Transcribe This: Williams Declines Promotion

Brigadier General Otho H. Williams explains his reasons for declining a promotion to Henry Knox in this letter dated May 6, 1792.

While Williams describes himself as “very highly complimented” by Knox’s favorable opinion and understands that “the President is pleased to entertain of my abilities,” he writes that he “could not… accept a command in the army, even if the President were to think me worthy of commanding in chief.” Williams writes that his health has been “extremely precarious” for two years and requires much care and attention. If he accepted the position, Williams believes that the happiness of his family would “be for a time suspended, if not sacrificed.” Williams also notes that he has in his charge “a number of orphan children” which engages his “integrity and affections,” who would also “lie neglected.” Williams asks to be excused for “declining the honor proposed to be conferred on me” and writes that when it is in his power “to render any efficient service to my Country I shall be most happy in the opportunity.”

Transcribe This: Coats, Vests, Overalls, Etc. Needed by Soldiers

This letter, authored by Stephen Rochefontaine, was written December 9, 1796 at West Point. Rochefontaine was writing to Samuel Hodgdon, who was in Philadelphia, regarding soldiers at West Point who are in need of items of clothing.

Rochefontaine requests clothing for corps who are still at West Point. He writes that “the season has become so inclement for 10 days past” and the men are suffering from want of clothing. The sergeants are in need of “coats, vests, overalls, and shirts,” while privates require “vests, overalls, shirts, socks, and shoes.” Musicians’ coats are also requested. The items of clothing are to be sent in the care of Lieutenant Drausy, but if he is not returning to West Point immediately, Rochefontaine asks that the clothing be sent before him. Captain Frye should also be notified, since he can inform Manning and Smith, the contractors, as “for in the hurry of business” the clothes “are sometimes remaining in the store forgot.”

Transcribe This: Confidential Act of Congress

This letter from Henry Knox to Beverley Randolph, Governor of Virginia, was written on March 10, 1791, and concerns confidential information resulting from Congress’s deliberations on protecting the frontier.

Knox writes to the Governor that an act has been proposed for “raising, and adding another regiment to the military establishment of the United States and for making further provision for the protection of the frontiers.” Knox requests that he does not let this information “out of your possession” since it has yet to be published through the proper channels. The government has not finished making arrangements necessary for the Act to be implemented, but the President has “authorized an expedition against the Wabash indians.” The troops will be raised in Kentucky and are to be made up of no more than seven hundred and fifty mounted volunteers who will be under the command of Brigadier General Charles Scott. John Brown is in charge of making the preparations.

Transcribe This: Hats for Artillerists

In this letter from November 1800, Samuel Hodgdon, the Commissary of Military Stores, writes to Israel Whelen, the Purveyor of Public Supplies, concerning an order of artillerists’ hats.

Hodgdon writes that after reading the store keeper’s report, he finds that “fifty three hats for Artillerists” are needed to complete the orders the store keeper has issued. Since returns from that corps are received every day that utilize that particular article of clothing, Hodgdon asks Whelen to purchase or procure the requested items, and place in the store as soon as possible “One hundred, answering to the Pattern” which Hodgdon will provide him.

Transcribe this: Creation of a School for Indian Children

In the first of these two letters, David Fowler wrote to Secretary of War Henry Knox on March 13, 1793, and two days later, Knox corresponded with General Israel Chapin regarding the matters Fowler discussed in his letter. Fowler, a Native American, is writing to Knox about the inhabitants of Brotherton, most of whom are poor as a result of being forced off their plantations and subsequently “lost all during [the] late war.” As a result of their economic condition, Fowler is obliged to ask for the assistance of the United States government in establishing a school for the children of Brotherton. Fowler states that he and his son have been traveling through New England “among the remnants of the tribes of Indian dwellings” that had been given to Brotherton by the Oneidas years ago in an attempt “to remove the White intruders.” The journey has resulted in much expense, and Fowler and his son also need a sum of money in order to return home.

Transcribe this: “We have alarms every day”

In this letter dated May 6, 1791, Colonel David Sheppard writes to Secretary of War Henry Knox to inform him of the state of affairs in the Ohio country. Sheppard writes that he followed the orders he had received to have the militia leave the area, but tells Knox the number of soldiers they currently have “is not sufficient to the present emergency.” After the militia left, Indians attacked and killed several scouts, privates, and inhabitants of the region, and Sheppard is unsure of the exact number of casualties. Sheppard writes that “we have alarms every day.” Mentioning that Captain Kirkwood will be able to provide a better account of the situation, Sheppard notes that “we are without munitions and but few arms.”

