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.

What were Charleville Muskets?

This collection includes ubiquitous references to the Charleville musket or the “Charleville pattern.”   Charlevilles were originally made  in France in the early 176os. The name Charleville comes from the name of the arsenal in northeastern France where they were produced.  Charlevilles  became a mainstay for the colonists during the American Revolution thanks in part to the efforts of Lafayette and the American Silas Deane.  Because France was not officially at war with Britain until 1778, they had to find workarounds in the manner of shipping.   Thus shiploads of Charlevilles would sometimes make their way to the West Indies first, where they were then reembarked and transported  on American vessels to  America. These were .69 caliber smoothbores–packing a punch for sure, but not very accurate and so generally employed in mass formations at a standard rate of fire  of about two to three rounds per minute.   In some documents you’ll find references to either Black Walnut or Maple as the preferred wood for the stocks.  In this document, there is reference to the “Charleville pattern,” but it very likely means the  Springfield Musket of 1795, manufactured at the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts.

Document Spotlight-Major General’s Commission

It has been a few weeks since we had a document spotlight. This week we feature a very basic document detailing an important executive function.
The letter from Secretary of War Henry Knox contains a commission from President George Washington appointing Anthony Wayne to the rank of Major General. Written in 1792, the letter announces the appointment and asks that Wayne respond as soon as possible with his acceptance and an oath of office.

Community Transcription-Twenty Three months In

It’s been twenty-three months now since we opened the War Department archives to community transcription, and ever since then we have been steadily adding transcribers as well as finished documents to our archive. What started with just a dozen or so volunteers has grown into an active, vigorous community of volunteer transcribers.

We offer here yet another snapshot at our transcription activity.

As of this morning, we have 1,314 users-fully 227 them have transcribed within the last 90 days, which is just over 17%. This number continues to hold remarkably steady. Those volunteer transcribers have made 10,4623 saves to War Department documents, which is about 200 more than at the last update. That works out to 1,971 finished documents, along with another 45 documents begun. Additionally, transcribers have initiated 410 conversations using the “talk” feature. We also know that on average, each document is edited about three times before it is finished. Moreover, we have had 54,277 total page views.

Volunteer Spotlight-A Beginning Transcriber

Even though there are more than 1300 transcribers signed up to work on documents at the Papers of the War Department, each transcriber is an individual. Some have only ever worked on one document, while some have transcribed dozens. We have not done this in several months, so today we turn to a short interview with one of our newest transcribers, user ddunnett, to learn a little more about his background and experiences with the Scripto/PWD project. Please stay tuned over coming weeks as we feature other transcribers and their work.

The Embargo

One of the strengths of the War Department’s papers are the opportunities they provide to learn about the international policies of the Early Republic. An insight on how leaders attempted to negotiate their place in the world as a new nation can be seen in one May 9, 1794 letter.

In 1793 war had broken out between England and revolutionary France. The United States was concerned about how this conflict would affect them. As a nation with a small military that is also physically isolated, the U.S. had used economic sanctions and embargos as a tactic to avoid direct war with Europe since the American Revolution. Some thought that this was the right approach in 1793. But not all agreed. Congressmen Fisher Ames of Massachusetts worried that this embargo would “not make our commerce better” while the “enemy… are not to be wounded in any way.”

Scripto User Spotlight-DIY History

Today we bring you the first of several spotlights on a different sort of Scripto user. Before, we have featured individual transcribers who have devoted time to transcribing War Department documents. Here, though, we feature an institution that has implemented their own verison of the Scripto tool to power their own transcription project. The project is called DIY History, and is brought to us by the University of Iowa Libraries.

Canadian Refugees

In April, 1798, United States Congress passed “An Act for the relief of the refugees from the British Provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia.” Under the Act, the Secretary of War was required to advertise its terms and review all claims submitted. Who were these refugees? Why was their welfare the responsibility of the Secretary of War?

Just as there were some people in the colonies who remained loyal to the British Crown, there were people in Canada and Nova Scotia who supported the Continental Congress’ claim of independence. These people aided the Continental Army in Canada by providing food or shelter or by enlisting. Many of them then had to leave their homes when the British retook the area during the war, and those who made it to the United States often stayed until the end of the war and beyond. They lost their homes, their property, and sometimes their businesses. These were the refugees of the Act, and it was the intention of Congress to compensate them for their losses with grants of land.

