Naval History and Heritage Command

The Morgan Library 
29 East 36^th Street
New York, NY 10016-3403

Jones, John Paul
Collection

Autograph letters of John Paul Jones.

Long, John D.
Papers

John Davis Long was Secretary of the Navy from 1897-1902.  The collection includes a copy of his book, The New American Navy, which contains 50 letters of naval officers concerning the Spanish-American War.

50 items

New York City
Collection

Includes Navy related material

1 item 

Yorke, Joseph
Papers, 1775-1779

Joseph Yorke was the British Ambassador to The Hague.  The collection includes naval documents.

 The Gilder Lehrman Collection, on deposit at the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York City, is one of the largest collections of American historical documents in private hands. Its holdings encompass materials from the first European encounters with the New World to recent events. The Gilder Lehrman Collection exceeds 50,000 items, principally autograph manuscripts and printed documents. It continues to grow. The collection's holdings are deepest in American history from 1760 through 1876.

Adams, John
Papers, 1798-1813

• Document granting permission for a French ship to depart the U.S. during the Quasi-War
• Letter to Benjamin Rush regarding economic policy and declaration of war
• Letter to Benjamin Rush regarding how the Revolution started against British ministry and military

Allen, George D.
Papers, 1859-1864 

• Letters, including five while on U.S. gunboats off South America

Allen, Herman
Papers, 1839

• Letter to Joel Poinsett regarding a naval position

Archer, Edward R.
Papers, 1856-1900 

• Archive of Confederate naval operations, the Virginia Volunteer Navy, and Tredegar Iron Works

Bainbridge, William
Papers, 1813 

• Report of the officers of the U.S. Frigate Constitution regarding the battle with HMS Java.

Barron, James
Papers, 1822 

• Letter to Henry M. Morfit regarding his inability to get a loan

Barry, John
Papers, 1803

• Printed, signed document regarding distribution of prize money

Beckwith, George
Papers, 1781

• Letter to Henry Clinton regarding a spy on privateers and naval intelligence of merchant vessels leaving Philadelphia

Bradford, William S.
Papers, 1797

• Instrument of protest regarding the seizure of the brigantine Flora by the British.

Chauncey, Isaac
Papers, 1839

• Letter as Navy Commissioner to Charles Stewart regarding costs of building ships

Clark, Joseph W.
Papers, 1813 

• War of 1812 parole and release from Dartmouth, England, signed by Clark as an American prisoner of war and countersigned by Thomas Gribble as agent

Dagworthy, Mrs.
Papers, 1780

• Letter to Mrs. General Morris regarding aid for Revolutionary War soldiers.

Dahlgren, John A.
Papers, 1862-1870 

• Letter to Samuel S. Cox
• Letter regarding gunners perpendiculars
• Letter to Mrs. T. Apoleon Cheny regarding his book Shells and Shell Guns

Davis, Jefferson
Papers, 1861

• Letter to Howell Cobb nominating Henry T. Ellet as Post Master, Judah P. Benjamin as Attorney General, and Stephen R. Mallory as Navy Secretary

Davis, T. J.
Papers, 1945

• Congratulatory messages to General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Denver, James W.
Papers, 1855

• Letter to James C. Dobbin regarding appointment to the Naval Academy

Des Barres, Joseph F.
Papers, 1778

• Aquatint with original watercolor wash, “The Phoenix and the Rose engaged by enemy’s fire ships…”

Dupont, Samuel F.
Papers, 1863

• Letter to E. Jackson defending his view that naval attack alone could not capture Charleston

Early, Jubal A.
Papers, 1873

• Letter to Dabney H. Maury regarding the disqualification of Confederate Army and Navy officers from Virginia State officers

Eaton, William
Papers, 1804

• Letter as American Naval Agent to the Barbary States to Hamet Karamanli, Pasha of Tripoli

Eisenhower, Dwight D.
Papers, 1946

• Letter to Dr. R.C. Hutchinson returning a biography of Ulysses S. Grant

Ericsson, John
Papers, 1862

• Letter to an unknown recipient regarding U.S. ironclad monitors

Farragut, David G.
Papers, 1863-1869

• Letter to Clerk Faxon, Chief Clerk of the Navy Department, regarding prize money turned over to paymaster of Pensacola
• History set right...