Transcribe this: Fever in Philadelphia

In a letter written by Secretary of War James McHenry to President John Adams on August 24, 1799, McHenry describes the fever that has gripped Philadelphia. The fever has “similar ravages” to those that occurred in 1793, 1797, and 1798. The sickness is so bad that McHenry tells President Adams the offices of the War Department are moving out of Philadelphia to Trenton, and that he expects to reach the city the following Monday. The move must have been challenging for McHenry, as he notes that the “personal inconveniences attending upon this removal are very great.”

Transcribe this and “oblige a poor woman”

In a letter dated February 27, 1796, Abiel Foster wrote to Secretary of War James McHenry on behalf of the mother of John Stanal Gilman. Gilman was a deceased soldier who served under Captain Cass and fought in the Western Army. Gilman’s mother resided in Foster’s neighborhood in New Hampshire and was curious as to whether her son was owed any “arrears of pay or clothing” at the time of his death. If Gilman was to have been the recipient of money or clothing, both would be due to his mother. Foster asks McHenry to look into Gilman’s mother’s inquiry, and stated that any information McHenry might discover would “oblige a poor woman.”

Transcribe this: Maria Butler to President Washington

Maria Butler, the “relick” (widow) of General Richard Butler, wrote to President George Washington late in 1791 to express her concern over the insecurity of the frontier at Pittsburgh and points west. Her husband had only recently been killed in a battle between the Western Confederacy of Indians and the United States which took place near what is today the border between Ohio and Indiana and his body was buried on the field. Although the area around Pittsburgh seemed dangerous to Mrs. Butler, she was determined to remain in the area with her children.

Complete a Transcription: History of a Canadian Refugee

In an undated document, Benjamin Thompson set forth the history of his life during the era of the American Revolution. Although born in Boston, he was apprenticed at the age of fourteen to a merchant in Montreal. He recounts his efforts on the part of the American cause, prior to his departure from Montreal in 1776, all in an effort to qualify for compensation under the Act of Congress for the Relief of Refugees from the British Provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia.

Help Complete a Transcription: Keeping Up Appearances at Fort Niagara

In this Letter from Captain James Bruff to accountant William Simmons.  Bruff had recently assumed command of Fort Niagara after the British agreed to turn it over to the Americans as part of the Jay Treaty. He laments that his own government does not provide enough of an allowance for entertaining British officers, who are garrisoned just across the Niagara River at Fort George, while British government “makes an allowance for such purposes.”

Help Complete a Transcription: Letters from Judith Sargent Murray

Judith Sargent Murray (May 1, 1751 – June 9, 1820) was an early American proponent of women’s rights and equality of the sexes. An essayist, playwright, poet, and letter writer, her belief that women were just as smart and capable as men was considered pretty radical stuff in the 1790s .

We have some of her letters because her brother Winthrop was a soldier (he fought under Arthur St. Clair in the disastrous Battle of the Wabash) and later a territorial governor.

Help complete a Transcription! Treaty of New York with the Creek Nation of Indians

Treaty of New York with the Creek Nation of Indians

At the behest of President Washington and Henry Knox, in the summer of 1787 several Creek leaders, along with their leader Alexander McGilivray, traveled all the way to New York City for treaty talks.  The Treaty of New York was important because it represented Washington’s and Henry Knox’s more enlightened views about dealing with Indians-that is, negotiating rather than simply taking lands away.

Help complete a Transcription!

Every now and then, a document gets only partly transcribed. It’s important to keep this in mind when you are looking through the documents nominated for transcription; if the first page has already been transcribed, read through to make sure it is the whole page, and then click through the document. You may be able to help us by completing the transcription!

If you are interested in helping us to wrap up these loose ends, here are a few documents which were started but have not yet been completed:

Request for Transcribers: The Jay Treaty

The Jay Treaty with Great Britain was very controversial at the time. In this letter to Baltimore merchant Robert Oliver, Secretary of War James McHenry warns that if the House doesn’t appropriate funding for the Treaty, the British will not withdraw their troops from the Western posts.

Request for Transcribers: Eli Whitney and the manufacture of muskets for the War Department

Patent law was nothing like it is today.  This in part explains why Eli Whitney’s cotton gin did not bring him much money.  In fact, for much of the 1790s, Whitney  was consumed with patent infringement lawsuits.  Financially desperate,  he turned to the manufacture of muskets for the War Department. As it turned out, this was not much of a success either.  Whitney was supposed to complete the manufacture of over 10,000 muskets by 1800, but didn’t finish delivering the arms until 1809. In this 1798  document, the Secretary of Treasury requests that Samuel Hodgdon provide musket stocks for Whitney.

Request for Transcribers: Beginning of the Quasi War with France, May 1798

This important document highlights the initiation of the undeclared war with France,  later known as the Quasi War.  Here, Secretary of War James McHenry conveys instructions from President Adams to the Commanders of a number of United States naval vessels.