Community Transcription-Closing in on Two Years

It’s been twenty-two months now since we opened the War Department archives to community transcription, and ever since then we have been steadily adding finished documents to our archive. What started with just a dozen or so volunteers has grown into an active, vigorous community of volunteer transcribers.

We offer here yet another snapshot at our transcription activity.

As of this morning, we have 1,272 users-fully 215 them have transcribed within the last 90 days, which is about 17%. This number has held remarkably steady for many months. Those transcribers have made more than 10,422 saves to War Department documents, which is about 900 more than at the last update. That works out to 1,902 finished documents, along with another 36 documents begun. Additionally, transcribers have initiated nearly 400 conversations using the “talk” feature. We also know that on average, each document is edited about three times before it is finished. Moreover, we have had 49,707 total page views.

Fort Duquesne

With the exception of perhaps West Point, no garrison is more frequently cited in this collection than Fort Pitt, along with its commander, Major Isaac Craig who restored the fort in 1791. But long before this bastion on the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers became a major supply depot for pushing provisions and supplies down the Ohio River to the western forts during the 1790s, the French  controlled this region,  using their  their own system of Indian alliances with the Six Nations of Iroquois and by constructing a series of forts running north-south from French Canada, including Fort Frontenac, (modern day Kingston Ontario, Fort Oswego, Fort Presque Isle (modern day Erie PA), and Fort LeBoeuf (Waterford PA).

“Much more promising than many of the Virginia gentlemen.”

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching thoughts are turning to love, courtship, and those cute candy hearts with the phrases on them. But love can also be serious business – especially if you are trying to marry the niece of the President.

That was the situation that Andrew Parks found himself in while he was wooing Harriot Washington, niece of then President George Washington, in 1796. With no biological children of his own, Washington was known to be a doting uncle. Because of this, and because of the prominence of his family, Washington was hesitant about Parks and wanted to learn more about the young man’s character before supporting the relationship.

Community Transcription Update-Twenty One Months On

It’s been twenty-one months now since we opened the War Department archives to community transcription, and ever since then we have been steadily adding finished documents to our archive. What started with just a dozen or so volunteers has grown into an active, vigorous community of volunteer transcribers.

We offer here yet another snapshot at our transcription activity.

As of this morning, we have 1,205 users-fully 210 them have transcribed within the last 90 days, which is about 17%. Those transcribers have made more than 9,520 saves to War Department documents, which is about 2,000 more than at the last update. That works out to 1,559 finished documents, along with another 29 documents begun. Additionally, transcribers have initiated approximately 366 conversations using the “talk” feature. We also know that on average, each document is edited about three times before it is finished. Moreover, we have had 45,300 total page views.

Washington, D.C., the inconvenient city

The Federal Government moved from Philadelphia to the new city of Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1800. Although the primary office of the War Department moved, some offices, like that of the keeper of military stores, remained in Philadelphia for a time.

Toward the end of July, Jeremiah Condy sent a letter from his home in the District of Columbia to Samuel Hodgdon, who was still in Philadelphia. Condy was a clerk in the Accountant’s Office as well as a practicing lawyer, and he was less than impressed with the new capital city.

Humphreys versus Fox

A Quaker, Josiah Fox (1763–1847) was a British naval architect who came to the United States in 1793 to examine United States timber for shipbuilding and to teach drafting to American ship designer Jonathan Penrose’s sons. In 1794 he received a job as a draftsman working under Philadelphia Naval Constructor Joshua Humphreys (also a Quaker) and designer of the first six frigates. Fox and Humphreys clashed over design issues, the former believing that Humphreys’  designs were too radical-that Humphrey’s ships were too long in proportion to the beam and that the stem and stern rose too sharply. Eventually these disagreements led to considerable animosity between the two.

Community Transcription Update-Twenty Months On

It’s been twenty months now since we opened the War Department archives to community transcription, and ever since then we have been steadily adding finished documents to our archive. What started with just a dozen or so volunteers has grown into an active, vigorous community of volunteer transcribers.

We offer here yet another snapshot at our transcription activity.

To date, we have 1,157 users-fully 192 them have transcribed within the last 90 days, which is about 16%. Those transcribers have made more than 7,503 saves to War Department documents, which is about 800 more than at the last update. That works out to 1,369 finished documents, along with another 17 documents begun. Additionally, transcribers have initiated approximately 349 conversations using the “talk” feature. We also know that on average, each document is edited about three times before it is finished.

