Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Halpine, Charles G. (Charles Graham) (1829-1868) to William Watts Hart Davis

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01595.01 Author/Creator: Halpine, Charles G. (Charles Graham) (1829-1868) Place Written: Hilton Head, South Carolina Type: Manuscript document Date: 6 June 1863 Pagination: 1 p. ; 22.7 x 14.5 cm. Order a Copy

Halpine, Assistant Adjutant General to General [David] Hunter, relates orders to Colonel Davis. Instructs Davis to order Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, commander of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, "to embark on board the [Demole] ordered to Beaufort with the least possible delay." States that Shaw should bring two days cooked and ten days uncooked rations for his men. Instructs Shaw to bring his regiment directly to Hilton Head. Written on United States Military Telegraph stationery.

Charles Halpine was an Irish journalist and author. He served as Hunter's AAG and was subsequently assistant adjutant-general on General Henry W. Halleck's staff. The 54th Massachusetts Infantry stormed Fort Wagner on 18 July 1863. Their commander, Robert Gould Shaw, was killed during the famous engagement. The "Demole" referred to in the orders is more commonly known as the "De Molay."

Halpine, Charles Graham, 1829-1868
Davis, N. N., fl. 1863
Hunter, David, 1802-1886
Shaw, Robert Gould, 1837-1863

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources