maxwell. Orders that the remainder of the 3rd Regiment must march at 3 a.m. tomorrow morning. Tells him that provisions for 4 days must be drawn today and that the men need to have hard bread. Hopes he made arrangements to have shoes here in early in the afternoon. Needs a return of the number of men that will march.

GLC02437.02200

29 June 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Informs General Washington that 250 men of the 3rd Massachusetts will not be ready to march until the afternoon due to lack of essential articles for their march. Reports that the regiment is without their compliment of field officers and Colonels Michael Jackson and Rose have never joined at the post. Also reports that Lieutenant Colonel Maxwell and Major Pettingal are unwell.

GLC02437.02202

29 June 1783

Trumbull, Jonathan (1740-1809)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Jonathan Trumbull Jr., General Washington's secretary. Responds on behalf of Washington to Knox's previous letter regarding the [3rd Massachusetts] being without their compliment of field officers (see letter GLC02437.02202). Writes that at present, lack of field officers can not be remedied. Reports that Colonel Rose is ill and Colonel Michael Jackson is unable to perform the duty. "Public service" written on address leaf with no signature.

GLC02437.02203

29 June 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Manuscript letter

Title: to Captain Cogswell

Written, signed, and docketed for General Henry Knox by Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide-de-camp. Commands Cogswell to join the brigade on its march to Philadelphia. Instructs him to move expeditiously and take the route via Kingwood, Pompton, Morristown, Somerset Court House, Princeton, Trenton, and Bristol. Provides further marching instructions including where to draw provisions.

GLC02437.02201

30 June 1783

Wheaton, Joseph (1755-1828)

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Letter to officers defending himself against accusations]

Written by Lieutenant Wheaton of the Rhode Island Battalion. Long letter describing his service in the army and denouncing the accusations made in "envy" against him. Says he has been in the army close to eight years and has not seen his family. Says the accusations stem from events in August 1782 when he was left in command of 2 companies and the garrison at Saratoga, New York. Says that a Lt. Pratt sent him "insulting and mutinous answers" to an order for him to sign the morning reports and attend to the duties of commanding officer.

GLC02437.02204

10 July 1783

Washington, George (1732-1799)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George A. Washington

re: Pennsylvania troops mutiny, Treaty of Paris. Docketed p.4 by nephew. Also mentions Congress moving to New Jersey. The letter is in very poor condition from severe mold damage (inactive).

GLC00652

13 July 1783

Schuyler, Philip John (1733-1804)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stephen Van Rensselaer

Written by Schuyler as a New York state senator to Van Rensselaer as a wealthy landowner. Thanks him for his letter of 12 July and for dispatching the letters. Says the cotton and locks arrived after he had written his daughter Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Says he has nothing new to tell other than the "meeting" in Philadelphia, but since it is in the newspapers he will not repeat it.

GLC02498.11

13 July 1783

Gibbs, Caleb (ca. 1748-1818)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Major Gibbs writes from Germantown, outside of Philadelphia, to General Henry Knox, Commander of West Point Describes in detail the march of his detachment from West Point to quell mutineers in Pennsylvania. On the way, they passed through Princeton, New Jersey, where Congress was stationed at that time.

GLC02437.10121

15 July 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Written by Major General Knox to Secretary of War Lincoln. Writes respecting the arsenal and magazines to let Lincoln know that his orders are "impracticable" to execute. Reminds Lincoln that he is the President of the Massachusetts branch of the Society for the Cincinnati and that he is Lincoln's deputy. Wants to know if Lincoln will be giving him his orders. Encloses some additions respecting the Society's medal (not included). References Congress fleeing Philadelphia to Trenton in the face of an angry mob of veterans.

GLC02437.02291

21 July 1783

Pendleton, Edmund (1721-1803)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Madison

Discussion of the Army mutiny at Newburgh, suggests New York or Williamsburg for the new national capitol, Virginia House of Delegates, and treaty with Sweden. Watermark of Lion with sword facing away from soldier with tricorner hat on bayonet, both surrounded by picket fence. Countermark "GR" underneath an upside-down bell.

GLC00099.119

31 July 1783

Brooks, David (1756-1838)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Brooks as Assistant Clothier General to General Knox. Says that about 26 June when the troops marched from West Point for Philadelphia an order from Washington for 300 pairs of shoes for the 2nd Massachusetts Brigade and 2nd Massachusetts Regiment was sent out. Heard that they were to be delivered by Knox's order. Wants to know how many were delivered to each regiment and who received them so they can be properly accounted for. Wants a receipt written on the back of the order dispersing the shoes until he can get the proper vouchers.

GLC02437.02353

26 September 1783

Washington, George (1732-1799)

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Encloses resolves of Congress. Instructs Knox to publish the resolves for the army. Expresses great pleasure in Congress's commendation of General [Robert] Howe and his detachment (for their role in suppressing the Philadelphia mutiny of 1783). See GLC02437.02559 for this resolve of Congress.