Fillmore, Millard
Papers, 1851

• Naval commission of Benjamin Isherwood

Foote, Andrew H.
Papers, 1862

• Proclamation to the inhabitants of Charkesville, Tennessee, assuring them that the Union Navy will be peaceable

Hamilton, Paul
Papers, 1812 

• Letter to John Rodgers regarding declaration of war with England

Hockley, George W.
Papers, 1842 

• Letter to Edward Burleson regarding the Vasquez Expedition's approach

Hollins, George N.
Papers, 1863 

• Letter as a commander in the Confederate Navy requesting a passport for B.L. Haden

Hopkins, Esek
Papers, 1781 

• Document regarding the loan office of Rhode Island.

Horn, Henry
Papers, 1847

• Letter to James K. Polk requesting a midshipman's warrant for R. Manley

Hull, Isaac
Papers, 1823

• Letter to John Chandler regarding appointment of Henry Knox Thatcher as a midshipman

Jackson, Andrew
Papers, 1844

• Letter to John Y. Mason regarding the annexation of Texas and U.S. claims to Oregon
• Letter to John Y. Mason predicting the election of Polk

Jefferson, Thomas
Papers, 1799-1813

• Letter to John W. Eppes regarding peace with France
• Printed authorization for U.S. Frigate Congress to seize ships off Tripoli
• Letter to Dr. William Bently thanking him for botanical specimens and illustrations
• Document, "Dignified Retirement: Parody on the House that Jack Built"
• Letter to James Duane discussing the battle of Enterprise and Boxer

Jenifer, Daniel
Papers, 1773 

• Legal bond of naval officer Richard Lee, Daniel Dulany, and Benedict Calvert

Jones, Anson B.
Papers, 1846 

• Proclamation of the admission of Texas to the Union, written while commanding in the Texas Navy

Jones, William
Papers, 1820

• Letter from former Secretary of the Navy William Jones to Walter Dun, a recommendation for Israel Clarke

Keitt, Lawrence M.
Papers, 1855 

• Letter to James C. Dobbin, Secretary of the Navy, forwarding a letter requesting appointment to the Naval Academy

Kell, John M.
Papers, 1859-1861 

• Letter while Commandant of the Warrington Naval Yard to his wife regarding a leave of absence to see his family
• Letter from USS Savannah to his wife regarding docking and visitors

Lee, Samuel P.
Papers, 1865

• Letter to Andrew Johnson recommending that Captain Brooke be allowed back into the U.S. Navy

Lincoln, Abraham
Papers, 1862-1864

• Letter to Gideon Welles regarding Stephen Logan’s request for a Navy clerkship for a young man
• Naval commission of Ward Marston
• Letter to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Wells regarding an offer to supply coal to the government

Lovell, J.L.
Papers, 1861

• U.S. Naval Academy album of autographs, portraits, and photographs

Madison, James
Papers, 1809-1816

• Appointment of John Chew as a Midshipman
• Appointment of Joshua Potts as Navy Agent
• Appointment of George D. LaRoche as a Sailing Master
• Appointment of John Crean as a Midshipman
• Appointment of George Craft as a Sailing Master
• Appointment of Job Northrop as a Sailing Master
• Message of the President regarding American seamen imprisoned at Dartmoor Prison, England

Mallory, Stephen R.
Papers, 1861-1864

• Letter as Confederate Secretary of the Navy relieving a captain of command
• Letter to Edward S. Ruggles regarding his appointment as a midshipman
• Letter to Joseph Claybrook regarding his appointment as a midshipman
• Notice of appointment to commander for John Kell

Mauger, Joshua
Papers, 1763-1788 

• Mauger's correspondence details his far-flung business transactions in Nova Scotia, England, Spain, France, Amsterdam, various American colonies, Quebec, and the Caribbean. His correspondents also discuss political events in England, the Stamp Act, and the American Revolution. Upon his return to England, Mauger suffered severe, frequent illnesses as a result of the harsh English weather. Highlights include: Brooks Watson's letters from Montreal in 1776 describing a naval engagement on Lake Champlain and victory of General Howe on Long Island; from 1782-1783, serving as the Commissary General to the British Army under Sir Guy Carleton, he describes the plight of loyalist refugees leaving for Nova Scotia. John Butler, Mauger's agent in Nova Scotia, urges Mauger to seek the advice of Benjamin Franklin concerning the introduction of paper currency in Nova Scotia, and other letters describe events in the American Revolution and detail concern over the fate of Nova Scotia in the war. Mauger's son-in-law, James D'Auvergne, writes on politics and the Revolution; one letter indicates that slaves are needed in Halifax.

