• 1 r- ■ - OF THE University of California.- Class " 9 i Vi»,^^i "^l??^*^ >cf :«^K =:**<•• )«f ^••#:.^ /■•• ■ itv- ■m:.<: ?■••%• ••,••.*.• GUIDE TO THE ARCHIVES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN WASHINGTON BY CLAUDE HALSTEAD VAN TYNE AND WALDO GIFFORD LELAND PUBLISHED BY THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF V^ASHINGTON 1904 \/3 Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication No. 14 PAPERS OF THE BUREAU OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH ANDREW c. McLaughlin, editor Press of Thi new Era Printing Company lancaster, pa. PREFATORY NOTE. The guide to the archives of the government at Washington was begun in January^ 1903, by Mr. Van Tyne and Mr. Leland, who carried the work forward for some months. In the autumn of that year the task of completing the survey of the archives and of arrang- ing the materials for publication naturally fell to the newly organized Bureau of Historical Research. This task was not completed until the spring of 1904, most of the work being done by Mr. Leland. The character and scope of the volume were somewhat changed and de- veloped while the data were being collected. The purpose at the outset was to gather information as to the whereabouts of important historical materials, to discover how they were preserved and arranged, and to give descriptions of them that would be of service to the historical investigator. As the work proceeded, it was apparent that there could be no hard and fast line between historical collections and ordinary administrative records, and that every branch and division of the Government must be examined with care, even if the report on its manuscript records should ultimately be passed over with scarcely more than a word in the final report. It also became clear that a short history of each bureau or division, and a succinct statement of its duties, methods of work, and mode of keeping its records, would be of service to all students interested in the mechanism of the govern- ment or in the growth of its administrative machinery, and would at the same time be the safest guide to those seeking to know where archives of a certain character are likely to be found. As a result, the work has developed into a survey of all the branches, bureaus, and divisions of the federal government in Washington, and includes more than a mere description of their records and collections. The his- torical data have been gathered and the references to printed author- ities and the bibliography have been prepared with care and patience, and it is to be hoped that this feature will appeal to students of his- tory and government. The book, as we have it here, purports to be only a general sur- vey. Only where materials are of special interest historically is there any effort to give anything approaching detailed information. In some cases it was impossible to get details, in others facts actually gathered seemed not appropriate to the present volume and have iii 1 :: ^ 50 I iv PREFATORY NOTE. therefore not been printed. The Bureau of Historical Research is continuing the study of the archives, and hopes to make from time to time reports on the portions that have peculiar interest to historical investigators. A. C. McLaughlin. Carnegie Institution of Washington, August 27, IQOJf, INTRODUCTION. The compilers of this work were confronted at the outset by a series of problems, in the solution of which they were unaided by anything that might serve as a model. The conditions in Washing- ton are so different from those abroad that English, French, and Ital- ian archive reports served only to suggest certain classes of informa- tion that it was desirable to obtain, and were of little service in deter- mining the final form of the Guide or in indicating the best methods for gathering the data. Furthermore, there had been no previous attempt to make any general examination of all the records of the Federal Government in Washington, nor indeed had any examination of the records of a single department been attempted, though a few general statements as to certain classes of material to be found in Washington had appeared in print. It is worth while to state at length the difficulties that were encountered in the prosecution of this task, because they not only serve to show the character of the information to be found in the following pages, but also suggest to historical investigators the conditions to be met in any extended inves- tigations of the archives. In the preliminary preparations for the work it was realized that the material to be examined was widely scattered. There are eighteen or twenty distinct departments, commissions, or other governmental organizations, which are in turn divided into considerably more than a hundred bureaus or offices; many of these are still further divided into divisions or branches. Furthermore the history of many of the departments or bureaus is very complicated, a fact which frequently has a serious effect upon the continuity of their records. Many bu- reaus have been transferred from one department to another; depart- ments have been reorganized, old bureaus abolished, new ones created, duties redistributed, and methods of business changed, until it has become extremely difficult to account for the location of certain classes of material or to discover the location of others. Foremost among the bureaus into which each of the great executive departments is divided is the so-called "Secretary's Office", which con- ducts the business overseen by the secretary in person, and the records of which are the records of the secretary's official acts ; sometimes these records are all kept together, sometimes they are divided among the Vi INTRODUCTION. divisions of the office; sometimes they are scattered throughout the bu- reaus of the department. Each bureau usually keeps its own records; but while those of one bureau may be found together^ those of another are scattered among a dozen divisions. Nor does the dispersion of the records always stop here; in some divisions the files are scattered among subordinate branches and there are almost as many methods as there are file-rooms. In one office, for example, all the letters re- ceived from the establishment of the office are to be found in a single unbroken series; in another the letters received are arranged in differ- ent series. Perhaps for the first ten years the letters were kept together; then, as their number increased, other series were started; later, again, some of these series were consolidated; and still later possibly the method of keeping all papers, both letters received and copies of letters sent, in a single series was adopted. Thus papers of the same class are filed under varying titles. The indexing of the records varies also with different file-rooms. In general the indexes make any particular letter or paper easily ac- cessible, but do not aid in finding the papers of any one class or on any particular subject, and hence are of slight service in preparing a general description of the records. The older indexes are of little value for any purpose whatsoever; and the index-books that were in general use until a few years ago are so complicated that their use by the uninitiated is extremely difficult. The system of indexing by means of cards is, however, rapidly coming into use. Another difficulty encountered was the inconvenient or even inac- cessible location of a part of the material. In several offices the earlier records are boxed up and stored in vaults or attics; in others they are hidden behind piles of lumber or large cases. In still other offices, while the records are actually accessible, considerable physical discomfort is attendant upon an examination of them. The mere mass of these records of the government is well-nigh appalling. It is impossible to form an estimate of the aggregate space occupied by them; in a single office of the Treasury Department, for example, they cover over ten miles of shelving ; the volumes of dip- lomatic and consular correspondence in the State Department are to be numbered by thousands; a few years ago the Adjutant-General reported that in addition to several tons of Confederate records already described there were over ten tons of books and papers, the character of which had not as yet been ascertained. In some departments entire buildings are rented for no other purpose than that of filling INTRODUCTION, yji them from cellar to attic with records and files that are not in imme- diate demand in the prosecution of current work. Finally the widely varying value of the different classes of records constitutes a problem in itself. From the papers of the Con- tinental Congress or the journals of the Confederate Congress to the correspondence relating to the pay or dismissal of a janitor there is a considerable depreciation in value; in general^ however, there may be said to be two classes of files: those that constitute the administra- tive records, and those that are almost entirely of historical interest and actually exist as completed collections. Of this latter class may be mentioned, for example, the Continental Congress papers, inherited from the old government; the Franklin and Madison papers, acquired by purchase; the archives of the Confederate government, captured upon the fall of the Confederacy; and the collection of Revolutionary orderly books and journals segregated from the administrative records of the Pension Office. The papers of this class are in general readily accessible, are often indexed or catalogued in such a way as to be serviceable to the student, and are properly arranged and cared for. Many of these collections are being transferred to the Library of Congress. The administrative records comprise the files relating to the actual administration of the government and consist largely of correspond- ence, accounts, reports, and similar papers. To this class belong the diplomatic and consular correspondence, the correspondence of the Navy Department with officers of the Navy, military reports of army officers, and other material of the greatest value, along with tons of adjusted accounts and thousands of file-boxes filled with letters re- lating to the most unimportant details of routine business. Further- more, in almost any series of volumes the worthless letters far exceed in number those having historical importance. With these conditions confronting the compilers, they realized that any inventory, anything approaching a complete catalogue, was out of the question, and they resolved to prepare a guide that should show in what office or department any particular class of material is to be found, and that should describe, though in the most general terms, the material actually there. They attempted to ascertain, in the case of any one office or division, the different classes of material on file, their general character and probable value, the dates of the earliest files, and the extent of the records as a whole. In some cases more than this was possible; in others, less; while in a few instances the material was of so little value that they felt justified in omitting Viii INTRODUCTION. all description of it. Furthermore, inasmuch as one purpose of the Guide was to enable an investigator to know where he should search for any particular class of material, it was decided to include under each bureau an account of its history and duties, the compilers realizing from their own experience that such information sheds considerable light upon the exact character and extent of the records. The method of examining the records necessarily varied. In most instances a file-clerk was detailed to answer questions and to explain methods of indexing and arrangement. In a few offices a detailed examination, almost volume by volume, was made; in others a rapid walk through file-rooms containing miles of shelving was either suffi- cient or was all that was permitted. In two or three offices those in charge requested that a list of questions relating to the records be submitted, and from the written replies to these questions the reports for those offices were compiled. Finally a supplementary search in printed material, mostly in the executive documents, was made for information bearing directly or indirectly upon the files of the various departments and bureaus. In some cases the information thus gained constituted a valuable addition to that derived from a personal exam- ination or questioning. The criticism will probably be made that due proportion has not been observed; that some records of great value receive only a general description, whereas other material of much less value has received a greater amount of space. The foregoing account of the conditions met with should be a sufficient reply to this justifiable charge. In a few cases access to important material for the purpose of making any more than the most general description was not permitted by the authorities, while in others detailed lists were furnished by the author- ities themselves; furthermore, it not infrequently happened that im- portant classes of records were of such great extent as to render impossible the detailed description which was practicable for other records, less important perhaps, but also of less formidable bulk. The compilers desire to express their appreciation of the uniform courtesy with which they have been received in the departments. In many cases officials have not only afi*orded every facility for making an examination of the records in their charge, but have furnished lists and other valuable information or have oifered suggestions of great service. Especially valuable help and suggestions have been afforded by Mr. Andrew Hussey Allen of the State Department, by General F. C. Ainsworth and General A. W. Greely of the War Department, by Mr. S. M. Gaines, Mr. W. I. Simpson, and Mr. Lewis Jordan of INTRODUCTION. ix the Treasury Department^ by Mr. George F. Stone of the Post-OfEce Department, by Mr. Charles W. Stewart of the Navy Department, and by Mr. W. Bertrand Acker of the Interior Department. To the Librarian of Congress, Mr. Herbert Putnam, and to Mr. Worthington C. Ford, chief of the Division of Manuscripts, the debt of the authors is very great, not only because of the splendid resources of the Library of Congress, which were placed at their disposal, but because of the great interest shown and the helpful suggestions made in the prosecu- tion of the work. C. H. Van Tyne. W. G. Leland, TABLE OF CONTENTS. Introduction iii The White House 1 Depaetment op State 2 Bureau of Indexes and Archives 3 Bureau of Rolls and Library 8 Diplomatic Bureau 29 Consular Bureau 29 Bureau of Appointments 30 Bureau of Accounts 30 Bureau of Trade Relations 30 Treasury Departmext 31 Division of Mail and Files 32 Division of Book-Keeping and Warrants 41 Miscellaneous Division 42 Register of the Treasury 49 Treasurer of the United States 51 Comptroller of the Treasury 54 Auditor for the Treasury Department 55 Auditor for the War Department 58 Auditor for the Interior Department 59 Auditor for the Navy Department 61 Auditor for the State and other Departments 62 Auditor for the Post-Office Department 64 Commissioner of Internal Revenue 67 Comptroller of the Currency 68 Bureau of Engraving and Printing 69 Director of the Mint 69 Secret Service Division 70 OflSce of the Supervising Architect 70 Bureau of Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service 71 Life-Saving Service 71 Department of War 72 Record Division, Office of the Secretary of War 75 Division of Military Information, Office of the Chief of Staff 75 Record and Pension Office 76 Office of the Adjutant-General 87 Office of the Inspector-General 88 Office of the Judge-Advocate-General 91 Office of the Quartermaster-General 93 Office of the Commissary-General 94 Office of the Surgeon-General 94 xi xii TABLE OF CONTENTS. OflSce of the Paymaster-General 95 Chief of Engineers 96 OflBce of Public Buildings and Grounds 99 Office of the Chief of Ordnance 102 Office of the Chief Signal Officer 104 Bureau of Insular Affairs 105 Department of Justice 109 Office of Chief Clerk 110 Office of the Attorney in Charge of Pardons Ill Office of the Appointment Clerk Ill Solicitor of the Treasury 112 Office of the Assistant Attorney-General in Charge of Cases Before the Court of Claims 113 Office of Assistant Attorney-General in Charge of Indian Depredation Cases 113 Post-Office Department 114 Office of the Postmaster-General 115 Office of the First Assistant Postmaster-General 115 Office of the Second Assistant Postmaster-General 116 Office of the Third Assistant Postmaster-General 116 Office of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster-General 116 Navy Department , 117 Naval War Records Office 119 Bureau of Navigation 135 Bureau of Construction and Repair 136 Office of the Judge- Advocate-General 138 Headquarters of the Marine Corps 138 Department of the Interior 139 Patents and Miscellaneous Division, Office of the Secretary 139 Appointment Division, Office of the Secretary 144 Indian Division, Office of the Secretary 145 Office of Indian Affairs 146 Bureau of Pensions 149 General Land Office 160 Patent Office 166 Bureau of Education 167 Office of the Geological Survey 169 Department of Agriculture 170 Department of Commerce and Labor 171 Coast and Geodetic Survey 171 Commissioner of Navigation 173 Office of Steamboat Inspection 173 Light-House Board 174 Bureau of Labor 174 Bureau of Immigration 175 Bureau of Corporations 175 TABLE OF CONTENTS. xiii Civil Service Commission 176 Interstate Commerce Commission 177 The Smithsonian Institution 179 Supreme Court of the United States 182 Court of Claims 184 House of Representatives 186 Senate 187 Library of Congress 187 Division of Manuscripts 187 Division of Maps and Charts 202 Bibliography 203 Index 209 THE GOVERNMENT ARCHIVES AT WASHINGTON. THE WHITE HOUSE. The custom which has prevailed for retiring Presidents to take with them as personal property all the letters^ papers, and other rec- ords of their respective administrations, has resulted in scattering abroad much historical material of the utmost value. The papers of many of the administrations thus exist at present as collections in various parts of the country. The Library of Congress, for example, has in its possession several of these collections, including the Jack- son and Van Buren papers, and the larger part of the Polk papers. Other Polk papers are in the library of the Historical Society of Chicago, while the Adams papers are deposited with the Massachusetts Historical Society, and the Buchanan papers are in the possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Other papers are more or less scattered. It is true that in the archives of the various executive depart- ments is to be found in large part the correspondence of the Presidents with the respective departments, but this material is so scattered that it would be impossible for the student to use it in any collected form. The only records, other than the papers of the present administration, now to be found in the White House are some five volumes of Grant's letter-books. 1. Letter-booJcs of President Grant (5 vols.). These books contain copies of Grant's letters to members of the Cabinet, to the Commissioner of Public Buildings and Grounds, to the public, both individuals and societies, to congressmen, to financiers, etc. They cover such subjects as nominations, resignations, appointments, detailing of men for duty at the White House, acceptance of Cabinet positions, invitations to attend meetings of societies, appointments to the Naval and Military Academies, courtesies of foreign governments, the panic of 1873, etc. Most of the material is of slight historical interest, but of the few important letters may be mentioned one dated June 27, 1870, stating that Grant had given verbal instructions to 2 1 2 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. General Babcock to go to San Domingo and learn the wishes of the people and of the government regarding annexation to the United States. Another letter of October 17, 1870, concerns the same matter. There is also a very interesting letter to A. G. Cattell, of March 21, 1871. Many of the letters are purely personal, and some even of Mrs. Grant's letters are to be found here. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. The history and functions of the Department of State are clearly set forth in W. H. Michael's *' History of the Department of State " (Washington, 1901). Earlier accounts are: " Department of State of the United States: how it was formed; what are its duties, and how it is run " (Washington, 1898: prepared for the exhibit of the Depart- ment of State at the Omaha exposition) ; " The Department of State of the United States : Its History and Functions ", by Gaillard Hunt (Washington, 1893); and " Department of State, 1789-1866 ", by D. D. T. Leech, in the form of articles in the National Intelligencer for June 8, 10, and U, 1867. The so-called "Cockrell Report" (Sen. Rept. No. 507, pt. 3, 50 Cong., 1 sess.) contains a detailed account of the work performed in the various bureaus as they were organized in 1887. The State Department contains the most valuable body of material covering the years from 1789 to date, in the United States, for here alone is found the complete record of our foreign relations. These records contain a far larger proportion of valuable papers than do those of any other department, for there is here no enormous mass of purely administrative records in which the documents of historical value are buried. In addition to the records that accumulate in the course of the work of the department are many collections obtained by the govern- ment and deposited here. Some of the most valuable of these collec- tions, however, are now in process of being transferred to the Library of Congress in accordance with a recent executive order (see below under Bureau of Rolls and Library). A number of accounts of the State Department's archives have been published, the most general of which is to be found in Winsor's "America" (viii, 414 fF.). Refer- ences to other accounts will be foimd in the descriptions of the various bureaus. While the files of the department comprise several thousand volumes and bundles, the work of investigation is not especially difficult, as the excellent arrangement does much to make the material readily acces- sible. BUREAU OF INDEXES AND ARCHIVES. 3 The department was organized in 1789, and its archives are prac- tically continuous from that date. There fortunately have been no serious losses by fire. In 1814 the Secretary of State reported that there had been no loss of manuscripts during the incursion of the enemy ("American State Papers, Misc.", 11, 252). For the few papers destroyed as being of no value see H. Ex. Doc. 128, 52 Cong., 1 sess. The general rule relating to the use of the archives of the depart- ment is as follows: The privilege of access to the manuscript archives of the Department of State may be secured, so far as the facilities at command and the convenience of the office admit, upon application by letter to the Secretary of State. Ap- plicants should describe as concisely and definitely as may be possible the papers they desire to consult, the scope of the examination contemplated, and the period of time during which they purpose to avail themselves of the per- mission, if accorded. BUREAU OF INDEXES AND ARCHIVES. In the Bureau of Indexes and Archives is preserved all the corre- spondence of the State Department. It is arranged in three classes — diplomatic, consular, and miscellaneous. While the diplomatic and consular correspondence is conducted by the Diplomatic and Consular Bureaus respectively, it is finally deposited in the Bureau of Indexes and Archives; hence the Diplomatic and Consular Bureaus have no archives of their own. In general, it may be said that these archives are accessible to the student, either through a personal examination or through written requests for information. In the former case the student is ordinarily allowed to examine the material and to take such notes as he wishes, but his notes are inspected by the chief of the bureau, who may withhold such of them as he judges should not be taken away. In making a personal examination, the student receives all the aid which the clerical force of the bureau can afford without interference with its regular work. In case a written request for information is made, the request should be as specific as possible. The limited number of the clerical force and the great amount of departmental work do not permit of extended researches, but as much attention as possible is given to requests for information. These archives, even those of the earliest date, are in constant use by the department. Their especial value lies in the precedents that they reveal. For a detailed statement of the methods of arrangement and indexing see Michael's " History and Functions of the Department of State" (74-79). The arrangement is sufficiently indicated below. 4 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. The current indexing is done in folio record-books. Each paper is in- dexed under some catchword in the folio book of that class to which it belongs, and the name of the sender or recipient, the date of sending or receiving, and an abstract of the contents are recorded. The corre- spondence from 1889 to date is also indexed by means of the card- system, which is being extended back toward 1789; it will therefore eventually apply to the entire body of archives. In this card-index each card represents a single communication and contains the same information relating to that communication that is contained in the folio index. The cards are arranged by subjects, so that under each subject is indexed all the correspondence on file that relates to it. Finally, under each class of correspondence, with a few exceptions, there is a card-index for the years 1874-1881. The following list, which is taken from an inventory prepared in 1896 by Mr. King, chief of the bureau, comprises such parts of that inventory as it was deemed proper by the department should be made public and some few additional notes made in the course of a personal investigation. It will be noticed that in each class, with a few ex- ceptions, the number of volumes only to 1896 is given. The amount of accumulation since that date has not been ascertained by the bureau, but is said not to exceed twenty-five volumes in any one class. I. Diplomatic Archives. 1. Instructions to United States ambassadors and ministers, 1791—1896 (166 vols.). The first instructions on file are from Jefferson and are dated Feb- ruary, 1791. Arrangement: Recorded in 13 consecutive volumes and 3 volumes marked "American States" until 1833; since then each country has had its own series of record-books. Indexes: (a) 1789-1870, in the front of record-books, (h) 1870 to date in folio index-books, which also include the indexes for the " Notes from the Department ", 1870 to date (see i, 3, below), (c) 1874-1881, included also in a card-index. 2. Despatches from United States ambassadors and ministers, 1789- 1896 (1,723 vols.). > The despatches from the legation in England (Morris) commence in 1789; those from the legation in France (Short) in the same year; those from the legation in Spain and Portugal, in 1 790 ; in Spain alone, 1793; in Prussia, a few despatches from J. Q. Adams, in 1800; in Russia, in 1809. BUREAU OF INDEXES AND ARCHIVES. 5 Arrangement: Bound and arranged alphabetically by countries. Indexes: (a) To 1870, in 73 volumes, which likewise include the indexes of " Notes to the Department " from about 1828 to 1870 (see i, 4. below), (b) 1870 to date in folio index-books, (c) 1874-1881, included also in a card-index. 5. Notes from the Department (i. e., Notes to foreign ambassadors and ministers in Washington), 1789 to date (102 vols.). Arrangement: (a) 1789—1804, recorded in "Domestic Letters". (6) 1804—1834, recorded in 5 consecutive volumes (the first of which, 1804—1810, has been lost, but an index to it remains), (c) Since 1834, recorded in volumes by countries. Indexes: (a) 1789—1804, in front of "Notes from the Depart- ment ", vol. II. (6) 1804—1870, in the front of the record-books, (c) Since 1870 in the folio index-books for " Instructions to United States ambassadors and ministers " (see i, 1, above), (d) 1874-1881, in- cluded also in a card-index. 4. Notes to the Department (i. e.. Notes from foreign ambassadors and ministers at Washington), 1789-1896 (409 vols.). The notes from the British legation commence in 1791; from the French legation in 1801 ; from the Spanish legation in 1794; from the Russian legation in 1808; from the Portuguese legation in 1805; from the Hanseatic States legation in 1816. Arrangement: Bound in volumes by countries. Indexes: (a) 1789-1828, no indexes, (b) 1828-1870, in the 73 volumes, which also include the indexes to " Despatches from United States Ambassadors and Ministers ", 1789-1870 (see i, 2, above), (c) Since 1870, in the folio index-books for "Despatches from United States ambassadors and ministers", 1870 to date (see i, 2, above). 6. Letters from United States ministers, 1789—1830 (5^ vols.). Arrangement: These are bound separately from their despatches and are mostly duplicates of them. Printed material. — There are two principal collections of printed diplomatic correspondence : " American State Papers. Class I. Foreign Relations ", 6 vols. (Washington, 1832-1859), which cover the period from 1789 to 1828, and the annual publications in the congressional series entitled " Papers relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States ", from 1861 to date. The diplomatic correspondence between 1828 and 1861 is to be found scattered through the congressional documents. A list of the principal collections during this period may be found in A. B. Hart's " Trial Bibliography of American Diplomacy ", in the "American Historical Review" (vi, 862), reprinted in his "Foundations (J DEPARTMENT OF STATE. of American Foreign Policy" (New York and London, 1901), 280-285. The Bureau of Indexes and Archives has segregated from the congressional series the documents pertaining to the State Department or to foreign diplomatic affairs • and bound them together in a collection of several hundred volumes, which since 1825 is practically complete. Probably, however, by far the larger part of the diplomatic archives is unprinted. Investigation in the volumes prior to 1800 reveals the fact that the " State Papers " contain by no means all the correspondence, and frequently not the least interesting is omitted, e. g., a large number of despatches from Thomas Pinckney in the years before Jay's special mission to England. II. Consular Archives. 1. Instructions to United States consuls, 1789—1896 {15Jf vols.). Arrangement: (a) 1789-1800, recorded in " Domestic Letters " (see III, 1, below). (6) 1800-1896, recorded in separate record-books (154 vols.). These record-books, previous to 1870, contain also some " Do- mestic Letters " pertaining to consular matters. Since 1870 they con- tain nothing but instructions to consular officers in chronological order. Indexes: (a) 1789-1800, in " Domestic Letters " (see iii, 1, below), index of names only, (b) 1800-1833, index of names in the record- books of instructions, (c) 1833—1870, in 17 volumes of indexes, {d) Since 1870 in 8 folio index-books, (e) 1874-1881, included also in a card-index. 2. Despatches from United States consuls, 1789-1896 {2,589 vols.). Indexes: (a) 1789-1825, no indexes, (fo) 1825-1870, in 38 vol- umes of indexes to consular despatches and 4 unnumbered volumes of indexes, (c) Since 1870, in 10 folio index-books, (d) 1874-1881, included also in a card-index. 3. Despatches from consular clerks, mostly of late date (5 vols.). 4- Notes to foreign consuls, 1853-1881 {3 vols.). 5. Notes from foreign consuls, 1858—1891 (11 vols.). Printed material. — The consular archives are not regularly published, but it frequently happens that certain papers are printed in congressional documents or are selected by the Bureau of Trade Relations (see below, page 30) for pub- lication by the Bureau of Statistics. III. MiSCELLAXEOUS ARCHIVES. The Miscellaneous Archives are exceedingly valuable and interest- ing, and in the inventory mentioned above they occupy several pages. The following brief statement, however, is all that the departmental authorities would permit to be made in this report. Some of the early notes from and to the legations are here to be found. BUREAU OF INDEXES AND ARCHIVES. 7 1. Domestic Letters (i. e., letters from the Department to others than ministers, consuls, and Congress), 1789 ( 17 8^.)— 1896 (214- vols.). Arrangement: (a) The first four volumes (1784—1792) are in the library, labeled " American Letters, 4 volumes. No. 120." (6) The twelfth and thirteenth volumes (1799-1802) are missing — "supposed to have been lost during the War of 1812 ". (c) Many letters prior to 1870, when pertaining to consular matters, are to be found in the con- sular record-books. Indexes: (a) Each volijme prior to 1870 contains an index of names of persons to whpm written. (6) There are folio index-books for the letters from May 1, 1802, to January 14, 1811, and from January 1, 1840, to date. These folios since 1870 contain indexes to the " Report Books " (see iii, 3, below), (c) Many letters from the department prior to 1870 pertaining to consular matters are indexed by consulates in the volumes of indexes to " Instructions to consuls " (see II, 1, above). (d) 1874—1881, included also in a card-index. 2. Miscellaneous Letters («. e., letters to the Department from others than ministers and consuls), 1789—1896 (about 1,076 vols.). Many letters pertaining to consular matters prior to 1870 are bound with the despatches from the consulates to which they relate. Indexes: These letters are indexed throughout by various methods for different periods. A printed " Calendar of the Miscellaneous Let- ters received by the Department of State from the Organization of the Government to 1820 " (Washington, 1897), is regarded as confidential. 3. Report Books, 1790-1896 (1796-1817 missing) (19 vols.). Letters to the Senate and House, messages from the President to Congress on matters pertaining to the Department of State, and let- ters to congressional committees. Many of the reports are printed in congressional documents. Indexes: (a) Each volume to 1870 contains an index, (h) The indexes since 1870 are in the folio index-books for the "Domestic Letters " (see iii, 1, above). 4. Miscellaneous Volumes (see iii, 5, belotv). 5. Miscellaneous Papers (over 300 vols.). " Miscellaneous Volumes " and " Miscellaneous Papers " contain let- ters from the public, both in this country and abroad, from the execu- tive departments and from congressmen and other officials; papers relating to claims; reports of special agents on various subjects; etc. 8 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Among the important papers included under these headings are 16 volumes and 11 packages which relate to the following territories: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Dakota, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Orleans Territory, Utah, Washington, Western Territory, and Wyoming. In general, " Miscellaneous Volumes " and " Miscellaneous Papers " are of comparatively recent date, although there are a few dating from 1789. BUREAU OF ROLLS AND LIBRARY. The duties of the Bureau of Rolls and Library are indicated below in connection with the description of its various classes of records (see also Michael, "History of the State Department", 60 fF.). The bureau contains practically all the material in the department of any his- torical value, except that described above under the Bureau of Indexes and Archives. For general accounts of this material reference may be made to the article by A. H. Allen, chief of the bureau, on " The His- torical Archives of the Department of State ", in the ** Annual Report of the American Historical Association for 1894" (281—298), to another article in the same volume (549—561), by A. H. Clark, on *' What the United States Government Has Done for History ", and to Sen. Ex. Doc. 22, 53 Cong., 3 sess. (largely reprinted in Michael)^. The various " Bulletins of the Bureau of Rolls and Library " (Nos. 1—10, 1893—1903), constitute the best guide hitherto published to these archives, and contain calendars of some of the most important collec- tions. Most of the papers in the bureau have been grouped into a num- ber of chapters (see Bulletin No. 7, pp. 9-11), and the arrangement thus adopted is followed as far as possible in this report. Although much of the material in the bureau is not indexed, there are manuscript lists in the office which are of service in locating specific papers. The library, which is a branch of this bureau, is especially com- plete in works on foreign relations and international law. It pub- lishes periodically " A List of Books, Pamphlets, and Maps Received " (1886 to date, 28 numbers). Access to the papers and books in the Bureau of Rolls and Library may be had under the following rules: (1) Persons to whom the privilege of consulting the manuscript archives of the Department of State is granted can exercise the permission only sub- ject to the convenience of the department and the uninterrupted transaction of its business. BUREAU OF BOLLS AND LIBRARY. 9 (2) No manuscript shall at any time be taken out of the department ex- cept by order in writing of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary. (3) No manuscript shall be taken out of the Bureau of Rolls and Library into any room of the department until a receipt in form and descriptive of the paper or volume be signed by the official taking the same and delivered to the chief of the bureau, or, in his absence, to the person in charge. (4) No manuscript shall be detained from its place on the shelves of the Bureau of Rolls and Library after 4 p. m. of the day it shall have been taken; and no manuscript shall be taken from its place on the shelves by any others than the clerks in charge, except by special arrangement in ex- ceptional circumstances. (5) The use of the indexes in the room in which the manuscripts are de- posited is not permitted except through the clerks in charge. (6) The privilege of consulting the manuscript archives does not include the use of the Library. The latter privilege must be independently asked for of the chief of the Bureau of Rolls and Library. The following pages describe the archives of the Bureau of Rolls and Library as they were at the beginning of this investigation. Es- pecial attention is directed to the following executive order, in accord- ance with which some changes have already been made and more are in prospect: The historical archives in the Department of State, known as the Revolu- tionary Archives, and comprising (1) The records and papers of the Con- tinental Congress; (2) The papers of George Washington; (3) The papers of James Madison; (4) The papers of Thomas Jefferson; (5) The papers of Alexander Hamilton; (6) The papers of James Monroe; (7) The papers of Benjamin Franklin, are, by authority provided by the act of Congress entitled " An act making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and four, and for other purposes ", approved February 25, 1903, hereby ordered to be transferred from the Department of State — with such exceptions and reservations in each collection herein enumerated, as in the discretion of the Secretary of State may be required for the continuity and completeness of the records and archives of the Department of State — to the ppssession and custody of the Library of Congress, to be there pre- served and rendered accessible for historical and other legitimate uses under such rules and regulations as may from time to time be prescribed by the Librarian of Congress. Only a part of the papers designated by the above order have, how- ever, been actually transferred to the Library of Congress, and it is impossible to know when the transfer will be effected, or to state defi- nitely what " exceptions and reservations " will be made " for the continuity and completeness of the records and archives of the De- partment ". As nearly as can be stated at present the plan seems to be to retain in the Bureau of Rolls and Library such papers in the 10 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. above collections as relate to foreign affairs, to the Constitution of the United States, to the Great Seal, and to the archives of the State Department. I. Special Collections. 1. Continental Congress Papers (Chapter A), 1774--1789 (about 200 vols.). These records of the General Government of the United States prior to 1789 were deposited in the State Department under the acts of July and September, 1789 (1 Stat. L. 28, 68). They consist of reports of committees and of executive departments, letters of the Presidents of Congress, state papers, foreign and domestic corre- spondence, letters of general officers, memorials and petitions, and miscellaneous papers. A practically complete inventory of these papers is printed in " Bulletin of the Bureau of Rolls and Library ", No. 1, and also in Sen. Ex. Doc. 22, 53 Cong., 3 sess. (reprinted in "Annual Report of the American Historical Association for 1894", 554 if.). An older list is printed as " Catalogue of Manuscript Books deposited in the Archives of the Department of State, 1774-1789" (Washington, 1835; enlarged edition, 1855). The investigation for this report revealed the following papers which do not seem to be included in the above lists: («) Sixteen volumes of letters of marque, being for the most part simply ships' bonds and containing no accounts of actions; (6) Twenty-two envelopes of prints, broadsides, resolves, etc. of the Continental Congress; (c) One box of printed acts, papers, etc., of the Continental Congress, 1784-1788; (d) One tin chest con- taining cessions of western territory by various states, and credentials of delegates to the Continental Congress; (e) The original appoint- ment of the commissioners to settle disputes between Pennsylvania and Connecticut, dated August 28, 1780. An index to part of the papers is contained in " Bulletins of the Bureau of Rolls and Library ", Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, under the title " Miscellaneous Index ". There is in the bureau a more complete manuscript index in thirteen ledger volumes. An excellent general description of this collection with especial reference to published por- tions, by Herbert Friedenwald, is contained in the " Annual Report of the American Historical Association for 1896" (85—135). The Continental Congress papers have never been printed in full. Not even the " Journals of Congress " nor the " Secret Journals of Congress " are complete. Large portions of the collections are printed in Sparks's "Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution", BUREAU OF ROLLS AND LIBRARY. H 12 vols. (Boston, 1829-1830); Wharton's "Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence, 1775-1787", 6 vols. (Washington, 1889) ; and in "The Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States . . . from . . . 10th September, 1783, to . . . March 4, 1789 ", 7 vols. (Washington, 1833- 1834). See also P. L. Ford's " Bibliography of the Continental Con- gress '* in " Boston Public Library Bulletin " (viii, 320-323). 2. The Washington Papers {Chapter B) (about 300 vols.). The Washington papers, purchased under the acts of June 30, 1834, and March 3, 1849 (4 Stat. L. 712; 9 ibid. 370), comprise the greater part of Washington's writings and correspondence from his boyhood until his death. An inventory of the papers in this collection is printed in " Bulletin of the Bureau of Rolls and Library ", No. 3. The collection was purchased in two parts, and thirty-seven volumes were transferred to the War Department in 1894 (28 Stat. L. 403). For the history of the collection see the account by J. M. Toner in the "Annual Report of the American Historical Association" (1892, 73 fF.). Large parts of these papers have been printed in Sparks's "Washington's Writings", 12 vols. (Boston, 1834-1837) ; W. C. Ford's "Writings of Washington", 14 vols. (New York, 1889-1893); and "Letters to Washington and Accompanying Papers, 1752-1775", 5 vols. (Boston and New York, 1898), edited by S. M. Hamilton and pub- lished by the Society of Colonial Dames of America. See also W. S. Baker's " Bibliotheca Washingtoniana " (Philadelphia, 1889). 3. The Madison Papers (Chapter D), 1769-1836 (75 vols.). This collection, purchased under the act of May 31, 1848 (9 Stat. L. 235), contains Madison's correspondence, memorandum books, his "Debates in 1776 on the Declaration of Independence", his " Notes on the Proceedings of Congress ", etc. An inventory of these papers is printed in " Bulletin of the Bureau of Rolls and Library ", No. 5, while a calendar of them is published in No. 4 of the same series (reprinted as H. Doc. 621, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). Portions of this collection have been published in " Papers of James Madison ", 3 vols. (Washing- ton, 1840), published under act of July 9, 1838 (5 Stat. L. 309), and in Gaillard Hunt's "Writings of Madison" (New York, 1900-1903). ^. The Jefferson Papers (Chapter E), 1775-1826 (137 vols.). This collection, purchased under the act of August 12, 1848 (9 Stat. L. 284), contains Jefferson's correspondence and miscellaneous papers, his notes while Secretary of State, his " Commonplace Book ", --^Tb" 12 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. "Canons of Etiquette ", etc. An inventory of the Jefferson papers is printed in " Bulletin of the Bureau of Rolls and Library '\ No. 5, and Nos. C, 8, and 10 of the same series contain a calendar of the papers. It may be noted here that a large collection of Jefferson papers is in the possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Selections have been printed in that society's " Collections ", seventh series, vol. i (Boston, 1900). Portions of this collection are printed in " The Writings of Thomas Jefferson ", 9 vols. (Washington, 1853-1854), edited by H. A. Wash- ington, and in P. L. Ford's "Writings of Thomas Jefferson", 1760- 1826, 10 vols. (New York and London, 1892-1899). 5. The Hamilton Papers {Chapter F), 1757-180J^ {65 vols.). The Hamilton papers vrere purchased under the act of August 12, 1848 (9 Stat. L. 284). A brief inventory of them is printed in the " Bulletin of the Bureau of Rolls and Library", No. 5. Portions of them have been printed in " Works of Alexander Hamilton ", 7 vols. (New York, 1850-1851), published under authority of the Joint Library Committee of Congress, and edited by J. C. Hamilton, and in H. C. Lodge's " Works of Alexander Hamilton ", 9 vols. (New York and London, 1885-1886). See P. L. Ford's " Bibliotheca Hamiltoniana " (New York, printed for the author, 1886). 6. The Monroe Papers {Chapter G), 1758-1831 {22 vols.). This collection, purchased under the act of March 3, 1849 (9 Stat. L. 370), contains Monroe's correspondence and papers. An inventory of the papers is printed in " Bulletin of the Bureau of Rolls and Library ", No. 5, and No. 2 of the same series contains a calendar of them. They are the basis of S. M. Hamilton's " Writings of James Monroe", 7 vols. (New York and London, 1898-1903). 7. The FranhUn Papers (Chapter H), 1726-1790 (82 vols.). The Franklin papers, purchased under the act of August 7, 1882 (22 Stat. L. 338), include Franklin's letter-books, journals, and cor- respondence, the records of the United States legation in Paris, the records of the Peace Commissioners, etc. An inventory of the papers is printed in " Bulletin of the Bureau of Rolls and Library ", No. 5, and a detailed description with a more complete inventory is to be found in Sen. Misc. Doc. 21, 47 Cong., 1 sess. In the " Magazine of Amer- ican History " (ix, 428—439) is an account of the history of the collec- tion. Franklin papers are printed in Sparks's "Works of Benjamin BUREAU OF BOLLS AND LIBRARY. 13 Franklin", 10 vols. (Boston, 1840); W. T. Franklin's "Works of Benjamin Franklin ", 6 vols. (Philadelphia, 1809); and in John Bige- low's " Complete Works of Benjamin Franklin ", 10 vols. (New York, 1887-1888). See also P. L. Ford's " Franklin Bibliography " (Brook- lyn, 1889). II. Papers Relating to the Constitution of the United States (Chapter C). The journal of the Federal Convention and all papers relating to that convention or forming part of its archives, together with all other papers relating to the Constitution, such as ratifications of amend- ments by states, etc., are preserved in the Bureau of Rolls and Li- brary. They have been printed in the " Documentary History of the Constitution of the United States, 1787-1870" 3 vols. (Washington, 1894-1900). III. Acts and Resolutions of Congress; Treaties; Presidential Proclama- tions; Executive Orders and Announcements (Chapter K). 1. Acts and Resolutions of Congress, 1789 to date. All acts and resolutions of Congress are promulgated by the Bureau of Rolls and Library and are here preserved. 2. Treaties. a. Treaties with Foreign States, 1778 to date: All treaties between the United States and foreign states are promulgated by the Bureau of Rolls and Library and the originals are here preserved. See Has- well's "Treaties and Conventions, 1776-1889" (Sen. Ex. Doc. 47, 48 Cong., 2 sess.). h. Treaties with the Indians, 1722-1868: Treaties with the Indians have, since 1849, ordinarily been preserved in the Department of the Interior, and many treaties prior to 1849 have been transferred to that department. A large number of treaties, however, made between 1722 and 1868 are on file in the Bureau of Rolls and Library. For pub- lished treaties see " Indian Affairs, Laws, and Treaties ", compiled by C. J. Kappler (Sen. Doc. 452, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). Volume ii con- tains the Indian treaties to 1902. 3. Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders and Announce- ments, 1789 to date. All presidential proclamations and executive orders and announce- ments are filed in the Bureau of Rolls and Library. Proclamations are printed in the Statutes at Large. Executive orders must be dis- 14 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. tinguished from the general orders issued by the President as Com- mander of the Army and Navy. IV. Territorial and State Records (Chapter I). No general statement can be made as to what territorial and state papers are on file in the Bureau of Rolls and Library. It is said at the State Department that the bulk of the territorial papers was transferred to the Interior Department after its establishment. They are not, however, to be found in the latter department, and all knowl- edge of them there is denied. In the meanwhile their location remains unknown. Some few volumes and packages of territorial papers are in the Bureau of Indexes and Archives (see above). The following comprises the list printed in " Bulletin of the Bureau of Rolls and Library of the Department of State ", No. 7 (pp. 5—8), together with such additions as subsequent research in the archives of the bureau has revealed. General. 1. Papers and Records of the Territories, 1788—1816 (2 vols.). These volumes contain originals and copies of correspondence, ex- ecutive and legislative proceedings, etc. The following items are noted by way of illustration: Illinois, executive register; several letters, 1812 and 1813. Indiana, executive proceedings, July, 1814, to June, 1816. Louisiana, legislative acts, 1807, with letters and accompanying documents. Michigan, executive proceedings, and much correspondence relative to Detroit in the War of 1812, 1811 to 1813. Missouri, executive proceedings, April, 1815, to September, 1816. Northwest Territory, laws and executive proceedings. Southwest Territory (Tennessee), executive proceedings, with ac- companying letters and papers. 2. Letters from Governors of States, 1790-1812 (1 vol.). These letters are on various matters. There are about twenty papers relating to the ratification of constitutional amendments, such as the actual ratifications, opinions, etc. Many letters from Rhode Island relate to the breaches of neutrality by British vessels. S. Western Lands, 1791-1793 {6 vols.). These volumes, entitled " Western Lands ", contain records, copies of laws and resolutions, etc., relative to the western lands. BUREAU OF ROLLS AND LIBRARY. 15 4. Executive Proceedings, 1811—1816 {a few papers). Alaskan Archives. The Alaskan archives were forwarded to the War Department on March 23^ 1870, by the Commander of the Department of Alaska, who had received them from the Russian authorities. On December 6, 1870, they were transferred to the Department of State, with the request that any documents found to relate to military affairs might be referred to the War Department for file or examination. The archives are con- tained in large volumes of manuscript, are wholly in Russian, and are not indexed. A few translations and facsimiles are found in Sen. Ex. Doc. 177, 53 Cong., 2 sess. (pt. 8, pp. 305-378; pt. 16). There are the following groups: 1. Despatches and correspondence of board of directors of Russian- American Company, 1802; 1817-1866 (25 vols.). 2. Journals of correspondence between governors of the colonies and board of directors of Russian- American Company and other per- sons, 1818-1867 (SJf vols.). 5. Log-books kept on fifteen of the Company's ships on their voyages in the colonies, 1850-1867 (16 vols.). Jf.. Journals of explorations of the northwest coast of KadiaJc, by Captain Archimandritoff , 1860-1864- (1 vol.). 6. Journal of an overland expedition of Lieutenant FagosJcin, 1842— 18U (1 vol.). Colorado. 1. Constitution, 1875, riorida. 1. Cession of Florida, 1818-1821. A bundle of papers and a volume of correspondence, much of it diplomatic. 2. Provisional Government, 1820 (1 vol.). Records of the provisional government, and a document entitled ** Copio Integra del espediente formado en virtue de Real order de 29 de Avril de 1822 que manda se remira a S. M. una rason circumstan- cial de las donaciones de tierras hechas en las Floridas de que haya constancia en Intentencia ". S. Transfer of Florida Archives, May, 1832-Nov., 1884 (6 vols.). Journal of Jeremy Robinson, special agent and commissioner of the United States, who was endeavoring to obtain the transfer of the Ig DEPARTMENT OF STATE. archives of Florida and Louisiana to the United States, as provided for in article ii of the treaty with Spain of 1819. He kept a very detailed account of all his movements, and in these journals are to be found vivid descriptions of social and political life in Cuba, cor- respondence with the United States and Spanish officials, an extended description of the archives, etc. Idaho. Constitution and papers relating to the admission of Idaho Terri- tory into the Union, transmitted December 3, 1889. Illinois. See Papers and Records of the Territories (above). Indiana. See Papers and Records of the Territories (above). Louisiana. See Papers and Records of the Territories (above). 1. Governor Claiborne's Correspondence relating to Louisiana and Orleans Territory, 1803-1812 (6 vols.). 2. Louisiana Purchase^ 1803—1804.. Correspondence of Commissioners Claiborne and Wilkinson, and other papers. S. Papers relating to Louisiana and the Southern Boundary, 1806- 1818 (1 vol.). Many of these papers relate to the Mexican Revolution; there is correspondence of the State Department, of General Jose Alvarez Toledo, of General Gregor McGregor, and others. ^. Livingston's Batture, 1808-1810 (1 vol.). " Examination of the claims of the United States and the preten- tions of Edward Livingston, Esq., to the batture in front of the suburb of St. Mary ". A collection of papers with opinion sent to Thomas Jefferson from the State Department, and returned by him with addi- tions. For information about this claim see " American State Papers, Public Lands" (ii, 1 ff.). Michigan. See Papers and Records of the Territories (above). 1. Letters and Papers from the Territory of Michigan, 1805-1815 (1 vol.). BUREAU OF BOLLS AND LIBRARY. I7 2. Legislative and Executive Acts and Proceedings (transcripts), 1820-1836. Some of the Michigan papers are printed in " Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collections" (xxxi, 510—612). Mississippi. See below, under Yazoo Claims in Miscellaneous Papers (viii, 19). 1. Governor's Correspondence, 180^—1815 (i vol.). Proclamations, instructions, lists of officials, etc. 2. Proceedings of the Executive Council and Legislature, 1809—1816 (2 vols.). S. Mississippi Lands, 18H. A small bundle of papers relating to the release to the United States of certain lands under act of March 1, 1814 (3 Stat. L. 116). ^. Reconstruction, 1865-1869. Constitution of Mississippi as amended August, 1865, and adopted November 30, 1869; ordinances of the convention, Nos. 1 to 21; a transmittal letter of Provisional Governor W. L. Sharkey, of August 28, 1865. Missouri. See Papers and Records of the Territories (above). Montana. Constitution and papers relating to the admission of Montana Ter- ritory into the Union, transmitted October 28, 1889. New Mexico. Constitution and letter from B. M. Thomas, Territorial Secretary, of January 3, 1890. North Dakota. Constitution and papers relating to the admission of North Dakota Territory into the Union, transmitted October 21, 1889. Northwest Territory. See Papers and Records of the Territories (above). 1. Executive Proceedings, July 7, 1788-December 7, 1793 (2 vols.). 2. Copies of Laws (part of 1 vol.). 3 18 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Ohio. There are papers relating to the early history of Ohio in Papers and Records of the Territories (above), and in the records of the Northwest Territory. South Dakota. Constitution and papers relating to the admission of South Dakota into the Union, transmitted October 21, 1889. Tennessee (Southwest Territory). See Papers and Records of the Territories (above). 1. Blount's Journal 1790-1793 (part of 1 vol.). " Journal of the proceedings of William Blount, esq., governor in and over the Territory of the United States of America, south of the river Ohio, Oct. 1790-June 1793". Texas. Constitution and ordinances transmitted with letter of Leigh Cham- bers, April 2, 1866. Washington. 