GLC02437.09390

2 October 1783

Simonds, Jonas (fl. 1783)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses a mutiny that occurred in Philadelphia in which he has been accused of participating. Asks Knox to help clear his name. Simonds [or Symonds] is probably referring the the Philadelphia Mutiny of June 1783, an anti-government protest by nearly 400 soldiers of the Continental Army.

GLC02437.02609

8 October 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Lets Washington know that he received his message concerning clothing for the troops over the winter and the resolves of Congress thanking General [Robert] Howe and his detachment. Notes that he enclosed a weekly return of the troops. Discusses the return of men to regiments and the numbers that will be discharged. Asks that the quartermaster make the necessary arrangements for five to six hundred men to obtain wood for the upcoming winter. Says there is a board of inspection assigned to discharging all of the infirm men, but they have not yet made a report.

GLC02437.10163

18 October 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jonas Simonds

Congratulates Symonds (or Simonds) on his acquittal and mentions being ignorant of a peace establishment. Jonas was accused of participating in the Philadelphia Mutiny of June 1783, an anti-government protest by nearly 400 soldiers of the Continental Army (see GLC02437.02609 for a related letter). Knox advises Simonds that former officers should procure farms. States that if land cannot be gotten cheap in the more settled areas, to move to less settled land. Believes that "industry in such a situation is honorable as well as profitable and productive of much peace of mind."

GLC02437.02677

4 February 1790

Carrington, Edward (1749-1810)

Autograph document signed

Title: [Carrington' s affidavit related to General Nathanael Greene and John Banks]

Provides an affidavit explaining why Nathanael Greene agreed to provide security for the debts of John Banks. Relates that in 1783, Robert Morris, Superintendent of Finance, asked Greene to arrange for the supply of provisions to the Southern Army when their existing contract expired. The only private contractor who would agree to negotiate with Greene was John Banks. Greene had no choice but to accept Banks's offer, even though he thought Banks's terms were too high, and the contract between Banks and the Southern Army commenced 20 February 1783.

GLC02437.04498

2 March 1790

Carrington, Edward (1749-1810)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Encloses his affidavit (not present) upon the circumstances of private merchant John Bank's contract with Nathanael Greene to supply the southern army with provisions in 1783. It later came to light that Banks was involved in disreputable business dealings and Greene wanted to renounce any involvement with him. Both Carrington and General Anthony Wayne were asked by Greene to provide affidavits disclaiming any financial connection between Banks and Greene. Carrington asks Knox to withdraw his old affidavit and send this new one to Congress in its place.

GLC02437.04525

4 September 1791

St. Clair, Arthur (1734-1818)

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Collection of eight letters. Letters dated 4 September, 14 September, 16 September, 23 September, 10 October, 17 October, 21 October, 1 November. Discusses the transportation of goods, supplies and horses. Mentions problems with raising troops and handling misdemeanors. Later ones discuss conflict with the Indians and the difficulty of battle. Writes "I have been on the point of losing the Virginia Battallion - it is a considerable time ago that I knew of some discontents in that Corps, but was led to believe it was among the officers ...

GLC02437.10237

15 November 1793

Wayne, Anthony (1745-1796)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Marked "Private." Makes reference to the "baneful leaven," the radical democratic principles of the French Revolution, influencing troops in his army. Mentions that Thomas Paine's "The rights of man, has been held up as a Criterion, even of Military Government.

GLC02437.05975

1 August 1795

Wayne, Anthony (1745-1796)

Autograph document

Title: [General Orders].

Lieutenant Sterrit's recently arrived detachment will be mustered tomorrow. Cornet W. Dermott was court martialled on charges disobeying orders, contempt for superiors, mutinous and seditious conduct. He was acquitted of the charges and ordered to be released immediately. Wayne was the general in command of the United States Army in Greeneville, Ohio.

GLC04864.08

11 June 1806

Gleason, John (fl. 1796-1811)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Describes another visit from Captain Killeran [usually spelled "Kelleran"- may be Benjamin or Edward]. Writes that he has brought a variety of cargo, including iron and coffee, and will depart again soon with another shipment. Discusses recent stormy weather and mutinous workmen. Provides other noteworthy information about the Knox estate and the lime business.

GLC02437.07944

06 May 1809

Madison, James (1751-1836)

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Michael Bright and eight others for obstructing justice].

Countersigned by Secretary of State Robert Smith. Pardoned by Madison because their crimes arose from a sense of duty, not disobediance. The recipients of the pardon were Michael Bright, James Atkinson, William Cole, Charles Westfall, Samuel Wilkins, Abraham Ogden, Daniel Phyle, Charles Horey and John Knife. They were convicted in Philadelphia.

GLC00045.01

1828

Binns, John (1772-1860)

Pamphlet

Title: Monumental Inscriptions.

8 images of fictitious funeral monuments, each to a man executed by Jackson. The first six are for Tennessee militiamen executed in February 1815, after the Battle of New Orleans, for being deserters. The last two are for John Woods, a mutineer Jackson had executed during the Creek War. The imagined tombstones bear inscriptions detailing how each was a good man and soldier, and regardless of this, was "By the Orders of General Andrew Jackson, Shot to Death." Each monument was supposedly erected on 4 July, 1828.

GLC08460

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