1863/09/22

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Anne [Jeffery]

Promises Anne that he will repay his overdue debt to her, and then goes on to muse on the fortunes of the war in the wake of Gen. Braxton Bragg's victory [Battle of Chickamauga]. He points out early Confederate victories at Mannassas and Big Bethel and the North's inability to find a successful commanding general for the western Federal army as evidence of major Yankee failures. Jeffery asserts that each time the Yankees have come into the South, they have been soundly "whipped", adding "...now that 'luck has changed' we may hope that success will follow success..." on to victory by wearing…

GLC01896.060

1863/09/23

Harrison, Samuel J., fl. 1855-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Steven R. Mallory

Letter of introduction and requesting permission for Edward R. Archer to go before a tribunal examination. "The bearer, Mr. E.R. Archer has been duly appointed by the Board of Directors of this company (Virginia Volunteer Navy Company) 1st Assistant Engineer, and we propose to send him with Captain Stiles, who will go abroad on our business about the 1st Proximo. You will please do us the favor to permit him to go before the proper tribunal for examination." Dockets on verso show that Archer was examined for the position of First Assistant Engineer by Chief Engineer Quinn at the Richmond…

GLC01896.061

1863/09/26

Mallory, Stephen R., 1813-1873

Letter signed

Title: to Edward R. Archer

Certifies Archer's examination and commissioned appointment as First Assistant Engineer in the Virginia Volunteer Navy.

GLC01896.062

1863/09/26

Seddon, James A. (James Alexander), 1815-1880

Letter signed

Title: to Edward R. Archer

Letter of transit written for Archer granting him permission to sail from any Confederate port to Europe. Written on offical paper with "Confederate States of America, War Department" letterhead. Seddon was Confederate secretary of war. On the attached integral leaf is an autograph endorsement signed by William Henry Chase Whiting (1824-1865), a Confederate major general who, at the time, was in charge of keeping open the port of Wilmington, North Carolina.

GLC01896.063

1863/11/02

Palacios, Cipriano, fl. 1850-1860

Document signed

Title: [Passport] [in Spanish]

Passport, in Spanish, granted to Edward R. Archer for travel without hindrance from Nassau to Havana aboard "la Goleta Lola." Green Spanish stamp on verso with docket. Palacios was Mexican consul in the Bahamas. Written from the Port of Nassau, in the Bahamas.

GLC01896.064

1863/11/06

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron [Jeffery]

Requests that Aaron always write "...as fully as you did in the last letter," and praises him for deciding not to take Ann out of school to save money. Richard promises that as soon as he is able he will send money to help the family out--enclosing twenty dollars in this letter. He admits that his "extravagance and high prices" have kept him from saving any of his pay. Goes on to speculate that the "Yankees will demolish Sumter if they can but thus far their ability has not been equal to their desire," even though their artillery daily kills and wounds some of the garrison. Richard frets…

GLC01896.065

1863/11/15

Archer, William M., fl. 1863-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Annie [Jeffery]

Archer writes on a Sunday morning "when you are all at church listening to Dr. Minnigerade..." to remind Annie of her repeated promises that he'll "never see the form of [her] handwriting again this year...," and for this reason he is writing home for the first time. He continues with a description of his Confederate camp near the Orange County depot, it being the "prettiest" he has stayed in "for many a 'coons age'". William says that he and his comrades dread having to leave their comfortable shelters but admits that "...all must expect such in circumstances as long as there is a Yankee…

GLC01896.066

1864/03/07

Jeffery, Aaron, fl. 1855-1900

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Robert W. Jeffery]

Greatly relieved to have finally heard from Richard, Aaron Jeffery writes a battle account of the "fight of which you enquire" which he had been involved in "accidentally." The Armory Battalion, to which he was attached, initially pushed back Yankee pickets but was then surprise-attacked by a much larger body of 500 or 600 infantry and dismounted cavalrymen, and the Armory Battalion broke and retreated. Later, however, the Confederates were reinforced by another battalion and two Virginia regiments and managed to push back the Federals. Mentions poor condition of his battalion from lack of…

GLC01896.067

1864/03/24

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Jeffery

Seeking information about Grant's anticipated attack on Richmond, Richard is particularly interested in what his brother thinks might happen and in how local opinion is running. Jeffery expresses his hope that the attack will "...end as have all their other attempts heretofore." He then goes on to talk about Confederate victories in Florida and Generals Morgan and Longstreet peformances. He discusses Longstreet's Tennessee Campaign, his failure to capture Knoxville, and the poor conduct of Confederate soldiers there. Requests subscriptions to several outside newspapers so that he can be…

GLC01896.068

1864/07/16

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Jeffery

Richard apologizes for the delay in answering Aaron's last letter noting that the break in the mails kept him from getting a letter dated 29 June until 15 July. Richard hopes that the family is safe now that Grant's campaign against Richmond has failed and that "...the future efforts of the enemy will all be vain..." Mentions high expectations for General Early's and Johnston's campaigns. Concludes with a series of questions about whether letters and telegraphs have been received. "Let me know if you still are in the field & how long a time you have spent in it. I am very uneasy about…

GLC01896.069

1864/10/06

Jeffery, Richard W., fl. 1855-1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Jeffery