1. Legislative Journal, 185 Jf. Journal of legislative assembly of Washington Territory, first ses- sion, 1854. 2. Admission into Union, 1889. Constitution and papers relative to the admission of Washington Territory into the Union, transmitted January 3, 1889. Wyoming. Memorial of people of Wyoming, transmitted November 29, 1889; constitution. V. Records of the Proceedings of Commissions for the Settlement of International Disputes. In the Bureau of Rolls and Library are preserved the records of all commissions established by treaty for the settlement of questions involving boundaries and international claims. When the commission is a mixed one, i. e., composed of members of both the states concerned, only the records and papers of the commissioners for the United States are preserved here. When, however, the commission is composed wholly of citizens of the United States, as in the case of the commis- sion appointed to apportion the French indemnity after the treaty BUREAU OF BOLLS AND LIBRARY. 19 with France of July 4, 1831, all the records are to be found here. The records of all commissions are similar in character, consisting of registers, dockets, opinions, arguments, and awards. For the list of commissions reference may be had to J. B. Moore's " International Arbitrations ". In addition to the commission records should be mentioned the papers relating to the claims that come before the commissions for adjudication. These are the claims themselves, with the evidence and other papers relating to them. All of these papers are supposed to be on file in this bureau, with the exception of such as have been removed in accordance with law. The larger part of the French Spoliation Claims papers, for instance, are in the Court of Claims. A general description of these papers is considered adequate for this report, but a more detailed account of such papers as were especially noted in the examination is found below under Miscellaneous (viii). For a list of papers filed in this bureau relating to the French Spoliation Claims see Sen. Ex. Doc. 102, 49 Cong., 1 sess. The records and evidence of many of the more important commis- sions have been printed, as in the case of the French Spoliation Claims, the Alabama Claims, the British Mixed Commission, the Fur Seal Arbitration, etc. In general it may be said that the records and papers of this class are considered confidential, but the investigator would find many ex- ceptions to this rule. VI. Letters of Ceremony Addressed to the Goverkmext of the United States on Extraordinary Occasions by the Heads and Governments of Foreign States (Chapter M). All letters of the kind described above are preserved here. As an illustration may be noted the announcement by Napoleon of his re- turn from Elba. Deaths, births, abdications, revolutions, etc., furnish the " extraordinary occasions " for these letters. VII. Records of the War of 1812 (Chapter N). For other papers which have a possible bearing on the War of 1812 see be- low under Miscellaneous (viii), for the dates 1806-1815. There is also much interesting material in Papers and Records of the Territories (above), under Michigan. 1. Prisoners of the War of 1812, 1812-1816. These papers are in three large chests ; the first contains lists of ex- changed prisoners (for the most part privateersmen), giving time of 20 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. capture^ name of vessel, etc. ; also a large number of bundles of letters relating to prisoners, their histories, efforts to get exchanged, etc. The second contains the log-book of the United States cartel-ship " Ana- lostan " (William P. Smith, commander) ; lists of paroles of British and American prisoners of war in the West Indies ; invoices of supplies for the Indians on the northern frontier sent by the Secretary of War to Governor Cass of Michigan, 1815; reports by United States marshals relating to aliens within their districts; letters from aliens asking per- mission to dwell in certain cities; and vouchers of disbursements for distressed American seamen. The third chest contains reports of mar- shals relating to prisoners in their districts; bundles of paroles; and lists of escaped prisoners, with information as to their methods of escape. 2, Vessels and Sea Fights, 1812. Several bundles of papers relating to various American and foreign vessels, both merchantmen and men-of-war, to sea fights, etc. There is an index to these papers in a manuscript volume. S. Privateer Abaellino, 181^-1815. Copy of the journal of a cruise in the Mediterranean, 1814-1815. This journal was transmitted by Dearborn, collector of the port of Boston, to James Monroe, as proof of unfriendly action by Tunis and Tripoli in giving up to British vessels prizes taken by the ** Abael- lino ". The journal gives many interesting details of a privateer's cruise. VIII. Miscellaneous. Under this heading are grouped those papers in the Bureau of Rolls and Library that do not clearly belong under any of the chapters thus far desig- nated by the bureau. They have been arranged for this report in strict chrono- logical order, although it should be understood that in the bureau they are prac- tically without arrangement. 1. Spanish Manuscripts, 1631 (92 papers). These manuscripts are supposed to have been captured in the City of Mexico during the Mexican War. They consist of ninety-two orig- inal papers in Spanish dating from 1631, and relating to the quarrel between the Jesuits of Mexico and the archbishop of that see about tithes which the Jesuits refused to pay. These manuscripts were sent to the State Department by the Secretary of War, January 25, 1890. 2. Virginia Colonial Forces, 1755-1756. Pay-rolls and receipts of the Virginia troops in 1755—1756. These papers form a part of the earlier Washington papers, but are not so BUREAU OF BOLLS AND LIBRARY. 21 listed. They are mounted, but not paged for binding, and are not indexed. 3. Mason and Dixon's Line, 1763-1768 (1 vol.). The original journal of the commissioners appointed to determine the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland. Surveyors' notes, mostly technical, with some descriptions and correspondence. 4. Orderly Books, 1776-1780. a. Three books kept by Captam Robert Walker, 1777, 1778, 1780. h. One book kept by Sergeant Peter Dalson, entitled " Orderly Book of American Army imder Gen. Washington, 1776 ". This book is the work of an ignorant officer, but is full of very interesting details. The writer seems to have been in close communication with General Washington. 5. Diary of Ehenezer Fitch and Paul Blancher, some time between 1776 and 1783. This is the diary of two men who, apparently, obtained information relating to the American forces for the British during the Revolution; they operated between Boston and New York. In all the dates the year is omitted, only the month and day being indicated. 6. North Carolina Manuscripts, 1777 (small bundle). These are chiefly senate and council documents, and probably belong in the Continental Congress papers. 7. Forton Prisoners' Manuscripts, 1777-1779. a. A manuscript book entitled " Sailor Songs of the Forton Prisoners. England, 1788". b. A journal (1777-1779), possibly by Timothy Connor. See the ** New England Historical and Genealogical Register " (beginning in volume xxx, 174) where the journal is published with notes. These papers were purchased in 1893 by the State Department from W. R. Cutter, of Woburn, Massachusetts. 8. Beaumarchais Claim Papers, 1778—1787. A collection of papers contained in a single large envelope. 9. Journal of the Travels of Alexander Church, Richard Ramsey, and Tephanial Halsey, 1779-1782. This journal seems to have little value. The writers were charged with the care of certain army horses and relate their experiences during the performance of their duties. 22 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 10. Clinton Annotations. These are the marginal annotations made by Sir Henry Clinton in ten volumes of histories, memoirs, pamphlets, etc., such as: Ramsay's " American Revolution ", " Memoirs of General Charles Lee ", " Clin- ton and Cornwallis Controversy ", etc. They constitute a running commentary on the text. 11. Lists of Negroes carried away from Charleston by General Carle- ton, 1783. 12. Commissioners' Papers, 1783-1787 {large bundle). Transcripts of the correspondence of John Adams, Benjamin Frank- lin, John Jay, and Thomas Jefferson, 1784—1787; and the correspon- dence of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, joint commissioners and ministers plenipotentiary for the formation of treaties of amity and commerce with foreign powers. The originals are probably aU in the Continental Congress, Franklin, and Jefferson papers. 13. Transcripts of the Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate, May 26, 1789-1836 {10 vols.). These transcripts were made in accordance with the order of the Senate, January 27, 1792, "that the President of the United States be furnished with an authenticated transcript of the Executive Records of the Senate from time to time ". Printed in ** Journal of the Execu- tive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States ". U. Journal of the Ship Hope, 1790-1792 {i vols.). Account of an exploring voyage from Boston to the northwest coast of America, by Joseph Ingraham, captain. This journal, though hav- ing little historical worth, unless in connection with the discovery of Oregon, and of doubtful value there, is very interesting, is adorned with curious drawings, maps, and scrolls, and is filled with stories of strange adventures in the islands of the Pacific. 15. C. TV. F. Dumas to Jefferson, 1790. Eight letters, written in French, from The Hague, 1790. 16. Log-Booh of the Ship Columbia, 1790-1792. Captain Robert Gray, Boston to northwest coast of America; Sep- tember 28, 1790, to February 20, 1792. Accompanied by a small bundle of papers relating to the discovery of the Columbia River, and by Gray's journal, sailing orders, etc. On this voyage Gray explored BUREAU OF BOLLS AND LIBRARY. 23 the Columbia River and named it after his vessel. The log-book contains very few interesting details, and appears to have little value. Presented to the State Department by Charles Bulfinch in 1841. 17. Whiskey Insurrection in Pennsylvania, 1792—1796 {1 vol.). This bound volume of manuscripts contains correspondence between the President of the United States and Governor Mifflin of Pennsyl- vania; correspondence of commissioners with oflficers of the govern- ment, committees of citizens, etc.; minutes and report of the commis- sioners, August— September, 1794; declarations of submission to the laws of the United States, subscribed to by citizens ; reports of accep- tance or refusal of terms of commissioners; general list of taxables in Allegheny County, September 22, 1794; minutes of meeting of cabinet officers at the President's house in Philadelphia; applications for pardon, 1795—1796; evidence, depositions, etc., September to October, 1792. In "American State Papers, Miscellaneous" (i, 83 ff.), are printed the report and parts of the correspondence; the minutes and most of the other material noted are omitted. 18. Letters and Opinions of the Attorneys-General, 1792-1810 {1 vol.). A comparison of ten opinions taken at random from 1792 to 1803 shows all to have been printed (H. Ex. Doc. 123, 26 Cong., 2 sess.; H. Ex. Doc. 55, 31 Cong., 2 sess.). There are many papers, however, aside from opinions, consisting of correspondence, generally with the State Department, inclosures accompanying requests for opinions, etc., which are not in the volumes of printed opinions. One document perhaps deserves especial mention : " Extracts of the material parts of depositions and papers relative to a secret society formed at Mon- treal, and to a proposed invasion of His Majesty's Province of Lower Canada, 1801 " (18 pages). There are very few papers after 1804. There is no index and the arrangement is approximately chronological. 19. Mississippi and Tennessee Lands, 1795—1816. There are about 17 ledger volumes of indentures made by the Tennessee Company of certificates of stock, etc.; a so-called "Journal of the Tennessee Company ", which is a list of the shares issued ; a bundle of papers relating to the Yazoo claims, etc. For information relating to these claims see " American State Papers, Public Lands " (i, in index, under " Tennessee Company ", " New England Missis- sippi Company ", and " Yazoo Company "). 24 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 20. Southern Boundary, Andrew Ellicott Papers, 1796-1799 (1 vol.). Letters sent by Andrew Ellicott to the Secretary of State, with en- closures, including his correspondence with Spanish and American officials, his expense accounts and engineering notes, Spanish proclama- tions, a "Journal of Mr. EUicott's Voyage from St. Marks to the Mouth of the River St. Mary, Oct. 17 to Dec. 19, 1799 ", etc. These papers are in part printed in " American State Papers, Foreign Rela- tions " (ii, 20-27, 78-87). 21. Curagoa Consular Archives, 1797-1801. A bundle of manuscripts used as evidence in the French spoliation claims. 22. Applications for Relief of Impressed Seamen, 1797—1802 {2 vols.). Papers of David Lennox, United States agent for impressed seamen. 23. House Tax Insurrection, March-April, 1799 {21 papers). These papers on the insurrection of March and April, 1799, in Northampton and Bucks Counties, Pennsylvania, contain the announce- ment of the insurrection to Pickering by Judge Peters, March 11, 1799; the deposition of Valentine Fiihrer, March 9, 1799; reports of marshals ; witnesses' letters ; lists of persons, convicted of treason and held under recognizance, and the printed proclamation of General William MacPherson, April 5, 1799. A note on the package says that in the commission room are various petitions from the participants for pardon, and that warrants for their pardons are recorded in volume I, Book of Pardons. (See Bureau of Appointments.) Printed in part in "American State Papers, Miscellaneous" (i, 185 if.). 2J^. Claims, 1800-1860. There are some small bundles of private claims against foreign states, apparently not belonging with the claims adjudicated by commissions, and labeled as follows, the dates being approximate: Buenos Ayres, 1824-1848; Central America, 1830, 1860; Hayti, 1800-1824; Holland, 1823-1830; Montevideo, 1849; Portugal, 1832-1839; Russia, 1805, 1829; Sweden, 1811-1832; Texas, 1843. 25. Gallatin Letters, 1801-1811 (1 vol.). Correspondence of Albert Gallatin, as Secretary of the Treasury, from 1801 to 1807, and from 1809 to 1811. Bound in one volume and arranged chronologically, with no index or table of contents. " The Writings of Albert Gallatin " (Henry Adams, editor) contain none of these letters. BUREAU OF BOLLS AND LIBRARY. 25 26. Iberville and Bienville Journal. " Journal historique concernant retablissement des fran9ais a la Louisianne. Tire des memoires de Messieurs D'Iberville et de Bien- ville, commandants pour le Roi au dit pays, et sur les decouvertes et recherches de IVI. Bernard de la Harpe nomme au commandement de la Baye St. Bernard." Apparently written about 1800, this manu- script reviews the history of Louisiana from 1510 to 1723 and includes: (a) A letter by P. Cervallos Aranjuez, April 13, 1805, trying to show that Louisiana as a French province did not include Texas. (b) A letter from N. Salcedo to Governor W. C. C. Claiborne, of September 18, 1806. (c) A letter from A. Cordero to General James Wilkinson of October 11, 1800. 27. Impressed Seamen, 1806-1810. Account-book of the United States Consul at Plymouth in 1812: "Expense of relief of American Seamen"; also a "Descriptive list of Seamen, 1806-1815 ". 28. Correspondence of Talleyrand, R. R. Livingston, and M. Cathelan, Evidence in French spoliation claims, relating to seamen, 29. Burros Conspiracy, 1806-1816 (1 vol.). Letters relating to Burr's conspiracy. W. F. McCaleb states that these letters are " extremely significant " and " make clearer the whole view of the conspiracy, especially the latter phase of it centering in the trial at Richmond " (" The Aaron Burr Conspiracy ", preface, xiv). 30. Miscellaneous Papers, 1806-1828 {1 package). These hundred or more papers are chiefly between 1812 and 1828, and include: a. Undated report, later than 1822, on the island of Cuba, pre- pared by J. R. Poinsett for the President of the United States. He comes to the conclusion that Cuba is important to the maritime security of the south and that care should be taken that no power nor negro republic establish itself there. b. General Hull's proclamation of 1812. c. Tench Coxe's observations on the subject of a treaty with England (later than 1805). d. General reflections on American independence (Madrid, Decem- ber 23, 1814), urging that Spain take advantage of present circum- stances to fortify her possessions in America against the encroachment of the United States (twenty pages of manuscript) . 26 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. e. Proclamation of Brigadier-General Alexander Smith, in camp near Buffalo,, November 17, 1812. f. Memorandum of the dress of an American minister as fixed by the mission to Ghent. g. " An account of a mission or tour of Observation and Inquiry throughout the British W. I. Colonies, by command of the President of the United States. Commenced July 28, 1827, and closed June 2, 1828, by R. M. Harrison, consul of the United States for the island of St. Bartholemew." This account takes the form of letters to Henry Clay, Secretary of State. h. " Notes on the restrictions imposed by Great Britain on Com- merce of Neutrals with the Colonies of their Enemies in time of War." This is undated and unsigned and comprises fifty pages of manuscript. i. "Journal No. 10. Begun 17th of June, 1790" (ended July 8, 1791). This journal was kept, apparently, by the private secretary of Jefferson. SI. Log-Booh of the Ship Lexington, 1807-1808. New York to Bremen, and Amsterdam to Baltimore, December, 1807-1808. Timothy Gardner, master. 32. John Henry Papers, 1809-1811 (large bundle). Henry was a spy sent to Boston by the Governor-General of Canada. These papers and information were purchased by President Madison (see " Messages and Papers of the Presidents ", i, 498). 33. South American Revolt, 1810-1820 (1 vol.). Letters, papers, declarations, credentials, etc., relating to the revolt in the Spanish provinces, 1810-1820. These are of considerable in- terest; there are a number of papers signed by B. O'Higgins; formal appeals to the United States government; reports of special agents sent by Madison and Monroe to observe conditions in South America, etc. One report, by J. H. Robinson, on Mexican affairs, is of the utmost interest. Some of these papers are printed (see under South America in "American State Papers, Foreign Relations", iv). The papers are arranged chronologically and in the front of the volume is a table of the contents of the first half of the collection. 34. Kosloff A fair, 1815-1816 {1 vol.). Papers relating to the complications arising out of the arrest of N. Kosloff, consul-general of Russia, at Philadelphia. The questions which arose were those of the status of a consular officer, the jurisdic- tion of state and federal courts in such a case, etc. The papers con- BUREAU OF BOLLS AND LIBRARY, 27 sist of diplomatic correspondence^ copies of judicial proceedings, evidence, etc. 35. Negotiations for a Commercial Treaty with European Powers, 1816-1818. Papers and correspondence of Adams, Gallatin, and Rush at Lon- don. 86. J. B. Prevost Papers, 1817-1825 (1 vol.). Mr. Prevost's instructions from the President, September 25, 1817, were to discharge several commissions at Rio Janeiro and other South American ports, to which he was to be carried on the sloop " Ontario " (Captain Biddle), and thence " proceed to the River Columbia with a view to assert there the claim of sovereignty in the name and on the behalf of the United States, by some symbolical or other appropriate mode of setting up a claim to national authority and dominion ", though without force. In 1818, after discharging his duty in the matter of the Columbia River, Mr. Prevost returned to Chile and Peru, whence he kept up an active correspondence with the President of the United States until 1825. The correspondence bears on the revolt of the Spanish provinces. Three of the letters are printed in " American State Papers, Foreign Relations " (iv, 826-827) : Prevost to Secre- tary of State, June 30, 1821; Prevost to Secretary of State of Chile, June 18, 1821; B. O'Higgins to Prevost, June 23, 1821. 87. Privateers in South American Waters, 1819 (small bundle). Depositions relating to privateers fitted out in Baltimore, and to their depredations in South American waters. These vessels, acting as privateers for the provinces of La Plata, attacked French ships. 88. Register of Passengers, 1820, and Index to Passenger Register (1 vol. each). See act regulating passenger ships and vessels, approved March 2, 1819 (3 Stat. L. 488). 89. Piratical Acts, about 1820. Letters, memorials, etc., containing lists of piratical acts and ac- counts of individual cases of piracy. J^O. List of Despatches forwarded to TV. B. Taylor, 1831-1833. Chronological list of despatches forwarded to W. B. Taylor, de- spatch agent at New York. 28 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. J^l. Spanish Pirates, 1835. Chest of papers relating to the capture and trial of, and the at- tempts to release seven Spaniards condemned in the United States for piracy. ^2. Texas, i8^2-18U' Archives of the United States legation in Texas. Bundle of papers containing letters, chiefly of a confidential nature, from Webster, Up- shur, and Calhoun to the legation. These papers throw light on the causes of the Mexican War. Ji.3. Buenos Ayres, IS^Jf. (1 vol.). Correspondence of Captain Vorhees, Commodore Turner, and oth- ers, 1844. The two commanders had a controversy with the fleet of the Buenos Ayres belligerents, and this correspondence of 200 pages resulted. J^J^. Log-book and Account-hooh of the Steamer La Virgin. Used as evidence before the Mixed Claims Commission under the convention of 1860 with Costa Rica. JfS. List of French Imports under Tariffs of 18Jf6 and 1857. Showing the reduction of imports. Jf.6. Liberia, 181^.1^. (small bundle). Petitions to acknowledge independence of Liberia. 4-7. Reciprocity with Canada, 18Jf8—187Jf.. Papers relating to treaty of 1854 with Great Britain, together with miscellaneous loose papers, such as letters from manufacturers con- cerning reciprocity with Canada, statements as to Canadian trade, etc. Ji.8. Jefferson Davis Papers, 1853-1854-. Package labeled " These belong in the Jeff'erson Davis Trunk ", and containing many letters to Davis of dates 1853—1854, and some letters to Lewis Cass and others. They concern a great variety of subjects from the Rio Grande and the northern boundary to a cotton-planting machine. 49. Miscellaneous Letters, 1861-1862. A bundle of letters, mostly to Secretary Seward, on various sub- jects, mainly about appointments. There are a few papers of some value, as reports and letters of special agents relating to aid furnished Confederates through the west and Canada, and to such organizations as the Knights of the Golden Circle, but with little detailed informa- DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR BUREAUS. 2 tion. There are newspaper clippings and letters of advice sent to Seward in regard to the Mason-Slidell affair, including two letters from Edward Everett. A letter from Bristol, England, to London (February 12, 1862), forwarded to Seward, contains information about vessels loading and intending to run the blockade. There are some applications of foreign officers for appointments in the United States army, and a few applications for the exchange of certain prisoners. 50. Affairs in New Orleans, 1862. Report by Reverdy Johnson on difficulties between General Butler and various inhabitants of New Orleans, especially Amadee Couturie, consul of the Netherlands. Except a few letters between Johnson and Couturie, all is printed in S. Ex. Doc. 16, 37 Cong., 3 sess. 51. Memorial to William Seward, 186S. Relating to Washington A. Bartlett, ex-lieutenant United States Navy, and asking for his restoration to office in the Navy. 52. Journal of Midshipman Clarence Gary, Confederate Navy, 1864-. Evidence in the Alabama claims. 53. Address of the Citizens of Switzerland, 1865, Expressing satisfaction at the close of the war and sorrow at the death of Lincoln. Autograph copy. May 1, 1865. 5^. Ten Letter-Boohs of the Commissioners of the United States to the Vienna Exposition of 1875. 55. Medals to the United States and Individuals from the Paris Ex- position of 1878. DIPLOMATIC BUREAU. The Diplomatic Bureau is wholly occupied with conducting the dip- lomatic correspondence. It has no archives of its own, all the cor- respondence which it conducts being deposited in the Bureau of In- dexes and Archives (see Michael, 47-49). CONSULAR BUREAU. The Consular Bureau conducts all the correspondence of and relat- ing to the consular service. This correspondence is filed in the Bu- reau of Indexes and Archives. Like the Diplomatic Bureau, the Con- sular Bureau has no important files of its own. It keeps a record of the notarial fees received by consuls, leaves of absence, dates of trans- fers, etc. (see Michael, 50-54). 30 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. BUREAU OF APPOINTMENTS. The files of the Bureau of Appointments consist of applications for appointment to office, recommendations, copies of commissions, records of nominations and appointments since 1789, oaths of office, amnesty oaths, extradition papers, and the records of pardons issued prior to June 16, 1893. The application papers, which constitute the larger part of the files, are arranged by names of applicants, and with each application are filed the papers, recommendations, etc., relating thereto. A card-index renders the papers readily accessible (see Michael, 83- 86). The earlier papers are calendared in Gaillard Hunt's "Calen- dar of Applications and Recommendations for Office during the Presi- dency of George Washington " (Washington, 1901). The Great Seal of the United States is in the custody of this bureau, and the bureau publishes the " Annual Register of the Department of State " and the periodical lists of diplomatic and consular officers. Robert Brent Mosher's "Executive Register of the United States, 1789-1902" (Baltimore, 1903) contains a list, compiled from the files of this bureau, of all cabinet officers since 1789, together with the exact dates of their terms of office. BUREAU OF ACCOUNTS. The Bureau of Accounts has the records and accounts of all money received or disbursed through the Department of State. These ac- counts are classified as follows: (a) International indemnities or trust funds; (6) Diplomatic and consular accounts; (c) Accounts of the department proper. In addition to these accounts the bureau has a record of all the passports issued for the last hundred years. The seal of the Department of State is in the custody of the Bureau of Accounts, which keeps a record of all authentications of federal and state seals that are made by affixing the department seal. The tele- graphic work of the department is performed by this bureau (see Michael, 56-59). BUREAU OF TRADE RELATIONS. Until the creation of the Department of Commerce and Labor in July, 1903, the Bureau of Trade Relations (then known as the Bureau of Foreign Commerce) was engaged in publishing the various consu- lar reports relating to commerce and foreign industry. These reports are now published by the Division of Consular Reports of the Bureau of Statistics, Department of Commerce and Labor, and the work of BUREAU OF BOLLS AND LIBRARY. SI the Bureau of Trade Relations is confined to collecting and revising the material for the published reports, and transmitting it to the Bureau of Statistics for editing and publication. The material is largely made up of reports from consular officers, on various subjects, and, to a small extent, of extracts from the consular archives. It fol- lows, then, that the only original unprinted material preserved in the Bureau of Trade Relations is such as is not selected from the reports and despatches for publication, either because of its unimportance or because publication would be unwise. This material is accessible to the investigator unless, in the opinion of the Department of State, it is of such a nature that it should not be used. The original manu- scripts from which the reports from 1892 to July 1, 1903, were pre- pared are on file in the bureau. Those since July 1, 1903, are in the custody of the Department of Commerce and Labor. TREASURY DEPARTMENT. There is no general history of the Treasury Department correspond- ing to Michael's " History of the State Department ". A book pub- lished in 1847 by Robert Mayo, entitled "The Treasury Department and Its Various Fiscal Bureaus" (Washington, 1847), is valuable for the account it contains of the history of the department and of its bureaus during the first half -century, and for the picture it gives of the workings of the department in 1847. In the same way George N. Lamphere's " The United States Government " (Philadelphia, 1880, pp. 44—141) contains an excellent account of the duties and functions of the various bureaus of the department as they were per- formed in 1880; and part two of the " Cockrell Report" (S. Rept. 507, 50 Cong., 1 sess.) constitutes a very detailed description of the methods of work in each bureau and office in 1887-1888. Finally the various reports bound in volume ii of the House Reports (53 Cong., 1 sess.) contain accounts of the methods of work, especially those of accounting, in the department, and recommendations as to changes which were eventually carried out. Under the respective bureaus and offices described below will be found specific references to other de- scriptions or histories. By far the greater part of the files of the Treasury Department has but slight historical value, and papers that are of interest are 32 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. generally so scattered throughout the great mass of unimportant ma- terial as to be practically inaccessible to the student. What value the papers have is generally of a special rather than a general charac- ter and for the information they contain about administrative processes. In the few cases specifically mentioned below there exist collections of papers of great value, but they have been either purchased by the government or segregated from the purely administrative records. There are no general accounts of the historical material in the depart- ment nor published guides to its files. The files of the department have suffered severely from fires. The losses in 1801 were comparatively slight, but in 1814 the Register's office lost heavily, and in 1833 the correspondence filed in the Secre- tary's office was burned. In recent years great quantities of papers in various bureaus have been destroyed as valueless. The extent of the files is very great; in one office alone they cover over ten miles of shelving, and this showing could be duplicated in other offices. It is extremely difficult to form any estimate of their aggregate bulk, but it would doubtless be erring on the side of conservatism to put it at nearly one hundred miles of shelving; in other words, at more than twice the present capacity of the Library of Congress. At present the files are somewhat scattered, but most of them are in the Treasury building, a storage building on E Street, and in the Cox building, on New York Avenue. The papers in this last depository cannot be said to be adequately protected from fire; the building is old, never was fire-proof, and is full of inflammable material. Every precaution is observed by those in charge, but should a fire once start, the destruc- tion of a vast amount of valuable material would be inevitable. The papers filed in the storage building on E Street are in no danger from fire, but the conditions there prohibit any research by investigators. In the Treasury building the files in nearly every bureau are greatly crowded, thus preventing in many cases their ready use by students. The proper method of gaining access to the files is by application to the Secretary of the Treasury. Many classes of records are consid- ered confidential and cannot be used for purposes of investigation. DIVISION OF MAIL AND FILES, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. The duties of the Mail and Files Division are largely confined to recording and filing the Secretary's correspondence. Letters received are here briefed and indexed, transmitted to the bureau or division to which they relate, and finally returned to this division to be filed, and in like manner letters sent are here briefed and indexed and press DIVISION OF MAIL AND FILES. 33 copies of them placed on file. Thus this division is the repository of all the Secretary's correspondence, and its files are among the most important in the department. An excellent description of the duties of this division is contained in the " Cockrell Report ". There were no losses in the Secretary's Office in the fire of January 20, 1801 ("American State Papers, Miscellaneous", i, 241-243), nor during the invasion of the British in August, 1814 (ibid., 11, 248-249) ; but after the fire of March 31, 1833, the Secretary reported to Con- gress that all the Secretary's correspondence had been destroyed ex- cept (1) correspondence relating to Revolutionary claims; (2) corre- spondence relating to applications under the insolvency laws; (3) two record-books containing letters to banks; (4) two record-books con- taining communications to Congress (H. Ex. Doc. 22, 23 Cong., 2 sess.). Other correspondence was recovered later and, as is shown below, the files in many cases antedate 1833. For the destruction of useless papers in this division see Sen. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and Sen. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess. It is difficult to describe clearly the method of arranging and filing the correspondence of the Secretary's Office, inasmuch as it has passed through a process of evolution marked by many changes. In general the correspondence may be divided into two parts : ( 1 ) letters received and (2) letters sent. The letters received are preserved in bound volumes and in file-boxes, and are variously classified. As a general rule the letters received before 1869 were arranged according to their source and character, as: Executive Letters; Customs Letters; Mis- cellaneous Letters, etc. Many letters, however, of these earlier dates failed to be included in the bound volumes, and as a result there are supplemental series of letters, preserved in file-boxes, extending over the same periods covered by the letters bound in volumes. For the most part the letters received since 1869 are kept in file-boxes, arranged according to the different classes of writers. At present the larger part of these later letters are stored in a warehouse on E Street, and anything like an inventory or even a superficial examination of them is impossible. The investigator who desires to examine the letters from any particular person or of any particular date or on any par- ticular subject could doubtless, with the aid of the clerks in charge, find such material. The letters sent prior to 1878 were for the most part preserved in duplicate, by press copies and by copies in long-hand in large ledger volumes. It frequently happens that in a series there may be lacking certain press copies or certain long-hand copies, but it is generally 4 34 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. true that from these combined sources a complete series can be fur- nished. The press copies are regarded as more trustworthy, and are the more used by the department. In the inventory below no attempt has been made to indicate the duplication except in cases where a com- plete series can be made up only by using both sets of copies. These copies of letters sent are arranged according to their character and the classes of persons to whom they were directed, as: Congress Let- ters; Miscellaneous Letters, etc. The classification varies, and in 1878 an abrupt change was made. The long-hand copies were discontinued, and the press copies were thereafter arranged under headings corre- sponding to the various divisions of the Secretary's Office. The letters for each division are bound in volumes in strict chronological order, and by means of the numerical system and an excellent finding index can in general be readily located. This is the system in use at the present time. The letters sent are more accessible than the letters received; they naturally occupy less space and it is possible to store them all in the sub-basement of the Treasury building and in the Cox building on New York Avenue. Very many of the press copies before 1878 are wholly illegible or can be read only with the greatest diffi- culty, but frequently the long-hand copies supply the necessary sug- gestions. The press copies since 1878 are for the most part made from type-written letters and are perfectly legible. The current correspondence is fully indexed by the card-system, which was introduced in August, 1902. The letters from 1833 to 1902 were indexed in large ledger volumes by varying methods, while an incomplete index, covering the years 1789—1878, is of use only as it serves as a guide to material of earlier date than 1833. In many of the volumes of press copies prior to 1878 are lists of names of the persons to whom the letters are addressed, and in some cases the sub- jects of the letters are stated. This method of indexing is of practi- cally no service to the investigator and should not be depended upon. It is very difficult to estimate the amount of this correspondence. As already indicated, it is stored in three places; the clerk in charge thought that there might be 10,000 or more file-boxes of letters and papers received, and perhaps 1,000 volumes of press copies (the vol- umes are very bulky) made since 1878. The bulk of the press copies made prior to that date is indicated in the inventory below; it may be placed at from 1,200 to 1,300 volumes. These files are in constant use by the department, and letters of the earliest dates are frequently called for. Whether the investigator could obtain access to them would depend upon his purpose and upon DIVISION OF MAIL AND FILES. 35 the character of the material he desired to use; much of the corre- spondence is of a confidential nature. I. CORRESPOKDEKCE WITH EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.* 1. Presidents' Letters, 1833-1878 (5 vols.). Letters to the President from the Secretary of the Treasury, includ- ing many letters transmitted to the President with the action of the President shown in the indorsements. These letters are largely about details of the administration of the department, as buildings, coast sur- veys, appointments of collectors, etc. For example, volume i, 1833— 1836, contains such subjects as tonnage on Mexican vessels, removal of public moneys to banks, petition of Portland citizens for removal of the public money in a Portland bank, payment of indemnity by the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, etc.; volume v, 1857—1878, contains many opinions respecting proposed legislation, in reply to requests from the President. 2. Letters to Cabinet and Bureau Officers, 1833-1878 (I4.I vols.). The volumes are variously grouped as follows: a. Executive letters, 1833-1854 (25 vols.). b. Cabinet and bureaus, 1854-1860 (16 vols.). c. Cabinet, 1861-1866 (7 vols.). d. Bureaus, 1861-1866 (10 vols.). e. Treasury Department, 1867-1878 (33 vols.). /. Department of Justice, 1866-1878 (15 vols.). g. Department of the Interior, 1866-1878 (5 vols.). h. Navy Department, 1866-1878 (2 vols.). i. Post Office Department, 1866-1878 (2 vols.). j. State Department, 1866-1878 (14 vols.). k. Captured and abandoned property, 1868-1878 (7 vols.). * It will be noticed that in the following inventory most of the series begin with 1833 and end with 1878. The reasons for this have been given above: the abrupt beginning is due to fires, the abrupt ending to the change in the method of filing. The letters sent are continued after 1878 under the respective divis- ions of the Secretary's Oflfice, as follows: Book-keeping and Warrants; Public Moneys; Customs; Loans and Currency; Revenue-Cutter Service; Stationery, Printing, and Blanks; Special Agents; Mail and Files and Bureau of the Mint; Supervising Architect; Marine-Hospital Service; Life-Saving Service; Superin- tendent of Building and Chief Clerk. The letters received are continued to date in file-boxes instead of in bound volumes, and are variously arranged. In the inventory the attempt has been made to group the series by subjects rather than as letters sent and letters received, which is the arrangement under which the method of fihng has been explained above. 36 TREASURY DEPARTMENT, I. War Department, 1866-1878 (5 vols.). These letters from the Secretary of the Treasury to officers of the Cabinet and the different bureaus are on various subjects, such as matters of routine, appointments, interpretations of tariff laws, de- posits in the Bank of the United States, disposition of the French in- demnity, captured property, suits for the evasion of the tariff laws, free importations for the use of the government and of foreign min- isters, etc. In general, this material is of rather meager historical interest. The letters to the Department of Justice show the action taken in cases of disputes over payment of duties, and should be of considerable value. The letters under the heading (k) Captured and abandoned property, should be valuable for a study of the period of Reconstruction. 3. Letters from Executive Officers, 1819, 1833-1869 (133 vols.). These volumes are supplemented by file-boxes of papers which failed to be bound with the other papers and which in a few cases extend as far back as 1819. All the papers since 1869 are filed in boxes under various titles. These letters are from the President, Cabinet, and officers in executive departments, such as comptroller, solicitor, au- ditors, commissioners of customs, Light-House Board, Land Office, etc. They are among the most interesting in the Secretary's files. II. Correspondence with Congress. 1. Congressional Letters, 1806—1878 (66 vols, in fair and press copies). Letters to Congress arranged under various titles, such as " Con- gressional Letters ", " To the Speaker ", " To the President of the Senate ", " To Committees ", " To Members ", etc. Various subjects, such as appointments, appropriations, establishment of ports of entry, proposed legislation, etc., are discussed. III. Correspondence with Officers of Justice. 1. Letters to the Judiciary, 1828-1878. a. 1828-1844 (7 vols, fair copies). h. 1833-1878 (14 vols, press copies). Here the policy of the department in regard to cases arising out of customs duties is shown. Letters to marshals, district attorneys, etc., are found, relating chiefly to law-suits and actions arising out of evasion of customs; they seem to be of slight historical value. 2. Letters to Attorneys and Marshals, 184-6-1850 (J^. vols.). DIVISION OF MAIL AND FILES. 37 IV. General Correspondence. 1. Miscellaneous Letters sent, 1789-1878, a. 1789-1832 (1 vol. fair copies). h. 1833-1878 (190 vols, press copies). This correspondence between the department and merchants and the public in general contains a great deal of very interesting material. Many questions pertaining to the administration of the tariff are treated, and a careful search would probably reveal much of historical value on various subjects, especially in the war periods. 2. Miscellaneous Letters received, 1801-1869 (113 vols.) Here are letters to the department from the general public dealing with a great variety of subjects, such as personal introductions, im- portations, frauds, operation of tariffs, blockade running, seizures, de- tentions, etc. In many cases they possess great interest. V. Correspondence Relating to the U. S. Bank and the Deposits. 1. Letters to Banks, 1832-18^.9 (5 vols, fair copies). Letters relating to public deposits, disputes with United States Bank, etc.; probably containing much valuable material. 2. Jackson to Duane, June, 1833 (1 vol. of 70 pages). These private letters relate to the removal of deposits from the United States Bank and are of great interest. Printed in Duane's " Narrative of the Removal of the Deposits'* (Philadelphia, 1838). 3. State Deposits, 1836-1837 (1 vol.). Correspondence with governors relating to state deposits, under the act of June 23, 1836 (5 Stat. L. 52), and to transfer-drafts upon banks in which public money was kept, and directing transfers of various sums by the different states. VI. Correspondence Relating to Public Lands. 1. Letters to General and Local Land Offlces, 1801-1878. a. 1801-1840 (34 vols, press copies). h. 1839-1878 (6 vols, fair copies). These letters to land offices in the west and southwest contain very suggestive material relating to the administration of the public lands, complaints of new settlers, etc. 2. Letters from Land Offices, 1833-18U (^S vols.). These letters relate to the actual administration of the Land Office, are valuable to the student of land questions, and suggest many of the practical administrative problems. 38 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. VII. Correspondence Relating to the Customs. 1. Letters to the Collector at Baltimore, 1790-1830 (1 vol.). These are the original letters to the collector at Baltimore relating to the administration of the customs^ the interpretation of the law, in- structions, forfeitures, etc. They are arranged chronologically and are indexed by name and subject. 2. Letters to Collectors of Customs at Small Ports, 1883-1878 (about 100 vols.). These letters contain instructions, as, for example, Taney's order to the collectors to place their funds in the local banks and not in the branches of the United States Bank. For the most part the instruc- tions relate to routine business. S. Letters to the Collector of the Port of Nerv York, 18^8-1878 (120 vols.). These letters are of value in the study of the practical application of the tariff. 4- Letters to the Collectors of Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Nerv Orleans, and the Pacific Ports, 1850-1878 (115 vols.). 5. Letters from Collectors, 1833-1869 (225 vols.). These letters cover a great variety of subj ects corresponding to those treated in Letters to Collectors. Many letters have much historical value, for example, those relating to the interpretation of the laws in the admission of gold from California in 1849. 6. Charges against Custom-House Officers, 1833-1861 (18 vols.). 7. Letters to Appraisers, Surveyors, etc., 181^5-1878 (31 vols.). These letters contain much interesting material such as instructions, interpretations, etc., showing the practical administration of the cus- toms. 8. " Collier Cases ", 18^9-1853 (1 vol.). Correspondence with Surveyor of Customs Collier, for California, relating to the cases of the ships " Arbeille ", " Edouard ", and " Java ". 9. Custom-House Nominations, 184-1-1865 (^9 vols.). These letters contain recommendations, memorials, nominations, no- tifications of deaths, etc., and possess some personal interest. 10. Lists of Custom-House Officers, 18^0-1859 (8 vols.). UNIVERSITY ) DIVISION OP MAIL AND FILES. 39 11. Incidental Expenses of Customs Officers, 1875—1878 (11 vols.). 12. Reduction of Custom-House Expenses, 1858-1861 (1 vol.). 13. Customs; Miscellaneous Estimates for Expenses of Collecting Revenue, 1870-1878 (8 vols.). IJ/.. Revenue Marine Letters to Officers in Charge of Revenue-cutters and Supply Stations, 1837-1878 (about 110 vols.). 15. Custom-House Building, New York, 1832-181^6 (1 vol.). 16. Furnishing Custom-House Buildings, 1833-1849 (1 vol.). 17. Bonded Warehouses, 1867-1870 (3 vols.). VIII. Special Agents. 1. Reports of Special Agents: 1831^-1878, 16 vols.; 1878 to date, several hundred file-boxes. These reports may be divided into two groups: (1) Those from 1834 to 1878, and (2) those since 1878. The material in the first group relates to instructions given to agents for the examination of books and records in custom-houses, mints, offices of various depart- ments, etc. In the war periods it is interesting if not valuable. The material since 1878 is regarded by the department as confidential. It relates largely to the investigations of frauds of various kinds but is also of great value to the student of tariff questions, the reports fre- quently being monographs on the special phases of the tariff and allied subjects. The reports in the first group are arranged chronologically; those of the second group are arranged by names of agents. IX. Circulars akd Decisions. 1. Circulars, 1789-1878. a. 1789-1878 (7 vols, fair copies). b. 1851-1878 (4 vols, press copies). These circulars contain instructions, interpretations, etc., and have considerable historical value. Copies of each circular are printed for the use of the Treasury Department, and bound at the end of each year. 2. Awards and Decisions, 1853-1875 (3 vols.). Awards and decisions in regard to penalties, moities for informers, forfeitures, etc. They show the Secretary's interpretation of the law. 3. Secretary's Decisions, 1868-1870 (1 vol.). Decisions of the Secretary on all questions arising in the adminis- tration of the department. They are important for the practical side. 40 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. The Secretary's decisions are printed in part: " Synopsis of Decisions of Treasury Department " (38 vols., Washington, 1868-1901). X. Appointments and Removals. There is a very large amount of wholly unimportant correspondence relating to appointments and removals. These letters are variously classified as follows: a. Appointments and removals from ofRce; relating chiefly to the department proper, 1849-1878 (68 vols.); 1878 to date (50 vols.). b. Same, relating to customs, mints, and subtreasuries, 1864—1878 (50 vols.). c. Same, relating to internal revenue, 1869-1878 (6 vols.). d. Letters to heads of bureaus, relating to removals, promotions, dis- cipline, etc., 1866-1877 (3 vols.). e. Leaves of absence, 1861-1878 (40 vols.). f. Miscellaneous appointments, 1866-1877 (1 vol.). g. Absences, reductions, and remittances, 1869-1877 (1 vol.). h. Correspondence relating to marine appointments, 1870—1877 (2 vols.). i. Leaves of absence in revenue marine service, 1871 (1 vol.). j. Appointments in life-saving stations, 1870—1878 (1 vol.). k. Appointments in marine hospitals, 1868—1878 (1 vol.). I. Janitors' appointments and correspondence, 1871-1878 (1 vol.). XI. Miscellaneous. 1. Letters to Foreign Bankers. a. 1803-1843 (2 vols, fair copies). b. 1856-1878 (12 vols, press copies). 2. Insolvent Debtors, 1831-1859 (5 vols.). Letters from commissioners of insolvency reporting on cases. S. To Governors, State Officers, etc., 1865-1878 (40 vols.). A great and indefinite range of subjects is treated, but few of the letters seem to be of interest; many are to bank cashiers. 4.. Letters from Territories, 1839-1857 (1 vol.). These relate to the fiscal relations between the United States and the territories and appear to be of slight value. 5. Chickasaw Correspondence. a. 1834-1872 (2 vols, fair copies). b. 1836-1872 (11 vols, press copies). DIVISION OF BOOK-KEEPING AND WARRANTS. 41 This consists largely of receiver's returns and correspondence relat- ing to the treaty with the Chickasaws under the act of 1836, showing the investments of money, etc. It is of some value in making clear the disposition of the money provided for in the treaty. 6. Texas Debt. a. 1837-1840 (8 large note-books). A list of holders of the Texas debt, both the consolidated fund of 1837 and the loan of 1840, with copies of Texas bonds. h. 1856 (1 vol.). Correspondence with persons to whom the Republic of Texas was indebted, containing information as to the character of the debt. 7. Neapolitan Indemnity, 18S6-1837 (2 vols.). Letters of claimants. 8. Telegrams, 1836-1874 (^9 vols.). These relate to a wide range of subjects — appointments, requisitions, trials of offenders, etc., but are merely suggestive rather than sources of definite information. In the war periods they arouse interest by their nature, but are not in themselves sufficient to be of great value. 9. Letters to Suhtreasury and Assistant Treasurer, 18^0-1878 {27 vols.). 10. Correspondence relating to Custom-houses, Coast Survey, and Marine Hospitals, 1833-1878 (69 vols.). 11. Transfer Drafts, 1851-1862 (8 vols.). 12. Correspondence rvith Depositories, 1863-1864- (1 vol.). 13. Printing Orders, Light-House Record, 1863-1878 (U vols.). 14' Miscellaneous Internal Revenue Correspondence, 1866-1871 (38 vols.). 15. Mint Correspondence, 1872, 1875-1878 (1 vol.). 16. Life-Saving Service and Steamboat Inspection Correspondence, 1873-1878 (39 vols.) 17. Custodians* and Disbursing Agents* Correspondence, relating to paying out of moneys by U. S. officials, 1877-1878 (6 vols.). DIVISION OF BOOK-KEEPING AND WARRANTS, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. By the act of July 31, 1894 (28 Stat. L. 208) the Division of Book-keeping and Warrants of the Secretary's Office was made the custodian of all the accounts of receipts and expenditures of public 42 TREASURY DEPARTMENT, money, except those of postal revenues. The books in which these accounts had been kept were transferred from the offices of the register and the various auditors so that at the present time this division con- tains all the original records of the receipts and expenditures of the government since 1789, except such as have been destroyed by fire (see below under Office of Register). In accordance with a standing order of the House of Representatives of December 30, 1791, the annual statements of the receipts and expenditures were printed from 1789 to 1891 under the title "Account of the Receipts and Expendi- tures of the United States ". MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION, OFFICE OF SECRETARY. The duties of the Miscellaneous Division of the Secretary's Office are mainly of two kinds: (1) relating to certain matters under the Commissioner of Internal Revenue which require the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, such as compromises for violations of internal-revenue laws, abatement of taxes, refunding claims, and the issuing of permits for the use of alcohol free of tax; (2) relating to cases pending in the Court of Claims, where the Attorney-General calls for information in the possession of the division. It is in con- nection with the second set of duties that the division possesses papers having historical value. These files relate to two classes of claims, (1) French spoliation claims; (2) Southern claims. Two periods, 1789-1808, and 1861-1878, are thus covered. The extent of the papers is not very great, one small room being sufficient to contain them all. They are accessible mainly through their arrangement, although many of the papers of the Confederate government are listed. The records are in constant use by the division in response to calls from the Department of Justice. I. Marine Papers Relating to the French Spoliation Claims, 1789-1808. These papers consist of registers and manifests of vessels clearing at the ports listed below, including bills of sale, sea letters, letters of marque (New York, 1798-1801), proofs of ownership (especially full for New York). They cover about 200 linear feet of shelving and are in file-boxes, bundles, and bound volumes arranged by ports and dates. They are not indexed, but there are papers from the following ports : Portsmouth, N. H. New Haven, Conn. Gloucester, Mass. Middletown, Conn. New Bedford, Mass. Bridgeport, Conn. MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION. 43 Plymouth^ Mass. New London, Conn. Fall River (Dighton), Mass. Providence, R. I. Marblehead, Mass. Newport, R. I. Salem, Mass. New York, N. Y. Newburyport, Mass. Sag Harbor, N. Y. Boston, Mass. Perth Amboy, N. J. York, Me. Philadelphia, Pa. Bath, Me. Baltimore, Md. Kennebunk, Me. Petersburg, Va. Wescasset, Me. Edenton, N. C. Castine, Me. Savannah, Ga. II. Papers Relating to Southerst Claims. These papers were purchased under the act of June 10, 1872 (17 Stat. L. 350), which authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to collect all evidence relating to claims for captured property. A. Papers of the Confederate State Department ("Pickett Papers"). For a history of this collection and an estimate of its value see the article on " The Pickett Papers ", by J. M. Callahan, in the " South Atlantic Quarterly" for January, 1903. The collection consists of archives and correspondence of the Confederate State Department, and the inventory given below is made from the original inventory of these papers, furnished by Mr. Jordan, the chief of the Miscellaneous Division. The original numbering and arrangement are not adhered to below, but the date of any letter is a sufficient clue to its location. I. Diplomatic. Commission to Washington. 1. Instructions, Department of State to Commissioners. 2. Despatches, Nos. 1-4, from Secretary of State. 3. Commissioners to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1-9, with inclosures. 4. Secretary of Commission to Secretary of State, April 11, 186G, with inclosures. 5. Forsyth to President, April 4, 1861, confidential. G. Pickett's memorandum, March 14-15, 1861. 7. Memoranda, rough drafts, copies, etc., in a package. 8. Telegraphic despatches in 3 packages. Great Britain. 1. Yancey, Rost, and Mann to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1-14 (except No. 7, which was never received). 44 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. 2. Mann to Secretary of State, August 3, 1861, December 2, 1861. 3. Mann to President, August 24, 1861, January 18, 1862, Febru- ary 1, 1862 (with confidential memorandum, January 31, 1862, rela- tive to blockade and the " Stone Fleet "). 4. Rost to Secretary of State, June 10, 1861. 5. Rost to President, December 24, 1861. 6. Yancey to Secretary of State, November 8 and 30, 1861, December 31, 1861, March 14 and 22, 1862. 