Secret Agent Number 13

James Wilkinson was a soldier and a statesman. Serving in the American Revolution and the War of 1812, Wilkinson was also the Commanding General of the United States Army from 1796 to 1798 and again from 1800 to 1812. From 1805 to 1807 Wilkinson served as the first Governor of the Louisiana Territory.

But Wilkinson had a dark secret. Beginning in 1787 he was also a spy for the Spanish Crown. With the intention of bringing western territories under Spanish control and gaining territory for himself as a reward, Wilkinson worked against the U.S. government from within for thirteen years. He conspired with fellow spy Aaron Burr, but gave Burr up to President Thomas Jefferson, avoiding implication himself.

The Uncertain Fate of Samuel Ewing

At the end of July 1800, President John Adams signed a warrant for the execution of a deserter. Less than a month later, however, he reversed the decision and cancelled the warrant, although he held off granting a full pardon. What happened?

First, here are the facts of the case as related to Adams. Samuel Ewing deserted in Detroit from Captain Porter’s company in a regiment of Artillerists and Engineers on May 8, 1800. The next evening, he returned to the fort with a loaded musket and threatened to kill anyone who tried to capture him. When Lieutenant Rand approached him, Ewing pointed his musket and attempted to fire but the gun failed.

Nautical Terminology: Learning a New Language at the War Department

Before the formation of the Department of the Navy in 1798, naval affairs came under the direction of the War Department.   Among Washington’s Cabinet members, former bookseller, Continental artillery officer and staunch Federalist, Secretary of War Henry Knox was the most vigorous proponent for the development of an American Navy.  Against the objections of many Anti-Federalists, Congress nevertheless passed the Naval Act of 1794, approving expenditures of $688,888 for the construction of six frigates.  A contemporary living along America’s coast might catch a glimpse of the new American navy -beginning with the laying of the keel-at one of six shipyards: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Gosport,  Virginia,  and Baltimore. Paid an annual salary of $2000, “naval constructors” were professional shipbuilders-a couple of the better known  were the Philadelphia Quakers Joshua Humphreys and Josiah Fox.   “Superintendents” were the Navy Captains who were expected to command the ships.  These included notables such as John Barry, Thomas Truxtun and Samuel Nicholson.  “Naval agents” such as Henry Jackson of Boston worked with the War Department to procure men and materials for the ships.  Shipyard clerks oversaw the day to day operations of the yard and kept track of expenditures.  With the building of a naval organization came a unique and confusing lexicon of nautical terminology.  Here are definitions for some of the terms found in this letter forwarded by Knox to the Secretary of Treasury containing Joshua Humphreys’ recommendations and estimates on the costs of procuring white oak timber and planking.

The Battleground State of Ohio

Much like this election season, in 1794 Ohio was a battleground state. But in a different way. There American settlers and Native Americans clashed over land rights.

In October of 1794 The Northwest Indian War had been fought for the previous nine years and after the Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20 of that year the Chief of the Wyandots sought peace.

In this war native tribes banded together to prevent American settlers from entering their land. These tribes, who called themselves the Western Confederacy, were the Wyandot, Delaware, Shawnee, Ottawa, Chippewa, Potawatomi, Miami, Wea, Kickapoo, and Kaskaskia. The Ohio lands they sought to defend had been guaranteed to them by the British Empire with the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768. But following the American Revolution, the U.S. felt that this treaty was no longer applicable and settlers sought out lands in the Ohio River valley.  American settler’s intrusion into native lands sparked the war in 1785.

Community Transcription-18 Months and 1,000 Transcribers

It’s been eighteen months now since we opened the War Department archives to community transcription, and ever since then we have been steadily adding finished documents to our archive. What started with just a dozen or so volunteers has grown into an active, vigorous community of volunteer transcribers.

We offer here yet another snapshot at our transcription activity.

To date, we have 1,039 users-fully 178 them have transcribed within the last 90 days, which is nearly 20%. This continues a trend of increased users, but also more active users. Those transcribers have made more than 6,615 saves to War Department documents, which is about 300 more than at the last update. That works out to 1241 finished documents, along with another 19 documents begun. Additionally, transcribers have initiated approximately 322 conversations using the “talk” feature. We also know that on average, each document is edited about three times before it is finished.

