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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15 November 1716

Bourke, Edward (fl. 1700-1730)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Cadogan

Written to John Williams, a pseudonym Cadogan used in his correspondence with Bourke. Bourke mentions previous correspondence to and from Cadogan, which discussed Bourke's discovery of a Jacobite plot. Bourke relates that his brother Ulick Bourke was instructed to deliver a letter from Lord Abingdon (Montagu Venables-Bertie, 2nd Earl of Abingdon) to Monsieur Sheldon (possibly Dominick Sheldon).

GLC01450.446.07

21 November 1716

Cadogan, William, Earl (1672?-1726)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward Bourke

Discusses previous correspondence related to a Jacobite plot (refer to other items in the GLC01450.446 collection). Mentions the unreliable nature of sending information through the post, and promises Bourke a pension he previously requested in return for information he supplied Cadogan regarding Jacobite treason. States that he will send his aide-de-camp, Colonel Huske, to Cambray to deliver Bourke's money. Mentions treasonous letters Bourke previously discovered between lords in England and Mr. Sheldon (possibly Dominick Sheldon).

GLC01450.446.09

24 November 1716

Cadogan, William, Earl (1672?-1726)

Autograph letter

Title: to Edward Bourke

Discusses previous correspondence between Bourke and Cardogan regarding a Jacobite plot in Cambray, France (refer to previous letters in the GLC01450.446 collection). Refers to the dangerous nature of sending confidential materials through the post. Discusses the delivery of money to Bourke by Colonel Huske, Cadogan's aide-de-camp. Asserts that Huske will also give Bourke a letter written in Cadogan's hand (and attests that all previous correspondence from Cadogan was written in his own hand).

GLC01450.446.10

29 November 1716

Bourke, Edward (fl. 1700-1730)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Cadogan

Discusses previous correspondence between Bourke and Cadogan regarding Bourke's discovery of a Jacobite plot in Cambray, France (refer to previous letters in the GLC01450.446 collection). Discusses a letter (not included) from Mr. Sheldon (possibly Dominick Sheldon), that Bourke may be transmitting to Cadogan, British ambassador at the Hague. Requests a sum of money from Cadogan, in exchange for information he has provided regarding Jacobites in Cambray. Instructs Cadogan to burn their previous correspondence.

GLC01450.446.11

1749/04/20

Cutler, Timothy (fl. 1749)

Document signed

Title: Attestation that the widow of a surgeon serving under William Pepperell is still alive and without a pension.

GLC01450.305

26 August 1776 - 28 November 1780

Shaw, Samuel (1754-1794)

Autograph document

Title: Resolutions of Congress, making provision or allowance to wounded, supernumerary or other officers of the American Army, under various contingencies

Assorted resolutions providing for the livelihood of wounded soldiers, such as receiving a pension throughout his life upon losing a limb. Noted that this copy was written by Shaw.

GLC02437.00860

30 June 1783

Trumbull, Jonathan (1740-1809)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Jonathan Trumbull Jr., General Washington's secretary, to Major General Knox. Reports that Washington wants to inform Knox that the President of Congress announced on 24 June that Congress was to move to Princeton on 26 June. This was a reference to Congress leaving Philadelphia after protests from angry, unpaid veterans, a continuation of the long festering anger over nonpayment that had led to the Newburgh consiracy in early 1783. They arrived in Princeton last Thursday.

GLC02437.02205

August 1782

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph document

Title: [A mode of commuting to half pay]

Possibly in the handwriting of Henry Knox. List and calculations for half pay of various officers.

GLC02437.01528

19 August 1782

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Written by Major General Knox to Secretary of War Lincoln. References 2 private letters from 7 and 10 August. Says he cannot furnish him estimates. Says he read over his last public letter (which was on the issue of soldiers pensions at half pay) to Lincoln of 31 July and cannot find anything improper in it.

GLC02437.01532

26 August 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin (1733-1810)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Secretary of War Lincoln to Major General Knox. Marked "Private." References Knox's private letter of last Saturday evening sent by Frothingham.

GLC02437.01540

2 September 1782

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter

Title: to John Hancock

Written by Major General Knox to Massachusetts Governor Hancock. Says Colonels Putnam and Hull comprise a committee of the Massachusetts Line to request an explanation on the status of payment of half pay pensions to officers. Says they "have no doubt as to the substance but are anxious to learn the mode fixed." Says the decisions of other states has them worried, but that they still have faith in the good sense of Massachusetts's leaders. Tells Hancock that the war's end will bring home men of the "highest degree of honor and integrity."

GLC02437.01562

September 10, 1782.

Shaw, Samuel (1754-1794)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Tench Tilghman

Writes that it is not in his power to send him Congress's resolve of 6 July 1779, concerning Margaret Corbin. Explains that her case is "peculiar": "Her husband and son killed and herself wounded in the services, were misfortunes of so aggravated as justly rendered her worthy of public attention." Congress has provided her with "a complete ration per day, and half pay for life," which Colonel [Lewis] Nicola helped her apply for, but she has received very little of the rations and pay she deserves.

GLC02437.01595

11 September 1782

Tilghman, Tench (1744-1786)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Shaw

Writes, "It appears clearly to me that the order forbidding the issue of Rum to Women does not extend to Mrs. [Margaret] Corbin - Granting provision at all, to Women who are followers of the Army, is altogether matter of courtesy, and therefore the commanding General may allow them such a Ration as he thinks proper - But Mrs. Corbin is a pensioner of Congress, and therefore, upon procuring the Resolve made in her favor - Genl.