7. Yancey to President, January 27, 1862, March 22, 1862. 8. Fearn to Secretary of State, October 7, 1861. 9. Mason's, Slidell's, and Trescot's telegrams from Charleston. 10. Mason to Secretary of State, October 5 and 9, 1861 (from Charleston), October 18, 1861 (from Cardenas), January 30, 1862 (from London) ; despatches, Nos. 1-46 (except Nos. 4-8, which were never received); despatches (new series), Nos. 1-15; unnumbered despatch, June 6, 1863; letters, June 24, 1862, November 8, 1862, January 16 and 17, 1863, April 9 and 27, 1863, October 2 and 19, 1863, February 18, 1864, March 17, 1864, July 14, 1864, September 18, 1864, November 29, 1864. 11. Mason and Slidell to Secretary of State, October 11, 1861 (from Charleston). 12. Major General Huger, November 18, 1861 (inclosing letter from Major General Wool, Fort Monroe, November 16, 1861). France. 1. SlideU to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1-76 and *' 50 bis "; unnumbered despatch, February 1, 1862; private letters, August 24, 1862, September 18, 1862, January 26, 1863, August 4, 1863. 2. Slidell to Hunter, private, February 19, 1862. Belgium. 1. Mann to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1-119 (except Nos. 1-7, 105-108, 117, which were never received); private letter, April 10, 1863. 2. Mann to President, May 9, 1864, inclosing letter from Pius IX to President. iin. 1. Rost to Secretary of State, despatch. No. 1, March 21, 1862; letters. May 28, 1862, September 13 and 28, 1862, January 23, 1863, Jime 16, 1863, and one imdated. 2. Rost to President, December 24, 1861. MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION. 45 States of the Church. 1. Bishop Lynch to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1 and 2; letters, March 3 and 28, 1864. Mexico. 1. Record-book of despatches to Department of State, containing Nos. 1-27, with inclosures (deposited by Pickett). 2. Miscellaneous records of the legation (deposited by Pickett), and a bundle of newspapers. 3. Pickett to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1, 2, 12-14. 4. Pickett to Secretary of Treasury, September 27, 1861. 5. Pickett to Browne, September 6, 1861, November 29, 1861, De- cember 31, 1861. 6. Preston to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1—13, with inclosures; letters, January 13 and 15, 1864, January 14 and 31, 1865. 7. Preston to President, private, June 28, 1864. 8. Cripps to Secretary of State, No. 1, April 22, 1862. 9. Rieken to Secretary of State, September 9, 1862, to July 16, 1863. 10. Correspondence with Count de Saligny, Baron de Wagner, and others. Bussia. 1. Lamar to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1 and 2; un- official letter, March 21, 1863. II. CoxsuLAR, Confidential, and Other Foreign Agents. London. 1. Hotze to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1—49 (except No. 46); private letters, Nos. 1-18, and July 24, 1863, February 20, 1864, April 1 and 23, 1864, May 28, 1864, July 4, 1864, October 28, 1864. 2. Hotze to Hunter, unofficial, January 30, 1862. 3. Hotze to Brown, March 18, 1862. London and Paris. 1. McRae, financial agent, to Secretary of State, October 19, 1864, November 4, 1864 (with inclosures), November 18, 1864. Paris. 1. De Leon to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1-15 (except No. 10), with inclosures. Havana. 1. Helm to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1-34 (except No. 11). 46 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. Matamoras. 1. Avegno to Secretary of State, letters, December 30, 1862, to April 2, 1864. 2. Fitzpatrick to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1-9 (except No. 8). Vera Cruz. 1. La Sere to Secretary of State, July 22, 1864. New Leon and Coahuila. 1. Quintero to Secretary of State, June 1, 1861, to December 7, 1864, with inclosures. Nassau, N. P. 1. Heyliger to Secretary of State, June 28, 1862, to December 19, 1864. St. George^s, Bermuda. 1. Walker to Secretary of State (see files of Domestic Letters). The letters of Walker were taken out of the packages of Domestic Letters and placed in this package. Cork. 1. Dowling to Secretary of State, despatches, November 25, 1863, January 28, 1864. Ireland generally. 1. Lieutenant Capston to Secretary of State, despatches, October 1, 1863, to August 24, 1864. 2. Mr. Bannon to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 1—8. 3. Mr. Lalor to Secretary of State, Dublin, no date. Canada. 1. Holcombe to Secretary of State, despatches, Nos. 3-7; reports, April 1, 1864 (case of "Chesapeake"), November 16, 1864; letters, February 29, 1864, March 12, 1864, April 26, 1864 (private), June 18, 1864 (private), undated (relating to escaped prisoners). 2. Almon to Holcombe. 3. Thompson and Clay to Secretary of State, telegrams from Wilmington. 4. Clay to Secretary of State, June 17, 1864 (Montreal), August 11, 1864 (report from St. Catherine's relating to Peace Conference), September 12, 1864 (relating to Peace Conference and other subjects). 5. Thompson to Secretary of State, May 2, 1864 (Wilmington), May 10, 1864 (St. George's). 6. General E. G. Lee to Secretary of State, December 15, 1864 (Nassau). 7. Captain Dawson to E. G. Lee, despatches, Nos. 1-5. MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION, 47 III. Diplomatic and Consular. Records. 1. Record of instructions and despatches to consuls, confidential and other foreign agents. 2. Record of commissions to foreign agents. Instructions and Despatches. 1. Great Britain; to Mann, Mason, Rost, Yancey. 2. France; to Slidell. 3. Spain; to Rost, Slidell. 4. Belgium; to Mann. 5. Rome; to Lynch. 6. Russia; to Lamar. 7. Canada; to Holcombe. 8. Mexico; to Pickett, Preston. 9. Havana; to Helm. 10. Monterey; to Quintero. IV. Miscellaneous. 1. Book of reports. President to Congress. 2. Proclamation-book, and also manuscript and printed proclama- tions. 3. Presidents' messages (pamphlets). 4. Pardon-book. 5. Domestic letter-book, and domestic letters, 1861—1865, with an index-book of letters received. 6. Packages of papers and letters, and record-books relating to office-holding, viz: applications for office, and for issue of commis- sions, acting appointments, records of commissions, confirmations and resolutions of Congress, oaths of office, letters of resignation, etc. 7. Passports, applications for foreign passports, congressional mili- tary passports, descriptive lists, etc. 8. Financial papers and accounts, viz.: correspondence, cash-book, ledger, appropriation-book, requisition-book, foreign service account- book. 9. Destroyed property; index to property destroyed by Confederate authorities, and an index to that destroyed by the enemy. 10. Letters of marque, register of letters of marque, correspondence relating to letters of marque. 11. List of vessels running the blockade. 12. Steamer " Sumter ", cruise and operations. 48 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. 13. Fort Sumter, correspondence relating thereto, with notes by Judge Campbell. 14. Exchange of prisoners, correspondence of Robert Ould relating thereto. 15. Ordinances of secession, conventions between the states, and correspondence relating thereto. 16. Letters to Secretary of State from foreign consuls in the Con- federate States. 17. Cypher-tables used in correspondence with Mason, Slidell, Mann, and others. 18. Notes of Assistant Secretary of State and of chief clerk, relat- ing to current events. 19. Telegrams, pension papers, commission of Albert Pike, Tres- cot's correspondence, miscellaneous memoranda. 20. Copyright records. 21. Exequaturs to consuls. 22. Various blank forms, and some printed material, such as news- papers, acts, etc. B. Papers of the Confederate Treasury Department. These papers consist for the most part of (1) lists of subscribers to Confederate loans and of parties to the cotton transactions of the government, together with certificates, vouchers, records of payments of interest, etc.; (2) the records of the organization and transactions of the Texas Cotton Bureau; (3) Virginia poll-lists, showing the votes of individuals on the ordinance of secession; (4) "General Books" containing the records of sales of bonds and of payments of interest by the Confederate Treasury; (5) records of Treasury drafts and war warrants; (6) lists of the assessors of the war tax; (7) lists of bonds- men and sureties; (8) records of contracts, correspondence of the Treasury, etc. These papers are kept in boxes, bound volumes, and bundles, and are arranged by states and general government, with a subarrangement by subjects. C. Captured and Abandoned Property Claims (1863-1878). Correspondence relating to captured and abandoned property; the reports of special agents; records of leases and rents; trade-store ac- counts, etc. See act of March 12, 1863 (12 Stat. L. 821). These records are in file-boxes, bundles, and volumes; the correspondence is arranged chronologically, the reports, by districts and agents (see also seven volumes of correspondence in Mail and Files Division). REGISTER OF THE TREASURY. 49 D. Southern Claims Commission and Cotton Claims Papers. Papers relating to the claims submitted under section 3, act of March 12, 1863 (12 Stat. L. 821), and section 5, act of May 18, 1872 (17 Stat. L. 134). REGISTER OF THE TREASURY. The office of the Register of the Treasury was established in 1789. Until 1894) one of its most important duties was the recording of the receipts and expenditures of the government, and the office was organ- ized in several divisions; but in that year the number of divisions was reduced to two, the Division of Loans and the Division of Notes, Coupons, and Currency, and the recording of the receipts and expend- itures was discontinued (see the annual reports of the Register for 1894 and 1895), the books relative to that work being transferred to the Division of Book-keeping and Warrants. At present the office is charged with the issue, exchange, transfer, and redemption of bonds (Division of Loans), and the receiving, counting, examining, arrang- ing, and registering of all redeemed notes, certificates, coupons, inter- est checks, etc. (Division of Notes, Coupons, and Currency). The files of the Division of Loans, which are the only ones in the Regis- ter's office having historical value, include the records of the public debt from the earliest times. It is hardly necessary to describe in detail the current administrative records of this division; they consist of the accounts kept with all holders of United States registered bonds, of interest schedules, of correspondence connected with the transfer of bonds, coupons, etc. The earlier records, which are of most interest, are described more in detail below. The first important loss sustained by the office of the Register was in 1814. According to the report made to Congress (" American State Papers, Miscellaneous ", 11, 249-250) the following records were de- stroyed: (1) Ledgers, journals, and auxiliary books connected with the imports, tonnage, and internal revenue, to 1810. (2) Export books, to 1803. (3) Vouchers and documents relating to the settlement of the accounts of collectors of customs and supervisors of internal revenue and direct taxes, to 1811. (4) Records of receipts and expenditures, viz., (a) ledgers and journals, to 1798; (b) 100 large cases of vouch- ers and reports on settled accounts. (5) Records of the public debt, viz., (a) several old journals and ledgers; (b) books containing re- ceipts for certificates of funded debt delivered to the Treasury before 1800; (c) canceled certificates of the Revolutionary funded debt, viz., loan office certificates, army certificates, and final settlement certificates 5 50 TREASURY DEPARTMENT, issued by commissioners of the staff and marine departments and by commissioners of the several states; (d) receipts for the dividends on principal and interest of the funded debt paid at the several loan offices, to December 31, 181 2, and receipts for dividends declared at the Treasury, to December 31, 1810; (e) transfers or canceled certifi- cates of the funded debt, to 1811. In the fire of March 31, 1833, the Register's office reported the fol- lowing losses: (1) Vouchers to the internal revenue accounts and to the accounts settled by the accountants of the War and Navy Depart- ments prior to 1817. (2) Abstracts connected with the Post Office accounts prior to July 1, 1828. In the same report the following rec- ords were mentioned as preserved: (1) Records of the receipts and expenditures of the government. (2) Revenue accounts settled since 1825. (3) Revolutionary records. (4) Stock records, including re- ceipts for dividends on principal and interest taken at the Treasury and loan offices since 1814, with the exception of several small par- cels. (5) Records of tonnage, commerce, and navigation since 1821 (H. Ex. Doc. 22, 23 Cong., 2 sess.). For lists of the files destroyed as being valueless see S. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and S. Doc. 97, 57 Cong., 1 sess. The extent of the files of the Register's office is too great to be readily estimated. The earlier records are arranged approximately by states, and are filed in closets where they are not easily accessible. The later records, in fact the records of all extant loans, are so ar- ranged and filed that immediate reference can be made to any part of them. The card-system is being brought into use in keeping the accounts of the office. The records of the extant loans are of course in constant use by the office, but the early records are seldom if ever used. Their use by investigators would probably be allowed provided no question of any claim was involved. I. Early Records. 1. Journal of Cash for the Commission at the Court of France, De- cember 7, 1776-April 19, 1779 (1 vol.). This contains the accounts of Lee, Adams, and Franklin. The ac- counts are sufficiently detailed to be very interesting and to give sug- gestions of the way the commissioners lived. 2. First Bond Issued by the United States, February 6, 1777. No. 133 issued under the act of October 3, 1776. Framed, and kept in a safe. TREASURER OF THE UNITED STATES. 51 5. Continental Certificates of Indebtedness. A list of all the men to whom certificates of indebtedness were given under the act of July 4, 1783 ("Journals of Congress", viii, 289), giving names, certificate numbers, dates, and amounts. There are over 90,000 entries. 4. Loan Office Records, 178Jf-1835 (over 500 vols.). Records of loan offices in the thirteen states, including ledgers, receipts, subscriptions of stock, journals, statements of stock com- prising the assumed state debts, etc. Arranged by states. 6. " Register of the Certificates issued hy John Pierce, Esquire. Paymaster-General and Commissioner of the Army Accounts for the United States. New York. Printed by Francis Childs at the New Printing Office, opposite the Coffee House Bridge ", 1786 (4 vols.). 6, " General Government Office " Records, 1790-1835 (18 vols.). These records of the general government are in large ledger vol- umes with the various titles : " Resolutions and Inquiries of Congress ", ** Foreign Treasury Dividends ", " Funded Deferred Six Per Cent. Stock ", " Summary of Stock Funded at Loan Offices and Treasury, 1790-1794", "Revolutionary Claims Allowed, 1829-1831", "Jour- nal of State Lottery, first class ", " Estimates and Statements ", " Ex- ecutive Orders and Decisions ", " Schedule of Dividends on Assign- able Stock ", " Letters of the Secretary of the Treasury " on matters of routine, " Domestic Louisiana Six Per Cent. Stock ", " Warrants Exchanged ", " Regulations in regard to United States Bonds ". TREASURER OF THE UNITED STATES. The Treasurer receives and disburses all public moneys deposited in the Treasury, subtreasuries, and in national banks that are United States depositories; is trustee for the bonds that secure national-bank circulation and public deposits; has the custody of the Indian trust- fund bonds and other public trusts; is fiscal agent for paying the in- terest on the public debt, and is ex-officio commissioner of the sinking fimd of the District of Columbia. These duties are distributed among the various divisions of the office of the Treasurer, but all the records and files of the office are preserved in the Division of the Chief Clerk. The records, which are wholly administrative in character, are of two kinds — correspondence and accounts; and while they would probably be of considerable value for an exhaustive study of finance, the daily 52 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. and other reports of the Treasurer contain the information ordinarily desired. The office of the Treasurer was established in 1789, but its files are not complete. There were no losses in the fire of 1801 (" Ameri- can State Papers, Miscellaneous ", i, 241-243), nor any of importance in 1814 (ibid., ii, 248-249), but in the fire of 1833 all the records and accounts of the office prior to June 1, 1829, were destroyed except (1) ** Records of Treasurer's quarterly payments for several years prior to June 1, 1829 ", and (2) '* Records of payments into the Treasury by collectors and receivers of public money since 1816 " (H. Ex. Doc. 22, 23 Cong., 2 sess.). Before 1870 many of the records were scat- tered through other bureaus of the department, but in that year Mr. Wallace, the clerk in charge of the files, was able, after considerable search, to gather together much of the material which belonged in the Treasurer's files. The records can be said to be approximately com- plete only since 1868. In addition to the losses by fire, there are official destructions of papers that are considered valueless. For lists of such papers see S. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess.; S. Rept. 1048, 53 Cong., 3 sess.; S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.; and S. Docs. 97 and 348, 57 Cong., 1 sess. The records are of very great extent; they are kept in the sub- basement of the Treasury building and in the storage-building on E Street, already referred to (see Mail and Files Division). The earlier records, which are stored in the latter place, are practically inaccess- ible. The method of filing and indexing is described below under the different classes of material. As would be expected, the records of this office are of great im- portance to the department, and while there are comparatively few calls for the earlier records, those since 1868 are in almost constant use. I. CoREESPONDESrCE. The correspondence of the office consists of requests, inquiries, and other communications relative to the coins and currency of the United States, the receipts and disbursements of the Treasury, national banks and their dealings with the department — in short to all the various items of business of the office. The proportion of letters of historical value is probably very small. Letters Sent. 1. Domestic Letters, 181^.-1877 (Jf.2 vols.). 2. Letters to the Assistant Treasurer of the United States at New York, 186S-1874. (7 vols.). TREASURER OF THE UNITED STATES. 53 3. Letters to Assistant Treasurers and United States Depositories, 1863-1876 (17 vols.). 4. Correspondence with National Banks, 1863-1877 (17 vols.), 5. Letters Sent, 1869-1903 (389 vols.). Press copies of letters sent since 1869 are arranged in chronological order in a single series. The letters sent extend no farther back than 1814, and those before 1863 are incomplete. The letters prior to 1869 were preserved in fair copies only, but after 1869 they were preserved in duplicate until the custom of making fair copies was abandoned. The single series of letters sent from 1869 to date is composed of bound volumes of press copies arranged in strictly chronological order. Before 1861 the let- ters sent were indexed under the names of the persons to whom the letters were addressed, but since that date they have been fully indexed under names and subjects, with cross references. In each volume of the press copies there is a list of the persons addressed in the letters bound therein. Letters Received. 1. Letters Received, 1791-1868 (several hundred bundles). These letters are arranged in an approximately chronological order and tied in bundles. As a series they are very incomplete and are not indexed. 2. Letters Received, 1868 to date (about 800 vols.). These later letters are bound in volumes by years with an alpha- betical subarrangement. In an index or register of over 100 volumes are recorded the name and address of sender, the date, and a brief of each letter. II. Accounts. The accounts preserved in the Treasurer's files are of the following kinds : j ournals, ledgers, check stubs, certificates of deposit, transcripts from assistant treasurers and national banks, statements of liabilities and assets, reports of balances due disbursing officers, paid transfer checks and disbursing officers' checks, redemption statements of called bonds, semi-annual returns from national banks, daily reports of move- ments of standard silver dollars, lists of deposits on account of war- rants, receipts for minor and fractional silver coin redeemed, receipts for United States and national bank-notes for redemption, etc. There appear to be no accounts on file prior to 1837, and those be- fore 1860 are very incomplete. This class of records is very great in amount and fills over 100 closets in the subbasement of the Treasury 54 TREASURY DEPARTMENT, building alone, there being much more in the E Street building. The accounts are arranged by the divisions of the Treasurer's office, and are rendered accessible to the initiated by means of a finding index contained in a single volume. COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY. The office of the Comptroller of the Treasury was established in 1789 (1 Stat. L. 65), but in 1817 the designation of the office was changed to that of First Comptroller and the office of Second Comp- troller was created (3 Stat. L. 366). These two officers examined and revised the accounts passed on by the various auditors, with the excep- tion of the customs accounts, which were examined by the Commis- sioner of Customs, and the post-office accounts, which were examined by the Comptrollers only in case of appeal from the decision of the sixth auditor. In 1894 (28 Stat. L. 205) the entire system of account- ing was reorganized and the office of the Comptroller of the Treasury took the place of the offices of the First and Second Comptrollers and of the Commissioner of Customs. The Comptroller of the Treasury no longer examines and revises accounts ; his principal duties are : ( 1 ) rendering decisions, which are final and binding upon the executive branch of the government, in the case of appeals from the action of the auditors; (2) rendering decisions called for by disbursing officers or heads of departments; (3) approving, disapproving, or modifying all auditors' decisions that involve an original or modified construction of the statutes; (4) prescribing the forms of keeping and rendering all public accounts except those of the postal service; (5) directing the recovery of debts certified by the auditors to be due to the United States. It is evident from the above statement of the duties of the Comp- troller of the Treasury that the most valuable records of his office are the decisions. There are of course great masses of vouchers and certificates of adjusted accounts, together with the correspondence re- lating to them, but these would probably be of slight value to the student. Few of the decisions prior to 1894 are printed. The im- portant ones since 1894 are printed in the "Decisions of the Comp- troller of the Treasury", October, 1894-June, 1903 (9 vols. Wash- ington, 1896—1903). A "Digest of the Decisions of the Comptroller of the Treasury", by N. H. Thompson (Washington, 1902), includes all decisions, both published and unpublished, between October 1, 1894, and June 30, 1902. OF THE UNIVERSfTY OF AUDITOR FOR THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT. 55 Certain classes of papers in the Comptroller's office are considered valueless and are destroyed as such (see Sen. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess.; Sen. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.; Sen. Doc. 97, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). AUDITOR FOR THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT. In the reorganization of the accounting system, mentioned above in describing the office of the Comptroller of the Treasury, the auditors* offices were also reorganized. From 1789 to 1817 there was one auditor; in 1817, four auditors were added, and in 1836 one more, making six in all. They were designated as First Auditor, Second Auditor, etc. The duties of these officers and their legislative history are fully and clearly set forth in H. Rept. 49, 5S Cong., 1 sess. (pp. 31—36), and a detailed statement of their organization and methods of work may be found in the " Cockrell Report ", Sen. Rept. 507, pt. 2, 50 Cong., 1 sess. In 1894, by the provisions of the Dockery Act (28 Stat. L. 205), the designations of the officers were changed, as follows: That of First Auditor to Auditor for the Treasury Department; Second Auditor, to Auditor for the War Department; Third Auditor, to Auditor for the Interior Department; Fourth Auditor, to Auditor for the Navy Depart- ment; Fifth Auditor, to Auditor for the State and other Departments; Sixth Auditor, to Auditor for the Post-Office Department. By the same act the duties of the various auditors were redistributed and enlarged, so that whereas prior to 1894 an account had merely passed through an auditor's office on its way to a final examination in the office of one of the comptrollers, since that date the auditors' examina- tions, revisions, and decisions have been final except when formally appealed from, and the accounts have remained in the auditors' offices — in other words, single auditing has replaced the previous system of double auditing. For a full account of the changes made by the act of 1894 see H. Rept. 637, 5S Cong., 2 sess., in which the old system is described at length, the new one set forth, and the reasons for making the proposed changes discussed. F'or a resume of the laws relating to the auditors' offices see Compiled Statutes, 1901 (pp. 152-179). The records and files of the various offices were redistributed to correspond with the duties. In the following descriptions of the respective auditors' offices a statement of the duties (taken from the annual reports) suggests the character of the administrative records. Records of especial value, so far as they were revealed in the investi- gation, are described apart from the purely administrative records. 56 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. The Office of the Auditor for the Treasury Department (formerly known as First Auditor) is divided into four divisions, the duties of which are as follows: (1) The Customs Division examines the collection accounts of the collectors of customs ; their accounts relative to the expenses of collect- ing the revenue from customs, the accounts of the Revenue- Cutter Ser- vice, accounts of official emoluments, debentures, refunds of duties, and miscellaneous disbursements, and also warehouse and bond accounts. (2) The Public-Debt Division examines and settles all accounts re- lating to the payment of interest on the public debt, both registered stock and coupon bonds. Pacific Railroad bonds, payments on Spanish indemnity certificates. Navy pension fund, redemption of United States bonds, redemption of coin and currency certificates, old notes, and bounty scrip, and accounts for notes and fractional currency de- stroyed. (3) The Internal-Revenue Division has jurisdiction of the collec- tion and disbursement accounts of the Internal-Revenue Service. The accounts are received through the office of the Commissioner of Inter- nal Revenue after they have been given a proper administrative ex- amination. (4) The Miscellaneous Division is charged with the examination and settlement of all accounts of this department relating to salaries and contingent expenses, Life-Saving Service, outstanding liabilities, bonded and land-grant railroads. Coast and Geodetic Stirvey, mints and assay offices, construction and care of public buildings, the offices of the United States Treasurer and assistant treasurers, Light-House Establishment, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Independent Treasury, Marine-Hospital Service, Steamboat Inspection Service, and sales of old material. As is shown above, the records of this office include the accounts of all persons who have disbursed or received money under the Treasury Department. For a detailed classification of these accounts see the annual report of the Auditor for the Treasury Department for 1902 (pp. 13-18), where are found such items as: preventing the spread of epidemic diseases, education of the blind, Hawaiian debt. South Caro- lina free schools trust-fund, Pan-American and other expositions, etc. The mileage accounts of members of Congress prior to 1894 are on file here, as are also the warrants for the payment for Alaska, the Philippines, etc. The individual itemized accounts often throw much light on prices, rents, cost of construction, etc., and, especially for earlier periods, should have some interest for the student of economic history. AUDITOR FOR THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 57 With the exception of the Washington papers, described below, there are said to be no files prior to 1791. The Auditor's office re- ported that it had suffered few losses of importance in the fire of January 20, 1801. At that time there was but one auditor, but the losses reported would apparently be divided between the present audit- ors for the War and Treasury Departments as follows: War auditor, (1) ledgers and journals of accounts settled by the late commissioner with the officers of the old Quartermaster's and Commissary's Depart- ments, (2) individual claims for services during the Revolution. Treas- ury auditor, (1) account of Thomas Claxton, agent for furnishing the Capitol, (2) accounts of the agents of the commissioners of the direct tax in Delaware, New Hampshire, Tennessee, New York, Pennsyl- vania, and Massachusetts (" American State Papers, Miscellaneous ", I, 241-243). Although there is no documentary evidence to that ef- fect, there are said to have been losses in 1814 and 1833. Thus the files, though continuous from 1791, are complete only from 1833. In addition to these accidental losses, much material considered valueless is destroyed under authority of Congress (see Sen. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess.; Sen. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.; and Sen. Doc. 97, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). The bulk of the files is very great. In the annual report of the auditor for 1902 (pp. 19-20) is a comparative statement of the trans- actions of »the office since 1861. From this it is shown that between the reorganization of the office in 1894, and the present time, about 300,000 accounts have been audited, over 150,000 certificates have been recorded, and about 250,000 letters written. The files of the entire office are kept together in bundles and boxes, and at present are located in the attic and basements of the Treasury building, and in a Thir- teenth Street building. They are arranged by various classes and chronologically under each class, and are rendered accessible by means of a finding index. The files, even of the earliest dates, are in con- stant use by the department. The only early records are: 1. Washington's Accounts, 1775-1784.. These expense accoimts and vouchers show Washington's table, trav- eling, and other expenses between 1775 and 1784. Here may be found, for example, the accounts of his table expenses during the winter at Valley Forge and of his traveling expenses from Mt. Vernon to Philadelphia and return in 1784. 68 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. AUDITOR FOR THE WAR DEPARTMENT. In the Office of the Auditor for the War Department the following classes of accounts are audited: (1) salaries and incidental expenses of the Office of the Secretary of War, and all bureaus under his direc- tion; (2) military establishment; (3) armories and arsenals; (4) na- tional cemeteries; (5) fortifications; (6) public buildings and grounds under the Chief of Engineers; (7) rivers and harbors; (8) soldiers' homes; (9) Military Academy; (10) all other business within the jurisdiction of the War Department. The office is divided into six divisions: (1) Civil Claims; (2) Military Claims; (3) Paymaster's; (4) Quartermaster's; (5) Law Board; and (6) Records, in which last are brought together the permanent files of the entire office. It will be seen that the records of the office are for the most part of two classes: (1) accounts of disbursements under the War Depart- ment; (2) accounts, papers, etc., relating to claims. As illustrative of the former class may be mentioned the paymasters', quartermasters', and commissary accounts, 1817 to date, together with pay and muster- rolls (of some personal interest are the accounts rendered by such officers as Grant, Sheridan, McKinley, R. E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and others) ; accounts and rolls of the Western Gunboat Flotilla and the Mississippi Marine Brigade ; registers of payments to volunteer organi- zations during the Mexican War (1 vol.) and the Civil War (14 vols.), etc. As illustrative of the latter class may be mentioned the papers and books of the R. B. Lee Claims Commission for the settlement of claims arising from losses of property during the War of 1812; the books of the United States commission for settling claims against the United States arising from the mismanagement and frauds in the De- partment of the West in 1861 and 1862 (the evidence and depositions should have considerable interest) ; claims under the act of March 3, 1849 (9 Stat. L. 393); Pittsburg defence claims; claims for the cap- ture of Jefferson Davis (among these papers are many interesting and spirited narratives), etc. There are also files not properly included in either of the above classes, such as: correspondence, of which the bulk is very great; letter-books of the Accountant's office, 1797; rolls of friendly Indians, 1818-1849, etc. It is impossible to say how complete are the records of this office. In the case of the quartermasters' and commissary accounts there are no records prior to 1817, when the auditing of such accounts was trans- ferred to the office of the third auditor. * AUDITOR FOR THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT. 59 There is no record of any loss by fire save as mentioned above under Auditor for the Treasury Department. Many papers considered valueless have been destroyed (Sen. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess.). The bulk of the files is estimated at about 620 tons, covering over ten miles of shelving. The files are at present located in the Cox, Winder, E Street, and Corcoran buildings; they are being arranged as rapidly as possible and, for the most part, have already been so indexed as to render the office able to find any papers called for. Certain classes of this material, especially such as relate to claims, or to the loyalty of individuals, are regarded as confidential. Eaely Records. It is the policy of the Records Division to segregate such of the records as are of especial historical value. 1. Revolutionary Accounts, 1775 (8 vols.). Ledger of accounts of all officers who had charge of money, and part of the journals. These should have considerable interest; there are five volumes of the ledger and three of the journal, and there is an index to names. 2. Bonds, 1790-. A large number of Loan Office bonds and some correspondence re- lating thereto, with certificates. In process of being arranged in envelopes, by names of holders. 3. Rolls of the Wayne and St. Clair Wars, 1791-1797 (4. vols.). Muster and pay-rolls of the Wayne and St. Clair wars, with an index to names. AUDITOR FOR THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT. The Office of the Auditor for the Interior Department is divided into four divisions, the duties of which are as follows: (1) In the Pensions Division are examined the accounts of the United States pension agents on account of disbursements made under appropriations for army and navy pensions, salaries of pension agents, and all expenses of pension agencies, and accounts under the several pension appropriations. (2) In the Law and Claims Division are examined claims for reim- bursement from accrued pensions, of expenses of last sickness and burial of pensioners under act of March 2, 1895; pension checks in cases where the payees have died without indorsing them, on which 60 TREASURY DEPARTMENT, recommendation to the Secretary of the Treasury regarding their pay- ment is made. Also all questions of law affecting claims and accounts examined and settled in the office are here considered. (3) In the Indian Division are examined the accounts of United States Indian agents, special agents, inspectors, general superintendent of schools, superintendents of schools, supervisors of Indian schools, allotting agents, disbursing officers of special commissions, examiners of surveys, secretary of board of Indian commissioners, superintend- ents of Indian warehouses, receiving and shipping clerks, and other accounts of a miscellaneous nature relating to the Indian service, in- cluding the cost and transportation of goods and supplies. (4) In the Land, Files, and Miscellaneous Division are examined accounts of receivers of public moneys, of surveyors-general, and all other accounts for receipts and expenditures in the public-lands ser- vice; the accounts of the disbursing clerk of the Interior Department, and of the disbursing officers of the offices of the Superintendent of the Capitol Building and Grounds, the Census Office, Geological Sur- vey, Government Hospital for the Insane, Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, Howard University, the Hot Springs Reserva- tion, Arkansas, and accounts of the Commissioner of Patents for receipts of Patent Office fees. Claims for transportation and tele- graphic services rendered the above-named offices, and claims arising under the appropriations for the endowment of agricultural colleges in the several states and territories; for the liquidation of deposits in the Hawaiian Postal Savings Bank; for refunding moneys for lands erroneously sold; for surveying the public lands; for the payment to certain states of their per centum of the proceeds of the sales of public lands; for indemnity for swamp lands erroneously sold by the United States; and for the education of indigent blind children under section 4869 of the Revised Statutes, are examined and adjusted in this division. The chief of this division has the immediate supervision of the public records of the office, which, under his direction, are la- beled, boxed, and arranged in proper order for convenient reference and permanent preservation. The files of the office appear to be of comparatively little value. They are not complete, and while there is no documentary evidence of any losses by fire, both the extent of the records and the traditions of the office indicate some losses in 1814 and 1833. The pension accounts date from 1789, but are very incomplete before 1833; the land accounts date from 1832, with a very few of as early date as 1817; while the Indian accounts seem to be fairly complete since 1819. AUDITOR FOR THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. 61 For the papers destroyed as valueless see Sen. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and Sen. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess. It is impossible to estimate the bulk of the files; they appear to extend over some miles of shelving, but are not so extensive as those of the Auditor for the War Department. They are stored on the third and fourth floors of the Treasury building in file-boxes, bound volumes and bundles, and are so classified and arranged that no diffi- culty is experienced in finding any paper called for. The card-system has been introduced for recording pension payments. The pension records are the ones most in use by the department, but the files of all classes are frequently called for. AUDITOR FOR THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. The office of the Auditor for the Navy Department is divided into three divisions, the duties of which are as follows: (1) The Paymasters' Accounts Division adjusts accounts of the pay officers of the Navy at navy-yards and stations and on vessels, ac- counts of the paymaster and quartermaster of the Marine Corps, and claims of subsidized railroads, and keeps individual accounts of sea- men's deposits of savings. (2) The Requisition and Prize Money Division records requisitions and notes them for approval, keeps ledger accounts of navy appro- priations, adjusts the account of general account of advances, exam- ines monthly returns of all pay officers of the Navy, reports delin- quent pay ofl[icers, settles prize-money claims, furnishes the Pension Office and Navy Department with service records of officers, seamen, and marines, and has charge of the mail, records, and files of the office. The Miscellaneous Claims Section adjusts claims for arrears of pay, bounty, etc., arising in the Navy and Marine Corps. (3) The Navy Pay and Allotment Division adjusts accounts of purchasing pay officers of the Navy, of naval attaches at United States legations in Europe, of the Navy Department's fiscal agent in Lon- don, of agents at coaling stations, and of the disbursing officer of the Navy Department, and keeps individual accounts of allotment of of- ficers and men of the Navy. As is indicated by the nature of the duties, the records consist of the regular accounts of the department, the accounts and correspond- ence relating to prize-claims, and the pay and muster-rolls of the various vessels. It is diflicult to estimate the historical value of these records: the pay and muster-rolls and certain parts of the correspond- 62 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. ence would appear most likely to have some value, especially in the war periods, for a study of which the rolls of such vessels as the " Con- stitution ", *' Alert ", " Hornet ", " Guerriere ", " Frolic ", and " Mace- donian " should be of considerable interest. The records date from 1798, but, although there is no documentary evidence of losses, there are many gaps in the files due to fires (tradi- tion as usual designates the fires of 1814 and 1833) and to losses of vessels. Some papers have been destroyed as having no value, and lists of such may be found in Sen. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and Sen. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess. It is impossible to estimate the bulk of these records, but it may be said that they consist of thousands of volumes, file-boxes, etc. There is not room for all the records in the Treasury building, and many of them are stored in the E Street building. The pay and muster-rolls are arranged alphabetically by the names of the vessels and chrono- logically for each vessel. A list giving dates and names of vessels, commanders, and paymasters has been made of the earlier vessels whose rolls are on file, and may be consulted in the office. The ac- count-books and correspondence are filed in chronological order, and an office-index seems to make the material satisfactorily accessible to the officials in charge. AUDITOR FOR STATE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS. The office of the Auditor for the State and Other Departments is organized in three divisions, the duties of which are as follows: (1) To the Diplomatic and Consular Division are assigned for ex- amination and settlement all accounts of salaries and incidental ex- penses of the office of the Secretary of State, and of all bureaus and offices under his direction; also all accounts relating to the diplomatic and consular service and all commissions and conferences formed by international law or agreement. In this division all Treasury fee re- turns of consular officers are verified by the monthly abstracts of in- voices made by collectors of customs, in pursuance of section 2855 of the Revised Statutes. There are also examined all requisitions in pay- ment of the expenses of the Department of State, and of all drafts drawn on the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury by ambassadors, envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary, min- isters resident, commissioners, charges d'affaires, agents, secretaries of legations, consuls-general, consuls, and commercial agents. (2) The Division of Judicial Accounts settles all accounts pertain- AUDITOR FOB STATE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS. 63 ing to the Department of Justice, viz.: salaries, fees, and expenses of marshals; pay of bailiffs; support of prisoners; pay of jurors; pay of witnesses; miscellaneous expenses; district attorneys; assistant district attorneys; clerks of all United States courts; United States commis- sioners, and rent of court rooms; also the disbursing clerk's accounts for salaries of Department of Justice; furniture and repairs; books for department library, books for office of the Solicitor; stationery; transportation; miscellaneous items; pay of regular assistant attorneys; prosecution of crimes; defending suits in claims against the United States; defense in Indian depredation claims; punishing violations of intercourse acts and frauds; repairs to the court-house, Washington, D. C. ; miscellaneous expenses United States courts; salaries Court of Private Land Claims; salaries and expenses Spanish Claims Commis- sion; defending suits before Spanish Claims Commission; insular and territorial affairs. Department of Justice; revising criminal and penal laws of the United States; salaries of district judges; salaries and expenses Court of Appeals; salaries of retired judges; salaries of cir- cuit judges; salaries of judges, etc., of the Court of Claims; salaries of Justices, etc., of the Supreme Court; salary commissioner of Yel- lowstone National Park; salaries of circuit court of appeals; salaries of governors of Territories of Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Alaska, and Hawaii; salaries of district attorneys and their assistants; salaries of marshals and their office deputies; salary and expenses of the re- porter of the Supreme Court; United States penitentiary, Atlanta, Georgia; and United States penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas; build- ing. Department of Justice; salary clerk of district court, northern district of Illinois; care of rented buildings; and all judgments of the courts against the United States are settled upon certificates pre- pared by this division, including claims allowed under the Bowman and Tucker acts and French spoliation claims. (3) To the Miscellaneous Division are assigned for settlement all accounts accruing in the Department of Agriculture and its bureaus, the Executive Office, the Senate, the House of Representatives, Smith- sonian Institution, Civil Service Commission, Fish Commission, Inter- state Commerce Commission, Department of Commerce and Labor, Government Printing Office (including the construction of the new building). Library of Congress; all accounts for salaries, contingent and legislative expenses in the several territories; all accounts relating to the government of the District of Columbia, and all boards, com- missions, and establishments of the government not within the juris- diction of any of the executive departments. 64 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. The records of this office, as is indicated by the nature of their duties, have historical value only incidentally. The diplomatic ac- counts when itemized are of some interest for the information they contain about expenses, prices, etc., and the accounts connected with the Cayuse Wars, which are on file here, should be of some interest. The files are said not to antedate 1814; some are thought, though there is no documentary evidence of the fact, to have been destroyed in the fire of that year. For lists of papers that have been destroyed as valueless see Sen. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess. The records are kept in file-boxes, bundles, and bound volumes, and cover, at approximate estimate, several thousand feet of shelving. Since 1894 all papers have been given numbers and filed in numerical order, but before that date they were variously arranged. By means of an index or finding list the accounts of any particular person can be readily located. The papers prior to 1875 are said to be seldom used by the department. AUDITOR FOR THE POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. The position of the Auditor for the Post-Office Department differs somewhat from that of the other auditors. He is, in a sense, auditor, comptroller, and register of the Post-Office Department, certifying the balances due directly to the Postmaster-General instead of to the Treasury Department. His decisions are final unless an appeal to the Comptroller be taken within one year; he directs suits for the collecting of money due the United States for the service of the Post- Office Department, in this way having direct official relations with the Department of Justice; he receives and accepts, with the written con- sent of the Postmaster-General, offers of compromise, and is the legal custodian of all contracts of the Post-Office Department. The office is divided into seven divisions, the duties of which are as follows : (1) The Bookkeeping Division keeps the general ledger accounts of the postal service and an individual account with each postmaster and mail contractor; registers Postmaster-General's transfer drafts and all warrants drawn for transporting the mails, expenses of rural free delivery, purchase of supplies, and miscellaneous expenses of the postal service; prepares the quarterly and annual reports of receipts and expenditures; receives and settles postal accounts of postmasters, postal depositories, and the disbursing clerk of the Post-Office Depart- ment. AUDITOR FOB THE POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 65 (2) The Collecting Division reviews the postal accounts in which differences are found by the Bookkeeping Division; collects balances due from, and pays balances due postmasters on postal accounts ; keeps a record of all changes of postmasters and the establishment and discontinuance of post-oflSces; has charge of postal files and conducts correspondence affecting this part of the work. (3) The Pay Division adjusts and reports for payment all accounts for transportation of mails; audits accounts of post-office inspectors, superintendents and assistant superintendents of the Railway Mail Service, and sundry miscellaneous accounts, including post-office supplies. (4) The Inspecting Division examines postmasters' statements of money-order business with accompanying orders as vouchers, com- paring every money-order with the credit claimed for its payment by the postmaster, detecting and correcting errors and verifying fees charged for issuing international and domestic orders, and conducts correspondence incident thereto. (5) The Assorting and Checking Division assorts by states and ofiices of issue, and arranges numerically by quarters, all money-orders received by the Inspecting Division, and compares all money-orders issued with the amounts postmasters debit themselves in their state- ments, detecting and correcting errors therein. (6) The Recording Division audits and adjusts the money-order accounts of postmasters, and conducts correspondence relating thereto; adjusts money-order accounts of late postmasters by payment, transfer, or collection, as indicated by the balance; prepares quarterly and annual statements of money-order transactions of the United States, both domestic and international, with revenue derived therefrom, for the information of the Secretary of the Treasury and the Postmaster- General. (7) The Foreign Division adjusts and settles postal and money- order accounts with foreign countries; settles accounts of steamship companies for ocean transportation of mails ; verifies all lists of money- orders certified for payment in foreign countries and all lists received from foreign countries of orders certified for payment in the United States; and conducts the correspondence arising in connection with the above duties. The general character of the records of this office can be determined by the detailed lists of duties given above, but a more definite idea of it can be gained from the list below, furnished for this report by the chief clerk of the Auditor's Office, which gives the names of the 6 66 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. different kinds of accounts and books. It is difficult to form an esti- mate of the value of these records^ but probably the ledgers of the various post-offices would have the greatest value^ especially for local history. As is noted below, the oldest records date from 1776, but none of the classes of records is complete until after 1790, while the files since that date have suffered occasional losses. Some of the older files were destroyed in the fire of December 15, 1836 (H. Rept. 134, 24 Cong., 2 sess.), and in late years large quantities of papers considered valueless have been disposed of (22 Stat. L. 228; 28 Stat. L. 107; 30 Stat. L. 317; S. Rept. 1048, 53 Cong., 3 sess.; and S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.). The bulk of the files is very great: they are stored in the Post-Office building and in the E Street building. I. Regular Accounts. (1) Alphabetical Register of Accounts; (2) Contracts; (3) Fines and Deductions; (4) Foreign Mail; (5) Index; (6) Journals; (7) Ledgers, 1790 to date, complete (the ledger kept by Benjamin Frank- lin as Postmaster-General in 1776 is the oldest of the records of this office; it is kept in the Post-Office Museum); (8) Letter-Carriers and Free Delivery; (9) Letter-Carriers and Railway Postal Clerks; (10) Postmaster-General's Drafts — registers; (11) Postmaster-General's Orders — transportation; (12) Railway Postal Clerks; (13) Register of Contractors' Accounts; (14) Register of Quarterly Returns — Post- masters; (15) Register of Reports; (16) Star and Railroad Transpor- tation (Pay Books); (17) Transcripts of Deposits; (18) Warrants on United States Treasurer; (19) Register of Disbursements; (20) Miscellaneous. II. Confederate Post-Office Records. 1. Register of reports from October 14, 1861, to April 1, 1865, of amounts paid for mail transportation and miscellaneous expenses of the Post-Office Department. This volume was purchased from private persons under authority of Congress. 2. One book containing reports of the Postmaster-General to the President of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1864; also adver- tisements inviting proposals for carrying the mails in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee; received from the War Department. ;vFRar COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE. 67 COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE. The office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue was established in 1862; its duties are divided among eleven divisions, but all the records and files are kept together in the Appointments Division. The files consist principally of reports made on prescribed forms by the agents, and of correspondence, and should be of value for statistical purposes and for illustrating the policy of the administration of the internal-revenue laws. The decisions and circulars of the office are published in part : " Decisions Published by the Office of Internal Revenue to January, 1871 " (1 vol., Washington, 1871) ; " Compilation of Decisions rendered by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, June, 1899-December, 1902" (5 vols., Washington, 1899-1903); "Collec- tion of Circulars and Specials issued by the Office of Internal Revenue to February 18, 1874 " (2 vols., Washington, 1871, 1874) ; " Collection of Circulars, Specials, Decisions, and Circular Letters issued by the Office of Internal Revenue, June 22, 1874-January 30, 1882 " (1 vol., Washington, 1882). The files of the office extend from 1862, with the addition of a few early records of the years 1790-1808. There are no recorded acci- dental losses, but there have been quite extensive authorized destruc- tions of files supposed to have no value (S. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess. ; S. Rept. 1048, 53 Cong., 3 sess.; S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.; S. Doc. 97, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). The bulk of the files is very great: in 1903 they occupied about 20,000 cubic feet of space and were accumulating at the rate of 2,250 cubic feet a year. They are stored in several rooms on the fourth floor of the Treasury building, and are so arranged by numerical and alpha- betical systems in bound volumes, file-boxes, and bundles that any paper called for can at once be found. The correspondence and reports are regarded as confidential (13 Stat. L. 238), and in general it may be said that the files of this office since 1862 are not accessible for purposes of investigation. Permission to use them might, how- ever, be granted by the Commissioner in certain cases where the material to be examined has only historical interest. I. Early Records. i. Letters from the Commissioner of the Revenue, 1790-1808 (7 vols, fair copies). The letters of the Commissioner relate largely to practical questions concerning the administration of the internal-revenue laws. There 68 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. are letters bearing on the Whiskey Insurrection of 1794^ but they are of slight importance, discussing such questions as whether lawfully distilled spirits can be obtained for the army, etc. The letters are chronologically arranged, and in each volume is an index to the names of the recipients. 2. List of Collectors of the Revenue, 1803 (1 vol.). 