343 items

Maury, William L.
Papers, 1863-1878 

• Six documents regarding CSS Georgia, 16 letters to his wife, four letters from French naval officers, and post-war materials

McBlair, William
Papers, 1857-1859 

• Collection of 72 documents relating to duty in the African Squadron
• Letter to his wife, mentioning dislike of Navy food and expectation of orders home

Mitchell, William E.
Papers, 1924 

• Letter to Lester D. Gardner regarding Japanese air power versus American sea power

Monroe, James
Papers, 1820 

• Appointment of Robert S. Falconer as a surgeon’s mate

Pierce, Franklin
Papers, 1855 

• Commission of David Farragut as a Captain in the Navy

Perry, Matthew C.
Papers, 1844

• General Order Number 15, regarding the death of Thomas W. Gilmer, Secretary of the Navy

Porter, David D.
Papers, 1826

• Letter to R. Smith arranging for his wife’s finances after defecting to Mexico

Porter, David D.
Papers, 1862-1864

• Letter to H. Walker regarding gunboat positions and orders during the New Orleans campaign
• Endorsement of letter of James P. Couthoy regarding the status of freed slaves in the Navy

Preble, Edward
Papers, 1806

• Letter as Secretary of the Navy to Robert Smith regarding condolences on the death of his wife

Rochambeau, Jean B.
Papers, 1782

• Letter to Governor Benjamin Harrison regarding the departure of the French army from Virginia.

Roosevelt, Franklin D.
Papers, 1916-1945

• Letter to Jose E. Pidgeon regarding Harold E. Starrett’s service record
• Photograph of Roosevelt and his cabinet at a long table
• Letter to Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal regarding the Research Board for National Security
• Letter to Basil O’Connor regarding the Pacific theater

Roosevelt, Theodore
Papers, 1905-1908

• Pardon of Major Charles A. Doyen, USMC
• Letter to V.H. Metcalf inviting him to a conference on the conservation of natural resources
• Pardon of George W. Peters (alias George W. Rogers)

Sartine, Antoine R.
Papers, 1775

• Contract concerning the selling of arms and supplies to the American colonies

Semmes, Raphael
Papers, 1846

• Letter to Commander David Conner requesting relief by a junior officer and transfer

Sherman, Edwin A.
Papers, 1902

• The Life of the Late Rear-Admiral John Drake Sloat of the United States Navy who Took Possession of California and Raised the American Flag at Monterey on July 7^th, 1846

Sherman, William T.
Papers, 1864

• Letter to E.R.S. Canby regarding orders to the Navy as he marches to Savannah

Slidell, John
Papers, 1861

• Receipt for $1,500 for his commission to France, regarding the Trent Affair

Smith, Henry
Papers, 1835

• Letters of marque and reprisal authorizing Silas Dinsmore to seize Mexican ships

Stoddert, Benjamin
Papers, 1799-

• Letter to an unidentified correspondent regarding his will
• Letter to William Smith regarding the capture of American ships by the French and British

Sullivan, James
Papers, 1778

• Appointment and bond of Tristam Jordan, naval officer

Taft, J.W.
Photographs, 1863-1864

• Photographs by Taft, showing USS Blackhawk, Tyler, Brown, Memphis, Fawn, Carondelet, Indianola, the St. Louis packet boat The City of Alton, and others

Taft, William H.
Papers, 1916

• Letter to Robert J. Harland declining to write about patronage

Taney, Roger B.
Papers, 1844-1846

• Letters to John Y. Mason regarding appointments, introductions, and politics

Thompson, W. S.
Papers, 1862-1865

• Diaries describing his Civil War experiences, including service on USS Suwanee.

Thornton, William
Papers, 1805

• Document attempting to influence the Barbary Powers
• Letter to William Eaton on relations with Algiers and the Barbary pirates

Thurman, A.G.
Papers, 1846

• Letter to George Bancroft regarding the appointment of Thomas H. Looker

Van Buren, Martin
Papers, 1842

• Letter to Governor Branch introducing Mr. Groves of New York

Welles, Gideon
Papers, 1911

• Diary of Gideon Wells, 3 volumes

West, Lewis
Papers, 1861-1865

• Correspondence of 89 letters and 3 maps regarding the blockade of Port Royal, South Carolina

Whipple, William
Papers, 1776-1777

• Letter to John Langdon regarding the founding of an American navy
• Letter to John Langdon regarding the difficulties of supplying the Army and Navy.
• Letter to John Langdon regarding the loss of Fort Washington
• Letter to John Langdon regarding John Paul Jones and the lack of Navy recruits due to privateers

Wilkes, Jane J.
Papers, 1863

• Letter to Charles Wilkes regarding the Trent affair

Wilson, Woodrow
Papers, 1918

• Photograph of the naval transport George Washington which took Wilson to sign the Treat of Versailles