GLC02437.01597

14 September 1782

Shaw, Samuel (1754-1794)

Autograph document signed

Title: [Order to the Commissary for the arrearage of provisions due to Mrs. Corbin of the Invalids]

Includes a note at the top of the page, in Shaw's hand, from Jonathan Pugh, Lieutenant of Invalids, which reads, "This is to certify that Mrs. Margaret Corbin (wife of John Corbin a soldier in the corps of Invalids) has not drawn any liquor with the ration allowed her since the 1st Jany 1782." Below, Shaw relates that Mrs. Corbin has two Congressional resolves in her favor, "she having had a husband and son killed and was herself wounded at Brandywine in 1777. She is allowed a full ration per day, half pay for life and a suit of clothes annually.

GLC02437.01611

26 September 1782

Brooks, John (1752-1825)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses a variety of issues related to his presenting a petition to the Massachusetts State Legislature. Has attempted to meet with Governor [John] Hancock, who has promised to notify them when a meeting would be convenient. Describes the positions and concerns of many legislators regarding half-pay of officers, on which the petition seems to focus. Docketed at the top of page one by Knox.

GLC02437.01629

8 October 1782

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Lowell

Recounts the story of young Isaac Winslow, who had been taken to Canada at age 11 by his loyalist father, upon the outbreak of hostilities. His parents are now dead, and his other family is in Boston. He wants to be in service to his country. Knox would like to exchange him, or help him return to Boston. See GLC02437.01408 and GLC02437.01649 for related information. Also discusses Congress's debates over payment of military officers.

GLC02437.01650

17 October 1782

Brooks, John (1752-1825)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Colonel Brooks to Major General Knox. Says he had a long conference with a Massachusetts legislative committee on half-pay pensions for the state's officers. Says they finally agreed to report "a state of facts," but did so without expressing their minds on the subject. Says the report was sent to the Court and as a result Dorr (from Massachusetts Senate), General Artemas Ward, and Lowell (from Massachusetts house) were added to the committee.

GLC02437.01671

24 October 1782

Peirce, Joseph (1745-1828)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Peirce to Major General Knox. References Knox's letter of 8 October. Consoles Knox on the death of his boy. Says "Alas Deaths Shafts fly thick. no less than five of my little ones have fallen by his relentless hand." Mentions a small box he wants to send and asks if Colonel Brooks has room on one of his wagons.

GLC02437.01678

6 November 1782

Nicola, Lewis (1717-1807)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Colonel Nicola of the Invalid Regiment to Major General Knox. Was disappointed he could not meet up with Knox at West Point last Monday. Expresses his consternation about the reduction of his Invalid regiment by Congress and the Secretary of War.

GLC02437.01702

3 December 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin (1733-1810)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Secretary of War Lincoln to Major General Knox. References Knox's letter of 25 November. Says he has suffered anxiety over his long silence and lack of acknowledgement of his letters. Says he told Congress in strong terms of the distress the army suffered for want of pay. Says he told Congress that the information came from the best sources and was not simply grumbling. Says he told Congress that many troops still need pay dating back to 1 January and that some states have helped, but others have not.

GLC02437.01729

4 December 1782

Osgood, Samuel (1748-1813)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Osgood as a Continental Congressmen from Massachusetts to Major General Knox. References Knox's letter of 2 November. After reading it says he "began to repent that I had wrote you with Respect to the System for the Adjutant Genl. Department." Feels honored that Knox was willing to be candid about what he felt were the reasons for the Massachusetts legislature denying half-pay pensions to army officers. It seems that a letter Osgood wrote to Lowell, a member of the legislative committee considering the pension issue, was harmful to the officer's cause.

GLC02437.01730

circa 8 December 1782

Van Cortlandt, Philip (1749-1831)

Autograph document signed

Title: [Report of committee altering petition to Congress]

Report of committee work to alter a petition being sent to Congress in relation to half-pay pensions for officers. The first committee meeting took place on 5 December 1782 at Horton's Tavern. The committee of 3 was made up of General McDougall and Colonels Ogden and Brooks. They offered 3 changes to the petition. A General Committee meeting was held 7-8 December 1782, also at Horton's Tavern, with Major General Knox presiding as chairman. The final copy was signed then. The document was signed "P.

GLC02437.01731

9 December 1782

Paterson, John (1744-1808)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from "Camp." Writes that agreeable to the wishes of the Committee, he has been trying to get "Capt. Pemberton to transcribe our address." Captain Pemberton has been too busy with his own work, so he has asked Colonel Cortlandt, and though he keeps requesting the finished transcript, Colonel Cortlandt has not yet been "able to procure a fair Transcript." Has enclosed a copy of the transcript but as soon as the other copy is complete and he has it signed, he will send it to Knox.

GLC02437.01734

12 December 1782

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph document

Title: to Jeremiah Olney

Asks Colonel Olney (possibly Jeremiah Olney of Rhode Island) to deliver a petition and address regarding soldiers' pay to General [Andrew] McDougall and Colonels [Samuel] Ogden and [John] Brooks, who will carry it to Congress in Philadelphia. Declares that General George Washington has seen the petition and address and "has no objection to its presentation." Briefly discusses the contents of the documents.

GLC02437.01740

13 December 1782

Paterson, John (1744-1808)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes that he has received his most recent letter accompanying the address to Congress, and will comply with Knox's request to have it signed by the committee members and then pass it on to Colonel [John] Brooks, who will be leaving for West Point tomorrow. Will also pay close attention to Knox's other requests.

GLC02437.01741

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