3. Internal Revenue Bonds, 1813-1818 (1 vol.). North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Indiana, Illi- nois, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, District of Columbia. Jf.. Boston Tax Lists, 1814- (3 small vols.). List of taxable property in wards three and eight of Boston (Eleventh District of Massachusetts), " giving houses, size, size of lots, material of which constructed, and valuation ". II. Records since 1862. Beports. The reports of agents are made on prescribed forms, of which there are about a thousand different kinds. For a list of these forms, which would also show the exact character of the reports, see " Catalogue of Blanks and Books and Laws and Regulations, prepared for the use of officers of Internal Revenue, No. 155. Revised 1901. U. S. Int. Rev." Correspondence. 1. Letters Received, 1862 to date (several thousand file-boxes). a. Collectors' Letters. b. Official Letters. Correspondence with all officers of the Treasury Department except collectors. c. Miscellaneous Letters. Correspondence with all persons outside the Treasury Department. 2. Letters Sent, 1862 to date (about 2,000 vols.). These letters are classified in the same way as Letters Received. COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY. The Comptroller of the Currency exercises supervision over the national banks, their organization, and the issue and redemption of their notes, and examines and consolidates their reports. The records of this office are complete since its establishment in 1863 (12 Stat. L. 665), but are not accessible, being regarded as confidential. The BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING. 69 statistics and information of most value, however, are printed in the annual reports of the Comptroller of the Currency. For the destruc- tion of papers considered of no value see S. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess.; S. Rept. 1048, 53 Cong., 3 sess. ; and S. Doc. 97, 57 Cong., 1 sess. BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing designs and engraves United States notes, bonds, and certificates; postage, customs, and internal- revenue stamps; Treasury drafts and checks; commissions, national bank notes, licenses, patent and pension certificates, etc. For infor- mation about the origin of the bureau see " Report to the Secretary of the Treasury from the First Division, National Currency Bureau ", by S. M. Clark, November 26, 1864, in H. Ex. Doc. 50, 38 Cong., 2 sess. Its records are those of a large business establishment and can hardly be said to have any historical value. They consist of accounts and statistics, printed summaries of which are to be found in the annual reports of the bureau, and of correspondence, and they are complete since 1869, with the exception of such papers as have been officially destroyed (S. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess.; S. Rept. 1048, 53 Cong., 3 sess.; S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.; and S. Doc. 97, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). The set of "models" (approved designs for stamps, notes, etc.), though not complete, is of interest. The correspondence is classified as follows: 1. Letters Sent. a. Leaves of absence. b. Purchases of supplies, etc. c. Business of the office. 2. Letters Received. a. Official, relating to the business of the office. b. Miscellaneous, relating to the purchase of supplies, etc. These letters are arranged alphabetically under each year and are registered in an index which gives the names and addresses of senders and recipients with briefs of the letters. DIRECTOR OF THE MINT. The records and correspondence of the office of the Director of the Mint are concerned with the general supervision of all mints and assay offices, the examination of their accounts and daily reports, special investigations of the manner in which they are conducted, and appoint- 70 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. ments and removals within them. The records from 1849 to date are on file in this office^ but are incomplete prior to 1873, while all records prior to 1849 are in Philadelphia. For lists of the papers destroyed as valueless see S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess., and S. Doc. 27, 57 Cong., 1 sess. SECRET SERVICE DIVISION. The work of the Secret Service Division is chiefly concerned with the detection of counterfeiting and of other frauds and crimes against the government. In time of war the work is somewhat extended; dur- ing the war with Spain, for example, the Secret Service broke up the Spanish system of espionage. The annual reports of the division contain resumes of its work from year to year. The Secret Service Division was not established as a distinct division in the Treasury Department until 1865. There had been a secret service since 1861, however, and from 1862 to 1865 it was organized under the State Department, but the records of the present division do not antedate 1865. The records consist for the most part of the correspondence with the agents and their daily reports, and are not accessible for purposes of investigation except in certain cases where the necessity for secrecy no longer exists. Certain papers have been destroyed as valueless: see S. Rept. 1048, 53 Cong., 3 sess., and S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess. OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISING ARCHITECT. In 1853 the Secretary of the Treasury organized a Division of Construction, and an officer of the Engineer Corps of the Army was detailed as its head. In 1864 (13 Stat. L. 27) the office of Super- vising Architect was created by Congress. The duties of this officer comprise the selection and purchase of sites for all buildings under the Treasury Department; the procuring of cessions of jurisdiction over these sites from the various states; the making of plans and esti- mates for the buildings (custom-houses, mints, marine hospitals, court- houses, post-offices, quarantine stations, etc.) ; the superintendence of their construction; and the maintenance of buildings outside the Dis- trict of Columbia. For further details as to the history and functions of this office see Lamphere's " United States Government " (pp. 72- 75), or "The Government Construction Bureau", by the present Supervising Architect, J. K. Taylor, in the ** Philadelphia Record " (Saturday morning, July 12, 1902, page 6). "A History of Public Buildings under the Control of the Treasury Department (exclusive PUBLIC HEALTH AND MARINE-HOSPITAL SERVICE. 71 of Marine Hospitals and Quarantine Stations)", compiled by W. H. Hills and J. A. Sutherland (Washington, 1902), contains photographs and histories of the buildings erected by the Treasury Department. The records of most interest are those in the Law and Records Division, where the contracts are drawn up, the various legal questions, including those connected with the state cessions of jurisdiction, are passed upon, and the record of all mail received or sent is kept. The records are fairly complete from 1853, but only those since 1890 are so arranged and cared for as to be readily accessible. For lists of the papers which have been destroyed as being valueless see S. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess. BUREAU OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND MARINE-HOSPITAL SERVICE. The Surgeon-General of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service has supervision of the marine hospitals; of the care of sick seamen taken from merchant or government (except naval) vessels of the United States; of the physical examination of pilots, seamen, and candidates for the Revenue-Cutter and Life-Saving Services; of the United States and interstate quarantine service, including the medical inspection of alien immigrants; of the hygienic laboratory; and of the publication of the weekly " Public Health Reports of the United States". The service was established in 1798 (1 Stat. L. 605) but was reorganized and the office of Surgeon-General created in 1870 (16 Stat. L. 169). For a history of the service prior to 1871 see the first annual report of the Surgeon-General, 1872. The work of the service from year to year is set forth in some detail in the annual reports, which probably contain all the material that is of historical interest. A list of the papers of the office of the Surgeon-General destroyed as valueless will be found in S. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess.; S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.; and S. Doc. 97, 57 Cong., 1 sess. LIFE-SAVING SERVICE. ' The Life-Saving Service in its present organization dates from 1878 (20 Stat. L. 164), but it has distinct and separate records from 1873 to date. Early correspondence and papers relating to the service may be found in the Mail and Files Division, particularly among the files of the Revenue-Cutter Service. The files of the office of the General Superintendent of the Life-Saving Service comprise: (1) property- returns and other accounts connected with the maintenance of the 72 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. various stations^ and (2) correspondence, in which are included the reports of the life-saving stations. The files, although of consider- able interest, can hardly be said to have real historical value. The work of the service from year to year, especially in its more picturesque aspects, is somewhat fully narrated in the annual reports of the General Superintendent. The records are for the most part classified under the two headings of Letters Sent and Letters Received and are complete since 1873, except for such papers as have been officially destroyed (S. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess. ; S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.). The letters are filed according to a numerical system and are fully indexed and briefed. Portions of the records are inaccessible, being regarded as confidential. DEPARTMENT OF WAR. The history of the War Department and of its various bureaus has been dealt with at some length in a number of works. The most recent of these is the " Legislative History of the General Staff of the Army of the United States, 1775-1901 " (Washington, 1901, S. Doc. 229, 56 Cong., 2 sess.). This is an official publication, compiled by Raphael P. Thian of the Adjutant-General's office; it is composed of extracts from the Journals of Congress, the Statutes at Large, and the Revised Statutes, which set forth the legislative history of the various staff de- partments and minor bureaus, while, as a preface to each office, there is given a brief resume of its history with a list of the persons who hava held it. In " Military Laws of the United States " (Washington, 1901, H. Doc. 545, 56 Cong., 2 sess.), are compiled the existing laws relating to each office of the War Department, and summaries of the legislative history of the staff offices are added. Of the older histories the second part of T. H. S. Hammersly's "Army Register, 1779- y' 1879" (Washington, 1880) is the best. A second edition brings the history to 1887, but the references below are to the first. This work contains somewhat detailed legislative histories of the staff departments with full accounts of their work; it also contains a general sketch of the organization and administration of the War Department from 1776, by William A. DeCaindry, which is also to be found in Senate Report 555 (45 Cong., 3 sess.) on the reorganization of the Army. From this report as well as from the " Compilation of Official Docu- INTR OD UCTION. 7 3 merits illustrative of the Organization of the Army of the United States, from 1789 to 1876 " (Washington, 1876) may be drawn a large amomit of valuable material relating to the history of the department and of its bureaus. L.'D. Ingersoll's " History of the War Depart- ment" (Washington, 1879) is sketchy and unsatisfactory. The " Cockrell Report " (S. Rept. 507, part 3, 50 Cong., 1 sess.) and the additional report of 1889 (S. Rept. 3, special sess.) contain a vast amount of detailed information about the kinds and methods of work in the various bureaus of the War Department, but the changes in organization since the date of that report have been so many that it cannot be depended upon for information relating to the classes of records likely to be found in the respective bureaus at present. Of registers, the latest is the " Historical Register and Dictionary of the^^ United States Army, 1789-1903", by Francis B. Heitman (2 vols., H. Doc. 446, 57 Cong., 2 sess., not official). This contains lists of wars, battles, campaigns, military events, etc., as well as the lists of officers, but has no historical account of the department. The various editions of Army Regulations, while not historical, contain much infor- mation relating to the records of the department, inasmuch as they prescribe the duties of the various offices and the different kinds of records to be kept, as well as the methods of keeping them; the annual reports of the department and its offices and bureaus contain much valuable information as to the workings of the department from year to year, and not infrequently contain quite detailed accounts of certain classes of records. Finally there are a number of separate histories of the respective bureaus of the department, most of .which are referred to below. The above somewhat long bibliographical note, relating to the history and duties of the department, is included because of the light that the works mentioned throw, though often indirectly, upon the various classes of records in the department. More direct information relating to the archives in the War Depart- ment is to be found in many of the annual reports of the various offices, as already noted, and in Winsor's "America" (VII, 413); but espe-^^ cially in a unique publication entitled " List of the Records and Files ' of the War Department" (Washington, 1890). This volume of 115 pages, exclusive of the index, contains a brief statement of the duties of each office and division, a list of the clerks employed therein, and a list of the records and files preserved there. This list is presumably complete and accurate, although a few minor errors were discovered in the special examination made for this report; it was called for by War Department circular of May 14, 1889, and was compiled within 74 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. ten days; hence it is possible that some few records may have been overlooked. Some of the lists furnished are detailed^ specific, and informing; others give but little information, and few if any are descriptive. The titles of volumes or of classes of files frequently throw but little light on their real character or value. Possibly the greatest value of this publication is that it shows definitely the dates on which the various classes of records commenced, and gives an idea of the bulk of the material in 1889; it cannot however be used as a guide at the present time, inasmuch as the most valuable of the records there listed have been consolidated in the Record and Pension Office and have been entirely rearranged. Furthermore the volume of the files has greatly increased and in all the offices the method of pre- serving and recording them has been radically changed. The principal use made of it in the preparation of this report has been to supplement the information obtained from a personal examination. Much important material contained in the files of the War Depart- ment has been printed; more particular mention of this published material is made below under those offices the files of which are to any extent printed. The publications of the War Department down to 1881 are listed in S. Ex. Doc. 47, 47 Cong., 1 sess. ; additional publications are noted in " Subject Catalogue No. 2 ", War Depart- ment Library, while the annual reports of the Government Printing Office contain lists of the documents printed for the War Department. As is noted below, the greater part of the records of the department that are of historical value have been placed in the Record and Pen- sion Office; there are therefore left to the other oflfices, in general, only the records that are of a purely administrative character. The extent of the historical and administrative records of the department is too great to be readily estimated; with the exception of the special collec- tion of Revolutionary records described under the Record and Pension Office, they do not antedate 1800, owing to the fire in that year. Other losses were suffered in 1814. The files are for the most part well arranged and cared for. The method of filing and indexing has changed somewhat from time to time, but the card-system is now in use throughout the department. Access to the records is gained by permission from the Secretary of War, or in the case of those in the Record and Pension Office, through the chief of that office. For the reasons given in the order which will be found below, access to the latter is, for the present at least, not generally granted, and they cannot be said to be open to historical workers for purposes of investigation. DIVISION OF MILITARY INFORMATION. 75 The library of the War Department deserves special notice. It is under the direction of the Chief Signal Officer and contains an unus- ually fine collection of military literature. It is notably rich in publi- cations of the various states relating to military affairs, and in public documents. RECORD DIVISION, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR. The duties of the Record Division of the Office of the Secretary of War consist in recording and indexing the official letters, telegrams, and orders that are sent from the offices of the Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and chief clerk of the War Department (the latter officer, under the immediate direction of the Secretary and Assistant Secre- tary of War, having supervision over the records) ; searching the records for information to enable the department to take proper action upon cases that are presented; the preparation of briefs in cases in which complicated questions are involved, and which comprise volu- minous papers; and arranging and filing Senate and House bills, documents, and reports pertaining to the War Department or the mili- tary establishment. The files of the Record Division date only from 1867, all papers from 1800 to 1866 having been by War Department order of May 15, 1894, transferred to the Record and Pension Office. From 1867 to 1894 the files of the Record Division are complete, but since 1894 papers receiving departmental action have been merely recorded in this division, being permanently filed, together with press copies of the letters containing the departmental action, in the bureaus to which they pertain. Papers pertaining to two or more bureaus, however, are filed in this division, and the action of the department in regard to them is noted in those bureaus. Commencing in 1903 duplicate press copies of letters that are signed by the Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and chief clerk have been preserved in letter-books in this division. The files from 1867 to 1904 fill about 450 file-boxes, are for the most part arranged numerically, and are fully indexed; to 1890, in index-books, since that date, by the card-system. For an account of the records prior to 1867 see the description of the Record and Pension Office. DIVISION OF MILITARY INFORMATION, OFFICE OF CHIEF OF STAFF. The Division of Military Information was established in the Adju- tant-General's Office in 1892 (order of May 15, 1892), but was trans- 76 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. f erred to the Office of Chief of Staff in August, 1903. Its duties are to gather, at home and abroad, any and all military information tending to increase the efficiency of the Army. Lists of its publica- tions, which embody the results of its work, are printed in the annual reports of the Adjutant-General, commencing in 1894. RECORD AND PENSION OFFICE. The Record and Pension Office has become the depository of by far the larger and more important part of the military archives of the Federal Government. Here are preserved practically all the records that are in the possession of the government relating to the command and administration of the military forces, whether volunteer or regular, in the service of the United States, and to their personnel. They include the muster rolls, returns, reports, and other records required to be kept by military organizations ; hospital records and rolls ; reports and accounts of engagements, battles, movements of troops, etc.; cor- respondence of officers relating to their official duties; the larger part of the records of the Office of the Secretary of War ; captured records (notably the Confederate archives, the Philippine insurgent records being in the Bureau of Insular Affairs) ; and the records of the administration of civil government by the military authorities in the south and in California and New Mexico. In short, these records constitute the documentary history of the military activities of the United States. They extend from the beginning of the Revolution to the present time, but those prior to 1815 are not complete. Nearly all of the records relating to the Revolution were formerly in other departments and have been but recently transferred to this office. To a less extent the same is true of the records of the War of 1812. The records of the regular establishment are continuous since 1800. Those of the volunteer forces are of course grouped by war periods. Inasmuch as this material is not yet accessible to persons not under the authority of the War Department, only the most superficial exam- ination of it was permitted in the preparation of this report. Had, however, the authorities or the limits of time allowed a detailed inves- tigation, the results would have constituted such a voluminous report that its inclusion in this survey of the archives would have been impracticable. From the superficial examination permitted, and from a diligent use of annual reports and other accessible material in print, the following history of the office as a depository of records and the appended descriptions of the different classes of material have been RECORD AND PENSION OFFICE. 'j'j prepared, which, it is believed, form an adequate account, although in general terms, of these important military archives. The history of the office is given somewhat fully because it is of interest in illus- trating the gradual development of large groups of archives and of proper methods for their care, preservation, and arrangement. The material is described by classes rather than chronologically because the sources from which these descriptions are prepared make that the only practicable method, and because, also, it conveys more readily, in this case at least, a proper idea of just what records are on file. The Record and Pension Office was originally a division in the office of the Surgeon-General and as such had the custody of the hospital records, being charged with furnishing to the Pension and other bureaus medical histories, i. e., the records of medical treatment of soldiers. In 1889 it was decided to bring the military and hospital records together in one office, and by War Department orders of July 3 and 16 the Record and Pension Division of the Surgeon-General's Office and thirteen divisions in the office of the Adjutant-General, containing the books, rolls, papers, correspondence, and other records relating to the volunteer organizations that had been in the service of the United States, as well as the records of prisoners of war, the records of the military districts during the Reconstruction period, the records of the Freedmen's Bureau, and the records of the Provost- GeneraFs Office, were consolidated as a division of the Secretary's Office, with the title Record and Pension Division of the War Depart- ment. The thirteen divisions of the Adjutant-General's Office thus transferred were as follows: (1) Volunteer Service, (2) Enrollment, (3) Bounty and Claims, (4) Remuster, (5) Correspondence, Volun- teer Enlisted Branch, (6) Letters Received, Volunteer Enlisted Branch, (7) First Division, Volunteer Rolls and Records, (8) Second Division, Volunteer Rolls and Records, (9) Discontinued Commands, (10) Records of Prisoners of War, (11) Volunteer Registers, (12) Deserters, Volunteer Enlisted Branch, (13) Pension Record, Volun- teer Enlisted Branch. The work of the new division was of such importance that in 1892 (27 Stat. L. 27) it was established as a regular bureau of the War Department (its present status) with the title of Record and Pension Office, and was entrusted with the " charge of the military and hospital records of the volunteer armies and the pension and other business of the War Department connected therewith ". The files of the office received important additions under the acts of 1892 and 1894 (27 Stat. L. 275; 28 ih'id. 403) in the form of all 78 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. the military records of the Revolution and the War of 1812^ which had hitherto been scattered through various executive departments. Still further additions were made by the department orders of May 15^ 1894^ which transferred to the Record and Pension Office the archives of the Confederate government^ previously left in the Adju- tant-General's Office; all the records and files through 1867 that had been preserved in the Record Division of the Secretary's Office, com- prising mainly the correspondence of the Secretary of War ; and finally all " records, files, books, manuscripts, orders, returns, or correspond- ence in any Bureau " pertaining " exclusively or principally to the volunteer forces of any war or the officers and enlisted men thereof ". In December, 1898, the War Records Office, which was engaged in compiling and publishing the " Official Records of the War of the Rebellion ", was, together with its great volume of papers comprising the records of the Civil War, merged in the Record and Pension Office, and the work of completing the publication of the " Official Records " was carried on by that office (see act of February 24, 1899, and also report of Record and Pension Office for 1900). One result of the Spanish War was the accumulation of a vast amount of records, and in the act of April 22, 1898, creating the Volunteer Army, was the provision that upon the disbandment of the volunteer and militia organizations, all the military and medical records pertaining to them should be filed in the Record and Pension Office; by the close of 1901 this provision had been complied with. Finally by department orders of August 19 and 26 and September 28, 1903, and of January 26, 1904, the files of the Mail and Record, Orders and Supply, Personnel, Efficiency, Returns, and Rolls Divi- sions, and of the Appointment Commission of the Adjutant-General's Office comprising the records of the Regular Army, and all papers and records of the Surgeon-General's office relating to officers and enlisted men no longer in the Medical Department, together with all hospital and medical records relating to members of the Volunteer and Regular Armies, were transferred to the Record and Pension Office, the purpose of the orders being " to concentrate in the Record and Pension Office the historical records and business of the Department, including all pension and other business relating to the military or medical histories of former officers or enlisted men of the Regular or the Volunteer Army, leaving to other bureaus or offices such business of a current nature as relates in the present to the command or adminis- tration of the military establishment ". Thus this office has become RECORD AND PENSION OFFICE, 79 the depository of the military archives of the United States from the War of the Revolution to the present time. Full accoimts of the history of this office and descriptions of the records, methods of indexing, etc., are contained in the annual reports of the chief of the Record and Pension Office, from 1892 to date (generally in the first volume of the reports of the War Department for each year). The volume of these files is very great. Exclusive of the recently added records of the Regular Army, they occupy about 100 rooms in the State, War, and Navy building, together with over 40,000 square feet of floor space in the Army and Navy Medical Museum, the Ford's Theater building, and two buildings on Seventeenth and G Streets (see report for 1901 under the heading "Additional Space Re- quired "). The extent of this material can best be judged by a state- ment of its weight. There are reported to be something over one thousand tons of the records of the volunteer forces alone. The simple but practically perfect method of indexing, known as the index-record card-system, is described in the various annual reports of the chief of the office, but a particularly full account of its working and of the history of its application is contained in the report for 1892. In this system each individual whose name appears on the records is represented by a card bearing his name, rank, company, and regiment, and, in abbreviated form, all the information relating to him contained in the original records, with references thereto. Thus, if necessary, the original files can be readily examined. These cards are arranged by regiments and alphabetically, so that, given a soldier's name and regiment, his medical or military history can at once be ascertained. Records which are not most advantageously indexed in this way are made accessible by means of index and reference cards of various kinds, and there is a list of all rolls, books, volumes, etc., on file; thus it may be said that all the files of the office have been or are in process of being indexed and made readily accessible. At present this record-index contains over 52,000,000 cards, exclusive of those for the Regular Army records. There have been no official destructions of papers since 1889, but in that year many papers in those divisions of the Adjutant-General's Office that later were consolidated with the Record and Pension Divi- sion were disposed of as having no value (see H. Ex. Doc. 197, 51 Cong., 1 sess. ; it should be noted however that the ten tons of Con- federate archives recommended for disposal were finally preserved, S. Rept. 1083, 51 Cong., 1 sess.). 80 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. Access to the records is restricted to persons under the authority of the War Department; the following rules govern the use of this mate- rial for all purposes not purely official. A more detailed statement on the subject of access to the records, giving the reasons for its being so restricted, is to be found in the report of the chief of the office for 1897: War Depabtment, Washixgtok, D. C, Orders.] February 23, 1897. The muster rolls and other records of individual officers, enlisted men and organizations, which are on file in the Record and Pension Office of this Depart- ment and which pertain to the War of the Rebellion, the Mexican War, the various Indian wars, the War of 1812 and the War of the Revolution, have become so dilapidated through years of constant handling, or other causes, that it has been found necessary to adopt stringent measures for their preservation, and to restrict reference to them to cases in which such reference is absolutely necessary. Many of the most important of those records have been reproduced by the index-record card system, but the handling of these cards, as well as the original records which they represent, by persons not thoroughly instructed in their use and not under the control of this Department, involves great danger of the loss, though misfiling or otherwise, of cards or other records which can- not be replaced. For these reasons, as well as for others equally cogent, the Department is compelled to restrict access both to the original records and the index-record cards exclusively to persons who are in the employ of the Depart- ment and are lawfully subject to its control. The Department will furnish at any time such information relative to any individual officer or enlisted man as its records afford, and as may be actually necessary to enable the proper officials of any State, or any relief association, patriotic society or other kindred organization, to pass upon any application that may have been made in good faith for aid, relief or membership, and that may properly come within the jurisdiction of such officials or organization. But requests for information relative to individual officers or enlisted men, or for the compilation of statistical or other data relative to particular organizations, to be used for historical or memorial purposes or for publication, cannot be entertained, because the limited clerical force allowed by law is insufficient to enable the Department to comply with such requests without serious inter- ference with more important current work. The records of general historical value pertaining to the late war have either been published, or soon will be published, in the " Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies", so as to render them accessible to all who may be interested in them. Should Congress provide in future for a similar publication of the records relating especially to individual officers, enlisted men and organi- zations of that war and prior wars, the historical data which those records contain will also become available for general use, but until such publication shall have been authorized, or other legislation enacted, it will be impracticable for the Department to furnish compilations or statements from those records for historical, memorial or statistical purposes, or for publication. For the reasons set forth above, the following rules have been adopted rela- tive to the subject of furnishing statements or extracts from the records of RECORD AND PENSION OFFICE. gl the personnel of the volunteer armies and other similar records on file in the Record and Pension Office of this Department, and are hereby announced for the information and guidance of all concerned: 1. All requests, made by persons other than officials of the United States, for information from the official records must, to receive favorable consideration, set forth the specific purpose for which they are made, and must be sufficiently in detail to enable this Department to determine for itself how much, if any, of the information asked for is necessary for the purpose indicated and can be properly furnished. 2. Any such request that may be made with a view to determining the merits of an application for State or other aid or relief must be made, over his own signature, by the State or other official who may be authorized by law to decide whether such aid or relief shall be furnished; or, in case the decision rests with a board, commission or association, the request must be made, over his or her own signature, by the chief officer of the board or other organization which is empowered to decide the case. All such requests must, to receive favorable consideration, meet the following requirements: (a) The character of the relief or aid for which application has been made must be fully and specifically set forth. (b) If the application is to be decided under a law of any State, that law must be definitely cited. (c) If the application is pending before any board or association, not created by or acting under any law, the source from which such board or association derives its authority to act must be stated. (d) If the pending application is that of some person other than the one whose record is desired, the relationship of the applicant to the person whose record is desired must be set forth. (e) The full name of the person whose record is requested, the rank held by him, and the designation of the organization in which it is claimed that he served, must invariably be stated. 3. Any request that may be made for the purpose of enabling a society or association to decide as to the eligibility or non-eligibility of an applicant for admission thereto must be made by the chief officer, over his or her own signa- ture, of that branch of the society or association in which the application is to be voted upon or otherwise decided, and must meet the following requirements: (a) The title or designation, and the location, of the branch to which the application for membership has been made must be given. (6) The full name and residence of the applicant, and the date on which the application was made, must be stated. (c) The relationship of the applicant to the person whose record is desired, if the application for membership was not made by such person himself, must be set forth. (d) If the record of any other person has been requested of, or furnished by, the War Department in connection with the pending application, a state- ment to that effect, including the name of the person whose record has been requested or furnished, must be made. (e) The full name and rank of the person whose record is desired, and the designation of the company and regiment, if any, in which he served, must be invariably stated in all cases in which service during the War of the Rebellion is claimed. 7 82 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. (f) The full name of the person whose record is desired, and the State from which he entered service or of which he was a resident at the time of his entry into service, must be invariably stated in all cases in which service during the Revolution or the "War of 1812 is claimed. His rank and the designation of the organization in which he served, if known, should also be stated. (g) Requests for the record of a man whose surname only is known, or for information relative to all the men bearing a certain name, will not be enter- tained. 4. Requests emanating from a post or other subsidiary organization of the Grand Army of the Republic must be forwarded through, and must be authen- ticated by the signature of, the Department Commander. Requests emanating from the subdivisions of other associations founded on military service during the War of the Rebellion must be forwarded and authenticated as follows: Union Veterans' Union, through department commanders; Union Veteran Le- gion, through the National Commander; Sons of Veterans, through division commanders. 5. The information that will be furnished for use in connection with any application for membership in any society or association, or for State or other aid or relief, will be strictly limited to that which is actually necessary to enable a decision upon the pending application to be made, and will in no case com- prise items that may be desired for any other purpose, such as to complete the records of a society, to make some other and different application, or to be used in the prosecution of a claim against the United States. 6. Concise statements of the military histories, so far as shown by the records on file, of men who served in the Revolution or in the War of 1812, will be furnished upon the application of descendants of those men, under the follow- ing conditions: (a) The relationship of the applicant to each person whose record is desired must be stated. (6) The fuU Christian name as well as the surname of such person must invariably be given, and the rank which he held and the designation of the organization in which he served, if those are known, must be stated. (c) The place, or at least the State, from which he entered service, or of which he was a resident at the time of his entry into service, must be desig- nated. (d) If the name of the person whose record is desired is a common one, the designation of the organization in which he served, or the names of some of the regimental officers under whom he served, must be stated. (e) Requests for information relative to all the men bearing a certain name will not be entertained, nor will any other request involving an unreasonable expenditure of time and labor be considered. (/) There wiU not be furnished to or for any one descendant the record of service of more than two ancestors in the Revolution, or of more than two in the War of 1812. 7. Each request for the record of an officer or enlisted man of any war should be made on a separate sheet of paper, should be complete in itself, and should fully meet all the requirements of this order. In no case should re- quests for the records of two or more men be combined in one communication. 8. Compilations or statements relative to individual officers, enlisted men or RECORD AND PENSION OFFICE. 83 organizations will not be furnished, from the records on file in the Record and Pension Office, for historical, memorial or statistical purposes, or for publica- tion, or to complete the records of States, societies or associations. 9. Because of the great danger of the destruction, loss or misfiling, through handling by inexperienced persons or those not under the control of this Depart- ment, of the muster rolls and other regimental or company records, index- record cards, and all other similar records, which are on file in the Record and Pension Office, and which pertain wholly or chiefly to the personnel of the armies of various wars, the handling of these records will be restricted exclu- sively to the specially trained employees of that office, and no information will be furnished from them except as hereinbefore provided, or as may be other- wise required by law. Daniel S. Lamont, Secretary of War. It should be noted that in the last report (1903) of the chief of the Record and Pension Office, the suggestion is made that, until the early military records are made accessible by publication, their use for his- torical purposes, by properly accredited persons, should be permitted. This suggestion has not as yet been acted upon, and, as made, applies more particularly to the miscellaneous records of the early wars, some of which are still scattered throughout the department. These records should, it is urged, together with all other military records prior to the Civil War now in the various executive departments, be brought together in the Record and Pension Office, and accommodations for their use should be provided there. It is hardly necessary to mention the " Official Records of the War of the Rebellion ", which contain practically all the material of his- torical value relating to that war that is filed here. The history of this publication is recounted somewhat fully in the annual reports of the Record and Pension Office for 1900 and 1901, as well as in the index volume of the publication itself. The publication of the roster of officers and enlisted men in the Union and Confederate Armies is about to be undertaken, and a description of the plans for it is to be found in the annual report of the office for 1903. The records of the Spanish War are to a large extent published in the congressional documents noted under the Bureau of Insular Affairs (p. 105 ff.). The records of the Mexican War are more fully published in the contemporary congressional documents than is generally realized, and in that series, as well as in " State Papers, Military Affairs ", are printed many other papers and documents to be found in this office. It is hoped that the records of the Revolution and of the War of 1812 will soon be pub- lished by the office, but this work will not be undertaken until those collections are as complete as possible (see annual report for 1898). 84 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. I. Revolutionary Records. The Revolutionary records in the Record and Pension Office are very incomplete, owing partly to their having been widely scattered during the period between 1783 and the establishment of the War Depart- ment, and partly to the disastrous fire of 1800, in which practically all the records of historical value in the department were destroyed ("American State Papers, Miscellaneous", I, 232). Many of these records were formerly filed in other executive departments, and in 1892 and 1894, by the acts referred to above, were transferred to this office. The largest bodies of records so transferred were the Army Returns among the Washington papers, and the Quartermaster's records, both on file in the State Department. In addition to these many more were brought from other departments, notably the Interior and the Treasury, and transcripts were made of the Revolutionary records in the posses- sion of the states of New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. These then are the main sources of this part of the archives of the Record and Pension Office. The following description is drawn from the inventory of the Washington papers in " Bulletin of the Bureau of Rolls and Library, No. 3 " (pp. 15-16), and from a list furnished by the State Department of the Quartermaster's records transferred to the War Department in 1894. For other Revolutionary records see below under Old War and Navy Division of the Pension Bureau, Interior Department. Army Returns of the Revolution. There are thirty-seven volumes of these papers; they comprise the original rosters and returns on various subjects connected with the Army, used by Washington in camp and retained by him as his military papers. Transcripts of the papers prior to 1776, made by Peter Force, are to be found in the Library of Congress. The titles of the volumes show their contents to be rosters and resignations of officers arranged by states, oaths of allegiance, reports of guards, regimental and brigade returns, inspection returns, quartermasters' pay and hos- pital returns, and returns of clothing, provisions, and military stores. Revolutionary Records, Quartermaster's Department. 1. Orderly books, June 15, 1775-September 27, 1783 (72 books). 2. Letters and letter-books. a. Timothy Pickering, November 14, 1780-July 9, 1787. b. Samuel Hodgdon, 1778-October 22, 1800. c. General E. Hand, March 27, 1781-July 6, 1783. d. Major Thomas Cogswell, 1780-1783. e. Colonel J. Baldwin, 1780-1781. RECORD AND PENSION OFFICE. 85 3. Account-books, 1776-1798 (15 books). 4. Day-books, 1781-1782. 5. Estimates, 1776-1793. 6. Military stores; accounts, inventories, books of stores delivered, returns, etc., 1776-1787. 7. Receipts, 1778-1789. 8. Peter Anspack's receipt-book. 9. Ordnance accounts, returns, invoices, etc., 1777-1793. 10. Returns, 1783. 11. Memorandum books, 1757-1795. 12. Oaths, November 20, 1780-May 18, 1781. 13. Provision returns, December, 1783. 14. Cartridge ledger, 1778, 1779. 15. Account of arms brought in ship "America", May 6, 1783. 16. Musket cartridge account, 1778-1780. 17. Proceedings of arbitrators (forage in New York), 1781. 18. Plan of Fort Washington, 1780. 19. Cruise of schooner " Active ". 20. Records relating to expedition of St. Clair against the Indians, 1791-1792. 21. Plans for conducting Quartermaster-General's Department, 1780. 22. Establishment of American Navy, May 2, 1778. 23. Pay of the Army, 1782. 24. Money orders drawn by Commissary Department. 25. Peter Anspack's specie-books. 26. Accounts, bills, returns, pay-roUs, invoices, etc., and seventy-five file-boxes of papers not specifically listed. II. Records of the War of 1812. The records of the War of 1812 are not complete. Many of them were formerly in other departments but were transferred to the Record and Pension Office with the Revolutionary records. It will be noted that some of the classes of records described below include records of the War of 1812. III. Records of the Secretary of War. As noted above under the Record Division of the Secretary's Office, all the material in that division accumulated before 1867 was trans- ferred to the Record and Pension Office in 1894. These records con- sist largely of correspondence and include both the original files and 86 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. the record-books or registers of letters. The only records prior to 1800 are a one-volume register of letters received and sent, 1792-1796, and two volumes of ledgers, 1780-1783, 1795-1798. The records since 1800 are arranged in various series; one series of letters-received volumes is continuous from 1800, as is also one series of letters-sent volumes. Other series are: letters to the President, 1800-1863; deci- sions and orders, 1800—1856; Quartermaster's Department and Engi- neers, 1814-1815; Quartermaster-General and Purchasing Depart- ments, 1814-1815; confidential books, 1814, 1836, 1847; Mexican War accounts; unofficial letters sent by Cass, Spencer, and Marcy, 1835— 1847; etc. IV. Records of the Regular Army. The records of the Regular Army, formerly filed in the office of the Adjutant-General, were transferred to the Record and Pension Office in 1903—1904. They include (1) correspondence; letters sent from 1809 to date, letters received from 1805; (2) returns; returns of posts and camps from 1808, of regiments from 1821, of staff departments and of the Military Academy from 1811, of departments and districts from 1809, of militia from 1821, battle reports, 1861-1865, monthly personal reports of officers from 1864; (3) regimental and company books, with registers of enlistments, muster rolls, clothing books, in- spection returns, descriptive lists, etc., from 1800; and (4) general orders from 1809 (an index to these is printed in three volumes: "Index to General Orders and Circulars, 1809-1900" (Washington, 1882, 1886, 1901). V. Records of the Volunteer Armies. The records of the Volunteer Armies, originally filed in the Adju- tant-General's Office, consist of (1) volunteer regimental and company description, order, and report-books, and pay and muster rolls from 1831 to 1867, covering the Sac and Fox, Black Hawk, Creek and Seminole, Mexican, New Mexico Indian, and Civil Wars; (2) letters received relating to volunteers, 1848 to 1889; (3) the correspondence, reports of commissioners and of military and civil officers, and the other records of all military commands, districts, departments, etc., which have been discontinued, 1817 to 1889, including such important records as those of the military governments of California and New Mexico and of the Reconstruction districts in the south; (4) the records of the Provost-Marshal-General's Bureau, 1863 to 1866; (5) records of the Freedman's Branch, 1872-1879; (6) records of the slave claim commissions in Maryland, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky, 1863— OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 87 1866; (7) all records pertaining to the authorization, organization, service, and discharge of volunteer troops, and to the original enlist- ments of volunteers, substitutes, and drafted men; and (8) lists, rec- ords, rolls, etc., of Union and Confederate prisoners of war, including the rolls of surrendered Confederate troops. VI. Confederate Archives. The Confederate archives are the records of the administration of the Confederate government, captured, for the most part, upon the fall of the Confederacy, and placed in the Adjutant-General's Office. Here they appear to have remained for some time, unarranged and unused, until it was discovered that they contained evidence of great value in connection with cotton and other Southern claims. They have since been arranged and are now readily accessible and well indexed. They consist of the records and correspondence of the Confederate War Department, including pay-rolls, returns, hospital registers, and orders, and the correspondence and other records of the offices of the Adjutant and Inspector-General's and of the Engineer, Ordnance, Quartermaster's, Commissary, and Medical Departments; the records of the State (see also above under Miscellaneous Division, Treasury Department), Treasury, Judiciary, and Post-Office Departments; Navy pay-rolls; contracts; vouchers; papers of states; papers of vessels; and, probably most important of all, the journals of Congress (53 volumes), together with about 200 boxes of miscellaneous legislative papers. OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. The office of Adjutant-General has existed since 1792 (1 Stat. L. 241), but the Adjutant-General's Department, by that name, was not established until 1813 (2 Stat. L. 819). The Adjutant-General's Office may be described as the bureau of orders of the Army; it is charged with communicating all orders and instructions from the War Department or Army Headquarters, with the management of the recruiting service, etc. Accounts of the history and duties of the Adjutant-General's Department are to be found in Military Laws of the United States, 1901 (pp. 257-258), "Legislative History of the General Staff " (pp. 51-82), Hammersly's " Army Register, 1779- 1879" (second part, pp. 259-268), and James B. Fry's "Sketch of the Adjutant-General's Office " (New York, 1875). The duties as set forth in Army Regulations, 1901 (§§ 833-834), have been consid- erably modified by recent orders. 88 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. Formerly the Adjutant-General's Office was the repository of all records relating to the command of both regular and volunteer forces, including such classes of material as muster rolls, returns, correspond- ence, reports of engagements and movements of troops, and all records relating to personnel. In 1889 practically all the records relating to volunteer troops were transferred to the Record and Pension Office (see p. 77 ff.), and in 1903-1904 the records relating to the Regular Army were also transferred, leaving in the Adjutant-General's Office only such files and records as pertain to the strictly current work of the office. Such records, as soon as no longer needed, are transferred to the Record and Pension Office. Lists of useless papers, which how- ever relate now more particularly to the Record and Pension Office, are contained in H. Ex. Doc. 197, 51 Cong., 1 sess.; H. Doc. 243, 56 Cong., 2 sess.; and H. Doc. 582, 57 Cong., 1 sess. OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL. The Inspector-General's Department was established under the act of March 3, 1813 (2 Stat. L. 819), but the office of Inspector-General was created during the Revolution. For the history of the office and of the department see the " Legislative History of the General Staff " (pp. 85-118), Military Laws of the United States, 1901 (pp. 259- 264), and the annual report of the Inspector-General to the Secretary of War for 1900 (pp. 130-149). The duties of the department are very comprehensive and are concerned with nearly all the phases of army administration. The Inspector-General, with his assistants, inspects all military commands and stations, the military forces, the schools of application, the military departments of all colleges and schools to which officers of the Army are detailed, all depots, rendez- vous, armories, arsenals, fortifications, and public works of every kind under charge of or carried on by officers of the Army, and the money accounts of all disbursing officers. The inspections are especially for the purpose of ascertaining the efficiency, state of discipline, and adequacy of supplies of troops; the resources, geographical features, means of communication and supply, and military needs of any section of the country; the efficiency and conduct of military commanders and agents; the causes of failure or delay in movements or operations — in short, the general state of the military efficiency of the United States. The records and files of the Inspector-General's Office consist of correspondence and inspection reports. These last should be of great value for the series of static pictures they give of the military condi- OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL. 89 tions of the country. For their general character and a list of the matters ordinarily noted, see Army Regulations, 1901 (§§ 95G- 990). Many selections from them are printed with the annual reports of the Inspector-General. The correspondence would be of value in supplementing the reports and in showing the methods of administer- ing the Inspector-General's Department. With the exception of the five volumes noted below, the Inspector- General's office contains no records or files prior to 1863; the earlier records are said to have been kept in the Adjutant-General's office. The records since 1863 are in two classes, (1) communications re- ceived, filling about 700 file-boxes, and (2) communications sent, preserved at first in fair copies, later in press copies. Both classes of communications are briefed in record-books, and the contents of these record-books are made accessible through indexes. Parts of the records of the office are considered confidential. Early Records. 1. Inspection of October 5, 1812. " Inspector's Report of the state of the 14th Regiment of Infantry, commanded by Col. William H. Winder." Reveals great neglect on the part of the government. 2. Inspection Reports, 1814.-1836 (5 vols.). a. Volume I, 1814-1823. (1) Inspector's report of the state of the barracks. Fort St. Charles; hospital and magazine in New Orleans, June 30, 1814. (2) Inspection of Camp Montgomery (near confluence of Tombig- bee and Alabama rivers), April 30, 1817. (3) Inspection report, Detroit, January 15, 1817. (4) Confidential report on the Southern Division of the Army, Nash- ville, November, 1817. (5) Confidential report on the troops at Sacketts Harbor, June 30, 1814. (6) Confidential report on the Southern Division of the Army under the command of Maj or-General Andrew Jackson, 1819. (7) Confidential report on eastern section of Southern Division of Army, Fort Hawkins, Georgia, June 30, 1820. (8) Report of inspection of several posts, December, 1821. (9) Report on company at Augusta Arsenal, November 29, 1822. (10) Inspection of 2d Regiment of Artillery at Frankford, Penn- sylvania, August-September, 1822. (11) Notes of a tour of inspection, commencing December 10, 1822, Harpers Ferry. 