Thanks for the bolt of cloth that Aaron sent, but maintains that he has enough clothes and that it would have been better used for the children. Hopes that Sherman "...will at last be outgeneralled & that his army will be entirely destroyed,...[and] that Grant will fail before Richmond...so we will have peace." Adds that Early continues to make up lost ground and push Sheridan even more. Written at the Confederate States Naval Hospital

GLC01896.070

1865/01/08

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

Archer writes to his mother, Frances, from England where he has sailed in the steamer C. S. S. Hawk in order to sell it at auction. His spirits are very low as he discusses the damage done by the failure of the "scheme to establish the V[irginia]. V[olunteer]. N[avy]." and says he desires to defend his role in the matter. Furthermore, he makes repeated references to H. [Samuel Harrison, President of the Board of the Volunteer Virginia Navy] who has apparently vanished. Lamenting that he is almost broke, he borrowed money to pay his expenses in Bermuda, and has "one and sixpence just enough…

GLC01896.071

1865/01/14

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his father

Archer announces that the "Hawk" has been sold at public auction for a little more than ten thousand pounds, leaving a balance of more than five thousand pounds outstanding to cover travel costs. A ship built for a "particular" purpose [blockade running], the Hawk would require a complete refit to be useable by the buyer and that, Archer asserts, depressed the price. Most of the letter continues the theme of his previous letter to his mother in which he refers to his father [GLC 1896.071]. Archer claims that he is totally broke and informs Edward that he is going to use the proceeds of his…

GLC01896.072

1865/04/24

Evans, D. M., fl. 1865

Document signed

Title: [Parole certificate]

Parole agreement for Aaron Jeffery as a prisoner of war in the "Headquarters Department of Virginia" signed by Evans, certifying parole, and again giving permission for him to return to Norfolk.

GLC01896.073

1865/04/29

Evans, D. M., fl. 1865

Document signed

Title: [Oath of loyalty]

Aaron Jeffery's signed loyalty oath "to support, protect, and defend the Constitution... [including] with references to slaves." Written at "Office of Provost Marshall", Richmond, Va.

GLC01896.074

May 23, 1865

Farragut, Virginia L., fl. 1860-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Roberta Jeffery]

The release of Roberta's brother, William, who is being detained as a prisoner of war at Fort Delaware. Virginia informs Roberta that, upon receiving a letter from William, Admiral Farragut addressed a letter to the commanding officer at Fort Delaware for his immediate release. The process is being delayed, however, by the lack of cooperation from Federal officers. Virginia talks about her great sadness due to the course of the war but expresses great relief that her family was safe--"...God had blessed us in every way, so mercifully protecting my husband and son from "shell and shot"..."…

GLC01896.075

1865/05/25

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Newcomb

Written on Archer's return from Cuba through the blockade around Florida. First half of the letter details his belief that the war was lost because of the failure of the public to support the war effort. "...[I]f the people had have stood by them [the Confederate soldiers] and given them all their aid instead of speculating and quarreling among themselves everything would have gone as we could have desired..." However, Archer expresses his belief that the south will rise again--"...but still there exists a smouldering flame which I have no doubt will one day burst forth and fire again the…

GLC01896.076

1865/06/31

Capron, Ann E., fl. 1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her cousin

Condolences for the death of her husband [Richard W. Jeffery]. "I know that only Time that great calmer of all great troubles can soothe you enough to listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit, to tell you that God did take him, and at the right time, for we know He can not err..." Continues with news of other loved ones and acquaintances, including William Jeffery.

GLC01896.077

1865/07/14

Archer, Edward R., fl. 1830-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to W.W. Dungan

Letter seeking to renew friendship with W. W. Dungan, one of Archer's friends from his service in the U. S. Navy before the war. "Now since the war is ended and the South has returned her allegiance to the United States, are feelings of wrath, envy, hatred or malice...should vanish without a record for the future..." Ends with a plea for a return to an ante-bellum status quo: "An acknowledgement of the receipt of this letter will assure me that we still remain old friends and are willing to forget and forgive." Marked "copy."

GLC01896.078

19 July 1780

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document

Title: to the Board of War and Ordnance

Signed by Samuel Shaw for Knox. List of items and requested quantities. Written at a Park of Artillery. With autograph annotations by Shaw.

GLC02437.00824

19 July 1780

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: Articles necessary for a Field Laboratory

Lists all items for setting up an artillery field laboratory with requested quantities. Written at a Park of Artillery.

GLC02437.00825

March-July 1780

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: Summary return of all the men employed in the service of the artillery and corps of the engineers...

Lists number of men by rank and profession.

GLC02437.00826

21 July 1780

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stevens

Military orders for Colonel Stevens after he arrives at Peekskill, New York.

GLC02437.00827

14 November 1862

Epperly, Christian M., 1837-1904

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Epperly

Says he may not be able to get a furlough. Mentions the army is moving toward Rapidan Station, but he expects a fight near Culpeper.

GLC02715.037

25 November 1862

Epperly, Christian M., 1837-1904

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Epperly

Writes from camp in Spotsylvania County, Virginia that the Yankees are camped across the river. Notes that all the civilians have left Fredericksburg in fear of Federal bombardment.

GLC02715.038