Nominated Document Spotlight-Oversight, or Overcharge?

Are you a new transcriber who wants to see begin your transcription with a short, easy-to-read document? Are you a seasoned transcriber discouraged by very challenging historic handwriting? This week we ask for your help with another document that has not yet been transcribed. Written by James McHenry to William Simmons, this two-page document alleges that a William Colfax (who makes a living selling rations to the military) has been selling goods at a higher rate than is allowed by his contract. McHenry asks that Colfax be formally notified about the discrepancy and given a chance to correct it.

Nominated Document Spotlight-Murder and Mischief

Are you a new transcriber who wants to see how hard it is to unravel historic handwriting? Are you a seasoned transcriber looking for a bigger challenge? This week we ask for your help with another document that has not yet been transcribed. Written by Robert Rankin to Thomas Lewis, this four-page document includes a report on incidents of murder and theft on the Ohio River by assailants in boats. The letter references whiskey, and murder, and the taking of prisoners. It is a slightly challenging document-the handwriting is good, but the image is not perfect.

Nominated Document Spotlight-Knox Considers the Constitution

This week we’ll depart from our usual spotlight and bring you a document that has not yet been transcribed. It appears to have been written by General Henry Knox.  In it, Knox refers to the U.S. the Constitution,  and he mentions New York and Virginia.

Please help us get this document transcribed and into the historical record.

You may read and transcribe the original document here.

Next week we’ll feature another installment in our transcriber spotlight series.

Document Spotlight-The Government Helps a Widow

Today’s letter, brought to us by volunteer transcriber Deblegs, describes the government’s role in helping a widow recover some money owed her. The writer, a Mr. Dunscomb, reports to Josiah Howell that Mrs Williams has applied several times for benefits resulting from her husband’s death in service. It appears that another officer had been given funds to pay Mr. Williams, but had not; Dunscomb suggests that the widow’s money be taken from that officer to help Mrs. Williams as much as possible. He writes with compassion for her situation-“it will be of much use to Mrs Williams”-but also with some irritation at her many requests for help: “you will not only serve the concerned but rid me of frequent unnecessary applications.” All in all, a slightly complicated look at the world of accounts and bureaucrats. Moreover, it highlights some of the tensions between wanting to help and being inundated with desperate cases-all of which required investigation and diligence.

Document Spotlight-Zebulon Pike, Settlement of Accounts, and Stolen Vouchers

Today’s letter, brought to us by volunteer transcriber Deblegs, concerns Captain Zebulon Pike (the father of explorer Zebulon M. Pike) and a settling of accounts with him over expense monies. The writer, Thomas O’Hara, explains that Pike may be owed some two hundred dollars for expenses. The remainder of the letter is remarkable for its discussion of a possible counterfeiting charge. An unnamed man was found in possession of counterfeited government vouchers-vouchers that had been stolen from a Mr. Pierce-and O’Hara expected to testify before the local grand jury in that matter.

Document Spotlight-The War Department Versus the Free Market

Clothing and supplying troops in the early Republic was almost as chronic a problem as feeding them. Officers and quartermasters spent a great deal of time and expense contracting with suppliers to get uniforms and material; unfortunately, those officers often had competition on the open market. In this week’s document, transcribed by volunteer Deblegs, we see how that competition could play out.

The writer describes a situation where the War Department wanted to purchase a lot of winter clothing for troops. Private buyers, however, wanted winter clothing, and the fact that two different buyers competed for the same goods drove the price up beyond $50,000. This drove the War Department out of the race for those goods, and officers had to turn elsewhere for the goods. Their frustration is evident in the letter.

Document Spotlight-Bread and Beef and Candles

One of the important things officers and administrators do for their soldiers is to keep them fed. Today’s document highlights the challenges associated with that process. Rations needed to be sourced, prices had to be negotiated, transportation had to be arranged. In this letter, transcribed by Perrin1, we get a peak at the prices the War Department negotiated for certain foodstuffs.

For 1796, the Department negotiated prices for bread and flour, beef and pork, candles, soap, and salt, including transportation to several different sites. The prices reflected different transportation costs; a pound of bread cost 4 1/2 cents delivered to Pittsburgh, but 9 1/2 cents transported to Presque Isle.

Document Spotlight-One Hundred Eighty Dollars’ Worth of Salary

This week we offer another document spotlight to show some of the things our volunteers are finding as they transcribe documents. Transcribed by Dapperlaw, the letter was written by Joseph Howell, and was included in the pay packet for Michael G Houdin. It details Houdin’s salary–$180 for the period 1 July 1793 through 31 March 1794. I also instructs Houdin to sign and return receipts for the money showing he received the pay.