90 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. h. Volume II. Inspection Reports^ 1823-1824. (1) Report, dated November, 1821 -November, 1823, on Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Fort St. Philip, Pensacola, and forts in Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Kentucky. (2) Report of a tour of inspection commencing November, 1823. Pittsburg Arsenal, Pensacola, Fort Lafayette, New York, and others. (3) Report on Madison Barracks, New York, July 1, 1824. (4) Report of inspection of the left wing of the Eastern Depart- ment of the Army, 1824. Includes New York, Fort Howard, Green Bay, Mackinac, Sault Ste. Marie, northwest frontier, Drummond Island, Detroit, Niagara, Rochester, Sacketts Harbor, Springfield, Boston, Watertown, etc. c. Volume III. Inspection Reports, 1825-1828. (1) Report of tour of inspection of Western Department of the Army, March 21, 1825; Baton Rouge, New Orleans, etc. (2) Inspection of Fort Washington, January 13, 1825. (3) Tour of inspection during summer and fall of 1826; Forts Brady, Crawford, Snelling, etc. (4) Report of tour of inspection, spring, summer, and fall of 1829. (5) Confidential report to Maj or-General J. Brown, November 16, 1827. (6) Report of Major-General Gaines upon Indian affairs. New York, January 6, 1828. d. Volume IV. Inspection Reports, 1829. (1) Inspection of Harpers Ferry, May 26, 1829. (2) Report of tour of inspection in 1829; Fort Wood, Fort Pike, Fort St. Philip, Baton Rouge. (3) Estimate of ordnance and supplies for military posts, etc., in time of peace, October 21, 1829. (4) Inspection of the United States forces and military posts in the Eastern Department, by E. P. Gaines, for half-year ending December 31, 1829 (140 pages). e. Volume V. Inspection Reports, 1830-1836. (1) Inspection of posts, March-October, 1830; Fort Preble, Han- cock Barracks, Fort Sullivan, Madison Barracks. (2) Inspection report. Fort Delaware, July 31, 1834. (3) Inspection of Fort Brady, July, 1834; Fort Mackinac, Fort Howard, Fort Winnebago, Fort Snelling, Fort Crawford, Fort Arm- strong, Leavenworth and Jefferson Barracks. (4) Inspection of Fort Leavenworth, August, 1836. OFFICE OF THE JUDGE-ADVOCATE-GENERAL, 91 (5) Report of a tour of inspection in the summer and fall of 1828; Fort Mackinac^ Hancock Barracks, etc. (6) Inspection of Fort Des Moines and Rock Island, January, 1836. OFFICE OF THE JUDGE-ADVOCATE-GENERAL. The oflSce of Judge- Advocate of the Army was created in 1775 (Journals of Congress, July 29, 1775), was discontinued in 1802 (2 Stat. L. 132), but had a second period of existence from 1812 to 1821 (2 Stat. L. 674; 3 ibid. 615). In 1849 it was again revived (9 Stat. L. 351), in 1862 was styled Judge- Advocate-General (12 Stat. L. 598), and in 1864 was transferred to the newly created Bureau of Military Justice as its head (13 Stat. L. 145). Finally in 1884 the Bureau of Military Justice and the Corps of Judge-Advocates of the Army were consolidated under the designation of Judge- Advocate- General's Department (23 Stat. L. 113). Accounts of the history and duties of the office and of the legislation affecting it will be found in the "Legislative History of the General Staff" (pp. 121-136), Military Laws of the United States, 1901 (pp. 265-268), Army Regu- lations, 1901 (§§ 991-997, 1055-1061), and in " A Sketch of the History and Duties of the Judge- Advocate-General's Department '* (Washington, 1878), prepared by W. M. Dunn. The Judge-Advocate-General reviews and makes reports upon the proceedings of courts-martial, courts of inquiry, and military commis- sions, and makes reports upon applications for pardon or mitigation of sentence. He renders opinions upon questions relating to the promotion, rank, and pay of officers and enlisted men and to their amenability to military and civil jurisdiction; to the employment of the Army in execution of the laws; to the administration of military commands and reservations; to the proper construction of acts of Congress relating to the War Department, etc. He also drafts contracts, bonds, leases, etc., for execution by the Secretary of War, and in general is the legal officer of the War Department. The important records in the office of the Judge- Advocate-General consist of the original proceedings of general courts-martial (courts convened by general orders for all trials of officers and for trials of enlisted men for serious offenses), courts of inquiry, and military com- missions, together with correspondence and opinions, and of all papers relating to the title of lands under the control of the War Department, except the Washington Aqueduct and buildings and grounds within the District of Columbia. 92 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. The proceedings of courts are all similar in form and consist of the charge^ plea^ evidence_, arguments,, and decision. The proceedings of many trials are to be found printed in the " American State Papers, Military Affairs ", and in the congressional series of public documents, and serve excellently as illustrations of this class of material. The historical value of the greater part of these records is undoubtedly slight, but the proceedings of many trials throw much light on military operations, conduct of officers, etc., and are of great value to the student. Among such would be the proceedings of the military com- missions in the trial of the " Lincoln Conspirators " and in the " Indi- ana Treason " cases, or of the general courts-martial of Hull and Fremont, aU of which are printed. The records of proceedings on file in the office of the Judge- Advocate-General date from 1808; those from 1808 to 1815 are copies, made in eight volumes; the original proceedings from 1815 to the close of the Mexican War fill 167 file- boxes; from the Mexican War to the present time, about 4,000 file- boxes. The records are so indexed and arranged that any particular case can readily be found, from the name of the person tried or, when known, the date of the trial ; the annual reports of the Judge- Advocate- General contain classified lists of trials, showing the number for each class of offense, and thus serve to indicate the general character of the material filed in the office. The '* Subject Index of the General Orders of the War Department" (in three volumes, 1882, 1886, and 1901) contains, under " court-martial ", " courts-martial ", " court of in- quiry ", and " commission, military ", lists of general orders convening such bodies, which serve as a guide to part of the records, especially to that part between 1809 and 1860. The records of minor courts (regimental, garrison, summary, etc.) were formerly filed here, but under the acts of March 3, 1877 (19 Stat. L. 310), and June 18, 1898 (30 Stat. L. 483), they are now preserved for two years at departmental headquarters and then de- stroyed. Such of these records as were filed in the office of the Judge- Advocate-General have been disposed of as useless papers (see H. Ex. Doc. 197, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and H. Doc. 582, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). The correspondence is arranged as letters received (on file from August 1, 1854) and as letters sent (copies filed from 1842). The letters sent include the valuable classes of material comprising reports upon the proceedings of general courts-martial, military commissions, and courts of inquiry, and upon applications for pardon or mitigation of sentence; and opinions rendered on questions of law submitted to the office. The more valuable of the opinions are rendered accessible OFFICE OF THE QUABTEBMASTER-OENEBAL. 93 in " A Digest of the Opinions of the Judge- Advocate-General of the Army" (published by authority of the Secretary of War, 1880). Attention may be directed to the library of the office, which is very rich in printed proceedings of trials and in works on military law. OFFICE OF THE QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL. The duties of the Quartermaster-General were performed by the Secretary of War imtil the establishment of the Quartermaster's Department in 1812 (2 Stat. L. 696). It is the duty of this depart- ment to provide the Army with military stores and supplies, such as clothing and equipage, furniture, fuel, lighting, text-books and reading matter, tools, wagons, harness, water supply, sewerage, plumbing, etc. ; to provide transportation by land and water for troops, munitions of war, and all military supplies; to provide all buildings at military posts; to construct and repair military roads, railways, bridges, docks, and wharves; to maintain national cemeteries; and to furnish supplies to the militia of the various states as provided for by law. Accounts of the history and duties of the Quartermaster's Department are con- tained in H. A. Royce's " Sketch of the Organization of the Quarter- master's Department from 1774 to 1876 " (Washington, 1876), Mili- tary Laws of the United States, 1901 (pp. 290-292), " Legislative History of the General Staff" (pp. 139-140), Hammersly's "Army Register, 1779-1879" (second part, pp. 315-339), and Army Regu- lations, 1901 (§§ 1076 ff.). The operations of the department from year to year are set forth in the annual reports of the Quartermaster-General. By far the greater part of the files have no historical value. They consist of vouchers, returns of property and stores, the records of contracts, and the correspondence relating to the various details of work, and are of the same general character as the records of a large business establish- ment. The only records possessing any value are those which relate to the general work and policy of the Quartermaster-General's Office. These consist principally of correspondence, and are contained in two series, letters received and letters sent, each commencing in June, 1818. There are no files of earlier date, and the larger part of the records are later than 1850. For the Quartermaster's records of the Revolu- tion see under Record and Pension Office, pp. 76 ff. A great mass of unimportant material is stored at the Schuylkill Arsenal of the Phila- delphia Quartermaster's Depot. A list of such of these as are recom- mended for destruction is contained in S. Doc. 582, 57 Cong., 1 sess. 94 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. OFFICE OF THE COMMISSARY-GENERAL. The work of subsisting the Army was performed by both the War and Treasury Departments until 1819, when, in accordance with the act of the previous year (3 Stat. L. 426), the office of Commissary- General was established. The duties of the office consist in providing and issuing rations to the Army, purchasing and distributing articles authorized to be kept for sale to officers and enlisted men, making a preliminary administrative examination of accounts of subsistence funds, and examining and settling returns of subsistence supplies. The history and duties of the Subsistence Department are fully set forth in John W. Barriger's " Legislative History of the Subsistence Department, 1775-1876" (Washington, 1877), Military Laws of the United States, 1901 (pp. 305-308), " Legislative History of the General Staff" (pp. 237-238), Hammersly's "Army Register, 1779- 1879" (pp. 340-343), Army Regulations, 1901 (§§ 1351 ff.), and " Manual for the Subsistence Department, 1902 ". The records and files of the office consist of correspondence and accounts, and are complete from their beginning in 1818 with the exception of those destroyed as useless (see H. Ex. Doc. 197, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and H. Doc. 582, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). The correspondence is arranged in various series: registers of letters received (containing briefs of the letters) are in a single continuous series from May, 1818, to May 14, 1875, when additional series, relating to accounts, returns, etc., were inaugurated; registers of letters sent (containing copies of the letters) are arranged in the same way, beginning in November, 1818, but in January, 1840, a separate series of registers of letters to the Secretary of War was started. The accounts and other records consist of records of contracts, from June 1, 1819, papers relating to claims for subsistence furnished, records of expenditures, etc. OFFICE OF THE SURGEON-GENERAL. The Medical Department, with a Surgeon-General at its head, was established in 1818 (3 Stat. L. 426), although there had previously been medical officers, and in 1813 (2 Stat. L. 819) a Physician and Surgeon-General had been authorized. The work of the Medical De- partment consists of investigating the sanitary condition of the Army, of caring for the sick and wounded, of making physical examinations of officers and enlisted men, of the management and control of military hospitals, the control of the Hospital Corps and the Army Nurse Corps, and of furnishing medical and hospital supplies. For fuller informa- f UWIVERSIT^ OFFICE OF THE PAYMASTER-GENERAL. 95 tion relating to the history and duties of this department see Mili- tary Laws of the United States, 1901 (pp. 363-365), "Legislative History of the General Staff " (pp. 361-362), Hammersly's " Army Register, 1779-1879 " (second part, pp. 351-379), Army Regulations, 1901 (§§ 1570 if.), and Harper E. Brown's "Medical Department of the U. S. Army, 1775-1873" (Washington, 1873). The annual reports of the Surgeon-General contain detailed accounts of the work of the department from year to year, while a list of its publications is to be found in S. Ex. Doc. 47, 47 Cong., 1 sess. Finally " The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion " (5 vols., Washington, 1870) should be noted. The files of the Surgeon-General's Office can hardly be said to be of historical value. All papers relating to the pension business of the War Department, and to the personnel of the Medical Department and Hospital Corps (except those relating to persons still connected there- with), together with all hospital returns, reports of medical officers, and other papers and documents relating to the medical or surgical treat- ment of officers and enlisted men in the Regular and Volunteer Armies have been transferred to the Record and Pension Office. Of the remaining records, the correspondence is of most general interest. Both letters sent and letters received commence in 1818 and there are no records of earlier date in the office. As illustrative of the character of the more valuable portions of this material may be mentioned a letter from the Surgeon-General to Thomas H. Benton, in 1838, describing the conditions to be encountered in Florida by would-be settlers, and another letter of 1829, in response to a resolution of Congress, containing information relative to the use of liquor in the Army. The letters to the Secretary of War appear to have most interest. The original letters received to 1871 are stored in the Army Medical Museum building in chests, and are not readily accessible. Lists of useless papers are printed in H. Ex. Doc. 197, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and H. Doc. 582, 57 Cong., 1 sess. OFFICE OF THE PAYMASTER-GENERAL. The office of Paymaster-General was established in 1775 (resolu- tion of June 16, 1775), but in 1787 was merged in that of Commis- sioner of Army Accounts (resolution of March 23, 1787). In 1792 a Paymaster of the Army was appointed (1 Stat. L. 27-29) and in 1816 the Pay Department, with a Paymaster-General at its head, was established (3 Stat. L. 297). The Pay Department "has charge of 96 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. the supply and distribution of and accounting for funds for the pay- ment of the Army, and such other financial duties as are specially assigned to it" (Army Regulations, 1901, § 1442). Sketches of the history and duties of the department are contained in Military Laws of the United States (pp. 347—349), " Legislative History of the General Staff " (pp. 443—479), and in a pamphlet of forty-five pages published by the Paymaster-General's Office in 1876: " A Sketch of the Organization of the Pay Department, United States Army ". The records of the Paymaster-General's Office are practically without historical value. The pay-rolls and other records that throw light on the forces and organization of the different commands are in the cus- tody of the Auditor for the War Department. There are no Revolu- tionary records in this office; the files of letters received are continuous from 1789, of letters sent, from 1808. The records of payments to officers are complete since 1824; of payments to discharged or enlisted men, since 1839; of payments to retired enlisted men, since 1885; and there are two volumes of decisions between 1808 and 1871. The records of payments to volunteers have been transferred to the Record and Pension Office. The correspondence is mostly with officers of the Pay Department and with persons having claims on the government for services or expenses in the Army. For lists of records destroyed as valueless, see H. Ex. Doc. 197, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and H. Doc. 582, 57 Cong., 1 sess. CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. The Corps of Engineers was formally established in 1779 (Journals of Congress, March 11, 1779), but was disbanded in 1783 (Journals of Congress, October 10 and 31, 1783). In 1794 (1 Stat. L. 366) a Corps of Artillerists and Engineers was formed, and in 1802 (2 Stat. L. 132) the Corps of Engineers was more completely organized, and made distinct from the artillery. Topographical engineers were pro- vided for in 1813 (2 Stat. L. 819), and by act of August, 1818, a Topographical Bureau, under the Chief of Engineers, was established, which, in 1831, by general orders, was made a distinct and independent bureau of the War Department. In 1863, however, it was finally merged in the Office of the Chief of Engineers (9 Stat. L. 743). A detailed history of the Corps of Engineers is contained in Hammersly's "Army Register, 1779-1879" (second part, pp. 272-301); shorter accounts are to be found in Military Laws of the United States, 1901 (pp. 437-438), and in "Legislative History of the General Staff" (pp. 483—484). The laws relating to the corps and its duties CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 97 are fully set forth in each of the works mentioned, and the rules gov- erning it are to be found in Army Regulations, 1901 (§§ 1677— 1G93). The work of the Office of the Chief of Engineers is classified under the following heads: fortifications and surveys relating thereto, armament of fortifications, sites for engineer defenses, boards of engi- neers for defenses, military reservations, land files, public buildings and grounds (see below under Office of Public Buildings and Grounds), Washington Aqueduct, roads and bridges in Yellowstone Park, Bat- talion of Engineers, United States Engineer School and Engineer Depot and Post, professional papers and information, personnel, orders, improvement of rivers and harbors and surveys relating thereto, bridging navigable waters, removal of wrecks obstructing navigation, accounts for disbursements, contracts, returns of engineer property and instruments, application for remittances, appropriations and estimates, survey of the lakes, explorations and surveys, reconnoissances, maps, instruments, fclaims. The records and files of the office relate to the subjects enumerated above ; the larger part of them are kept in the Record Division, but the maps and papers relating thereto are filed separately. The annual reports of the Chief of Engineers, with their appendixes, contain full accounts of the work of the corps from year to year, and thus make accessible the more important information contained in the files. Especially is this true in regard to reconnoissances and expeditions, the reports of many of which are printed in full in the annual reports. For material prior to 1863 the reports of the topographical engineers should also be used. Lists of publications of the Corps of Engineers are contained in S. Ex. Doc. 47, 47 Cong., 1 sess., and in a pamphlet printed in 1876 under the title " List of Publications of the Engineers* Department, U. S. Army ". The record and index-books of the office are arranged in a number of different series, most of which are complete from the respective dates on which they commence. The original material prior to 1850 is however very incomplete. It is said in the office that about 1850 these papers were sent to the Capitol and never returned. Doubtless they have been destroyed or lost; they are not in the Office of the Chief of Engineers and they were not discovered in the examination of the files in the Capitol. It is impracticable to give a complete list of the records and files in this office, nor would such a list be of sufficient value to warrant its inclusion in this report. It is believed however that the following account adequately describes the more important classes of material 8 98 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. on file. For lists of useless papers see H. Ex. Doc. 197, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and H. Doc. 582, 57 Cong., 1 sess. 1. Title papers, 17 — to date. In this series are filed all the title papers for lands under the charge of the Engineer Department, together with the correspondence relating thereto. 2. Correspondence. This class of material consists of copies and briefs of letters sent, and briefs of letters received together with such files of original letters received, prior to 1850, as remain in the office, and complete files of letters received since 1850. The arrangement of this material is very complicated and need not be described in full; it is sufficient to say- that it is arranged in various series which commence or end with the dates of the many redistributions of work among the various divisions of the office, so that letters that form a single series in the^arlier period may form two or three series in later years. The material all relates to the work of the Corps of Engineers, and the list of subjects given above sufficiently suggests its character. a. Letters sent. The earliest series commence in 1812; in 1889 there wer.e about 225 volumes in the various series. Among others may be noted four volumes of letters sent relating to internal improvements, 1824- 1830. h. Letters received. (1) Originals. As noted above, the original files of letters received prior to 1850 are very incomplete and are so stored away as not to be readily accessible. Some letters as early as 1789 are reported. (2) Briefs or records of letters received; the arrangement of this class of material is similar to that of the letters sent. The earliest series commences in 1806 and relates to fortifications; the next is a general series, commencing in 1819. In 1889 there were about 110 volumes. 3. Accounts. Appropriation and disbursement ledgers commence in 1840. 4. Maps, charts, and papers relating thereto. a. Maps, from about 1794 to date (over 50,000). This collection probably contains the most valuable material in the office. The larger part of the maps relate to the ordinary work of OFFICE OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. 99 the corps in time of peace, and many of them, such as those relating to surveys of the lakes, etc., are published. There are however very many maps of battle-fields (some of which are published), of fortifi- cations and defenses (considered confidential), of explorations, recon- noissances, etc. These maps are at present badly crowded, but are arranged as well as possible under the circumstances, and a card-index to them is in preparation. b. Field books, etc. Filed with the maps are field books, surveyors' records, and other papers relating to the operations or work represented on the maps. The larger part of this class of material is technical, but there are many books of great interest for the accounts of movements and expe- ditions they contain. As illustrative of this class may be mentioned a journal, kept by Major Howel Tatam, in 1814, of General Jackson's march from the junction of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers to Mobile. OFFICE OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. The care and maintenance of the public buildings and grounds within the District of Columbia devolved upon the Chief Engineer of the Army by the act of March 2, 1867 (14 Stat. L. 466), and the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds became an office under the Chief of Engineers, in the War Department. This office originated in January, 1791, when, under the act of July 16, 1790 (1 Stat. L. 130), President Washington appointed three commissioners, whose duties were to sur- vey and lay out the city of Washington, its parks, streets, squares, and lots, to direct the sale of land, and to supervise the erection of public buildings; in short, these original commissioners were empowered to construct a city. By the act of May 1, 1802 (2 Stat. L. 175), the com- missioners were discontinued in office and their powers transferred to the newly created office of superintendent, designated by a later act (2 Stat. L. 235) as Superintendent of the City of Washington. As the duties of this office grew more numerous, those relating to buildings came to be exercised by separate commissioners, while the superin- tendent was chiefly concerned with the surveying and disposition of land. In 1817 (3 Stat. L. 324) the office of superintendent ceased to exist, and that of commissioner was created in its place. The duties of the commissioner were identical with those of the original commis- sioners, thus bringing the superintendence of both buildings and grounds under one officer. In 1867, as stated above, the office of com- missioner was abolished and its duties devolved upon the Chief Engi- 100 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. neer of the Army. The legal history of the office is given in full in the annual report of the officer in charge, for 1900 (Report of Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army, 1900, part 8, pp. 5273-5280). At present the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds is charged with the supervision and maintenance of public grounds, such as parks, reservations, circles, playgrounds, etc., of the Washington Monument, of public buildings, including the White House, except such as are otherwise provided for by law (e. g., the Capitol), and of all public statues and monuments within the District of Columbia; it also keeps a record of all sales of public lots within the District. The records of the office show the disposition of lots within the city and the expenditures for the maintenance of buildings and grounds, such for example as those for the furnishings and care of the White House; in short, they are the records of the performance by the Fed- eral Government of its municipal functions. The work of the office from year to year since 1867 is described in detail in the annual reports made by the officer in charge to the Chief of Engineers, and printed in the annual reports of the latter officer to the Secretary of War. Old Records of the City of Washistgtok. The records of most historical interest on file in the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds are known as the " Old records of the City of Washington ". These are the books, correspondence, maps, papers, etc., kept by the commissioners and the superintendent prior to 1867, when the office was transferred to the War Department. They are not complete; from before 1867 until 1884 they were kept in the Capitol basement in charge of a messenger, accessible to all who wished to see them, but in the latter year they were removed to the Winder building, and in 1888 to the State, War, and Navy building, where they are now properly cared for, arranged, and indexed. A short history of this collection is contained in the annual report of the office for 1895 (Report of the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army, 1895, part 7, pp. 4150—4151), while a list of the papers, books, and maps is contained in the report for 1900 (ibid., 1900, part 8, pp. 5281-5283). In the same document (ibid., pp. 5283—5286) is a detailed list of all papers on file in the State Department " relative to the affairs of the Federal District and the City of Washington ", as well as a list of the records in the office of the surveyor of the District of Columbia " relating to the early history of the City of Washington ", which latter should probably be filed in the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds. The following list is compiled from the published list referred to above and from notes made during an examination of the records themselves. OFFICE OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. 101 Correspondence, proceedings, etc. 1. Letters of the Commissioners of Public Grounds and Buildings of the City of Washington, 1791-1802 (6 vols.), 1815-1883, 1836- 1840, 1851-1881 (15 vols.). These are both letters received and sent; the early ones, those of the original commissioners, Peter Charles L'Enfant, Andrew EUicott, Nicholas King, and Robert King, Sr., are of especial interest, as they relate to the very beginnings of the city and discuss the problems arising in connection therewith. A series of fourteen books contain- ing copies of letters of the commissioners, 1792—1798, appears to duplicate part of the series already described. A one-volume index of letters received and a similar one for letters sent make these letters readily accessible. 2. Official letters received March 11, 1791-March 15, 1869 (1 vol.). These letters are from the Presidents and relate primarily to the city of Washington, although some few other subjects are treated. There are 122 letters in all, of which Washington wrote fifty-five (1791-1797); John Adams, six; Jefferson, thirty-seven; Madison, seven; Monroe, one; Jackson, one; Van Bur en, three; Tyler, one; Taylor, one; Fillmore, two; Pierce, one; Buchanan, four; Johnson, three. 3. Proceedings of the Commissioners, 1791-April 2, 1795, October 25, 1796-1802 (5 vols.), 1815-1816 (1 vol.), 1838-181^0 (1 vol.). These volumes contain the records of the resolutions and actions of the commissioners, and serve to supplement their correspondence. A one-volume index to them has been prepared. Accounts. The following books and papers relating to the accounts pertaining to buildings and grounds are on file in the office; their historical value is probably very slight, and items of importance can be obtained from a detailed list of " Expenditures in the District of Columbia, July 16, 1790, to June 30, 1876", printed in Senate Document 84, 45 Cong., 2 sess. (1) Ledgers, 1791-1867 (17 vols.); (2) Journal, October 17, 1791-May 10, 1851 (7 vols.), 1857-1861 (2 vols.); (3) Cash- books, 1851-1857 (4 vols.); (4) Appropriation-book, 1849-1853 (1 vol.); (5) Requisition-book, 1856-1860 (1 vol.); (6) Bank-account books of public buildings and grounds, 1854-1860; (7) Check stubs, 1815-1869; (8) Canceled checks, 1851-1866; (9) Certificates of deposit, 1863-1866; (10) Abstract of notes deposited in bank, 1838; 102 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. (11) Receipted accounts, 1793-1867; (12) Comptrollers' settlements of accounts, 1820-1867. Miscellaneous papers relating chiefly to disposition of lots. The records showing the disposition of lots are nearly complete, but the more important information contained in them is in print: " List of lots belonging to the United States and list of lots donated by the Government " (Sen. Doc. 106, 56 Cong., 2 sess.) ; " List of lots sold by the Government " (Sen. Doc. 32, 56 Cong., 2 sess., with errata in Sen. Doc. 70, 57 Cong., 1 sess.) ; " List of squares and lots assigned to the original proprietors of lands within the original limits of the City of Washington, as per terms of agreement between the commis- sioners of public buildings and the proprietors, March 30, 1791 " (Sen. Doc. 18, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). The following original records are on file in the office: (1) Original proprietors' accounts and divisions of squares (in various series), 1791-1809; (2) Records of sales of lots, 1791-1802; (3) Selection of lots by Greenleaf, Morris, and Nicholson, 1794-1797; (4) Deeds of exchange and conveyance for CarroUsburg and Ham- burg, and redivision of lots in those sections, 1790—1791; (5) Plans, deeds, plat-books, assignations of lots, agreements, bonds, etc.; (6) Contracts, 1791-1866; (7) Proposals, 1795-1866; (8) Estimates for repairs, materials, etc., 1816—1866; (9) Instruments signed by Presi- dents Washington and Adams approving the Dermott plan, 1797- 1798; (10) Soundings of the Potomac River, 1795-1796. Maps. (1) The original plan of L'Enfant, 1791; (2) Copies of parts of L'Enf ant's plan, by J. R. Dermott; (3) Dermott's approved map of Washington, 1795; (4) Plan showing water lots, 1797; (5) Plan of wharves, by N. King, 1797; (6) Map of Washington, by N. King, probably 1797; (7) Navy Yard reservation, 1799; (8) Plat of ground west of present Botanic Gardens, probably 1802; (9) Plan of grounds adjacent to Capitol, 1822; (10) Maps of Kalorama, showing first boundary stone; (11) Plan for arching Tiber Creek, 1864; (12) Real estate maps, plans of various parts of the city, engineering plans, copies of old maps, etc. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE. In 1794 (1 Stat. L. 352) an officer was appointed to superintend, under the War Department, " the receiving, safe-keeping, and distri- bution of the military stores of the United States ", and in the following OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE. 103 year (1 Stat. L. 419) a " purveyor of public supplies " was appointed in the Treasury Department_, whose duty it was " to conduct the pro- curing and providing of all arms, military . . . stores . . . and gen- erally all articles of supply requisite for the service of the United States". In 1812 the Ordnance Department was established with a Commissary-General of Ordnance at its head (2 Stat. L. 732) ; in 1821 it was merged in the artillery (3 Stat. L. 615) ; in 1832 however (4 Stat. L. 504) it was reestablished as an independent bureau. The duties of the department consist in procuring and distributing the necessary ordnance and ordnance supplies for the government and in establishing and maintaining arsenals and depots for their manufacture and safe-keeping. For its history and duties see Military Laws of the United States, 1901 (pp. 458-459), "Legislative History of the General Staff" (pp. 533-534), Army Regulations, 1901 (§§ 1694 ff.), Hammersly's "Army Register, 1779-1879" (pp. 302-308), T. T. S. Laidley's "History of the Ordnance Department" (1874), and " The Ordnance Department as a Portion of the United States Military Establishment" (Washington, 1876). The work of the department is described in full in the annual reports of the Chief of Ordnance, and it is probable that the larger part of the material of any historical value on file in the office is printed in " Ordnance Reports ", a com- pilation with the full title of " A Collection of Annual Reports and Other Important Papers relating to the Ordnance Department, taken from the Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, from Public Documents, and from Other Sources " (4 vols., covering the years 1812-1889, Washington, 1878-1890). Finally there is to be found in the office a collection of all documents relating to the Ordnance Department, since 1823; this includes the publications of the Ordnance Department, which are in two series, " Ordnance Memoranda " (Nos. 1-23, 1863-1878) and "Ordnance Notes" (Nos. 1-357, 1873-1884); a complete list of the latter is in " Subject Catalogue No. 2 ", War Department Library. The records and files of this office have comparatively little general interest, being largely technical in character; they consist of corre- spondence and accounts. Letters received are reported to be on file from December 5, 1797, and the copies of letters sent are to be found in about 1,500 letter-books from 1812. The records of correspondence are in various series, as letters to the Secretary of War, commencing August 8, 1812; miscellaneous letters, beginning August 4, 1812; let- ters to ordnance officers and establishments, commencing March 8, 1839; registers of letters received, commencing June 1, 1817; records 104 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. of orders for supplies sent to the various ordnance establishments, March 29, 1819, as well as indexes to correspondence, etc. The earli- est accounts commence on December 1, 1812; this class of records is arranged in different series, commencing at different times; they relate to appropriations, remittances, estimates, contracts, claims, sales, stores lost, disbursements at arsenals, etc. The earlier files are inaccessible at present, being badly crowded, and not arranged for use. Lists of useless papers are contained in H. Ex. Doc. 197, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and H. Doc. 582, 57 Cong., 1 sess. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER. The office of Signal Officer of the Army was created in 1860 (12 Stat. L. 64), and the Signal Corps, with a Chief Signal Officer at its head, was established in 1863 (12 Stat. L. 744). In 1870 the duties of what is now the Weather Bureau were added to those of military signaling (16 Stat. L. 369), but in 1890 they were transferred to the Department of Agriculture (26 Stat. L. 653). The Chief Signal Officer is charged " with the construction, repair, and operation of military telegraph lines and cables, field telegraph trains, and electrical communications for fire-control purposes; with the preparation, distri- bution, and revision of the War Department telegraphic code; with the supervision of instruction in military signaling and telegraphing . . . ; with the procurement, preservation and distribution of the necessary supplies for the Signal Corps and for the lake and sea-coast defenses. He has charge of all military signal duties, and of books, papers, and devices connected therewith, including telegraph and telephone appar- atus and the necessary meteorological instruments for target ranges and other military uses ; of collecting and transmitting information for the Army, by telegraph or otherwise, and all other duties pertaining to military signaling" (Army Regulations, 1901, § 1741). Accounts of the history of the Signal Corps and of its duties, and of the legislation relating thereto, are to be found in Military Laws of the United States, 1901 (pp. 460-465); "Legislative History of the General Staff" (pp. 611-627) ; and in an article by Lieutenant W. A. Glassford entitled " Historical Sketch of the Signal Corps United States Army " in the " Journal of the Military Service Institution " (1891). The work of the Signal Corps from year to year is fully described in the annual reports of the Chief Signal Officer. In the annual report for 1891 (pp. 389 ff.) is a list of the " publications of the U. S. Signal BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS, 105 Service from 1861 to July 1, 1891 ". Most of the publications, how- ever, relate to the meteorological work of the Service rather than to its military operations. The records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer are of little value historically. The important documents relating to the operations of the Signal Corps during the Civil War are printed in the " Official Records of the War of the Rebellion ". Upon the organization of the Weather Bureau in the Department of Agriculture, in 1891, all the meteorological records were transferred to that bureau. For lists of papers destroyed as valueless see H. Ex. Doc. 197, 51 Cong., 1 sess., and H. Doc. 582, 57 Cong., 1 ;5ess. BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. In December, 1898, a Division of Customs and Insular Affairs was established in the office of the Secretary of War for the conduct of all business relating to the civil (as distinguished from purely military) phases of government in Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippines; in December, 1 900, the designation of the division was changed by depart- ment orders to that of Division of Insular Affairs, and the following year, by act of July 1, 1902, the office was established as the Bureau of Insular Affairs, thus becoming a regular War Department bureau. In the annual report of the chief of the Division of Insular Affairs for 1901 (Appendix G) is an account of the beginnings of the bureau, while in that report and in the bureau reports for 1902 and 1903 is much information relating to its organization and working. The original material on file in this bureau, consisting of correspond- ence and regular governmental records, is of great interest for its bearing upon the establishment of civil government by military authori- ties. Much of the summarized information to be obtained from it, as well as many of the original documents themselves, have been published by Congress or by the executive departments. A list of such publi- cations relating to the Philippines is to be found in the " Bibliography of the Philippine Islands " (S. Doc. 74, 57 Cong., 2 sess.) under heads " United States Government Documents ", " Congressional Docu- ments ", and " Consular Reports ". The bureau has made a special effort to collect all publications of the home and insular governments and has succeeded in procuring about 6,000 such documents, which have been bound into about 200 volumes and thoroughly indexed. It is expected that this index will be printed by Congress, thus making easily available all this important class of material. The annual re- 106 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. ports of the Secretary of War, with their appendixes, as well as the reports of the bureau, contain a great deal of information as well as many documents from the files of the bureau. I. Reports of the Law Officer. The law officer of the Bureau of Insular Affairs investigates and reports upon all questions of law arising in the administration of civil affairs under the jurisdiction of the War Department. Many of these questions relate to subjects of great importance, such as the law of military occupation, the status of the acquired territories, the status of Spanish law, rights of individuals and communities, claims against the United States, etc. (see Appendix A of the annual report of the chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs for 1901, in which the duties of the law officer are given in detail, and a list of titles of reports submitted shows more fully their scope and character; the annual report for 1903 also contains a detailed account of the work of the law officer). These reports are considered confidential, but a number of the more important and representative ones have been published by the War Department: " Reports on the Law of Civil Government in Territory subj ect to Mili- tary Occupation by the Military Forces of the United States ", by Charles E. Magoon (1902). II. CoRRESPOKDESrCE AND GeXERAL ReCORDS. The Records Division files and makes a record of all correspondence, reports, orders, circulars, and other papers relating to the civil govern- ment of the islands. The correspondence constitutes the most impor- tant class of unprinted material in this division ; it dates from the latter part of 1898 and fills about 450 file-boxes. Letters received and letters sent are filed together in a single numerical series, but there is also a separate series of press copies of letters sent, bound in chronological order in volumes. The correspondence, together with the other mate- rial on file, is indexed so completely that not only can any particular letter be located at once, but all letters and papers bearing on any particular subject can readily be found. The correspondence is be- tween the bureau and officers of the home and island governments, congressmen, and the general public. It relates to a great variety of subjects, such as customs tariffs and regulations, navigation, foreign and coastwise trade, emigration and Chinese exclusion, local govern- ments, courts, laws, extradition, education and establishment of schools, public lands, land titles, mines, forestry, franchises and concessions, claims, patents and trade-marks, banks, currency, depositories, rail- BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS. 107 roads, insular accounts, etc. (see Appendixes B and C of the annual report for 1901 for a more detailed account of the various kinds of correspondence and of the methods of recording and indexing). III. ACCOUXTS. The Bureau of Insular Affairs has charge of all the accounts of receipts and expenditures of the government of intervention in Cuba, of the military government of Porto Rico, and of the government of the Philippines. Detailed statements of the receipts and expenditures of the military government in Cuba to June 30, 1900, are printed as Senate Documents 177, 56 Cong., 1 sess., and 448, 57 Cong., 1 sess. Similar statements covering the period from July 1, 1900, to the close of the American occupation have been prepared and will doubtless be printed by Congress. The receipts and expenditures of the civil gov- ernment in the Philippines to June 30, 1901, are stated in Senate Document 382, 57 Cong., 1 sess. For fuller descriptions of these accounts and of the system of accounting, the annual reports of the bureau for 1901 (Appendix D),for 1902 (under "Insular Accounts"), and for 1903 (under " Receipts and Expenditures of the Philippine Islands " and " The Late Military Government of Cuba ") may be referred to. IV. Philippike Insubgent Records. The records of the Philippine insurgent government, which were captured in various parts of the archipelago, were originally filed in the Division of Military Information, Headquarters, Division of the Philippines, in obedience to orders that all captured documents should be sent to that division. After the close of the insurrection they were sent to Washington and delivered to the Bureau of Insular Affairs. These papers are about 200,000 in number, and weigh three tons ; they vary from mere scraps of torn paper to entire volumes, and are for the larger part in Spanish, though there are many in Tagalog and other Philippine and eastern languages. They cover the period of the insur- rection from 1896 to 1901 and consist of correspondence, treasury books, records of proceedings of various bodies, records of municipali- ties, decrees and correspondence of the dictatorial and presidential governments, of provincial and municipal authorities, of the Hongkong junta, of the president and council of government, of the secretaries of the Treasury, Interior, and War, and papers dealing with the rela- tions with the Spanish authorities. These documents constitute the only original source of information relating to the history of the insurgent government, and the value of the collection as such is necessarily very 108 DEPARTMENT OF WAR. great. It is reported however by the officer in charge of indexing and arranging these papers that by far the larger part (121^096 docu- ments) are of no value, being " merely personal or routine correspond- ence, or the routine papers of municipalities ". These papers of little or no value have been arranged by subjects in 428 bundles. The remaining 12,204 documents have been arranged and filed in 2,034 folders in such a way as to insure their preservation, and have been carefully indexed, while, in the case of the more important ones, trans- lations have been filed with the original documents. There are further 129 volumes of letter-books, treasury books, records of proceedings, etc., which have also been indexed. At present these records are not open to investigators, but the im- portant ones are being prepared for publication by Captain J. R. M. Taylor, who has been in charge of the collection from the beginning, and who has supervised its arrangement and indexing. The proposed plan of publication is submitted in the annual report of the bureau for 1903, under the heading ** Captured Philippine Insurgent Documents ". V. Records of the Occupation of Cuba. The complete records of the American occupation of Cuba are in the custody of the Bureau of Insular Affairs. They comprise the accounts of all receipts and expenditures mentioned above, and the other original papers of all kinds, such as executive orders, reports, customs entries, etc., relating to the administration of the government of intervention. They have been classified and arranged for purposes of reference, are stored in a fire-proof building, and are thought to have an aggregate weight of about 110 tons. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 109 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. The office of Attorney-General was established in 1789 (1 Stat. L. 93). In 1870 the Department of Justice was created, having as its head the Attorney-General, and containing the newly-created office of Solicitor-General, the offices of Solicitor of the Treasury and Solicitor of Internal Revenue, transferred from the Treasury Department; the office of Examiner of Claims, transferred from the State Department; and the office of Naval Solicitor, transferred from the Navy Depart- ment (16 Stat. L. 162). In 1878 the office of Naval Solicitor was abolished (20 Stat. L. 205). An excellent account of the history and duties of the Department of Justice, containing considerable informa- tion relative to its records, is contained in " The Department of Justice: its History and Functions ", by James S. Easby-Smith (Washington, 1904). Part III of the " Cockrell Report" (Sen. Rept. 507, 50 Cong., 1 sess.) contains a very detailed account of the methods of business in the department, which, for the light it throws on the kinds of records and the methods of filing and indexing them, is of value at the present time, although the organization of the department has undergone some few changes since the date of that report. The records and files of the Department of Justice are complete from the date of its establishment, July 1, 1870, but those of the Attorney-General's office prior to 1870 are very incomplete and do not antedate 1809, and there appears to have been no systematic attempt to preserve the files of the office until 1817. The Attorneys-General prior to that date are said to have regarded their papers as personal property and to have taken them with them on retiring from office. The extent of the files is not very great and the excellent method of arrangement and indexing makes those since 1870 perfectly accessible. The opinions of the Attorneys-General, which constitute an important part of the files, are printed in " Official Opinions of the Attorneys- General of the United States ", while the annual reports of the Attor- ney-General, published from 1870 to date, serve to indicate the im- portant cases, etc., relating to which material is on file. In S. Ex. Doc. 109, 47 Cong., 1 sess., is a list of the publications of the Attorney- General's office and of the Department of Justice from 1789 to 1881. Access to the records of the department can be had only on application to the Attorney-General. 110 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. OFFICE OF CHIEF CLERK. I. Files of the Attorstey-General's Office prior to 1870. 1. Papers Received, 1809-1870 (86 file-boxes). The old files of the Attorney-General's office prior to 1870 are, as has been said above, very incomplete. As late as 1885 they were wholly unarranged (annual report of Attorney-General, 1885, p. 36), but since then they have been arranged by years and the papers re- ceived are contained in some eighty-six file-boxes. They cover the years 1809 to 1870, but there are only two file-boxes of papers of earlier date than 1830. Among these files may be noted, as illustra- tive of their character: papers relating to the cases of United States vs. Brigantine Mars, 1809; of Florde Guadiano vs. United States, 1813; of H. G. Campbell vs. the Mabel and Cargo, 1814; of Ship Fanny, 1814; of the Spanish brig General Blake vs. United States, 1814; a copy of the bill of sale of the British squadron captured on Lake Champlain, September 11, 1814; a partial list of abandoned lands in North Carolina, 1865; a resolution of loyal citizens in Mobile in regard to relations with the United States, 1865; a letter from General Reynolds relative to the pardoning of Arkansas " rebels ", 1865; and papers relating to customs cases, naturalization, Indian treaties, etc. 2. Letter-Boohs and Opinions, 1817-1870. These large ledger volumes contain copies of letters sent and of opinions. There appear to be no books prior to 1817. There is no fixed arrangement of the books or of their contents. Frequently opin- ions and letters are found in the same volume, although a series of sixteen volumes of opinions is to be found. It is impossible to ascer- tain how complete these records are, and it is said that some files and records of this earlier period are stored in boxes in the basement of the Court of Claims. II. General Files of the Department of Justice. The general files of the Department of Justice are complete since 1870; they consist of letters and papers received and of copies of let- ters sent and opinions, and they cover the matters requiring the chief attention of the Attorney-General. The best illustrations of the character of this material are found in the " Appendix to the Annual Report of the Attorney-General for 1896 ", where is printed the cor- respondence of the department relating to the labor troubles of 1894. OFFICE OF THE APPOINTMENT CLERK. m The papers and communications received prior to 1884 are filed by states ; since that date they have been filed in accordance with a numer- ical system. For a detailed account of the present method of filing and indexing see the " Cockrell Report ". The letters received are indexed under a threefold classification: (1) United States Attorneys and Marshals; (2) Executive Departments; (3) Miscellaneous. The letters sent are indexed under a sixfold classification: (1) United States Attorneys and Marshals; (2) Execu- tive Departments; (3) General Opinions; (4) Opinions on Titles and Sites for Public Buildings; (5) Judges and Clerks; (6) Miscellaneous. OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY IN CHARGE OF PARDONS. The records of all executive pardons from 1852 to date (except pardons in the Army and Navy, which are recorded in the War and Navy Departments) are on file in the office of the Pardon- Attorney. Records of pardons prior to 1852 are preserved in the State Depart- ment, Bureau of Appointments. The papers are arranged by indi- vidual cases and consist of reports of district attorneys, trial judges, and all other persons having official knowledge of the case; briefs and opinions of the Attorney-General; correspondence with the President, record of executive action, and, since 1893, copies of the warrants. Since 1885 the annual reports of the Attorney-General have contained lists of all persons who have been granted pardons or whose sentences have been commuted during the respective years, together with state- ments of crimes for which convictions were secured, dates of sentences and pardons, and statements of sentences and of grounds for exercis- ing clemency. Most of these papers are of personal interest only, but some, such as those connected with the Amnesty Cases during the Civil War, are of more general interest. In general these papers are con- fidential, but investigation of not too recent cases for purely historical purposes would probably be permitted. The files are admirably ar- ranged and indexed. OFFICE OF THE APPOINTMENT CLERK. The files of the Office of the Appointment Clerk consist of applica- tions for appointments to the following offices (about 1,533 in num- ber), together with indorsements, recommendations, correspondence, and other papers relating thereto : United States Supreme Court, Court of Claims, Courts of the District of Columbia, including justices of the peace. Court of Private Land Claims, Choctaw and Chickasaw Citizen- 112 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. ship Court, Circuit Judges, District Judges, Territorial Judges, Dis- trict Attorneys, United States Marshals, Officials of the Department in Washington, Commissioners of Deeds of the District of Columbia, Notaries Public in District of Columbia, Trustees of Reform Schools in District of Columbia, Official and Clerical Force of the Department in Washington, United States Penitentiary at Atlanta, United States Penitentiary at Fort Leavenworth, Assistant District Attorneys, Special Assistant Attorneys. Much of the correspondence, especially that with the President, should be of general interest, particularly in cases of appointments to the higher offices ; but the larger part of the papers have probably only a personal interest. These records are regarded as confidential, but it is probable that use of the earlier ones would be permitted for his- torical purposes. The files prior to 1884 are practically inaccessible, being stored in boxes in the Court of Claims building. Nothing about their condition or arrangement was known in the office of the Appointment Clerk. The files from 1884 to 1901 are arranged in bundles by administrations and states, and alphabetically by the names of applicants. Those from 1901 to date are preserved in file-cases arranged by states and can be readily referred to. SOLICITOR OF THE TREASURY. In 1820 the office of Agent of the Treasury was created, the func- tion of which was to direct all proceedings for the recovery of money or other property due the United States (3 Stat. L. 592). In 1830 this office was abolished and that of Solicitor of the Treasury, with somewhat enlarged powers and duties, created (4 Stat. L. 414), which in 1870 was transferred to the newly-created Department of Justice (16 Stat. L. 162). The Solicitor of the Treasury is the law officer of the Treasury Department, and as such renders opinions on various questions arising in the administration of the department: he takes cognizance of all frauds committed or attempted on the customs rev- enue, supervises suits for the collection of money due the United States, except that due under the internal-revenue laws, and suits in which the United States is a party that arise out of the laws relative to national banking associations. The files of the office consist largely of papers relative to suits. These papers are docketed under six headings as follows: 1. Suits on transcripts of accounts of defaulting public officers, excepting those of OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT ATTORNEY-GENERAL. II3 the Post-Office Department, adjusted by the accounting officers of the Treasury Department. 2. Post-office suits, embracing those against officers of the Post-Office Department, and cases of fines, penalties, and forfeitures for violation of postal laws. 3. Suits on custom-house bonds. 