Hazards of Travel

In October 1790, Secretary of War Henry Knox and a Mr. Strong were involved in a carriage accident. As Knox explained in a letter to Jeremiah Wadsworth, the coachman took a turn too fast and the carriage overturned. Although the carriage was “much broken,” Knox and Strong luckily walked away with only bruises. “We do not so much repine at our misfortune as we rejoice at escaping greater evils, which we might have sustained” wrote Knox.

Document Spotlight-More on the Stolen Certificates

Last week we saw some documents dealing with a Captain John Phelon and accusations that he stole some certificate paper.  The allegations included some reports of Phelon’s whereabouts. This week, transcriber Lgr157 gives us another peak; today’s document details a different angle. The writer expresses concern that Phelon has done such a good job of forging signatures, holders will be unable to detect the forgery and will be defrauded. People should examine the reverse of the certificates, and should specifically be on the lookout for a small series of numbers in Phelon’s handwriting. At that point, the certificate is certain to be stolen, and potential victims should report the bearer of the certificates to authorities.

Document Spotlight-Stolen Certificate Paper and Counterfeits

Transcriber Lgr157 recently brought us a document that describes a crime drama unfolding in the early republic. The series of letters refers to a Captain Phelon, who has allegedly absconded with a quantity of certificate paper (think currency paper). The first letter describes the allegation, and reports a sighting of Phelon in New Hampshire. The second confirms that Phelon passed through Concord, Massachusetts headed toward Lake Champlain (which would seem to confirm the New Hampshire sighting). The third letter reports that Phelon seems to have headed for Canada; this seems to mean that Phelon cannot be apprehended and returned to the United States, but the writer wonders whether Phelon could be detained long enough to have the property recovered.

The War Department, the French Five Hundred and Humanitarian Assistance on the Frontier

Hoping to garner national revenues from the sale of lands, in 1787 the Confederation Congress sold 1.5 million acres for a million dollars to the Ohio Company, a joint stock company made up of former Continental Army officers.   But like the British crown before the Revolution, and the Confederation Congress in the 1780s, the Federalists in the 1790s never quite managed to realize their hopes of an orderly and controlled pattern of settlement in the western lands.  The problem was that most American settlers knew there was no need to pay for land when it was simply there for the taking.  So, perhaps in an effort to find less savvy purchasers, one venture, the Scioto Company,  sent the poet Joel Barlow on a mission to France to try and sell land claims to a group of French artisans anxious to escape the French Revolution. The difficulty, as it turned out, was that the Scioto Company had sold shares in land it did not actually own. In any event, it was too late for the French settlers, who had already arrived in America, (many at the port of Alexandria, Virginia)  and quite anxious to settle on lands described by Barlow as a place of “milk and honey, where fish leaped into one’s arms, grapes grew in abundance and tallow candles could be picked from trees along the Ohio River.”  As it turned out, the settlement, modern day Gallipolis, Ohio (city of the Gauls) was extremely rough country and  far from developed.  In an instance of what we might term today “humanitarian relief”  for the hapless settlers, who apparently  lacked the rudimentary skills and know-how required to tame such wilderness, the War Department dispatched Major John Burnham and a detachment of about 35 men to construct 80 log houses and a number of block houses at the settlement. Ultimately though, disease and hostile Indians killed and scattered the “French five-hundred.” By 1806, there were only a handful remaining.  The Scioto Company collapsed in 1792.  In this document,  Major Burnham, in submitting his resignation, makes  references to the “Scioto business.”

Community Transcription-Closing in on 1,000 Transcribers

It’s been seventeen months now since we opened the War Department archives to community transcription, and ever since then we have been steadily adding finished documents to our archive. What started with just a dozen or so volunteers has grown into an active, vigorous community of volunteer transcribers.

We offer here yet another snapshot at our transcription activity.

To date, we have 977 users-fully 149 them have transcribed within the last 90 days. This continues a trend of increased users, but also more active users. Those transcribers have made more than 6,374 saves to War Department documents, which is about 500 more than at the last update. That works out to 1167 finished documents, along with another 61 documents begun. Additionally, transcribers have initiated approximately 299 conversations using the “talk” feature. We also know that on average, each document is edited between three and four times before it is finished.