4. Suits for recovery of fines, penalties, and forfeitures under the customs-revenue and navigation laws. 5. Suits against collectors of customs and other officers and agents of the government, excepting internal-revenue officers, for refund of duties, and acts done in the line of their official duty, including appeals from the decisions of the Board of General Appraisers. 6. Suits in which the United States is a party or is interested and not embraced in the other classes. There are also papers relating to suits that are compromised before reaching court. The files commence in 1830, although it is said that there are a few papers of earlier date and some even as early as 1814. Much of the material contained in these files should be found in the reports and records of the courts where suits have been brought. Since 1880 the annual reports of the Attorney-General have contained tables showing the amount, character, and results of the litigation carried on by the office. OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT ATTORNEY-GENERAL IN CHARGE OF CASES BEFORE THE COURT OF CLAIMS. OFFICE OF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY-GENERAL IN CHARGE OF INDIAN DEPREDATION CASES. The Department of Justice is charged with the defense of all suits against the United States in the Court of Claims. These are of the following kinds: (1) General jurisdiction cases; (2) Congressional cases, i. e., those under the acts of March 3, 1883, and March 3, 1887; (3) Departmental cases, i. e., those referred to the Court of Claims by the executive departments under the act of March 3, 1883; (4) Cases against the District of Columbia, acts of June 16, 1880, and February 13, 1895; (5) French spoliation cases, act of January 20, 1885; (6) Naval bounty cases, arising out of the Spanish War; (7) Indian depredation cases, act of March 3, 1891. The Assistant Attorney- General in charge of Cases before the Court of Claims is charged with the defense of all suits of the first six classes ; the Assistant Attorney- General in charge of Indian Depredation Cases, with the defense of suits of the last class. All the important papers connected with the various cases are filed in the Court of Claims and constitute part of the records of that court. Only two general classes of material, both relatively unimportant, i. e., correspondence with United States attor- 9 114 POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. neys in the field and their reports, remain in the permanent files of these two offices. All cases are docketed, thus practically duplicating the dockets of the Court of Claims. Statements of the state of litiga- tion are to be found in the annual reports. The office of Assistant Attorney-General in charge of Indian Depredation Cases was estab- lished by the act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. L. 854), and the first three reports of that officer give lists of the various Indian tribes on account of whose depredations suits were brought. POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. There is no good history of the Post-Office Department, although two sketchy accounts may be mentioned : one, by C. W. Ernst, appeared from time to time in the " Journal of the Postal Union " in 1 895-1 89G (volumes 20 and 21) ; the other, by D. D. T. Leech and W. L. Nichol- son, is a small pamphlet, entitled " History of the Post Office Depart- ment, 1789-1879 " (Washington, 1879). One other account, though pertaining to but one branch of the postal service, may be mentioned: the " History of the Railway Mail Service ", prepared in the office of the Superintendent of the Railway Mail Service, in 1885, and printed, together with many illustrative documents, as S. Ex. Doc. 40, 48 Cong., 2 sess. The Post-Office Department is essentially a business institution and its records are such as pertain to the conduct of a vast business rather than historical in character. They are not without historical interest, however, for so closely has the postal service followed the development of the country that its records constitute the record of that growth. Frequently also questions of considerable general interest have arisen in connection with the service; in the early part of the last century, for example, the question as to whether mails should be carried on Sunday was a much-discussed one, and the records of the department form the principal source of information in regard to that phase of social his- tory. Much the same might be said in regard to the suppression of the Louisiana Lottery, the use of the mails at the time of the Civil War, and other similar matters. The archives of the department are practically complete since 1789; they appear to have suffered from fire but once — in December, 1836, when the files of the Appointment Division, relating to the establishment of post-offices and the appoint- OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTEE-GENEBAL. II5 ment of postmasters, were destroyed (H. Rept. 134, 24 Cong., 2 sess.). Many papers regarded as useless have, however, been destroyed by the department (see 17 Stat. L. 313; 21 ibid. 412; 30 ibid. 444; H. Doc. 700, 5G Cong., 1 sess.; and H. Doc. 325, 56 Cong., 2 sess.). The department is organized in five main offices, and the method of keeping the files varies somewhat; in some of the offices they are kept in a separate division, in others they are scattered about among the various divisions. Permission to work in the archives must be obtained from the Postmaster-General. Much of the important material, especially that relating to the growth of the service, is to be found printed in the congressional docu- ments, and in the volume of the State Papers devoted to postal affairs. OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL. The records of the Office of the Postmaster-General consist of : 1. Letter-Books, October S, 1789, to date (127 vols.). These large folio volumes contain the record made of the official correspondence of the Postmasters-General. 2. Orders, July 1, 1835, to date (263 vols.). These volumes contain the orders of the Postmasters-General affect- ing all branches of the postal service. The orders prior to July 1, 1835, were destroyed in the fire of 1836. 3. Hugh Finlay's Journal, 1773-177^. This document is kept in the library of the Post-Office Department. It is entitled " Journal of Hugh Finlay, Surveyor of the Post Roads on the Continent of North America, during his Survey of the Post Office between Falmouth, in Casco Bay, in the Province of Massachu- setts, and Savannah in Georgia, begun Sept. 13, 1773, and ended June 26, 1774", and contains a very interesting description of the post-roads along the entire Atlantic coast. OFFICE OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL. The files of the First Assistant Postmaster-General contain practi- cally nothing of historical value. They relate to salaries, free delivery, post-office supplies, money-order business, and the work of the dead-f letter office. The dead-letter office was established in 1825, the free- delivery service in 1863, and the money-order system in 1864. 116 POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL. The files of the office of the Second Assistant Postmaster-General relate to the foreign mail service, the railway mail service, and to letting contracts for carrying the mails. All of the files except those relating to the railway mail service are kept together. The foreign mail service was established about 1845, and the railway mail service shortly after 1835. The material relating to post routes consists of: (1) Route registers, dating from 1829; (2) Advertisements, from 1808; (3) Correspondence, from 1845; (4) Contracts, from 1816; and (5) the Journal, containing the orders relating to routes, signed from day to day by the Postmaster-General. OFFICE OF THE THIRD ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL. The material in this office appears to have no possible historical value. It relates to the receipts and disbursements of the department, to stamps (first used in 1847), postal cards, stamped envelopes, etc., and to the registry system, put into operation in 1855. The files are kept together in one division of the office and do not antedate 1847. OFFICE OF THE FOURTH ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL. The only records in this office of possible historical value are those relating to the establishment of post-offices and the appointment of postmasters, and of these all the original papers prior to 1893 have been destroyed: the earlier ones by fire, the later ones under authority from Congress. The remaining records give merely the names of postmasters and post-offices, with dates of appointments, discontinu- ances, removals, etc. ; they are complete from 1 790 to date. The other records of the office relate to the filing of bonds and issuing of com- missions, and to the work of the post-office inspectors. This last class of material consists of the reports of the inspectors on depredations, frauds, complaints, irregularities, etc., and is considered confidential. NAVY DEPARTMENT. II7 NAVY DEPARTMENT. Naval affairs were administered by the War Department from 1789 until 1798, in which latter year the Navy Department was established (1 Stat. L. 553). From 1798 mitil 1815 practically all the work of the department was directly supervised by the Secretary's Office, the correspondence of which for those years relates to all matters con- nected with the administration of the Navy. In 1815 a board of three " Navy Commissioners " was established (3 Stat. L. 202), which per- formed the ministerial duties of the Office of the Secretary relating to the procurement of naval stores and materials, the construction, armament, equipment, and employment of vessels of war, and the superintendence of navy-yards. The records and correspondence of this board, covering the twenty-seven years of its existence, are for the most part contained in the Bureau of Construction and Repair, and supplement the records, for the same period, of the Secretary's Office. In 1842 the board was abolished and its place was taken by five bureaus: Navy Yards and Docks; Construction, Equipment, and Re- pairs; Provisions and Clothing; Ordnance and Hydrography; and Medicine and Surgery (5 Stat. L. 579). In 1862 a reorganization of the department took place, and since that date there have been eight bureaus: Yards and Docks; Equipment; Navigation; Ordnance; Con- struction and Repair; Steam Engineering; Supplies and Accounts (formerly Provisions and Clothing); and Medicine and Surgery (12 Stat. L. 510). To these should be added the offices of Judge- Advo- cate-General, first established in 1865 (18 Stat. L. 468), and of Naval War Records, created in 1884 (23 Stat. L. 185). There is no history of the Navy Department or of any of its bureaus or offices, a lack strikingly in contrast with the abundance of historical accounts of the War Department. The best account of the organiza- tion and duties of the various bureaus is contained in Chapter I of U. S. Navy Regulations, while the " Cockrell Report " (S. Rept. 507, pt. 3, 50 Cong., 1 sess.) contains much detailed information relating to the methods of work in the department which, because of the few changes since 1887, applies more fully to present conditions than in the cases of the other departments. The records of the Navy Department are in an excellent state of preservation; the earliest begin in 1794, but there are comparatively few before 1804. The burning of the War Department building in 118 NAVY DEPARTMENT. 1800 doubtless caused the loss of some of the earliest files. Since 1804, however, the records are practically complete; most of those of earlier date than 1842 are in the Naval War Records Office, in the Bureau of Navigation, and in the Bureau of Construction and Repair; those since then are to be found in the other bureaus as well. As is evident from the fuller descriptions below, the most important archives are in the Office of Naval War Records, which contains the Secretary's correspondence to 1884. They are conveniently arranged, in a num- ber of series, and are readily accessible. The general character of these files is described in more detail below; one respect in which they differ from those of other departments is in the vast amount of infor- mation they contain relating to affairs abroad; thus in a certain sense they supplement the diplomatic and consular archives of the State Department. They also contain full information relating to the ad- ministration of the Navy, its discipline, the movements of its vessels and squadrons, etc. With the exception of the archives of the Bureaus of Navigation and of Construction and Repair, whose records are de- scribed below, the files of the various bureaus of the department are technical and of little or no historical value. They relate, as the names of the bureaus suggest, to the equipment of vessels, the manage- ment of yards and docks, the construction and testing of ordnance, the supply of the Navy with provisions, clothing, small stores, etc. (Bureau of Supplies and Accounts), the construction and installation of en- gines {Steam Engineering), and the health of the officers and enlisted men {Medicine and Surgery). The principal description yet printed of the naval archives is in the critical essay by J. R. Soley, in Winsor's ** America " (VII, 414) ; an article by C. H. Lincoln in the " Literary Collector" for January, 1904, on "Naval Manuscripts in National Archives ", deals with the records of the Navy Department, but is more particularly concerned with the Revolutionary naval records preserved in the Library of Congress. Some of the material in the archives of the department is in print; all papers of importance relating to the Civil War are to be found in the " Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies ", now in process of publication. The records of the War of 1812 and of the Mexican War will probably be published in the near future; it is esti- mated that such a publication would fill about four volumes for each of the two wars. Much naval correspondence has already been printed in the congressional documents; particularly is this true, for example, of that relating to the operations of the Pacific squadrons during the Mexican War. In the annual reports of the Secretary and the chiefs OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NAVAL WAR RECORDS OFFICE. 119 of the bureaus are full accounts of the operations of the department from year to year, including such matters as construction and equip- ment of ships, movements of fleets and squadrons, tests of ordnance, etc. A list of the publications of the department to 1881 is printed as S. Ex. Doc. 37, 47 Cong., 1 sess. For access to the archives of the department permission must be obtained from the Secretary; a very liberal policy toward investiga- tion is followed, and the necessary permission is freely accorded to accredited persons for purposes of purely historical research. NAVAL WAR RECORDS OFFICE. The Naval War Records Office is the repository for the correspond- ence of the Secretary of the Navy, i. e., the records of the Secretary's Office, from the organization of the department in 1798 to 1884. The Secretary's correspondence since 1884 is still kept in the Secretary's Office and in the various bureaus of the department. For a brief account of the naval archives, see the critical essay by J. R. Soley in Winsor's "America" (VII, 414). The files are remarkably complete, the only known loss being that suggested by Soley in the essay referred to, when the burning of the War Office in November, 1800, destroyed papers relating to the Navy. In 1814, however, the Secretary's files escaped unscathed (" American State Papers, Miscellaneous ", II, 248) ; and while there is a tradition of a fire in the Navy Department in 1837 (Roosevelt, " Naval War of 1812 ", preface), the absence of contemporary accounts of such a fire, together with the fact that the various series of volumes commencing at an earlier date are complete, would seem to indicate that the Secretary's Office suffered little if any loss. The records of the Naval War Records Office are preserved in bound volumes and arranged by series, within which, for the most part, a chronological arrangement is observed. In the following inventory the classification is that adopted by the office, with two exceptions: (1) For greater clearness the different series have been grouped under descriptive headings. (2) In the office the volumes containing the cor- respondence for the Civil War period, 1861-1865, have been tem- porarily segregated from the various series for the purpose of publish- ing the " Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion " ; in this inventory these segregated volumes, instead of being listed separately, are included in the respective series to which they belong. 120 NAVY DEPARTMENT. The indexing of the files of this office is of comparatively little value to the student. There is an office index, and in addition there is, in the front of practically each volume, an index to the names of the writers or recipients of the letters in that volume, while some volumes contain still further a meager subject-index. The only safe method for the investigator to use in searching for material is that of turning the pages. As has been stated, the Naval War Records Office is engaged in publishing the " Official Records " of the naval operations during the Civil War. In connection with this work the office has gathered to- gether all the available material, which is of four classes: (1) the files of the Secretary's correspondence, mentioned above; (2) the files and records of the various bureaus of the department, covering the years 1861—1865 (these papers are not left on file in the office, but lists of them have been made and are preserved there) ; (3) war charts, a list of which is printed as " Office Memoranda No. 5 "; (4) private papers secured as loans from officers of the Union and Confederate Navies, or from their families (many of these collections have been returned to their owners, but information as to their character and loca- tion can be supplied by the office). Extended descriptions of these different classes of papers are unnecessary, as everything of importance in them is to be found in the " Official Records ". A list of the log- books belonging to the Bureau of Navigation and covering the period of the war is printed as " Office Memoranda No. 5 " and shows this class of material to contain about 1,600 books. Lists of vessels are included in the " Official Records " as well as in the Navy Registers and are to all intents and purposes lists of log-books as well. A list of the officers whose papers were secured by the office, together with descriptive notes relating to the more important collections, supplied by Mr. Charles W. Stewart, the superintendent of the Naval War Records Office, is given below. I. Correspondence with Naval Officers. 1. Officers' Letters, 1802-188Jf (1428 vols.). Letters, mostly to the Secretary of the Navy, from officers of all grades, but chiefly of the lower ones, as lieutenants, surgeons, midship- men, chaplains, commanders, gunners, carpenters, pursers, engineers, professors at the Naval Academy, mates, etc. The letters relate largely to personal matters, as advances of pay, furloughs, reports to duty, transfers, appointments, and requests of all sorts. Material of historical interest is rather rare, though occasionally some is found, as NAVAL WAR RECORDS OFFICE, 121 some letters of April, 1848, relating to the probable annexation of Yucatan; requests for active service or for transfer to the Gulf Squad- ron in 1846, etc. Three supplementary volumes, 1839-1854, appear to be filled chiefly with letters relating to disputes, complaints, accusa- tions, etc., although such material is to be found quite generally throughout the collection. 2. Letters to Officers Commanding Gunboats, 1803-1808 (1 vol.). These letters relate for the most part to details of construction, to movements, and to commands; they contain, for example, the instruc- tions in accordance with which the first gunboats were built. 3. Masters* Letters, 1804.-1837 (60 vols.). These letters from masters-commandant relate for the most part to details of routine service, personnel, transfers, furloughs, promotions, construction, etc. They contain, however, much scattered material of real historical value; and J. R. Soley (Winsor, VII, 414) regards them as among the most important of the " letters received '*. For exam- ple, there are many letters of 1806-1807 from naval officers stationed near New Orleans, relating to Burr's conspiracy, as well as many inter- esting letters bearing on the War oif 1812. Cruises of the "Wasp" and the capture of the " Frolic " are described in letters from Lieuten- ant Jones, and considerable light is thrown on the naval operations on the Lakes, in the letters from O. H. Perry and Macdonough. Jf.. Captains' Letters, 1805-1861, 1866-1884 (402 vols.). The letters from 1862 to 1866 are with Admirals' Letters (see 10, below). J. R. Soley (Winsor, VII, 414) regards this series as the most important of the " letters received ". Scattered through a great mass of papers relating to the details of routine service are many let- ters of the greatest value. The proportion of valuable material is of course greater in the war periods, but such material is not wanting at other times ; for example, here are found the letter apprising the Navy Department of the Berlin Decree, and a request for authority to recap- ture vessels from French ships. The material bearing on the War of 1812 is very valuable, there being letters from Porter, Hull, Bain- bridge, Rodgers, and others. Information relating to the condition of the coast defense and of various vessels, as well as to the situation on the Lakes, is to be found in abundance, and there is a long and inter- esting description of the cruise of the " Hornet " off the South Ameri- can coast. There are also plans of attacks, reports of engagements and of depredations by the enemy, department plans, etc. 122 NAVY DEPARTMENT. 6. Letters to Officers of Ships of War, I8O4.-I868 (84. vols.). J. R. Soley (Winsor, VII^ 414) regards this series as one of the most important of the " letters sent ", so far as naval operations are concerned. Many letters relate to the South American republics. The instructions in the war periods are often of great value. 6. Letters of the Secretary of the Navy, 1832-183S (3 vols.). Letters of a general nature; many letters concerning vacancies or in reply to applications for office. 7. Commanders' Letters, 1838-188^ (163 vols.). These letters from commanders are regarded by J. R. Soley (Win- sor, VII, 414) as among the more valuable series of the "letters received ". 8. Admirals* and Commodores* Letters, I86I—I88J1. (58 vols.). These letters from admirals, commodores, and captains are chiefly concerned with the routine of administration, but occasionally are of importance for a detailed history of the Navy. 9. Letters to Flag Officers and Commandants of Squadrons and Sta- tions, 1861-1886 (9 vols.). These contain instructions from the department, and relate mainly to details of duty and discipline, but sometimes possess more general interest, as, for example, when they are concerned with political refu- gees, troubles in South America, etc. 10. Letters to Officers Generally, 188^-1886 (3 vols.). Letters from the department to officers generally (paymasters, en- signs, lieutenants, etc.) relating to details of duty, complaints, etc. These have little or no historical interest. II. Squadron Letters. In the front of each volume of the Squadron Letters, through 1880, is an index giving name and subject for each letter. The movements of the diiferent squadrons are given in the annual reports of the department. 1. African Squadron, 1819-1861 (IS vols.). Much valuable material relative to the slave-trade, especially in the earlier period, together with letters relating to the American Coloniza- tion Society and to the Maryland State Colonization Society, is to be found. NAVAL WAR RECORDS OFFICE. 123 2. China Station, I84.I-I8U (1 vol). Commodore L. Kearney. Printed in part in S. Doc. 139, 29 Cong., 1 sess. See Senate resolution, February 25, 1845, calling for corre- spondence between the commander of the East India Squadron and foreign powers and U. S. agents abroad, relating to trade and other interests of the United States. S. Brazil Squadron, 18U-1861 (17 vols,). These letters contain much information about affairs in Brazil and South America, the condition of American citizens, etc. The letters for 1858—1859 are bound with those relating to the Paraguay expedi- tion (see below). 4. Pacific Squadron, 18^-188^ (2J^ vols.). Here is much important material, especially for 1841—1850, bearing on such subjects as Commodore Jones's seizure of Monterey in 1843, war in California and New Mexico, suspicions of England, etc. In later volumes are found accounts of affairs in South America, notably in Chile. 5. Home Squadron, 18^2-1861 (16 vols.). Especially important is the volume for 1846-1847, giving details about the Mexican War. Much information is to be found relating to South American, Cuban, and West Indian conditions. 6. East Indian Squadron, 18^5-1859 (11 vols.). These volumes contain much important material, including reports, letters, correspondence, etc., relating to Perry's mission to Japan in 1852—1855. A narrative of this expedition is in volume 14 of Senate Documents, S3 Cong., 2 sess. 7. Mediterranean Squadron, 184-8—1861 (9 vols.). Among the letters in these volumes are some relating to the recep- tion of Kossuth and the Hungarian refugees on board the American fleet, and also correspondence with the American consulates at Con- stantinople and elsewhere. 8. Eastern Squadron — Fisheries, 1853 (1 vol.). Relating to the fisheries off the northeast coast of America. 9. Paraguay Expedition and Brazil Squadron Letters, 1868—1859 (1 vol.). 10. Flotillas, 1861-1865 (3 vols.). Letters from the Potomac, James River, and Mortar Flotillas. See " Official Records ". 124 NAVY DEPARTMENT. 11. Mississippi Squadrons, 1861-1865 (IJf. vols.). See " Official Records ". 12. East Gulf Squadron, 1861-1865 (10 vols.). See *' Official Records ". 13. West Gulf Squadron, 1862-1865 (IS vols.). Letters for 1861 are with those of the East Gulf Squadron. See " Official Records ". U. West India Squadron, 1862-1864, (2 vols.). See " Official Records ". 15. European Station, 1865-1877 (1 vol.). 16. European Squadron, 1865-188^ (21 vols.). Interesting correspondence relating to trouble at Alexandria in 1882 is contained in these volumes. 17. Gulf Squadron, in Command of Commodore J. A. Winslorv, 1866— 1867 (2 vols.). These letters contain interesting material relating to riots in New Orleans, affairs in Mexico, abdication of Maximilian, selling slaves into Cuba after the Civil War, etc. 18. North Pacific Squadron, 1866-1878 (10 vols.). Here is found some information concerning conditions in Hawaii, coaling stations, affairs in Alaska, California, etc. 19. Southern Pacific Squadron, 1866-1877 (10 vols.). Many of these letters relate to political affairs in South American states, revolutions, the treatment of citizens of the United States, and the attitude of various states toward the United States. 20. Northern and Southern Pacific Squadrons, 1871-1872 (1 vol.). These letters bear upon affairs in South American states, especially Peru. 21. Asiatic Squadron, 1867-1884 (19 vols.). These volumes contain much material of historical interest, such as reports on the foreign situation and trade conditions, correspondence with consuls, information about Korea, negotiations with Japan, inter- views with native chiefs, account of a punitive expedition in southern Formosa in 1867, etc. 22. North Atlantic Squadron, 1861-1887 (54 vols.). These letters relate largely to unimportant details of the service, but there are numerous reports on conditions in South America and the NAVAL WAR RECORDS OFFICE. 125 West Indies, troubles of American citizens, and various other subjects. For illustrative material in print see S. Ex. Doc. 34, 41 Cong., 3 sess. 23. South Atlantic Squadron, 186 1-188 J^ (35 vols.). These letters are concerned mostly with details of the service, but contain some reports on affairs in Brazil, Paraguay, and other parts of South America. III. Executive Letters. 1. Executive Letter-Boohs, 1821-1886 (J^O vols.). These letters from the Secretary of the Navy to the President and members of the Cabinet are concerned largely with appointments, dis- charges, promotions, and inter-department business. 2. Executive Letters Received, 1837-1866 (38 vols.). These letters are of the same general character as those in the letter- books, described above. IV. Congressional Correspondence. 1. Congress Letters. a. From Committee Chairmen, 1798-1886 (18 vols.). h. From Members, 1825-1849 (4 vols.). These letters from Congress relate largely to naval legislation, and contain requests for information. 2. Letters to Congress, 1825-1869 (7 vols.). Correspondence between the Navy Department and Congress, con- veying information, replying to questions, etc. V. General Correspondence. 1. Miscellaneous Letters, 1791^.-1887 (about 850 vols.). In this series are letters received from all sources, the general public, officers, and especially from enlisted men and their friends. A great variety of subjects is treated — ^transfers, furloughs, promotions, con- tracts, routine of service, etc. There are many letters from Paul Revere relative to furnishing copper bottoms for ships, and very interesting letters from Robert Fulton describing his torpedo experi- ments. An account of the mutiny on the " General Armstrong " may also be noted. 2. General Letter-Books, 1798-1886 {123 vols.). This series comprises the letters from the department to the general public. There are many replies to applications for office, and much in- formation about the officers of the Navy. J. R. Soley (Winsor, VII, 126 NAVY DEPARTMENT. 414) regards this series as one of the most important of those con- taining ** letters sent ". 3, Confidential Letters Sent, 1857-1883 {2 vols.). Jf. Confidential Letters Received, 1861—1864- (1 vol.). VI. Exploring Expeditions. For a bibliography of exploring expeditions see ** Reports of ex- plorations printed in the documents of the United States government " (compiled by Adelaide R. Hasse, Washington, 1899). 1. South Sea Exploring Expedition. a. Exploring Expedition Letters, May, 1836- August, 1838 (4 vols.). These letters relate to fitting out the South Sea Expedition, which was at first under the command of Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones, but which, before it sailed, was commanded by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes. There are letters from scientific men, naval officers, government officials, the President, and others. h. Wilkes's Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 (2 vols.). These letters are a continuation of the above and relate to the actual work and movements of the expedition. For information about the fitting out of the expedition see " Niles' Register" for the years 1836—1838. The narrative and scientific results of the expedition are printed in " United States exploring expedition during the years 1838-1842, under command of Charles Wilkes" (20 vols., Philadelphia, 1844-1874). 2. Expedition to the Dead Sea. Lieutenant W. F. Lynch. 18^8 {1 vol.). See S. Ex. Doc. 34, 30 Cong., 2 sess. 3. Cruise of the " St. Lawrence *'. Captain H. Paulding, 184.8-1850 (1 vol.). 4. Behring Straits, North Pacific, and China Sea, 1852-1855 {3 vols.). Letters relating to the surveying expedition under Commander C. Ringold and to the removal of Ringold by Commodore Perry. 5. Survey of the Rivers Plata, Paraguay, etc., 1853—1856 (1 vol.). Letters from Lieutenant Thomas J. Page. Printed in part in the report of the Secretary of the Navy, H. Ex. Doc, Vol. I, 34 Cong., 3 sess., pp. 430-465. 6. Letters from Commander John Rodgers; Surveying Expedition to the North Pacific Ocean, 1854-1855 (2 vols.). An account of the cruise of the " Vincennes " is to be found in these letters. NAVAL WAR RECORDS OFFICE. 127 7. Nicaragua Surveying Expedition, 1872 (2 small volumes and papers). Report of A. G. Menocal, civil engineer, accompanied by sub-reports. 8. Cruise of the " Ticonderoga *\ 1878-1879 (2 vols.). The orders of the ** Ticonderoga " were to proceed " to the unfre- quented parts of Africa, Asia, the islands of the Indian Ocean and the adjacent seas, particularly where there are at present no American representatives, with a view to the encouragement and extension of American commerce ". 9. Journal of George TV. De Long, commanding the " Jeannette " ex- pedition, 1879-1881 (4. vols.). See " The Voyage of the Jeannette. The Ship and Ice Journals of George W. De Long " (Emma De Long, editor, 2 vols., Boston, 1883). 10. " Jeannette " and " Rogers ", 1881-1883 (1 vol.). Letters and telegrams concerning the loss of these vessels, together with the correspondence relating to the removal of the bodies of De Long and his comrades to the United States. 11. Naval Expedition to the Isthmus of Panama, Commander B. H, McCalla, 1885 (1 vol.). Telegrams, instructions, etc., relating to various matters and com- plications in Central and South America. VII. CORBESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE MARINE CoRPS. See also below under Headquarters of the Marine Corps. 1. Letters to Officers of the Marine Corps, 1801^-1886 {IJf vols.). These letters from the Navy Department appear to be largely of a personal character, relating to appointments, courts-martial, dis- charges, etc. 2. Marine Corps, Acceptances, 1812-1862. Oaths of allegiance taken by newly appointed officers, letters accept- ing appointments, etc. 3. Miscellaneous Letters, 1828-1886 (76 vols.). Letters to the Secretary of the Navy from members of the Marine Corps, relating for the most part to discharges, transfers, furloughs, pay, etc. 128 NAVY DEPARTMENT. VIII. Correspondence relating to Yards and Docks. 1. Letters from Agents at the Navy-Yards, 1808-1865 (10 vols.). From 1808 to 1815 these letters are occasionally of historical value^ but most of them relate to administrative details. 2. Letters from Navy-Yards and Naval Stations, 18^8-188Ji, (about 325 vols.). These letters relate for the most part to details of the service, supplies, construction, discipline, sales, etc. They are arranged in various series by yards and stations, and the dates of the beginning and ending of the respective series vary. 3. Letters to Commandants of Yards, etc., 1868-1886 (10 vols.). If.. European Dock Yards, 1870 (1 vol.). Report on the dock yards of Europe, by T. D. Wilson. 5. Inventory of Public Property of Navy Department, 1878 (Jf vols.). Boston, Mare Island, Portsmouth, New York, League Island, Nor- folk, Key West, Pensacola, etc. 6. Inspection Reports. Chief Engineers' letters; reports of commissions for sale of navy- yards. IX. Miscellaneous Files. Under this heading are arranged in chronological order those series which do not clearly belong under any of the preceding headings. 1. British Naval Commissioners: Letter-Book, 17 8 Jf.— 1790. This letter-book of the British Naval Commissioners was recently purchased by the department. It contains both letters sent and re- ceived, many of which are of considerable interest and appear to be confidential. 2. Contracts with the Navy Department, 1794.-1860 (6 vols.). 3. American Prisoners, 1812 (3 vols.). These three books, recently purchased, contain the original records of the American prisoners captured in the War of 1812 and taken to Halifax, Jamaica, and the Barbadoes. The records show the name of each prisoner, the date of his capture, the name of the vessel on which he had served, and the final disposition made of him (ex- changed, etc.). Jf.. Navy Commissioners* Letters, 1827-184^ (29 vols.). These letters from the Navy Commissioners relate to construction, repair, and equipment of vessels, to contracts, buildings in navy-yards, etc. See also below under Bureau of Construction and Repair. NAVAL WAR RECORDS OFFICE. 129 5. Circulars, 1842-1865 (1 vol.). 6. Bureau Letters, 18J^2-188J^ {83 vols.). These letters from the bureaus of the department relate only to the details and routine of the administration of the department and its bureaus. 7. Letters to Heads of Bureaus, 1842-1886 (7 vols.). These letters relate to the routine of the administration of the department and are of the same general character as those in the preceding series. 8. Navy Agents* and Store-Keepers* Letters, 1843-1865 {27 vols.). A continuation of Navy Commissioners' letters and of the same general character. 9. Fourth Auditors* and Second Comptrollers* Letters, 1847—1884 (67 vols.). The letters received from the accounting officers relate to pay-rolls, naval expenditures, and department finance in general. 10. Naval Asylum Letters, 1849-1850 (1 vol.). Letters received relating to admissions to the naval asylum. 11. Corporal Punishment and Spirit Rations, 1850 {1 vol.). Opinions of such officers as Sloat, Stockton, Shubrick, I. B. Hull, etc., on the subjects of corporal punishment and the effect of the spirit ration, written in reply to questions from the Secretary of the Navy. 12. Congress Resolutions, 1851-1861 (1 vol.). 13. Navy Agents and General Orders, 1853-1865 {2 vols.). 14' Commodore C. S. McCauley*s Mission to Cuba, 1855 (1 vol.). Letters relating to the affair of the ship " El Dorado ". Spain had exercised the right of visitation and search, and Commodore McCauley's mission was in the nature of a demonstration by the United States. 15. Resignations and Dismissals, 1859—1865 {8 vols.). 16. Prizes, 1861-1865 {46 vols.). Reports of prize cases and final decrees; records and lists of prizes, etc. 17. Letters from Foreign Consuls to Commanders of United States Vessels or to the Navy Department, 1861—1865. These letters are of great interest, bearing on Confederate privateers, blockade running, construction of Confederate vessels in European ports, etc. 10 130 NAVY DEPARTMENT. 18. Inventions, Examining Board and Permanent Commission, 1861— 1865 (7 vols.). 19. Lists of Officers of Vessels, 1861-1865 {25 vols.). 20. Lists of Officers of Squadrons and Fleets, 1862-1865 (2 vols.). 21. Medals of Honor Transmitted and Acknowledged, 1862-1866 (2 vols.). 22. Letters to the Naval Academy, 1869-188 J^ (15 vols.). These letters relate to the routine of the administration of the academy. 23. Naval Examining Board, 1870-1872 (3 vols.). Letters from the Naval Examining Board accompanying reports on examinations for promotion; the reports themselves are not included, but recommendations as to procedure are sometimes made, which are of some interest. ^4. Lists of Officers at Yards and on Vessels, 1870-1889 (31 vols.), 25. Applications for Positions, 1872-187 J^ (2 vols.). Navy Department, Naval Academy, navy-yards, and naval stations. 26. Correspondence Relating to the Seizure of the Ship " Virginius " hy the Cuban Authorities, 1873 (1 vol.). These letters contain interesting testimony of persons on board the " Virginius ". 27. Naval Advisory Board. Report, 1880-1881 (1 vol.). 28. Gun Foundry Board. Report, 1883-188J,. (1 vol.). See H. Ex. Doc. 97, 48 Cong., 1 sess. 29. Dr. Wilson vs. King of Johanna, 1885. Voluminous report, by Commodore Harrington, on the trouble be- tween Dr. Wilson and the King of Johanna. 30. Addresses of Officers on Vessels, 1887-1889 (1 vol.). 31. Steel Inspection Board, 1887-1890 (1 vol.). Report on steel tests. Loaned Papers relating to the Civil "War. In collecting material for the " Official Records " the Naval War Records Office procured as loans various private collections of papers, belonging for the most part to the officers or the families of officers in the Union and Confederate Navies. The more important of these NAVAL WAR RECORDS OFFICE. ]31 papers are to be found in the published volumes, but many of consid- erable interest could not be included. Although these collections cannot be called a part of the archives of the department (some of them, in fact, have already been returned to their owners), it is thought that the accompanying list may be of service in aiding the student to locate important material. In the list given below are included first, brief descriptions of the more important collections relating to the Union Navy; second, a list of the names of officers in the Union Navy whose papers were loaned; third, a list of the Confederate officers whose papers were obtained by the office. In- formation in regard to any of these collections can be obtained through correspondence with the Naval War Records Office, and the present location of such papers as have been returned to their owners can thus be learned. Important Union papers. 1. Adams, H. A. (a) Seventy-one letters received (1861-1865); (b) One copy book of letters sent (1863). 2. Bailey, Theodore. (a) Six press copy books, letters to Secretary of Navy; (6) Order books (1862-1864); (c) Four books, reports of captures and expedi- tions (1862-1864); (d) Two scrap books. 5. Bell, H. H. (a) Seven letter books (1862-1864); (6) Private diaries, six small volumes ( 1 862-1 8^?"^ ; (c) Loose papers, relating to the Sabine Pass affair; (d) Letters ..oil. Farragut (1861-1864). 4-. Craven, T. A. M. One letter book. 6. Dahlgren, J. A. (a) Forty-six letter books (1863-1865), containing current letters, naval correspondence, admiral's original orders, ironclad reports, staff journals, admiral's logs, despatches from and to Navy Department, letters from Admiral Dahlgren, and extracts from consular despatches; (6) Notes on coasts of South Carolina; (c) Letter books relating to the South Pacific Squadron, while under command of Dahlgren in 1861; (d) Note books on guns, navy-yard, record and service. 6. Davenport, H. K. Letter books (1838-1872, but mostly 1862-1864), containing letters from the Light House Board, and letters and reports from the United States Naval Flotilla in the sounds of North Carolina. 132 NAVY DEPARTMENT. 7. DuPont, S. F. (a) Fifteen letter books (1861—1863); (6) Squadron letters received (1861-1863); (c) Army letters received (1861-1863); (d) Letters from Navy Department (1861-1863); (e) Private and semi-official letters (1861-1865). 8. Farragut, D, G. (a) Orders, letters, despatches, etc., to Secretary of Navy, Navy Department and bureaus, and to Army and Navy officers (1862- 1864); (6) Squadron letter books (1862-1864); (c) Letters and re- ports received (1861-1865). 9. Foote, A. H. (a) Letters and documents relating to naval operations in the west; (6) Letters and documents from various officers and persons; (c) Let- ter books (1861-1862). 10. Goldsborough, L. M. (a) Telegrams and private letters; (6) Letter books: — North At- lantic Squadron (1861-1862), European Squadron (1865-1867), to Secretary of Navy (1865-1867), to Ministers and Consuls (1865- 1867). 11. McKean, TV, TV. Six letter books (1861-1862). 12. Mervincy TVilliam. (o) Two letter books (1861 and 1836-1868) ; (6) Journal of a cruise in the U. S. S. "Mississippi" (1861). 13. Patterson, T. H, (a) Letter books (1862-1865); (6) Order books (1861-1865); (c) Letter book of Commander William Reynolds (1865). U. Preble, G. H. One hundred and seventy-one letters (1862-1865). 15. Radford, TVilliam. (a) Miscellaneous letters and telegrams and correspondence in the departments; (6) General orders and circulars; (c) Descriptions of vessels, list of vessels and officers; (d) Log book and battery books. 16. Rhind, A. C. (a) Letters (1863) ; (b) Papers and letters relating to the explosion of the powder-boat " Louisiana " at Fort Fisher. NAVAL WAR RECORDS OFFICE. 133 17. Roe, F. A. (a) Two letter books (1862-1865); (6) Private journal (August, 1861, to December, 1862). 18. Rowan, S. C. (a) Official correspondence (1861-1864); (6) Letter book (1854- 1880). 19. Sands, B. F. Eleven letters (March 30 to June 8, 1865). 20. Stribling, C. K. General orders and circulars (1864-1865). 21. Walhe, H. Correspondence, letter books, orders, reports, etc., relating to (1) storehouse supply (1859-1861); (2) gunboat fleet (1861-1863); (3) U. S. S. " Sacramento " (1863-1865). 22. Welles, Gideon. Twelve letter books (1862-1869), containing all his naval corre- spondence. 23. Wilkes, Charles. (a) Fourteen letter-press copy-books (1862-1863); (b) Corre- spondence with Navy Department (1862-1863); (c) Correspondence of James River and West India Squadrons (1862-1863). Other TJnion ofQ.cers whose papers were loaned. Alden, Jas. Corbin, T. G. Ammen, D. Craven, T. T. Arnold, H. N. T. Crosby, P. Baird, G. W. Balch, G. B. Bartlett, J. R. Beardslee, L. A. Beaumont, J. C. Bishop, J. Blake, H. C. Boutelle, C. O. Braine, D. L. Browne, Wm. R. Bunce, F. M. Chase, W. Clitz, J. M. B. Colhoun, E. R. Cooke, A. P. Davis, C. H. Doss, Sylvester. Drayton, P. Dyer, N. M. Eagle, H. Ealer, H. A. Eastman, T. H. Ellet, A. W. Emmons, Geo. F. Fairfax, D. McR. Frailey, J. M. Gardner, J. W. Ghsson, O. S. Goldsborough, H. A. Goldsborough, John R. Green, J. F. Greer, J. A. Haggerty, F. S. Hooker, E. Howell, J. C. Hull, J. B. Jenkins, T. A. Johnston, J. V. Kilgore, W. F. Lardner, J. L. Latch, E. B. Lee, S. P. Le Roy, W. E. Luce, S. B. 134 NAVY DEPARTMENT. McCann, W. P. McCauley, Edw. McCauley, E. Y. Mackay, George. Mackie, J. F. Macomb, W. H. Mahan, A. T. Marchand, J. B. Marston, John. Megler, J. G. Morgan, Gen. G. W. Morton, G. MuUany, J. R. M. Newman, W. B. Nourse, J. E. Parker, J. Parrott, E. G. Parsons, L. B. Confederate officers Averett, S. W. Baker, Jas. McC. Barney, Jos. N. Barron, Samuel. Blackmar, A. O., Jr. Bragg, Braxton. Brent, Thos. W. Brooke, John M. Buchanan, Franklin. Bullock, Jas. D. Carter, Wm. F. Gary, Clarence. Cooke, Jas. W. Duvall, R. C. Edmondson, R. B. Eggleston, Everard T. Fairies, T. A. Farrand, Ebenezer. Forrest, French. Gait, Francis L. Gift, Geo. W. Goodwyn, Matthew P. Gunther, C. F. Paulding, L. Pearson, G. F. Perkins, G. H. Porter, D. D. Price, Cicero. Prichett, J. M. Ransom, Geo. M. Reynolds, Wm. Rutherford, W. H. Sartori, L. C. Shober, J. F. Shock, Wm. H. Simpson, Edward. Sims, C. S. Slattery, D. P. Smith, M. Steedman, C. Stevens, T. H. whose papers -were loaned. Guthrie, John J. Harlan, Jas. Henderson, Alex. Hodges, W. R. Hoge, Francis L. HoUins, Geo. N. Hunter, Wm. W. Jackson, Thos. A. Jackson, Wm. H. Jones, C. Lucien. Jones, Catesby ap R. Lamb, Wm. (Col.) Lindsay, J. W. Littlepage, Hardin B. Loyall, Benj. P. McCarrick, Patrick. McCarrick, Patrick H. Magruder, J. B. Mason, Jas. M. Minor, Robt. D. Morgan, Jas. M. North, Jas. H. Page, Thos. J. Stevenson, J. H. Street, W. T. Trenchard, S. D. Van Dyke, G. B. Varnick, G. L. Watmough, P. G. Welch, Will L. Willenbucher, E. Wilson, T. D. Winslow, J. A. Wise, H. A. WoodhuU, Maxwell. Worden, J. L. Yost, G. R. Pointdexter, Carter B. Pointdexter, Reginald. Porter, David D. Porter, John L. Porter, J. W. H. Ramsay, Henry A. Randolph, Victor M. Schober, Fred. Semmes, Raphael. Simms, Chas. C. Sinclair, Arthur. Sinclair, Geo, T. Slidell, John. Smith, P. E. Stone, S. D., Jr. Swain, Edw. A. Tattnall, Josiah. Thompson, Jacob. Tombs, Jas. H. Tucker, John R. Waddell, Jas. I. Webb, Wm. A. Wise, H. A. Wood, John T. Wright, Marcus J. BUREAU OF NAVIGATION. 135 BUREAU OF NAVIGATION. The Bureau of Navigation promulgates and makes a record of all orders to the fleet and to officers of the Navy, keeps the record of ser- vice of all squadrons, ships, officers, and enlisted men, receives reports of service performed by ships, officers, or men, and of inspections, prepares and revises tactics, drill books, signal and cipher codes, and regulations governing uniform and service afloat, directs all rendez- vous and receiving ships, and has charge of the enlistment and dis- charge of all enlisted men, and of all that relates to the education of officers and men except the Naval War College. The bureau was established in 1862 (12 Stat. L. 510), but its rec- ords date from 1798. They are mainly of two kinds; (a) personal records, comprising the records of the Office of Detail, mentioned by Soley as of value in supplementing the "letters sent" in the Naval War Records Office, and (6) log-books. The semi-annual Navy Register is prepared in this bureau; this important publication has been issued every year, beginning in 1814, with the exception of 1816; during a part of this time it appeared only annually. What is believed to be the only complete set of Navy Registers is in the library of the Navy Department. A " General Navy Register ", containing a list of all officers of the Navy from 1775 to 1900 (New York, L. R. Hamersly, 1901) is convenient for purposes of reference. For the history of the various vessels to 1853 a publication by Lieutenant George F. Em- mons: "The Navy of the United States, 1775-1853" (Washington, 1853), may be used. This contains the history of the service of each vessel (including privateers) and shows its ultimate fate; the data are arranged in tabular form and are (except for a few errors) substan- tially accurate, but the ditto marks should be followed with caution. I. Persoxal Records. 1. Record, 1798 to date (about J^OO vols.). The " Record " contains the orders sent to officers. It was formerly known as the " Register ", and before that as " Appointments and Orders ". 2. Reports on Officers, 184-6 to date. A series of volumes containing confidential reports made by superior officers on the conduct of their subordinates. S. Enlistments Rendezvous, 18^6 to date (about JlfOO vols.). Register of enlistments, recruiting station returns, and muster rolls, containing information about enlisted men; a few papers antedate 1846. 136 NAVY DEPARTMENT. II. LoG-BoOKS. All the log-books that are in the possession of the Navy Department are in the Bureau of Navigation. There are books on file from 1801, though until 1816 many were retained by officers ; since that date, how- ever, practically all the log-books have been filed in the department. This class of material is not of so great value for historical purposes as might be supposed; for example, the account of the engagement between the " Constitution " and the " Guerriere " is brief and meager, giving only an outline of the movements of the " Constitution ". Theo- dore Roosevelt^ in the preface to his "Naval War of 1812", says, "The log-books are rather exasperating, often being very incomplete ", and cites, as an illustration, the log-book of the frigate " United States ", which does not contain a single fact about the fight in which the " Mace- donian" was captured. The only published list of log-books is the " Office Memoranda No. 5 ", referred to above, and that gives only the books of the Civil War period. Lists of vessels, however, are to be found in the Navy Registers, as well as in the " Blue Books ". BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR. The Bureau of Construction and Repair has charge, as its title indi- cates, of the designing, building, fitting, and repairing of ships and of the larger part of their permanent fixtures. Its records are largely technical, and their interest would be chiefly for the history of naval architecture. This bureau is the repository of the greater part of the records of the Navy Commissioners, dating from 1815 to 1842, and consisting of correspondence, accounts, returns, etc. I. Navy Commissioners' Records. These records of the Navy Commissioners relate almost wholly to the construction, equipment, and repair of vessels, the principal func- tion of the Commissioners being the superintendence of such work. They are of considerable value for the information they contain relating to the construction, architecture, types of vessels, etc., of the old Navy, and have been used somewhat by naval historians, but they do not relate to movements of vessels or to officers, such matters being under the direct supervision of the Secretary, They are arranged in two groups : 1. Correspondence, 1816—18^2. The correspondence is in two series: (a) Letters sent; (6) Letters received. The former are arranged chronologically, the latter by \ BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR. 137 navy-yards, the letters from each yard being filed in the order of their receipt. The correspondence is chiefly with officers in navy-yards, or elsewhere, superintending the construction of vessels; it is preserved in volumes, boxes, and bundles, of which there are many hundreds, and is kept in the basement of the Navy building. 2. Accounts, Reports, Returns, etc. These papers are arranged in bundles and, being stored in chests at the Navy- Yard, are practically inaccessible. On each chest is a type- written list showing the general character of the papers within, and from these lists the records are shown to consist of the following classes : Muster-rolls, 1815-1 842 ; OflTers to furnish materials at navy-yards, 1816—1841; Sundry store returns, 1816-1842; Reports of surveys on ships and ships' stores, 1816-1843; Proposals and scales of offers for naval supplies, 1816-1843; Reports of money expended out of the " gradual increase fund *', 1817 (1 bundle); Timber reports, 1817-1819; Reports on the state and condition of naval vessels, 1818—1842 (33 bundles) ; Rules and regulations for navy-yards, 1819—1822; Appropriations, 1819-1 828 ; Monthly report of contracts, 1819-1842; Report of officers and men, 1819—1842; Vouchers, 1820-1830; Cost of building the schooner " Alligator " ; Account of sales at auction, 1824-1833; Account of provisions shipped, 1826-1831; Report of the cost of materials and labor in repairing naval vessels, 1826-1842; Monthly exhibits, 1828-1831; Navy-yard pay-rolls, 1838-1842. II. Regular Records of the Bureau. The regular records of the bureau extend from 1842 to date and consist of examination-papers, ships' surveys, specifications, contracts, records of the Board on Changes, etc. They include two chests of papers pertaining to what was called " Admiral Gregory's Office " ; these relate to vessels building outside of navy-yards between 1861 and 138 NAVY DEPARTMENT. 1866. Most of the regular records of the bureau are stored in boxes at the Navy- Yard. OFFICE OF THE JUDGE-ADVOCATE^GENERAL. The office of the Judge-Advocate-General was first established in 1865 (13 Stat. L. 468), but was not made permanent until 1880 (21 Stat. L. 164). The Judge- Advocate-General is the law officer of the Navy Department; it is his duty to revise, report upon, and have re- corded the proceedings of,, all courts-martial, courts of inquiry, and boards for the examination of officers and candidates or for special purposes, such as selection of sites; to examine and report upon all claims filed in the department; to prepare forms for bonds and con- tracts and to examine all bonds and contracts; to report on all legal questions submitted to him, etc. The records of the proceedings of courts-martial and of. boards of inquiry are the ones of most interest and historical value. They are complete since July, 1799, and are arranged chronologically in vol- umes, while there is a general index showing the names of the persons affected and the dates, charges, and departmental action in each case. The records of courts and boards are not regularly printed, but many are to be found in the congressional documents, and some are privately printed. The chief value of such records lies in the light they throw upon the details of the events to which they relate. Frequently they reveal facts about engagements and movements not included in the official reports. HEADQUARTERS OF THE MARINE CORPS. The records of the Marine Corps are said to relate largely to the personnel of that body, and consist of muster-rolls, returns, reports, enlistments, etc., including the reports of many engagements. The records of enlistments, which alone were accessible,^ date from 1798. For a detailed history of the organization, see the " History of the U. S. Marine Corps", by Richard S. CoUum (New York, 1903). ^ The archives of the Marine Corps were inaccessible while this report was in preparation, being packed in boxes and stored in the Marine Barracks. The information given above was derived through questioning members of the clerical force of the headquarters of the Marine Corps. PATENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION. 139 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. The Department of the Interior is essentially different from the other executive departments in that, instead of being concerned with but one phase of governmental activity, as the War Department, for example, is concerned with military affairs alone, it is composed of a number of large offices or bureaus performing wholly unrelated duties. The Office of Indian Affairs and the Pension Bureau, for example, have no connection whatever with each other, although the head of each is responsible to the Secretary of the Interior. It is thus unnecessary to say anything by way of general introduction to the Interior Depart- ment, the place of such an introduction being filled by the introductory statements made below under the respective bureaus or offices, each of which receives separate and independent treatment. PATENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. The Patents and Miscellaneous Division conducts the general cor- respondence of the Secretary's Office (except that relating to appoint- ments, Indians, lands, and railroads), and is therefore the repository of the more valuable classes of records of that office. In it are also kept the original schedules of the first ten censuses. The files, apart from the census schedules, consist mostly of letters sent and letters received. These commence in 1849, although some papers of earlier dates are to be found. The arrangement of the files is irregular ; until about 1881, letters received were grouped under several headings, but since that date most of them have been filed in a single series. The following list, for which acknowledgment should be made to Mr. Acker, the chief of the division, comprises chiefly what are known as the Old Files, i. e., those prior to 1881. I. Correspondence with Officers of the Government. 1. Miscellaneous letters sent, January 26, 185Ji.-June 30, 1892 (39 vols.). These letters are to members of Congress, to the President, and to heads of executive departments and bureaus; they relate to a great variety of subjects. 2. Letters received from Congress, 1850—1880 (1 file-box). Largely resolutions of the Senate or House, or requests from com- mittees asking for information. Some of the reports furnished in reply by officers of the Interior Department are filed with these letters. 140 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. 3. Presidents* letters, 1853-1880 (1 file-box). Many of these letters are wholly unimportant; a series from 1853 to 1869 relates to the Executive Mansion; another, of 1864, to the rebuilding of the President's stables. Beginning in 1864 are letters from the President submitting proposed legislation for examination. ^. Letters from the Executive Departments, 184-9—1880 (^ file-boxes). These letters are of a miscellaneous character, and are arranged by departments; those from the Secretary of State commence in 1863; from the Secretary of the Treasury in 1849; War, 1858; Navy, 1855; Agriculture, 1862-1875; Attorney-General, 1862; Postmaster-General, 1862; Smithsonian Institution, 1849. 5. Correspondence with the Judiciary. («) Letters sent, January 25, 1854, to January 27, 1869 (45 vols.). (6) Miscellaneous letters from Court of Claims, 1855-1872 (part of one file-box), relating chiefly to accommodations for the court. II. Correspondence with Bureaus of the Interior Department. 1. Letters sent to the Commissioner of Pensions, 185Jf—1883 (28 vols.). 2. Letters received from Commissioners of Pensions, 184-9-1883 (63 file-boxes). These letters are grouped in several series; they relate to such mat- ters as bounty-land claims in New Mexico, construction of pension laws, pension agents and agencies, appointments, defalcations and delinquen- cies, pension frauds and criminal practices, etc. 3. Reports (55 file-boxes). These reports are by the Commissioner of Pensions and relate to appeals in pensions and bounty-land claims; they are arranged alpha- betically. 4. Letters sent to Commissioner of Patents, 1857-1873 (1 vol.). 5. Letters received from Commissioners of Patents, 1849-1881 (9 file- boxes). These include miscellaneous letters, requests for admission of ar- ticles, such as books and models, free of duty; papers relating to well- known patent cases, to the Patent Congress in Vienna, etc. 6. Correspondence with General Land Office. This consists of one volume of miscellaneous letters sent during June, July, and August, 1877, and of one file-box of miscellaneous letters received, 1850 to 1880. PATENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION. 141 7. Miscellaneous letters from Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 1851- 1880 (part of one file-box). 8. Miscellaneous letters from Commissioner of Education, 1867-1881 (part of one file-box). Many of these relate to concerns granting worthless diplomas. 9. Miscellaneous letters from Geological Survey, 1867-1903 (S file- boxes). Included in these boxes are also letters between 1877 and 1880, re- lating to the Entomological Commissions. III. Slave Trade and Colonization Papers. A valuable class of material is that comprising the papers relating to the suppression of the slave trade and to schemes for colonizing negroes. These papers fill eight file-boxes and four volumes. All come between the dates 1854 and 1872; those relating to the suppres- sion of the slave trade consist of correspondence with United States marshals and attorneys, and with the President and members of the Cabinet, of papers relating to the slaver "Augusta", 1861-1862, and of miscellaneous correspondence; those relating to colonization schemes consist of correspondence with officers of the government, consuls, judges of mixed courts, emigration agents and commissioners, and officers of the American Colonization Society. The attempt to establish a colony on He a Vache was the occasion of much correspondence, and of full and interesting reports by agents of the government relating to the failure of the colony. IV. Territorial Papers. Much of the correspondence with territorial officers is of com- paratively little importance, relating to the construction of territorial buildings, the supply of libraries, etc. All the papers prior to 1873 are contained in a small bundle; those between 1875 and 1889 fill seventeen file-boxes, and are arranged by territories: Arizona, 1877— 1888, except 1884; Dakota, 1877-1888; Idaho, 1880-1889; Montana, 1877-1885, 1887, 1889; New Mexico, 1875-1888; Utah, 1877-1889; Washington, 1877-1889; Wyoming, 1878-1888. These are all the papers relating to territories to be found in the Interior Department. Other territorial papers are on file in the Bu- reaus of Rolls and Library and of Indexes and Archives of the State Department. 142 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. V. Federal Prisons and Penitentiaries. 1. Papers relating to the Penitentiary and Jail in the District of Columbia, 1821-1878 (15 file-boxes). These papers consist of miscellaneous papers, 1849—1878; miscel- laneous letters, 1821-1862; pardons, 1832-1862; commitments, 1831- 1862. 2. Other Federal Prisons, 1870-1872 (1 file-box). These papers consist of reports on prisoners, letters from convicts, commutations of sentence, wardens' certificates, etc. VI. Miscellaneous. 1. Buildings. There is much correspondence and other papers relating to the erec- tion of buildings in the District of Columbia; for example, Patent Office building, construction and reconstruction of, 1849—1882; Capitol ex- tension, 1851-1867; public buildings and grounds, 1851-1866; build- ings occupied by the government, 1840—1852. 2. Affairs in the District of Columbia (1 file-box). These papers relate to schools; the Canal Commission, 1870-1871; telegraphs, 1865—1880; confiscation of property under act of July 17, 1862; etc. S. Cuban expedition, 1850-1851 (part of 1 file-box). These papers relate to the case of the " Creole " ; they consist of the reports of special agents, and of correspondence, and bear upon the prosecution and punishment of the leaders of the expedition. J^. Centennial Exposition (7 file-boxes). 5. Polygamy in Utah, 1879-1887 (1 file-box). Petitions to the President in favor of, and opposed to, polygamy in Utah. 6. Pacific Railway, 1853-1861. A volume of letters addressed to the Secretary of War, relating to explorations and surveys for the route of the Pacific Railway, with special reference to the forty-seventh and forty-ninth parallels. 7. Miscellaneous letters received, 1881-1895 (76 file-boxes). VII. Census Schedules. The original census schedules are on file in this division; exclusive of the unbound schedules there are about 4,600 volumes for the first ten censuses. The following list of the schedules was furnished for PATENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION. I43 this report through the courtesy of Mr. Acker, the chief of the divi- sion ; it may be supplemented by the volume on " The History and Growth of the United States Census " by Carroll D. Wright and Wil' liam C. Hunt (S. Doc. 194, 56 Cong., 1 sess.), which contains a de- scription of these schedules (pp. 76—79) and an account of the exact character of the inquiries in each census. These original schedules contain of course the detailed information from which the printed sum- maries are compiled. 1. First Census, 1790 (27 vols.). Population only; Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Dis- trict of Columbia, North Carolina, South Carolina. 2. Second Census, 1800 (27 vols.). Population only; same states as above with addition of Delaware. 5. Third Census, 1810 (U vols.). Population and manufactures bound together; same as second cen- sus with addition of Virginia, Kentucky, and Orleans Territory. ^. Fourth Census, 1820 (96 vols.). (a) Population; 73 vols.; Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massa- chusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Penn- sylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana. (6) Manufactures, 23 vols.; same as for population except schedules for Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mis- sissippi, Rhode Island, and South Carolina are missing. 6. Fifth Census, 1830 (190 vols.). Population only; no schedules missing.^ 6. Sixth Census, 18^.0 (30J,. vols.). (o) Population, 273 vols. (6) Agriculture, Manufactures, Mines and Mining, Fish and Fish- eries, Commerce, and Education, 31 vols. 7. Seventh Census, 1850 (84.3 vols.). (a) Population, free and slave inhabitants; free, 588 vols.; slave, 81 vols, (slave schedules for Delaware and District of Columbia are miss- ing). (6) Agriculture, 101 vols. (c) Mortality, 32 vols. * Beginning with the fifth census the schedules are complete. 144 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (d) Industry, 21 vols. (e) Social Statistics, 20 vols. 8. Eighth Census, 1860 (92^ vols.). (o) Population, free and slave inhabitants, on separate schedules; free, 711 vols.; slave, 49 vols. (6) Agriculture, 106 vols, (c) Mortality, 21 vols, (c?) Manufactures, 18 vols, (e) Social Statistics, 19 vols. 9. Ninth Census, 1870 (826 vols.). (a) Population, 649 vols. (6) Agriculture, 114 vols, (c) Industry, 31 vols. (^d) Mortality, 28 vols, (e) Social Statistics, 4 vols. 10. Tenth Census, 1880 (1,828 vols.). (a) Population, 824 vols. (b) Agriculture, 322 vols. (c) Manufactures, 72 vols. (d) Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes, 58 vols. (e) Mortality, 52 vols. 11. Partial Census of 1885. Unbound schedules of population for Nebraska, Colorado, Florida, Dakota Territory, and New Mexico Territory. 12. Eleventh Census, 1890. The schedules of the eleventh census are unbound. It is estimated that the population schedules, if bound, would make about 30,000 vol- umes, owing to the form of the schedule. The agricultural schedules have been transferred to the custody of the Department of Agricul- ture; and the schedules relating to veterans have been transferred to the Pension Bureau. The schedules relating to mortality and social statistics were damaged by fire in March, 1896, and have been de- stroyed by order from the Interior Department. APPOINTMENT DIVISION, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. The Appointment Division has charge of all business concerning the appointment, removal, resignation, charges against official conduct, leaves of absence, official bonds, etc., of the officers and employees of the Department of the Interior who are appointed by the President INDIAN DIVISION, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. 145 or by the Secretary. The records consist of correspondence, papers filed with applications for appointments or with charges against offi- cials, and of all other papers and letters connected with the work of the division. The division was not organized until September, 1861, but its files commence in 1856, with the exception of the records of presidential appointments, which date from 1849. Certain papers have been, destroyed as being of no value (see H. Doc. 273, 56 Cong., 2 sess., and H. Doc. 415, 51 Cong., 1 sess.). The papers connected with each individual case are jacketed together and are made accessible by means of a card-index. Much of the ma- terial is considered confidential. INDIAN DIVISION, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. The Indian Division conducts all the business in the Secretary's Office relating to Indian affairs, except that relating to the five civilized tribes, which is conducted by the Indian Territory Division. This business consists of: (1) Matters relating to Indian lands; such as rights of Indians to lands, intruders and trespassers, cessions, reserva- tions, deeds, conveyances, surveys, allotments, leases, contracts, rail- way, canal, and irrigation rights, projected legislation, construction of treaties and laws, cattle grazing, mining and logging operations, etc. (2) Matters relating to Indian moneys; such as construction of treaties on questions of annuities, expenditure of annuities, accounts of lands and stocks in which Indian trust funds are invested, contracts with Indians for professional services in claims, projected legislation re- garding Indian annuities, etc. (3) Matters relating to the conduct of Indians; such as outbreaks, disorders, crimes, and depredations, and claims therefor, industrial employments, etc. (4) Matters relating to the support of Indians; such as construction of laws authorizing ex- penditures for Indian supplies, contracts for Indian supplies, and transportation, service of employees, etc. (5) Matters relating to Indian education; such as location and construction of Indian school buildings, contracts for conducting schools, inspections of schools, etc. (6) Inspection of the Indian service; such as instructions to inspectors, examination of inspectors' reports, accounts, etc. (7) Miscellaneous matters; such as missions and missionaries, permits to go into the Indian country, commissions appointed to negotiate with the Indians, etc. The files of the division consist of the correspondence, papers, and records relating to the above matters of business; such as correspond- 11 146 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. ence with the President and Cabinet officers, and with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, opinions of the Attorney-General, correspondence with the General Land Office and other bureaus; etc. These records should be clearly distinguished from those of the Office of Indian Affairs; they relate only to such matters as require the attention of the Secretary of the Interior, while the latter pertain to the direct administration of Indian affairs exercised by the commissioner. The files of the division are complete since 1849. OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. By the act establishing the War Department in 1789 (1 Stat. L. 49) the direct administration of Indian affairs was delegated to the Secre- tary of War, but in 1832 (4 Stat. L. 564) the office of Commissioner of Indian Affairs was created, and thereafter all business relating to the Indians was conducted by the Commissioner under the supervision of the Secretary of War, until in 1849, when the Interior Department was created, the Office of Indian Affairs was transferred to the new de- partment. The various matters of business conducted by the Office of Indian Affairs are sufficiently indicated in the account of the duties of the Indian Division of the Secretary's Office. The files of the office do not, so far as shown by the examination for this report, antedate 1800: papers between 1800 and 1832 are rare; those between 1832 and 1849 are numerous; while those from 1849 to date are practically complete, with the exception of such as have been destroyed as value- less (see H. Doc. 273, 56 Cong., 2 sess., and H. Doc. 415, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). A great many of the more important papers will be found printed in the annual reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, which contain yearly summaries of the relations with the Indians; reports of superintendents, inspectors, agents, and teachers ; important correspondence; statistical tables, etc. A very important publication is " Indian Affairs, Laws, and Treaties, 1778-1902 ", compiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler (2 vols., S. Doc. 452, 57 Cong., 1 sess.), which contains statutes, executive orders, proclamations, treaties, and statistics of tribes. Especial note should be made of the library of this office, which contains a collection, in about one hundred volumes, of the con- gressional documents, from 1827 to date, relating to Indian affairs, as well as a valuable index, compiled by the librarian. Miss Cook, to works on the Indians. Of the six divisions (Finance, Lands, Accounts, Education, Records and Files, and Miscellaneous) into which the office is organized, two. OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 147 Records and Files, and Lands, contain important records. The Rec- ords and Files Division contains, for the most part, the records of the other divisions, which are sent here to be filed and indexed. Records and Files Division. 1. General Files, 1800 to date (several thousand file-hoxes). The General Files consist of all the papers received by the office from agents or other Indian officials and contain the most valuable material in the Indian Office. While the larger part of it relates to unimpor- tant details, there are here and there papers that throw much light on the history of Indian administration. In the early Cherokee files, for example, are to be found the instructions of Secretary Dearborn out- lining the government's policy toward the Indians, and frequently picturesque letters from various Indians are to be met with. In the New Mexico files are foimd many letters from Territorial Governor Calhoun relating to the administration of the territory, the formation of political parties, and other similar subjects, while in the series relat- ing to schools is contained the whole history of Indian education. The papers received prior to 1880 are grouped by agencies or super- intendencies and arranged chronologically and alphabetically, but since that year the papers have been filed numerically. The following list shows the arrangement from 1800 to 1880. When only one date is given for a group the files are complete for that group from the given date to 1880 and then pass into the numerical arrangement. When two dates are given, as " Blackfeet, 1865—1868", the files begin in the earlier year, while those after the later date are to be found under some other heading. In all cases the first date given is that of the earliest papers in that series, although papers of earlier date relating to the same Indians may sometimes be found in some other series. Alaska, 1873-1874, Arizona, 1863, Blackfeet, 1865-1868, Caddo, 1831-1848; 1864, Cahfornia, 1849, Central Superintendency, 1851, Cherokee, 1800-1875, Cheyenne, 1871, Cheyenne and Arapahoe, 1875, Chicago, 1831-1839, Chickasaw, 1831-1868, Chippewa, 1851, Choctaw, 1831, Choctaw and Chickasaw, 1801-1830, Colorado, 1861, Council Bluffs, 1835-1856, Creek, 1809-1876, Crow Creek, 1871-1876, Crow Wing, 1817-1819, Dakota, 1861, Delaware, 1855-1872, Devil's Lake, 1871, Flandreau, 1873-1876, Florida, 1826-1850 (1843-1846 miss- ing)* Fort Berthold, 1867, Fort Leavensworth, 1831-1851, Grand River, 1871-1874, Great Nemaha, 1837-1870, Green Bay, 1831, 148 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. Idaho, 1863, Indiana, 1831-1846, Iowa, 1831-i846, Kansas, 1851-1875, Kickapoo, 1855-1875, Kiowa, 1864, La Pointe, 1831, Lower Brule, 1876, Mackinaw, 1835, Mandan, 1831-1850, Miami, 1846-1850, Michigan, 1824-1851, Minnesota, 1849-1856, Montana, 1864, Neasho, 1831-1874, Nebraska, 1876, Nevada, 1861, New Mexico, 1851, New York, 1865, North Carolina, 1876, Northern Superintendency, 1851-1876, Ohio, 1831-1843, Omaha, 1855-1876, Oregon, 1842, Osage, 1831, Osage River, 1831-1872, Otoe, 1856-1876, Ottawa, 1863-1872, Pawnee, 1859, Pima, 1859-1861, Ponca, 1859, Pottawatomie, 1848, Prairie du Chien, 1831-1842, Quapaw, 1871, Raccoon River, 1843-1845, Red Cloud, 1871, Sac and Fox, 1831, Saginaw, 1837-1846, St. Louis, 1824-1851, St. Peters, 1831-1876, Sandy Lake, 1850-1851, Santa Fe, 1849-1850, Santee, 1871-1876, Sault St. Marie, 1836-1852, Schools, 1819-1873, Seminoles, 1843-1876, Shawnee, 1855-1875, Sisseton, 1867, Southern Superintendency, 1851-1870, Spotted Tail, 1875, Standing Rock, 1875, Stocks, 1836-1873 (Indian trust funds), Texas, 1847-1859, Turkey River, 1843-1846, Union, 1875, Upper Arkansas, 1855-1874, Upper Missouri, 1831-1874, Upper Platte, 1846-1870, Utah, 1849, Washington, 1853, Western Superintendency, 1833-1851, Whetstone, 1871-1874, White River, 1875, Wichita, 1857-1878, Winnebago, 1846-1876, Wisconsin, 1836-1850, Wyandotte, 1843-1872, Wyoming, 1869, Yankton, 1859. 2, Letters Sent, 1800 to date. The letters sent are in letter books and are arranged in various series to 1886. Since 1886 the "Letter Press Books" of the various divi- sions of the Indian Office are the sole authority for outgoing letters. The earlier series are as follows: (a) November, 1800, to April, 1824 (7 vols.), containing both letters sent and the text of Indian treaties. (6) October, 1807, to April, 1818 (4 vols.). (c) "General" Letter Books, 1824 to January, 1886 (200 vols.). In 1869 these books began to be designated by the divisions handling the various subjects. BUREAU OF PENSIONS, 149 (d) "Removal and Subsistence of Indians", 1830-1836 (4 vols.). (e) Chickasaw Letter Books, 1832-1861 (3 vols.). (f) A small volume containing both letters sent and received, 1835- 1836. 8. Miscellaneous Files, 1801-1880. These files contain letters from chiefs to the President or Secretary of War, schemes of Friends and others for civilizing the Indians, speeches of Indian chiefs and talks by agents, together with much other interesting and curious material. There are but 300 papers of earlier date than 1824, and but twenty-four file-cases of papers between 1824 and 1880. 4. Agents* Ledgers, 1808-1822. These contain invoices of goods sent on accomit of the government from trading houses to the agents for " Indian factories ". The in- voices contain some valuable information as to the prices of peltries (raccoon, cat, fox, beaver, bear, otter, wolf, panther, elk, etc.) at the stations of New Orleans, Choctaw, Arkansas, Natchitoches, Fort Osage, St. Louis, Chickasaw Bluffs, Fort Wayne, Sandusky, and Fort Madison. 5. Claims Files, 1832 to date. These are arranged numerically and indexed by names. They con- sist of invoices and of affidavits and statements made by persons who have sold goods to the United States for the Indian agencies. 6. Report Booh, 1838-1885 (6Jf. vols.). Lands Division. The Lands Division contains, in addition to its " General Files " and a vast amount of unclassified material relating to the removal and the lands of the southern and northwestern tribes, a class of ** Special Files "y contained in cupboards, entitled " Reservation Letters of Creeks ", " Emigration Letters of Creeks ", " Reservation and Emigra- tion Letters " of Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Cherokees, respectively. All of this material relates to the Indians east of the Mississippi. BUREAU OF PENSIONS. The office of the Commissioner of Pensions was created in the War Department in 1833 (4 Stat. L. 622), but became a bureau in the Interior Department in 1849. For a brief statement of the legal his- tory of the office see ** A Digest of the Pension Laws, Decisions, Rul- ings, Orders, etc.", by Frank B. Curtis and William H. Webster 150 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Washington, 1885, pp. 7-10). The " Digest of Pension and Bounty- Land Decisions ", by William L. Chitty and John W. Bixler (Washing- ton, 1897) contains (introduction, cxxvii-cxxxvi) "A Brief History of the Origin and Development of the Pension System of the United States ". The principal work of the bureau consists in the examina- tion and adjudication of all claims for pensions based on services rendered in all wars of the United States. For the execution of this business the bureau is divided into a large number of divisions, whose duties are as follows: The Appointment Division has charge of all papers relating to appointments, promotions, pay-rolls, etc., of the employees in the bureau and various agencies. The Mail Division receives, stamps, and distributes all mail coming to the bureau, and has charge of despatching all outgoing mail. The Record Division receives all applications for pensions as they come from the Mail Division, examines them to determine whether they are properly made, makes a record of them and of all papers and documents filed with them, gives each claim a number, jackets it, to- gether with all papers relating to it, and then sends it to the proper division for adjudication. Thus, while the original application and the papers connected therewith do not remain in this division, there is preserved here a complete record of them. This division also collects the names and addresses of survivors and keeps such other records pertaining to soldiers and applicants for pensions as may be desirable. After a claim has been recorded and jacketed in the Record Division it passes to one of the adjudicating divisions. These are five in num- ber, and divide among them the various kinds of claims. The Old War and Navy Division adjudicates all Navy claims and all Army claims based on service prior to March 4, 1861 ; i. e,, service in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, in the Indian wars, and in the Mexican War. The Army Division adjudicates claims for service in the Regular Army after March 4, 1861 ; i. e., Veteran Reserve Corps, Veteran Vol- unteers (Hancock's Corps), United States Volunteers (Recruits from Confederate Regiments), Provost Marshals' Department, Generals and Staff Officers of Volunteers, Mississippi Marine Brigade, Ram Fleet, Miscellaneous United States Organizations and Officers, War with Spain, and Philippines and other Insurrections. The claims based on services in volunteer organizations during the Civil War are adjudicated according to locality by the Eastern Divi- sion: New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, BUREAU OF PENSIONS. 151 and Michigan. Western Division: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Nevada, California, Oregon, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and the Territories. Southern Division: District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and United States colored troops. When a claim is received in one of these divisions from the Record Division it is placed in what are known as the " pending files " of that division, while all necessary additional information relating to it is being obtained. This additional information consists of the military history of the person upon whose services the claim is based, which is obtained from the Record and Pension Office of the War Department, or from the Navy or the Treasury Department; of the record of what physical examinations are made; of whatever evidence the records of the Pension Bureau may contain; and of additional evidence called for by the division from the claimant or the claimant's attorney. When at last the necessary information has been collected, the claim, to- gether with all the papers relating to it, is placed in the " completed files ", from which it is taken in its turn to be examined and recom- mended for admission or rejection. The Board of Review then passes upon the case, and if it is admitted it is sent to the Certificate Division, where the proper record is made and the certificate is issued. It then passes to the " admitted files ", where it remains permanently. (It should be noted, however, that all cases adjudicated by the Old War and Navy Division are permanently filed in that division: the "ad- mitted files " contain the admitted cases adjudicated by the other divi- sions.) If, however, the case is rejected by the Board of Review, it is returned to the adjudicating division from which it was submitted, and is filed there. The Law Division has charge of all questions of law, including mar- riage, divorce, and guardianship; prepares criminal cases for prosecu- tion; takes cognizance of all questions pertaining to attorneys prac- ticing before the bureau; attends to new pension laws and private acts of Congress; and prepares legal opinions. The Medical Division keeps records of all examinations ordered by the bureau; keeps on file the record-books returned by the examining surgeons ; determines the proper rate of pension ; and in general super- vises the work of the examining surgeons. The Special-Examination Division takes charge of such claims as UNIVERSITY 152 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. are referred to it which require special examination in the field, as for example, when fraudulent practices are suspected. The Finance Division has charge of all appropriations for the pay- ment of pensions and of the expenses connected with the pension ser- vice, and keeps all the accounts, vouchers, records, etc., relating thereto. For fuller accounts of the duties of the various divisions and of the methods of procedure see " A Treatise on the Practice of the Pension Bureau " (Washington, 1898) ; also the annual reports of the Commis- sioner of Pensions, especially that for 1902. The above somewhat detailed account of the duties and practice of the Pension Bureau has been included in this report for the purpose of making clear the character of the files of the various divisions. It thus is seen that the great mass of the files consists of the claims and the papers relating to them, and that they are kept in the five adjudi- cating divisions, and in the " admitted files " under the supervision of the chief clerk. The financial accounts are preserved in the Finance Division; the records relating to legal questions are filed in the Law Division; while the Record Division contains the records of claims (distinguished from the claims papers themselves), , the state service records, and the records of Army and Navy survivors. There are various published compilations noted here because they make accessible the records of most importance from a legal stand- point: " Army and Navy Pension Laws, 1776—1852 ", by R. Mayo and F. Moulton (Washington, 1852; 2d edition, Baltimore, 1854); "Ab- stracts of Rulings and Orders of the Commissioner of Pensions " (Washington, 1872); "Digest of Pension Laws, Decisions, Rulings, Orders, etc.", by F. B. Curtis and W. H. Webster (Washington, 1885) ; " Digest of Pension and Bounty-Land Decisions ", by W. L. Chitty and J. W. Bixler (Washington, 1897) ; " Decisions of the Department of the Interior in Appealed Pension and Bounty-Land Claims ", 1887- 1903 (13 vols., Washington). As is evident from the foregoing description, the files have for the most part little historical value: the claims-papers and supporting evi- dence have in general only a personal or genealogical interest. It frequently happens, however, that in support of some claim documents of considerable value are filed; especially is this true of the claims filed in the Old War and Navy Division, which contains all the files of the bureau antedating 1861. For some time it has been the policy of those in charge of this division to segregate such documents as ap- pear to be of especial interest, and through the courtesy of Mr. Bryant, chief of the division, a list of such documents is included in this report BUREAU OF PENSIONS. I53 and will be found below. It should be understood that the documents listed are by no means all those of value in the files of the division, but only such as have been segregated. Further search would doubtless reveal many more, but the great bulk of the files rendered such search impracticable for the purposes of this report. While the files of this division, on account of their age, contain probably the most valuable documents, nevertheless it is doubtless true that the files of the other adjudicating divisions would be found upon thorough investigation to contain many documents and papers of value for military history sub- sequent to 1861. Such a search at this time and for this report, how- ever, is impossible. It is difficult to form an estimate of the bulk of the files of the Pension Bureau. In 1902 the "pending files" contained 339,436 cases, and the ** admitted files ", exclusive of Old War and Navy claims, contained 1,580,879 cases; in other words, the papers and documents connected with all the pending claims and with most of the admitted claims weigh approximately 500 tons. To this amount should be added the files of rejected claims and of admitted Old War and Navy claims, of which there are hundreds of thousands; the correspondence (in the year 1901-1902 alone the bureau received over 100,000 communications from Congress, nearly 500,000 miscellaneous letters, and over 31,000 communications from the departments; it sent over 1,600,000 letters of various kinds) ; and various other records and files. Work in this bureau by the investigator is practicable only when, as in the Old War and Navy Division, valuable documents have already been segregated. The files of the bureau include papers and documents from 1775 to date, but the larger part of the files do not antedate 1861. There have been no losses except those resulting from the official destruction of books and papers regarded as valueless (see H. Doc. 273, 56 Cong., 2 sess., and H. Doc. 415, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). Following is a list of the documents of historical value that have been segregated from the regular files of the Old War and Navy Divi- sion. They consist mostly of orderly books, accounts, diaries, and cor- respondence. They are arranged in the list below by states, and under each state in approximately chronological order; the parenthetic num- bers indicate the location of the various documents in the files. New Hampshire. 1. 1782-1783. Receipt book of Thomas Blake, Paymaster of the First New Hampshire; of no apparent value (38). 154 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. Massachusetts. 1. May 12 to August 25, 1775. Orderly books and roll of Captain William Reed's company, Roxbury and Dorchester (62). 2. June, 1775. Description of death of General Warren, by an eye witness (19,975). 3. July 8 to October 8, 1775. Orderly book, William Wallcer, Charleston. 4. August 10, 1775, to January 6, 1776. Two orderly books of Adjutant Jeremiah Niles, Headquarters; records of many courts- martial (33 and 14). 5. 1776. Diary of Nehemiah Gallup, of Connecticut, containing account of march of Captain Holmes's Company of Groton to White Plains (13,110). 6. August, 1777. Orderly book of Colonel Jonathan Eddy, com- manding at Machias (29). 7. 1777-1778. Orderly book of Thomas Cole, Headquarters, Boston (68). 8. 1778. Two order books of Caleb Boynton; Colonel Thomas Wil- liams's company, and Colonel Ezra Wood's regiment (regular file 1,113). 9. August 8, 1778, to January 28, 1779. Orderly book of Adjutant Richard Buckmaster, Headquarters (39). 10. 1778-1782. Receipt-book of Lieutenant and Quartermaster Wil- liam Taylor, Second Massachusetts Regiment; suggests the character of the supplies (49). 11. July 29, 1779, to July 25, 1780. Returns of Sixth Massachusetts Battalion, Samuel Frost, Lieutenant and Adjutant; diagram showing disposition of American and French forces under Wash- ington, Howe, and Rochambeau, August 1, 1781 (20). 12. 1780-1782. Quartermaster's book. Eighth Massachusetts; returns of army stores, etc., giving names of captains {S5^. 13. 1781-1783. Official correspondence relating to minor operations about Dobbs Ferry; Captain John Pray, First Massachusetts Regiment; also articles of capitulation agreed upon at the sur- render of Fort Ames, October 10, 1780 (Widow's File 16,378). 14. 1780—1784. Account of articles of clothing allowed Captain E. Smith's company. Thirteenth Massachusetts, containing rolls of members of company (45). 15. 1781—1798. Memorandum-book, register of marriages, etc., of Jonathan Eddy as justice of the peace. BUREAU OF PENSIONS. I55 16. January 10-April 8, 1782. Orderly-book of Lieutenant and Ad- jutant Francis Tufts, Eighth Massachusetts, in garrison, Boston Highlands. 17. 1804-1814. Company-book, First Regiment, Second Brigade, Falmouth, Robert Anderson, clerk of company; contains rolls, orders, records, etc., of the Falmouth company (23). 18. 1810-1828. Orderly-book for the first company of infantry in the town of Buckstown, Massachusetts. 19. 1814-1820. Roll and orderly-book of Captain Amos Pratt's com- pany of Whately; mostly orders while encamped at South Bos- ton, September 15 to October 28, 1814, as a part of General Maltby's Brigade; rolls and records as a militia company, end- ing May 20, 1820 (16). Bhode Island. 1. Detailed account of the capture of the British general Prescott in Rhode Island, by Colonel Barton (20,398). 2. October 2 to October 26, 1777. Orderly-book of Major-General Joseph Spencer, and correspondence between Brigadier Major Joseph Palmer and General Spencer, Tiverton; letters concern- ing the Burgoyne campaign (64). 3. 1779-1780. Orderly-book of Nicholas Alger, Colonel Topham's regiment, April 12 to November 25, 1779, and weekly returns of First Company, August, 1779, to July, 1780 (51). 4. May 1, 1779, to March 1, 1780. Orders, daily instructions, court- martial proceedings, and general diary. Colonel Topham's regi- ment (1). 5. October, 1785. Names of officers and soldiers commanded by Col- onels Robert Elliott, John Topham, and Archibald Crary, with balances of depreciation reported by a committee to be due (37). Connecticut. 1. 1775. Company rolls and part of orderly-book; Captains Josiah Baldwin's and Shipman's companies. Sixth and Seventh Connec- ticut regiments (16,243). 2. June 3, 1775, to October 7, 1775. Orderly-book of Colonel David Waterbury's regiment, kept on a march from Stamford, Connec- ticut, to Ticonderoga, and back (21). 3. July 31, 1775, to October 22, 1775. Journal of Captain Joseph Smith's company. Colonel David Waterbury's regiment; about twenty pages, of little interest (10). 156 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. 4. August 5, 1775, to December 13, 1775. Diary of Lieutenant Jabez Fitch, Jr., Captain Jewett's company, Colonel Huntington's regiment, full of detail and human interest (55). 5. September 7 to November 30, 1775. Ephraim Squier's diary of march in Arnold's expedition to Quebec (10,026). 6. 1776 to 1782. Account-book of Captain Edward Rogers; a very confused record. 7. April, 1776. Personal account-book of Colonel David Waterbury, showing accounts between himself and members of his regiment, as well as an account of the military equipment supplied to his men, with a history of his service, written by his son (4). 8. July 15 to October 12, 1776. Orderly-book of Ebenezer Adams, Captain Grosvenor's company. Colonel Durkee's regiment, at Fort Constitution; about fifty pages (46). 9. 1777. Nehemiah Wadsworth's accounts with teamsters employed by him; of no value (48). 10. August 15 to September 20, 1780. Sergeant Benjamin Carson's orderly-book (34). New York. 1. 1775-1777. Major-General Schuyler's ledger, 1 775-1 1 77, and account book April 30 to August 18, 1777 (68 and 12). 2. November 8, 1775, to February 26, 1776. Orders, instructions, and general diary showing daily paroles, countersigns, etc., of Arnold's expedition to Canada (19,049). 3. 1775. Order-book of Lieutenant Benjamin Evans, Second New York, begun December, 1775; very interesting (24,131). 4. 1776. Roll and accounts of Captain Samuel Potter's company. Colonel E. Dayton's regiment; also personal accounts to 1808 (-!)■ 5. May 14 to June 24, 1776. Captain Hyatt's orderly-book (40). 6. July 4 to September 22, 1776. Orderly-book of Lieutenant-Col- onel James Roberts, Ticonderoga, and Colonels Wigglesworth, Reed, Woodbridge, and Phinney (26). 7. July 30 to October 15, 1776. Orderly-book of Captain Warnert's company. Colonel Holman's regiment (17). 8. August 17 to October 5, 1776. Orderly-book, Headquarters, King's Bridge, New York; interesting record of orders and courts -martial, measures of army discipline, preparations for attack, etc.; no important engagements (15). BUREAU OF PENSIONS. 157 9. August 16 to September 14, 1776. Orderly-book of Captain William Brown; interesting details, routine orders, etc.; no en- gagements (30). 10. September 24, 1778, to July 9, 1779. Orderly-book, West Point and vicinity. New York, Danbury, Hartford, Peekskill, and Mid- dlebrook; complete and valuable, but with no details aside from orders (31). 11. May 31 to October 17, 1779. Orderly-book of Captain James Gregg; a confused and irregular orderly-book, but of some value (47). 12. 1781. Receipt-book of Ebenezer Mott, Quartermaster of Colonel Weisenfel's regiment (58). 13. 1782—1784. Receipt-book and abstracts of Lieutenant and Quar- termaster Lawrence Tremper, Colonel Willet's regiment; and personal diary for March 23, 1783, to November, 1784 (50, 61, and 19). 14. 1788-1791. Day-book of Eli Wood, New York, and a portion of the family record (66). New Jersey. 1. 1776. Orderly-book and account-book of William Walton, Cap- tain Henderson's company. Headquarters, Long Island, 1776; General Greene's orders July 10-18, 1776; accounts, apparently private, 1776-1800 (42). 2. 1777. Receipt-book of Colonel Gilbert Cooper; also contains statements of allegiance to the states, with subscriptions thereto (53). 3. May to August, 1779. Journal including two rolls of men, kept by Michael Errickson, Captain John Burrowe's Company, and Colonel Oliver Spencer's Regiment, Fourth New Jersey In- fantry. 4. 1784. " Book of marginals of notes given in payment of the sums due to the militia troops raised for the defence of the frontier of New Jersey. Copied from the margins belonging to the office of the treasurer of the said state ". Pennsylvania. 1. August to December, 1776. Account-book of Captain John Soder; no detailed items (54). 2. November 10, 1777, to May 10, 1778. Letter-book of Major James A. Wilson, commandant of garrison at Carlisle, containing correspondence with members of Board of War, officers, and others, relating to public business, supplies, recruits, etc. (57). 158 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. 3. 1777-1811. Receipt-book of Captain John Whitman; of little value (59). 4. April 27, 1779, to February 27, 1781. Receipt-book of John Weitzel, Commissioner of Issues; of little value (27). 5. 1779-1782. Quartermasters' records; memorandum books of William Bauseman, and records of team service (6, 60, and 43). 6. July-October, 1780. Three orderly-books of the Tenth Pennsyl- vania; containing marching orders, records of courts -martial, etc.; no engagements recorded (9, 18, and 22). 7. July 24 to August 23, 1780. Orderly-book of James McLean, Lieutenant and Adjutant, Peekskill and Orangetown; of value, 200 pages. 8. 1781-1802. Docket of Justice of Peace, probably Northumber- land County, 271 pages (67). 9. 1782. Personal account and orderly-book of Captain Mark Har- din, captain of pack-horses ; contains some genealogical data, but otherwise of no value (8). 10. July 7 to August 3, 1783. Diary by unknown person, of General Ephraim Douglas's trip, as bearer of the news of the restoration of peace, to the military posts on the northwestern frontier; largely descriptions of travel with good account of reception by Delawares and Wyandottes; ends half-mile before reaching Detroit (56). Virginia. 1. 1776-1782. Rolls of Captain John Morton's company. Fourth Virginia, June 28 to August 28, 1776, and accounts of provisions gathered in Prince Edward County, 1780-1782 (11). 2. May 21, 1777, to January 3, 1778. Orderly-book and account- book of Captain John Brown, Virginia; in camp at Philadelphia and Valley Forge (52). 3. October 17 to December 8, 1778. Account-book and orderly-books of Captain McCready, Colonel Hugh Stevenson's regiment, Vir- ginia and Maryland Rifle Corps; interesting details of camp life (24 and 5). 4. Claims against Virginia. One large volume of (a) transcripts relating to the claims against Virginia assumed by the United States on the transfer of the Northwest Territory; (6) returns of officers in actual service and of supernumeraries, Illinois ^ regiment, 1782; (c) correspondence relating to claims against Virginia and to Virginia troops in the Northwest before 1781; (d) instructions to G. R. Clark, 1778-1781. BUREAU OF PENSIONS. I59 5. 1779. Account-book of James Hunt, of no apparent value (28). 6. March 4 to April 10, 1781. Orderly-book of Adjutant John Piper, of the Prince William and Fairfax Militia, at Williamsburg (32). 7. 1812—1821. An account of the military proceedings in the county of Kanawha, kept by Colonel John Stark, Henry White, and Matthew Dunbar; records of proceedings at meetings of militia, and records of musters, fines for non-attendance, etc. (65). North Carolina. 1. Private journal and letters of Captain Abraham Phillips, during the Revolutionary War (8,184). 2. G. B. Dubley's letter narrating Greene's campaign in North Caro- lina (8,681). 3. 1799—1804. "Journal of occurrences", some twenty pages of fragmentary records of dealings with the Indians, especially with the Cherokees (41). South Carolina. 1. Interesting narrative by T. Dennis of his services in the partizan warfare in South Carolina, including the battle of Cowpens (10,672). Miscellaneous. 1. Letters. Clinton; August 2, 1776. Bensted, Alexander; August 21, 1776. Washington, George; February 27, 1778; March 9, 1778 (both from Valley Forge, file No. 16,711); June 26, 1778, with address to Friends of America at Trenton of December 31, 1776 (No. 4,607); August 3, 1779 (No. 18,087); May 26, 1780 (No. 16,711); June 27, 1781; July 21, 1781. Henry, James M.; May 30, 1778. Greene, General; January 29, 1780; March 5, 1782. Livingston, Governor; November 20, 1780; June 5, 1781. Pickering, General Timothy; December 14, 1780. 2. May, 1775. Josiah Demming describes the dispute between Bene- dict Arnold and Ethan Allen as to command (23,207). 3. 1776. Account of the treatment of prisoners who surrendered at Fort Washington on November 16, 1776 (8,256). 4. 1778-1780. Accounts of Julius Deming, Commissioner of Issues, with Henry Champion (13). 160 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. 5. 1781. List of American prisoners exchanged (one small volume) ; this list gives the name, rank, date of commission, corps, date and place of capture of the prisoners to be exchanged, and the conditions agreed upon. 6. 1780. Returns of provisions and stores by Samuel H. Phillips, Commissary-General, February, March, April, and May (17,018). 7. 1781. Account of Cornwallis's surrender (18,977). 8. A list of the officers and men on the United States frigate "Adams" for the year 1800 (3). GENERAL LAND OFFICE. The General Land Office as a distinct bureau was created in the Treasury Department in 1812 (2 Stat. L. 716). Its duties, prior to that time, had been performed by the various departments, especially by the Treasury and War Departments (1 Stat. L. 49, 65, 467; 2 ibid., 75, 282). In 1849 the office vras transferred to the Interior Depart- ment. The General Land Office transacts or supervises all the business relating to the survey, disposition, and patenting of the public lands, and holds the records of title to aU the public domain. At present it is divided into thirteen divisions for the transaction of its business. For a history of the office and of the administration of the public lands reference is made to " The Public Domain ", by Thomas Donaldson (H. Ex. Doc. 47, 46 Cong., 3 sess., part 4, especially chapter vi). The duties of the various divisions are fully described in the annual reports of the Commissioner of the General Land Office. In general the records and files of the Land Office are of great im- portance, constituting, as they have been said to, the " Domesday Book of the Public Domain of the United States ". They are considered more fully below under the various divisions of the office. The office has no files, so far as shown by this investigation, prior to 1792, and in the fire of 1814 the military warrants that had been located and patented, and the final certificates and other papers relating to pur- chased lands that had been patented, were burned (" American State Papers, Miscellaneous ", II, 248). Certain papers have also been destroyed as useless (H. Doc. 273, 56 Cong., 2 sess.; H. Doc. 415, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). A great deal of material, especially the correspond- ence of the Secretary of the Treasury prior to 1849, relating to public lands, is filed in the Division of Mail and Files of the Office of the Secretary of the Treasury. As a whole the records of the General Land Office are remarkably complete. The bulk of the files of the GENERAL LAND OFFICE. 161 office is too great to be readily estimated; a great many rooms and a large part of the basement of the old Post-office building, where the office is located, are filled with the records and papers. There is no general file-room, each division filing and preserving its own records, a fact which materially complicates the work of the investigator. An inventory of the files for this report is impracticable, nor would it be of sufficient value to warrant it. It is believed, however, that the brief descriptions below convey an adequate idea of the material to be found in the office. Some of the more important material has been made accessible through the publications of the office, for a list of which ^to 1881 see S. Ex. Doc. 182, 47 Cong., 1 sess. Since 1881 the depart- ment and office decisions have been published: "Decisions of the Department of the Interior and General Land Office in Cases Relating to the Public Lands, July, 1881-December 31, 1902 " (31 vols., Wash- ington, 1887-1903). The annual reports prior to 1881 contain many of the earlier decisions. A reference should be made in this place to some records of great value which are under the jurisdiction of the General Land Office, but which are not located in Washington. In the office of the United States Surveyor-General of California, at San Fran- cisco, are the Spanish archives of California. They consist of 301 bound volumes of original papers and documents, and comprise the political, civil, military, and ecclesiastical records of California prior to its cession to the United States. Among the various classes of docu- ments may be noted: records of legislative proceedings, state papers, governors' correspondence, records of various revolts, diaries of expe- ditions, police regulations, diplomatic papers, records of land grants and marriages, invoices of goods, papers relating to the American inva- sion, etc. For more detailed statements see the annual reports of the Surveyor-General of California accompanying the annual reports of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, especially those for the years 1892, 1899, 1900, and 1902. The office of the Surveyor-General of Florida, at Tallahassee, contains the Spanish archives of both West Florida and East Florida, but those of West Florida are very incom- plete (see the annual reports of the General Land Office for 1890, p. 401, and 1896, p. 391). I. Chief Clerk's Division. In the Chief Clerk's Division are kept a docket of all communica- tions received and the records of all matters relating to the personnel of the General Land Office, such as appointments, resignations, charges of misconduct, etc. 12 162 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, II. Recorder's Division. The Recorder's Division contains the record of all patents issued, and the files of correspondence, certificates, proofs, and other docu- ments upon which the patents are based. The records of patents are complete from the earliest times, but the files of the original papers are said to have been destroyed by fire in 1814, and are incomplete prior to 1836. The earliest of the extant files are not readily acces- sible. III. Public Laxds Division. In the Public Lands Division are preserved the " tract-books ", which constitute the greater part of its archives. In these " tract- books " space is allowed for each legal subdivision of land established by surveys, which has been or is a part of the public domain. In the space there allowed for each section of land is noted everything affect- ing the status of that section, such as entries, filings, selections, grants, reservations, cancellations, claims, contests, conflicts, etc. In addition to these " tract-books " there are kept letter-records, in which are found records of all correspondence relating to the duties of the division from 1796 to date. IV. Division of Public Surveys. The Division of Public Surveys supervises all work relating to the public surveys, prepares instructions to the surveyors-general, examines and passes upon all contracts for surveying, examines all plats and field-notes of surveys, and superintends the running of boundaries when done by the General Land Office. For a history of the legislation relating to surveys see the " Manual of Surveying Instructions " (Washington, 1902), and for the reports of the surveyors-general see the annual reports of the Commissioner. The archives of the division consist mainly of correspondence, and show the old methods of surveying, the physical features of the land surveyed, and the difficulties and often opposition encountered in mak- ing the surveys. The correspondence consists of the letters received, kept in file-boxes, and of copies of the letters sent, preserved in letter- books; it is arranged in five groups: (1) Executive, with Cabinet and bureau officers; (2) Registers and receivers, relating to the actual dis- position of the land; (3) Surveyors-general; (4) Examiners, relating to the examination of contract-surveys; (5) Miscellaneous. The oldest correspondence is contained in a volume of letters dated 1796-1816. GENERAL LAND OFFICE. 163 V. Railroads Divisiok. The Railroads Division registers entries of lands within railroad, wagon-road, and canal-grant limits, dockets contested entries and ap- plications for lands therein, examines and decides such applications and entries, conducts all correspondence relating to the disposal of lands within railroad, wagon-road, and canal-grant limits, lists, certifies, pat- ents, and adjusts railroad and wagon-road lands, and registers, exam- ines, and recommends for approval all articles of incorporation and all maps filed by railroad companies claiming right of way over public lands under the act of March 3, 1875 (18 Stat. L. 482), and under other acts granting right of way. The files of the division are grouped as follows: (1) Letters sent, relating to all matters; important for determining the land policy of the government so far as it relates to railroads, canals, and irrigation; (2) Letters and papers received, relating to cases in dispute between the railroads and the government; (3) Letters from railroads, relating to all matters not in dispute concerning land grants, such as lists of lands sold; (4) Letters and papers received, relating to qanals and irri- gation, ditches, reservoirs, etc., except those constructed by the govern- ment; (5) Maps of permanent location filed by railroads, showing the exact lines of the respective roads and all the lands involved; (6) De- cisions of the Secretary of the Interior relating to railroads, canals, etc. There are other kinds of material, but all of real importance are included in the foregoing classification. For lists of railroad and other grants made, the records relating to which are on file in this division, see the annual report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office for 1902, under " Railroad Division '*. The Railroad Division was established in 1872 and its records before that date are not complete. It has, however, practically all the rail- road files since 1850, when the first grant was made, while there is material relating to canals of as early date as 1829, and the Secretary's decisions commence in 1859. VI. Preemption Division. The Preemption Division examines, acts upon, and keeps the records of all claims to lands arising under the preemption, timber-culture, desert-land, and town-site laws, and under grants to the several states for educational, charitable, and other purposes. It locates and patents claims to lands in territory acquired by the United States by cession, when such claims originated under the former government prior to the •cession of the territory, and have since been confirmed by Congress. 164 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. It also has charge of Indian lands and of the examination and patent- ing of such lands^ and adjudicates all contests coming before the Gen- eral Land Office in which preemption rights^ desert-land claims, timber- culture claims, town-site questions, or Indian claims are involved. Finally it examines the proofs in Alaskan entries. Of especial value among the records of this division should be the decisions, of which there are a great many each year. The earliest patent recorded in the division is dated March 3, 1792. VII. Contest Division. The Contest Division disposes of controversies arising between indi- viduals where rights under the homestead, timber, and stone laws, and locations of land-scrip under various acts of Congress are involved. The principal records of the division consist of correspondence, deci- sions, and the testimony, pleadings, and arguments relating to the various cases of contest coming before the division. VIII. Swamp-Land Division. The Swamp-Land Division examines and records the lists of lands selected and reported as inuring to certain states under the acts of Con- gress granting swamp and overflowed lands to public land states (see 9 Stat. L. 252, 519; 10 ibid., 634; 11 ibid., 251; 12 ibid., 3; 14 ibid., 218; 17 ibid., 37, 404*; 18 ibid., 282; 19 ibid., 334, 395; 21 ibid., 171) ; issues and records patents for those lands; and records, indexes, and files the correspondence, decisions, papers, and other records relating to claims arising under the acts cited above. IX. Drafting Division. The Drafting Division performs all the drafting required by the General Land Office and is the custodian of all the official field-notes of surveys of the public domain and of the originals and photolitho- graphic copies of maps and plats relating thereto. X. Division of Accounts. The Division of Accounts contains all the accounts of all the receipts and disbursements of money by the General Land Office. The prin- cipal classes of accounts are as follows: (a) Receipts; quarterly ac- counts of receivers of public moneys (sales of public and Indian lands), quarterly accounts of receivers of public moneys (unearned fees and unofficial moneys), accounts of moneys collected on account of depreda- tions on public timber, accounts of moneys collected on account of sales of public timber (acts of March 3, 1891, and June 4, 1897), accounts GENERAL LAND OFFICE. 165 of moneys received from sales of government property (old furniture, etc.)^ accounts of moneys received by town-site boards, accounts of moneys deposited by individuals to cover the cost of office work in con- nection with the survey of mining claims, accounts of receiving clerk. General Land Office, for moneys received from certified copies and transcripts of records. (6) Disbursements; quarterly accounts of receivers of public moneys as special disbursing agents, quarterly ac- counts of receivers of public moneys (unearned fees and unofficial moneys), quarterly accounts of surveyors-general as disbursing agents, state-fund accounts, repayment accounts for lands erroneously sold, accounts of deputy surveyors, accounts of town-site boards, miscella- neous accounts (special agents, inspectors, forest superintendents, supervisors, and rangers), and contingent, transportation, and other accounts. The surveying contracts are also kept in this division. Many kinds of work are performed by the division that cannot be conveniently tabulated. Of such may be noted the preparation of estimates for all annual and special appropriations for the land service, the tabulation of numerous statements relating to public lands and to their survey and disposal imder the various acts of Congress, the investigation of claims before the Court of Claims, the preparation of reports on bills pending before Congress, the receipt, examination, recording, and dis- tribution to other divisions of registers' returns, and the compilation of statistics for the annual report. The correspondence of this division is very voluminous, amounting in the year ending June 30, 1902, to nearly 50,000 letters received and sent. The letters are filed according to a fourfold classification: (1) Registers' and receivers' letters; (2) Surveyors'-general letters; (3) Departmental letters; (4) Miscellaneous letters. XI. Mineral Division. The Mineral Division has charge of the following matters: (1) Mineral and coal entries; (2) All contests and quasi contests in which the character, whether agricultural, mineral, or saline, of the public land is involved; (3) Agricultural filings and entries in which a ques- tion as to the character of the land is involved; (4) Railroad, state, and forest lieu selections referred to this division for examination as to the character of the land selected and the proximity of such selec- tions to mineral lands; (5) Petitions for suit by the United States to set aside patents on mining and coal claims and on all mineral and coal lands that are alleged to have been erroneously or fraudulently 166 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. patented as agricultural lands; (6) Certified copies of papers, plats, and records relating to mineral lands or coal lands; (7) Relinquish- ments and amendments of entries or filings in which the character of the land is in question; (8) Correspondence and instructions to regis- ters and receivers and United States surveyors-general in all matters relating to the disposal of mineral and coal lands; (9) The prepara- tion, recording, and transmitting of all mineral and coal patents; (10) The work of the mineral land commissioners appointed under the acts of February 26, 1895, and June 6, 1900, to classify the granted lands within the limits of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company's grants in the mineral districts of Bozeman, Helena, and Missoula, in Montana, and in Coeur d'Alene, in Idaho; (11) Examination of bonds of United States mineral surveyors. XII. Special Service Division. The Special Service Division investigates fraudulent entries and receives and investigates complaints of depredations upon public tim- ber. Its records consist mainly of correspondence and reports of its agents on cases under investigation. XIII. Forestry Divisiok. The Forestry Division was established in March, 1901 ; its duties and records relate to the creation and administration of forest reserves and consist of correspondence and reports of forest officers. For lists of forest reserves see the annual reports of the Commissioner of the Gen- eral Land Office. PATENT OFFICE. Although provision for the granting of patents was made as early as 1790 (1 Stat. L. 109, 318), the Patent Office was not established by law until 1836, when it was made an office in the Department of State, and a Commissioner of Patents was appointed as its head (5 Stat. L. 117). In 1849 it was transferred to the Interior Department. For a brief history of the patent system in the United States see the annual report of the Commissioner of Patents for 1900 (pp. viii-xii). The archives of the Patent Office are practically complete from 1836 and consist of the models, books, records, drawings, specifications, cor- respondence, etc., relating to the granting of patents. The files of most value are the applications for patents and the accompanying papers. With each application are placed the correspondence and other papers relating to it, and the whole is then filed according to a numerical system, so that all the papers bearing on any one case can be readily f pund. / OF THE \ J y,\j!\/FP<5lTy 1 BUREAU OF EDUCATION. 1(^7 In the fire of December 15, 183G, everything in the Patent Office, both records and models, was destroyed (H. Rept. 134, p. 38, 24 Cong., 2 sess.). Some of the records and most of the models were restored, however, so that there is scattering material consisting of ledger vol- umes of fair copies of papers and correspondence, dating from as early as 1790. On September 24, 1877, another fire destroyed 87,000 mod- els, 40,000 sets of photograph copies of drawings, and 30 patented drawings, but no books or original records and files in patented cases were lost (H. Ex. Doc. 2, 45 Cong., 1 sess.). The material lost in this fire has been partially restored. For a list of papers and files de- stroyed by authority of Congress as being of no value see H. Doc. 273, 56 Cong., 2 sess. The important material in the Patent Office is rendered accessible through various publications. A " Subject-Matter Index of Patents for Inventions issued by the United States Patent Office, 1790-1873 " (4 vols., Washington, 1874) furnishes a guide to the files of applica- tions and other papers from the earliest times. Prior to 1836 the Secretary of State reported annual lists of patentees and patents, which may be found in the congressional documents. From 1836—1837 to 1842 the Commissioner of Patents made similar reports to Congress, and from 1843 to 1852 the claims of the patents granted were included, while from 1853 to 1870 drawings and brief abstracts were added. From 1872 the "Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office" has been published weekly ; this contains lists of patents and patentees, drawings, descriptions, and claims, and the decisions of the Commis- sioner. Commencing with May 30, 1871, the "Specifications and Drawings of Patents " have been published, and deposited in various libraries throughout the country. The decisions of the Commissioner have been published since 1869: "Decisions of the Commissioner of Patents and of United States Courts in Patent and Trade-Mark Cases " (10 vols., Washington, 1869-1901). A list of the publications of the office to 1881 is contained in S. Ex. Doc. 182, 47 Cong., 1 sess. Mention should be made of the library of the Patent Office, which is well equipped with works on mechanical inventions, and has very complete files of the patent reports and publications of various coun- tries. BUREAU OF EDUCATION. In 1867 an independent Department of Education was established (14 Stat. L. 434), but the following year it was made a bureau in the Interior Department (15 Stat. L. 106). The duties of the bureau comprise the collection of such statistics and facts as shall show the 168 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. progress of education in the United States, the diffusion of information relating to school organization and methods of teaching, the supervision of education in Alaska, and the administration of the endowment fund for the support of agricultural and mechanic arts colleges. For a full account of the establishment and purpose of the bureau attention is called to " Answers to Inquiries about the U. S. Bureau of Education, its Work and History ", by Charles Warren, M.D. (Washington, 1883). The "Annual Statement of the Commissioner of Education to the Secretary of the Interior" for 1902 shows the organization of the bureau and the work of each division. The publications of the bureau are both numerous and important, and a complete list of them is to be found in the annual report of the Commissioner for 1900—1901 (volume I, pp. ciii— cxii). From the character of the duties of this bureau it follows that it has practically no unpublished files or records, apart from its purely admin- istrative correspondence, accounts, and records, which are of course of no historical value. The original unpublished material collected by the bureau, from which its statistical tables and other published information are derived, consists of the various reports made to it on prepared forms. These reports represent about ninety per cent, of the state and city school systems, secondary schools, both public and private, normal schools, universities and colleges, women's colleges, professional schools, colored schools, and schools for the defective and delinquent classes; they rep- resent all the agricultural and mechanic arts colleges, which are re- quired by law to make reports to the bureau. These reports are pre- served for five years and then destroyed. The Alaskan reports con- stitute a class by themselves ; a monthly report on a fixed form, and an annual report, the form of which is left to the individual, are made by each teacher; and all of these reports, since their introduction in 1885, are preserved in the bureau. The most valuable printed material collected by the bureau is com- posed of educational catalogues, reports, statistics, and other publica- tions of states, cities, towns, private institutions, foreign countries, etc. This collection is practically complete for the United States since 1867, although some documents of an earlier date are to' be found, and in- cludes the more important of the foreign publications. For educa- tional statistics or history it is evident that such a collection is of the highest value. A second class of published material comprises educa- tional periodicals. Of these the bureau has a very large collection, which is practically complete for the United States and which includes GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 1(59 the most important foreign publications, especially those of France and Germany. Finally the bureau possesses two extensive collections of books, one on pedagogy, the other on penology and criminology. All the material of the bureau is rendered easily accessible by means of its arrangement and an excellent card-catalogue, which includes ref- erences to important articles in periodicals. The collections of the bureau are at the service of all interested in education and are much used by such persons, either through requests for information or through personal investigation. OFFICE OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. The office of the Geological Survey as a distinct bureau in the Inte- rior Department was established in 1879 (20 Stat. L. 394), but geo- logical and geographical surveys of various parts of the country had been conducted since the Lewis and Clarke expedition. An excellent brief account of these earlier surveys and of the establishment of the office of the Geological Survey, with especial reference to the legisla- tion on the subject, is to be found in H. Rept. 1285, 49 Cong., 1 sess., while " The United States Geological Survey ", by the Director, C. D. Walcott, in the " Popular Science Monthly " for February, 1895, gives an account of the work of the Survey. The office has no manuscript records or files of importance which have not been printed. A com- plete list of its publications is to be found in " Catalogue and Index of the Publications of the United States Geological Survey, 1880- 1901 ", by P. C. Warman (Bulletin No. 177, U. S. Geological Survey, H. Doc. 535, 56 Cong., 2 sess.). For lists of the publications of the Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, which preceded the Geological Survey, see S. Ex. Doc. 182, 47 Cong., 1 sess., and H. Doc. 600, 58 Cong., 2 sess. For papers destroyed as valueless see H. Doc. 273, 56 Cong., 2 sess., and H. Doc. 415, 57 Cong., 1 sess. 170 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The Department of Agriculture supervises all public business relat- ing to the agricultural industry, has advisory supervision over agricul- tural experiment-stations having governmental support, and makes quarantine regulations for traffic in animals. Among its duties are the preservation, introduction, propagation, and distribution of animals, seeds, and plants, and the diffusion of information on subjects con- nected with agriculture. The work of the Department of Agriculture is of such a character that its records and files can hardly be said to possess any value for historical purposes. In so far as they consist of reports, monographs, or papers on scientific subjects, they have been printed, inasmuch as one of the chief purposes of the department is to diffuse scientific knowledge through its publications. A list of these publications has been prepared and can readily be procured, so that any further de- scription here of this part of the department's work is unnecessary (see " List of Titles of Publications of the United States Department of Agriculture, 1840, to June, 1901 ", compiled by R. B. Handy and Minna A. Cannon; Division of Publications, Bulletin No. 6, 1902). For a history of the department see C. H. Greathouse's " Historical Sketch of the United States Department of Agriculture " (Division of Publications, Bulletin No. 3, 1898). The "Year-Books" of the de- partment contain much information relating to agriculture in the United States, and the one for 1899 contains valuable summaries of agricul- tural development. The files of the department are wholly administrative; the only ones possessing any probable historical interest are the letters and papers comprising the correspondence of the Secretary. Here are occasionally to be found letters which bear on such subjects as the importation of American food products into foreign countries, the construction of the laws relating to oleomargarine or to animal diseases, irrigation and other internal improvements, settlement on the public lands, foreign markets, etc., and which are of sufficient importance to be of use to the investi- gator. The department has no files prior to its establishment in 1863, and the Secretary's correspondence is complete only from 1872. Since 1894 a card-index to the subjects and names in these letters has been kept. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR. 171 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR. The Department of Commerce and Labor, like the Department of the Interior, is composed of unrelated bureaus. It has few records of any value from the point of view of the historian, and the larger part of the valuable material in the various bureaus is to be found in printed form. Thus the Bureau of Statistics, for example, is distinctly a pub- lishing bureau, and has no unprinted material in its files. COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY. A coast survey was authorized by Congress in 1807 (2 Stat. L. 413), and the history of the Coast and Geodetic Survey is generally regarded as commencing with that act. The present duties of the Survey are to survey the coasts and the navigable portions of rivers under the juris- diction of the United States, to take deep-sea soundings and tempera- ture, current, and magnetic observations, to determine heights and geo- graphical positions, etc. The results of the surveys are published in various forms, and a complete list of these publications is to be found in " List and Catalogue of the Publications issued by the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1816-1902 ", by E. L. Burchard, Librarian (Washington, 1902). A brief sketch of the organization of the Sur- vey, with especial reference to the legislation relating to it, may be found in H. Rept. 1285, 49 Cong., 1 sess. The archives of the Survey contain comparatively little of value to the investigator that has not been published, with the exception of some unprinted maps and surveys, and the collections of correspondence. The files are admirably arranged and indexed, and access to them and to the library is readily granted. I. CORRESPOKDENCE. 1. Hassler Letters, 1803-18^3 (1 vol.). These relate to the early history and work of the Survey and were collected by Mr. Burchard. They are bound in chronological order. 2. General Correspondence, 18Jf.li. to date (over 2,000 vols.). The general character of this correspondence is indicated by the various titles under which it is bound: Military and Naval Assistants, being the correspondence of the bureau with those officers ; Manuscripts of Discussions, relating to the work of the office; Miscellaneous and Scientific and Business Papers, correspondence between Treasury, 172 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR. Navy^ and War Departments; Civil Assistants and Primary Triangu- lations; Miscellaneous Correspondence; Private Correspondence, relat- ing to requests for employment and answers thereto, etc. ; Applications, Testimonials, and Replies; Correspondence with Western Coast Super- intendent's Party and Extra Observers (1850); Western Coast and Light-House Correspondence; Monthly Reports and Sketches; Papers relating to Tides; Instruction Book; Military Assistants; Reports of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey (1852-1856) ; Tides and Cur- rents; Sailing Directions and List of Harbors; Disbursing Agents and Business Papers. For the Civil War period (1861-1865) there are seventy-two volumes, of which those entitled " War and Navy Assist- ants " contain many interesting details of the prosecution of the war. The correspondence previous to 1 844 was probably retained by Hassler and is published to some extent in his memoirs. This correspondence is chronologically arranged and indexed on cards. II. Technical Manuscripts axd Other Collections. 1. Technical Manuscripts, 1817 to date. This material relates to surveys, geodetic triangulation, hypsometry, magnetics, tides, and currents. It is arranged by countries in Cutter's geographic order and is indexed under place, subject, and date. See the " List and Catalogue of the Publications of the Coast and Geodetic Survey " for such of these manuscripts as are printed. 2. Manuscript Maps, 1835 to date (many thousand maps). The maps prior to 1835 are bound with the correspondence. Many of the maps made during war periods are the work of spies and of great value. There is in the office of the Survey a complete list of all the unpublished maps. S. Special Collection of Reports on Service of the Coast Survey Officers during the Civil War, 1861-1865 (2 vols.). Manuscripts relating to surveying in front of the advancing armies; arranged chronologically. 4-. Manuscript Notes in the Library, 1861-1865 (1 vol.). " Notes on the Coast of the United States ", by A. D. Bache; com- piled for the confidential use of the Navy during the Civil War and not published. 5. Nervspaper Clippings, 18Jf.6 to date (J/, vols.). This collection of newspaper clippings relates to the work of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. OFFICE OF STEAMBOAT INSPECTION. 173 COMMISSIONER OF NAVIGATION. The office of Commissioner of Navigation was established in 1884 (23 Stat. L. 118). His duties are connected with the supervision of the merchant marine and seamen of the United States, the issuing and filing of marine documents (registers, enrolments, licenses, etc.), the rendering of decisions in questions concerning marine documents and the collection and refunding of tonnage taxes, the changing of names of vessels, preparing an annual list of vessels, receiving the reports of the shipping commissioners, etc. Some of these duties were formerly performed in the offices of the Register and of the Secretary of the Treasury, but the records relating to them were transferred to the new office upon its establishment. The principal classes of records in the office of the Commissioner of Navigation are papers and documents relating to appeals, requests for instructions, decisions, orders, regula- tions, marine documents, accounts of tonnage, abstract of tonnage tax, annual lists of vessels, statements of vessels built, accounts of vessels lost and abandoned, applications for signal letters, requests for official numbers, and shipping commissioners' accounts. For the student of the merchant marine and commerce these records should be of great value, but it is probable that the information of most interest is pub- lished in the annual reports of the Commissioner. The oldest records in the office are the marine documents, which date / from 1815 and show the ownership and construction of vessels and the dates and places of building. Some papers have been destroyed as valueless (see S. Rept. 1048, 53 Cong., 3 sess., and S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.). The files are all so arranged and indexed that any par- ticular paper or the papers relating to any particular subject can be readily found. OFFICE OF STEAMBOAT INSPECTION. While steamboat inspection has been provided for by law from the earliest days of steam navigation (2 Stat. L. 694; 4 ibid., 129; 5 ibid., 261, 626; 9 ibid., 380; 10 ibid., 61), the office of Supervising Inspector- General of Steam Vessels was not established until 1871 (16 Stat. L. 458). It is the duty of this officer to superintend the administration of the steamboat-inspection laws, and to receive and examine the reports and accounts of inspectors. The manuscript records of the office date from 1871, but are of such a technical character that they can hardly be said to possess historical value. They consist of correspondence, ex- pense accounts, and reports of various kinds, such as reports on the life- boat and life-raft equipment of passenger steamers, semi-monthly re- 174 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR. ports on ferry and passenger steamers^ reports of tensile tests, state- ments of public property received and examined, statements of officers' licenses issued, reports of examinations for masters, pilots, and mates of ocean-going steamers, reports on changes in the character of steam- ers, on life-preservers examined, of casualties and violations of the law, of excursion permits issued, weekly reports of local inspectors, etc. Material of possible interest to the student is to be found in the annual reports of the Supervising Inspector-General. For papers destroyed as valueless see S. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess. ; S. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.; S. Doc. 97, 51 Cong., 1 sess.; and S. Doc. 348, 51 Cong., 1 sess. LIGHT-HOUSE BOARD. The Light-House Board was established in 1852 (10 Stat. L. 119); prior to that time the superintendence of light-houses had devolved upon various officers of the Treasury Department. In chapter iii of " The Modern Light-House Service ", by Arnold Burges Johnson (Washing- ton, 1890) is a historical sketch of the light-house establishment of the United States from the earliest times. The records of the service prior to 1852 are scattered (see, for example, under Mail and Files Division, Treasury Department), though some few of them have been collected by A. B. Johnson, the chief clerk of the Board. The records since 1852 are preserved in the office of the chief clerk, with the exception of those officially destroyed as being valueless (see S. Ex. Doc. 44, 51 Cong., 1 sess.; S. Rept. 1048, 53 Cong., 3 sess.; Sen. Doc. 246, 55 Cong., 2 sess.; and S. Doc. 97, 57 Cong., 1 sess.). They consist largely of reports and correspondence and contain practically nothing of his- torical value not published in the annual reports of the Light-House Board. BUREAU OF LABOR. The Bureau of Labor was created in the Interior Department in 1884 (23 Stat. L. 60), but in 1888 was established as an independent Depart- ment of Labor (25 Stat. L. 182). In 1903, upon the creation of the Department of Commerce and Labor, it was made a bureau in that department. Its duties are to collect and diffuse information on all subjects connected with labor, its hours, earnings, relations to capital, disputes, etc. A sketch of the organization and functions of the bureau is to be found in " The Working of the Department of Labor ", by Carroll D. Wright (** Monographs on Social Economics ", No. 1, edited by Charles H. Verrill, Washington, 1901). There are no original records in the Bureau of Labor that are acces- sible, the information that is collected but not published being regarded BUREAU OF CORPORATIONS. I75 as confidential. There is, however, very little material of any value that is not published. For a descriptive list of the publications of this bureau see " The Working of the Department of Labor ", referred to above. The library of the Bureau of Labor contains the material of most value to the student. It possesses over 10,000 volumes, and has excel- lent collections of pamphlets, trade-union publications such as period- icals, reports, proceedings, constitutions, etc., reports of state labor bureaus, and the labor reports, statistical year-books, and other publi- cations of foreign cities and countries. BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION. The Bureau of Immigration was created in the Treasury Department in 1891 (26 Stat. L. 1085) and transferred to the Department of Com- merce and Labor upon its establishment in 1903. The Commissioner- General of Immigration administers the Chinese-exclusion laws, pre- pares and revises all regulations pertaining to immigration, supervises the expenditures of the various appropriations for the execution of the immigration laws, conducts all correspondence connected with those laws, and renders decisions, subject to the approval of the Secretary, on all cases arising under them that are appealed from the decisions of local officers. The records of the bureau extend from 1891 to date and are arranged in two classes: (1) Relative to Chinese exclusion; (2) relative to other immigration. They consist almost entirely of cor- respondence and other papers relative to the cases of individual immi- grants about whom some question has arisen. The principal value of the records lies in their bearing upon the administration of the immi- gration laws. Important decisions are to be found in the printed Treasury decisions, and the most valuable of the statistical information will be found in the annual reports of the Commissioner-General and in various other governmental publications, notably those of the Bureau of Statistics. The files are admirably arranged; all the papers relating to a case are filed together, and each case receives a number which enables it to be readily found. BUREAU OF CORPORATIONS. The Bureau of Corporations was created in July, 1903, and occupies the same position as regards corporations, joint-stock companies, and corporate combinations engaged in commerce among the several states and with foreign nations (excepting common carriers) that the Inter- state Commerce Commission occupies as regards common carriers. Its 176 CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. duties are to gather information and data for the use of the President. This information is collected from all sources, such as the records of corporations and companies and of governmental bureaus, state records and publications, trade journals, etc. Such of it as the President may direct is made public, but as yet no definite plans of publication have been adopted. The administrative records of the bureau, together with all information obtained, are regarded as confidential until published by the direction of the President, and are not accessible for purposes of investigation. The published material should be of considerable value, for it will " tend to show the development of corporate combinations along legal and economic lines, and will enable the student to make com- parisons between the free competitive system and that developed under industrial combination." ^ CIVIL SERVICE* COMMISSION. The duties of the Civil Service Commission consist in examining applicants for positions in the classified service, in apportioning the appointments among the states and territories, and in enforcing the civil-service regulations. The annual reports of the commission contain much valuable historical and statistical information relating to the classified service. The report of June, 1899, contains (p. 93) a list of the notable articles in the preceding reports, and the report of June, 1900, contains a digest of the decisions of the commission and of the opinions of the Attorney-General. The library of the commission should be especially noted ; it contains fairly complete collections of congressional documents and department publications relating to executive patronage and the civil service, as well as collections of bills, speeches, and newspaper clippings, and of the reports and other publications of state or local civil-service commis- sions. The records of the commission are largely administrative in charac- ter, and their interest is chiefly personal, but for a study of the subject of executive patronage they have considerable value. They are com- plete since the establishment of the commission in 1883, and although in constant official use are accessible for historical purposes. They are classified as follows: ^ From personal letter of James R. Garfield, Commissioner of Corporations, October 19, 1903. INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION, 177 1. Proceedings of the Commission (27 vols.), 2. Offices in the Classified Service. Papers relating to all the offices under civil-service rules. Filed numerically with an index to the names of the offices. 3. Personal Records. Records of everyone who is or has been in the classified service, with history of his service. On cards, arranged alphabetically and by offices. j^. Application and Examination Papers. The examination papers of failed applicants are destroyed after they have been on file for five years (S. Doc. 88; H. Rept. 882, 51 Cong., 1 sess.). 6. Department Reports on Changes in their Service. 6. Correspondence. Correspondence with the President, members of Congress, the execu- tive departments, and the general public, with complete index to names and subjects. INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION. The duties of the Interstate Commerce Commission are fully de- scribed in the acts of February 4, 1887 (24 Stat. L. 383), August 7, 1888 (25 Stat. L. 382), March 2, 1893 (27 Stat. L. 531), and March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. L. 1446). The records of the commission are com- plete from its establishment in 1887, are administrative in character, are admirably arranged and indexed, and, with a few exceptions, are accessible. The annual reports of the commission contain lists of cases, abstracts of decisions, and other material, which not only serve to indi- cate in some detail the character of the more important files, but in many cases make recourse to the original papers unnecessary. The records and files comprise the following classes: 1. Correspondence, 1887 to date. Arranged numerically (z. e., in strict chronological order) and made accessible by a card-index to subjects and writers, which contains also briefs of the letters. 2. Informal Complaints. Informal complaints are those cases which are not tried, but in which the commission acting as mediary secures a compromise between the 13 178 INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION. complainant and the aggressor. All papers relating to an informal complaint are placed together in a single jacket or envelope, and in- dexed on cards. For a list of informal complaints from year to year see the successive annual reports of the commission. 3. Formal Complaints. Formal complaints are those cases which are formally tried by the commission. All papers (such as evidence, briefs, records of trial, opinions, decisions, etc.) relating to a case are jacketed together and indexed on cards, and a regular court docket is kept which shows the history of each case. For a list of formal complaints year by year see the successive annual reports of the commission. For a synopsis of all the decisions rendered since the establishment of the commission see the latest annual report. 4. Railroad Tariffs. All railroads are required to deposit copies of their tariffs with the commission. At present there are over 5,000,000 such documents on file. 5. Certificates of Concurrence in the Tariffs. 6. Monthly Reports of Accidents Returned by the Railroads. These are confidential. 7. Miscellaneous Papers and Reports. Chief among these publications collected by the statistician are the annual reports of railroads. For the published statistical information derived from them, see the annual reports of the commission. An excellent library is maintained by the commission, and is very rich in general literature on the subject of transportation. Among its special features may be noted a card-index to articles in newspapers and periodicals, reports of state railroad commissions, a complete collection of congressional documents bearing on the subject of interstate com- merce and the publications of the commission (see the annual report for 1900, page 85, for a description of the library). THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 179 THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. Although the Smithsonian Institution is devoted largely to scientific work, it possesses a number of collections of manuscripts of consider- able historical interest. In George Brown Goode's " Smithsonian In- stitution, 1846-1896 " (Washington, 1897) is a complete history of the institution with detailed accounts of its work and of its collections, with the exception of the manuscripts. The administrative records of the institution are of comparatively small value except for a history of the institution itself, and those of importance are accessible in " The Smith- sonian Institution, Journal of the Board of Regents, Reports of Com- mittees, Statistics, etc." (edited by W. J. Rhees, 1879). The relations of the institution to Congress are fully set forth in " The Smithsonian Institution. Documents Relating to its Origin and History, 1835- 1899 " (edited by W. J. Rhees, H. Doc. Vol. 113, 56 Cong., 1 sess.), while the publications of the institution are listed in " List of Publica- tions of the Smithsonian Institution, 1846-1903 " (W. J. Rhees, Wash- ington, 1903). On January 24, 1865, a fire destroyed much of the secretary's cor- respondence (" Smithsonian Institution Documents ", I, 642) and many diaries, memorandum-books, and account-books ; thus the administrative records are complete only since 1865. They consist of the usual ac- counts and business records, and of 400 volumes of letters sent and 600 volumes of letters received; this correspondence relates to acquisitions, scientific matters, the Fish Commission, the National Museum, etc. It is perfectly accessible, is arranged chronologically, and thoroughly indexed. COLI^CTIOXS. In addition to the administrative records of the Smithsonian Insti- tution, there are in its various bureaus, especially in the National Mu- seum, several collections of papers of some historical value which have been acquired in various ways, but chiefly by gift. The Ord Papers, 1840-1887 (National Museum). The Mrs. Lucy Ord Mason collection of 193 autograph letters (1840— 1887) consists for the most part of the correspondence of General E. 0. C. Ord, U. S. A. The following description is prepared from a manuscript calendar compiled in the Museum. 1. Letters from General W, T. Sherman, 18U-1887 (63 letters). These relate to many matters, mostly personal, though sometimes of 180 THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. historical interest as: the Vicksburg campaign^ 1863; personal opinions of General Grant; views on the Mexican frontier troubles, 1875-1877; views on the Fenian invasion of Canada, 1866; details of military and War Department policies, etc. 2. Letters from General U. S. Grant, 1862-1867 (11 letters). Some of these are military orders. One confidential letter of Febru- ary 27, 1865, contains interesting material relating to the meeting of Ord and General Longstreet, C. S. A. 3. Letters from General P. H. Sheridan, 186^-1879 (17 letters). Jf. Miscellaneous letters. Letters from various persons, such as Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, R. B. Hayes, Cyrus W. Field, R. E. Lee (inclosing application for am- nesty, June 13, 1865), and many others, having for the most part only autographic value. 5. Letters written hy General E. 0. C. Ord. There are many reports of battles and movements of troops, as : oper- ations of the Army of the James from March 29, 1865, to Lee's sur- render; trip through the Indian country, September, 1866; description of the Battle of the Four Lakes, Colorado, September 4, 1858; views on Mexican land claims in California, etc. The Schoolcraft Papers (Bureau of American Ethnology). The Schoolcraft Papers consist of manuscripts of Professor School- craft's books and sketches, fifteen volumes and five file-cases of his correspondence, together with newspapers and other material. This collection has never been arranged or indexed, but a hasty examination revealed sketches relating to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, to Ore- gon, to Minnesota, and to the names of American lakes; criticisms; maps ; correspondence with members of his family, with Lewis Cass and other public men; a volume of letters relating to the Indian agency; diaries, note-books, etc. ; and newspaper articles relating to the Indians. These papers, while mostly of literary and ethnological value, still have historical and biographical interest. The John A. Halderman Papers (National Museum). This collection, which was presented to the Smithsonian Institution in December, 1893, contains papers pertaining to the United States Legation at Bangkok, Siam; a letter from the King of Siam, March 23, 1866; letters from Siamese officers in 1867; brief papers on mission troubles in Siam; correspondence with P. T. Barnum; and many letters of only autographic interest. THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, igl The Vail Papers, 1837-1854 (National Museum). There is a manuscript inventory of the Vail Papers in the Museum, from which the following descriptive note is compiled: This collection of about twenty-five manuscript volumes, together with several bundles of papers, relates to the magnetic telegraph. It is composed largely of the correspondence of Vail, S. F. B. Morse, Professor Jackson, Sir John Campbell, Amos Kendall, and others. Miscellaneous Documents (Bureau of American Ethnology). 1. Diario del padre fray Francisco Garces. Purchased by the Bureau of American Ethnology from Nicholas Leon, of the City of Mexico, in 1897. Translated in Elliott Coues's "On the Trail of a Spanish Pioneer" (New York, 1899). 2. Diario del padre Dominquez en Sonora y Sinaloa, 1731. Purchased by the Bureau of American Ethnology from Nicholas Leon, of the City of Mexico, in 1898. 5. Font Diary, 1777, Copy; original in John Carter Brown Library, Brown University. 4- Diario del Don Antonio de Otermin, 1681. 6, Autos de Guerra de la Reconquista de Nuevo Mexico, 1691/., 6, Documentos de la Ynsurreccion de los Indios in Nuevo Mexico, 1693, Miscellaneous Manuscript Acquisitions (National Museum). The following were selected, from several bundles of papers, as hav- ing the most value : 1. Photograph of the Culpepper deed of Mt. Vernon, 1679. 2. Original copy (printed) of Edmund Randolph's "Vindication"; 1795 (loan collection of J. M. Noah). 3. A few statements of the number of American prisoners at Mel- ville Island, showing number in hospital; May— August, 1814. 4. Broadside giving plan and description of Dartmoor Prison, Eng- land, and the report of a committee of prisoners on the causes of the " late massacre " there; April 7, 1815 (published at office of " National Advocate "). 5. Manumission paper of Joseph Carpenter, a negro slave; Dutchess County, New York, February 23, 1818. 6. Letter from John Randolph, of Roanoke, March 4, 1819, accept- ing what seems to be a congressional nomination (in envelope marked J. E. Watkins). 7. The log-book of the " Savannah ", the first steamer to cross the Atlantic; 1819. 182 SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES. 8. Antimasonic Almanac, 1832, by Edward Giddings, Utica (William Williams, publisher). 9. Harrison Almanac, 1841; campaign songs, etc. 10. Tariff of the Republic of Texas, as modified by the Second Con- gress. Made out by B. H. Norton, Texas Agency, New York. 11. Letter of J. E. B. Stuart, June 20, 1862, to G. W. Randolph, Confederate Secretary of War, recommending John S. Mosby for pro- motion. American Historical Exhibits (National Museum). In the National Museum are many exhibits illustrative of American History. There are trophies of all the wars, exhibits of Grant, Lin- coln, and Washington relics and collections, etc. These are all cata- logued in the Museum and are described in the various Washington guides. Scientific Manuscripts (Library of Smithsonian Institution). In the library of the Smithsonian Institution is a collection of about one hundred scientific manuscripts. Many of these are lengthy essays, while others are the scientific notes of exploring expeditions. They are fully catalogued, but as they possess no interest for the investigator in historical subjects, the list is not included in this report. Such sub- jects as zoology, ethnology, botany, forestry, etc., are treated. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES. The archives of the Supreme Court are kept in the office of the clerk and consist of the records of the proceedings of the court, the papers connected with the cases coming before it, and the decisions rendered. In addition to these regular records are to be found the records of the prize appeal cases that came before the Committee of Appeals in the Continental Congress. The archives are well preserved in metal lock- ers and file-cases, and are admirably arranged. The best history of the court is that by Hampton L. Carson: "The Supreme Court of the United States: its History" (Philadelphia, 1892). I. Revolutionary Prize Appeal Cases, 1776-1788. There are in the office of the clerk the records and papers of 109 cases of prize appeals which were decided by the Committee of Appeals in the Continental Congress, or by the Court of Appeals, and which are SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES. 183 not reported by Dallas. These records were deposited here by the act of May 8, 1792 (1 Stat. L. 279). In United States Reports (Vol. 131, Centennial Appendix, pp. xxxiv— xlix) the reporter, J. C. Bancroft Davis, has published an inventory of these cases, giving the dates of docketing and decisions, so far as they can be ascertained, and showing the states in which the cases originated. In " American Antiquarian Society Proceedings " (New Series, II, pp. 118—123), together with a brief description of the material in the Supreme Court, is another list of these cases. This latter list, as compared with the one in the United States Reports, shows a large number of errors ; it was prepared several years before the latter and should be used only when that is not acces- sible. In " Essays on the Constitutional History of the United States " (J. F. Jameson, editor, Boston, 1889), Essay I, " The Predecessor of the Supreme Court ", by the editor, contains in both text and foot-notes numerous references to this material, which throw light on its ch.aracter in specific cases. II. Records of Proceedings and Cases. 1. Dockets. a. Original Docket, 1803 to date (76 vols.). b. Engrossed Docket, 1791 to date (36 vols.). There are two sets of dockets, the original docket, on which each case is entered as it comes up, and the engrossed docket, which contains under each case its complete history compiled from the various docket- books in which the case has been entered. 2. Minutes. a. Rough Minutes, February 1, 1790, to date (81 vols.). 6. Engrossed Minutes, February 1, 1790, to date (61 vols, in 1894). The rough minutes contain the notes of the proceedings as they are made in court. The engrossed minutes contain a complete report of the proceedings of each session, appointments of officers of the court, admissions to practice, etc., and are kept in a safe. 8. Admissions to Practice, 1790 to date. The signatures of those admitted to practice before the Supreme Court from 1790 to 1806 are kept on two rolls of parchment. Since that time they have been kept in books, one of which has, however, been burned. There is a card-index giving the names and residences of all those admitted to practice, and the dates of their admission. 4. Records of Cases, 1790 to date. The record of a case consists of the petition, evidence, briefs, deci- sions, etc., and the record of the case in the lower courts. These rec- 184 COURT OF CLAIMS. ords are arranged in bundles by cases,, and are on file since 1790. In 1832 records of important cases began to be printed, and in 1853 all briefs were required to be printed. Only a few briefs before that date are preserved, but all the briefs since then are to be found bound to- gether in many hundred volumes constituting a valuable collection. These records, even though printed, must be distinguished from the reports. The records and briefs are for the most part to be found only in the office of the clerk of the Supreme Court. There is a card- index which gives the name of each case, its file number, and dates of docketing and disposal. 6. Correspondence. The correspondence relating to cases is filed by itself. It relates almost entirely to the technical management of cases and has little gen- eral interest. 6. Opinions. The original opinions are preserved here, but they are printed in the Reports and need not be described. COURT OF CLAIMS. The Court of Claims was established in 1855 (10 Stat. L. 612), and has jurisdiction over all private claims against the United States founded upon the Constitution or upon act of Congress, except such as are otherwise provided for. For a history of the Court of Claims see W. A. Richardson's " History, Jurisdiction, and Practice of the Court of Claims " (Washington, 1885). The records of the' court consist of the usual dockets, minutes, etc., and of the papers connected with the cases coming before it, such as petitions, evidence, briefs, correspond- ence, etc. It is evident that the records are often of very great his- torical value because of the facts disclosed or the points of law in- volved. The earliest papers on file are those relating to the French spoliation cases, which antedate 1800 (23 Stat. L. 283). The bulk of the records is very great and an estimate of it is impossible; there are about 50,000 cases on file, and their records vary from a few papers in some cases to a large locker full of documents in others. The papers are arranged in bundles by cases, and are filed in lockers and chests. Each case is docketed, and the dockets serve as guides to the great mass of material. Access to the records for the purpose of investigation COURT OF CLAIMS. 185 may be had through an order of the court, for which application should be made to the Chief-Justice. From 1855 through 1862 the Court of Claims reported to the House of Representatives, and the reports are to be found in the House Docu- ments for those years. For the years 1863 and 1864, two volumes, en- titled " Decisions of the Court of Claims ", were published, but in 1865 a regular system of reporting similar to that employed in the Supreme Court was adopted: these "Court of Claims Reports" from 1865 to 1902 fill 37 volumes. The description of the Department of Justice (see above), especially of the offices of the Assistant Attorneys-General before the Court of Claims, will be found useful in supplementing this account. The an- nual reports of the Department of Justice contain much information about the various classes of cases. The records are classified according to the various kinds of cases, as follows : 1. Cases Against the District of Columbia (358 cases). Important cases are printed. 2. General Jurisdiction Cases (23,188 cases). All printed. 3. Indian Depredation Cases (10,34-2 cases). The earliest case of this class dates from 1812, but most cases are later than 1850. Many important questions are involved, e. g., the status of citizens of New Mexico during the interval between the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the extension of the laws of the United States; the status of that part of New Mexico claimed by Texas, etc. When the amount involved is more than two thousand dollars the records of cases are printed (26 Stat. L. 851). 4. French Spoliation Cases (6,552 cases). See 23 Stat. L. 283. All of these cases are printed. 5. Congressional Cases (ll^J^l cases). These relate to Southern claims arising out of the Civil War. 6. Naval Bounty Cases (4,000 cases). Claims for bounty or prize money, arising out of the Spanish War. 7. Departmental Cases (68 cases). These are cases which, under the provisions of 22 Stat. L. 485 and 24 Stat. L. 505, are referred to the Court of Claims by the executive departments. They are all printed. 186 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. On account of the various losses which they have sustained, the files of the House of Representatives are very incomplete. In addition to the loss in 1814 (American State Papers, Miscellaneous, II, 245) many of the files have been destroyed or lost through the carelessness of early custodians. The files are divided, both by their general character and by their treatment, into two groups, as follows: 1. Bound volumes of Original Papers, First Congress to date. These papers are the originals of the printed journals, documents, reports, communications from the executive departments, bills, resolu- tions, etc. There are also here committee dockets and petition books (being merely dockets of petitions), which are not generally printed in the form in which they are here found. Occasionally also the unpub- lished records of a committee investigation, with the testimony taken, are to be found. Such material as is not printed in one form or another should have considerable value, but an examination of individual docu- ments is the only means of discovering such material. In January, 1901, all of the bound volumes prior to that date, 5,263 in number, were stored in the Library of Congress in accordance with the act of June 6, 1900 (31 Stat. L. 642). A manuscript list of these volumes may be seen in the Document Division of the Library of Congress, or in the office of the File Clerk of the House of Representatives, under whose charge they remain. The volumes that have accumulated since that date are stored in the sub-basement of the Capitol. 2. Papers relating to Bills, Claims, Petitions, etc. The larger part of these papers, those most in use, are admirably arranged in several thousand metal file-boxes in the Capitol, by Con- gresses and by subjects and names. They comprise bills, claims, and petitions, and the papers, correspondence, recommendations, etc., relat- ing thereto. There are about 500 large boxes of committee papers, accounted expenditures, proceedings, investigations, etc., a number of committee dockets, many of which however are blank, and a great num- ber of bundles of petitions to the early Congresses. Here are petitions against slavery, against the admission of Texas, for post-routes, of manufacturers relative to the tariff, against Sunday mails, etc. There are papers of as early date as the First Congress, but the greater part of the material does not antedate the Eleventh Congress. SENATE. 187 SENATE. The files of the Senate, kept in the office of the Secretary of the Senate, appear to be more complete than those of the House of Repre- sentatives. There were no losses in 1814, although many valuable papers are said to have been lost in later times. The files consist of the original journals, minute books, and bills and resolutions, the manu- script copies from which the Senate documents and reports are printed, and the original reports, petitions, memorials, and other papers received in the Senate. There are also to be found here, so far as they are ex- tant, the greater part of the files of the various committees. These records are not indexed or listed, the only guide in their use being the labeling of the volumes, boxes, and packages and the general chrono- logical arrangement. Doubtless the larger part of this material has been printed; of the unprinted material the petitions and memorials probably constitute the larger and more valuable class. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. DIVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS. The Library of Congress has for many years been the place of deposit of valuable collections of historical manuscripts. Among the early collections purchased by the government and deposited here were the Jefferson papers (1815 and 1829), and the Dolly Madison papers (1848); later were acquired the Loyalist papers (1866), the Force manuscripts (1867), the De Rochambeau papers (1882), and the Washington manuscripts (1882). In 1897 the Division of Manu- scripts was created for the purpose of arranging, classifying, and cataloguing the material on hand and of acquiring and caring for such other manuscript collections as should be possessed of historical value. Since the establishment of this division the acquisitions have been numerous and, in many cases, of the greatest value. These acqui- sitions have come in various ways. The most important have come by transfer from the State Department, and are fully described above under the Bureau of Rolls and Library ; others have come by purchase ; still others, notably the Jackson papers, have come as gifts. With these almost daily additions to its collections the Division of Manuscripts 188 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. has already become the most important depository of historical manu- scripts in this country, and by the use of the most modern methods of arrangement and indexing, as well as by the pursuance of a very liberal policy in regard to the use of its material by proper persons, it has made its resources readily available to the student. A general account of the principal collections in this division may be found in the "Report of the Librarian of Congress with Manual" for 1901 (pp. 335-344), while lists of accessions are contained in the annual re- ports of the Librarian for the respective years (1900, pp. 11—12; 1901, pp. 19-26, 151-156; 1902, pp. 24-26, 71-76; 1903, pp. 77-86). Other accounts of the resources of the division are contained in an article by Herbert Friedenwald in the " Annual Report of the Ameri- can Historical Association for 1898 " (p. 35), in an article by C. H. Lincoln in the " Annals of the American Academy of Political Science" (XIV, 102), and in "Library of Congress, Notes for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904, No. 5. Manuscripts ". The list given below was furnished by Mr. Worthington C. Ford, the chief of the division; it is not a complete list in the sense of being a catalogue of the manuscripts on file — such a list would be of too great proportions for inclusion in this report — ^but it includes the collections of real historical value, and many individual manuscripts of especial interest as well. I. America. Spanish America. Columbus Codex. This volume is a sixteenth-century compilation of the various heredi- tary grants, charters, and privileges made to Columbus by Ferdinand and Isabella. It is probably one of the vellum copies prepared under the personal direction of Columbus before sailing on his fourth voyage to America, in order to protect his heirs in their rights under the Spanish charters. Florida Transcripts. Three hundred and twenty-seven transcripts, made by Miss A. M. Brooks, of documents in the Biblioteca Columbiana at Seville, relating to the Spanish occupation of Florida. Of these documents only three appear to have been printed. Reales Cedulas, 1508-1807. Two volumes of manuscripts and pamphlets. Relacion de todas las Cost as e Yslas de la America Septentrion}. A one-volume transcript. DIVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS. 189 Mexico and Central America. Ribas, Coronica y Historia de la Provincia de la Compaiiia de Jesus, 1571-1624. Royal decrees concerning the descendants of Montezuma, 1709—1713. Two transcripts of diaries; Diario del Padre Font, Diario del Padre Garces. Records and history of the Indian pueblo at Zuiii, 1732-1734; 3 vols. Report of Admiral de Loria to the governor of Mexico, giving sched- ule of wages for a marine expedition, 1745; 10 pages. Morfi, Historia de Texas, 1780-1781. Honduras: Remarks upon the treaty between Great Britain and Spain, 1670. Nicaragua: Wheeler, History of Nicaragua, with notes on conditions in 1868. West Indies. Vernon-Wager papers, relating to British colonization in the West Indies; 12 vols, obtained in the Peter Force purchase, see "List of the Vernon-Wager Manuscripts in the Library of Congress ", 1904. Documentos historicos Cubanos, 1597-1829; transcripts. Relation du voiage a I'Amerique, 1710-1713, 1 vol. Miscellaneous papers relating to the history of Cuba, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Capture of Havana, 1762; Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Money- penny's journal. " Pacification of the island of Cuba, 1736 "; 1 vol. A large collection of papers from the Governor-General's Palace in Porto Rico, relating to the Spanish domination of that colony. South America. Antonio de Vea, " Relacion del Viage de 1676 ", being a journal of an expedition along the west coast of South America. Herrera y Loizaga, " Viares [sic] de Espana a Buenos Ayres, Chili, etc.", 1713-1717; a transcript in one volume. Creole revolution in Buenos Ayres, 1780-1781 ; a manuscript account. Miscellaneous decrees, regulations, papers, letters, tracts, and other documents relating to South America and to Spanish dominion therein. Dutch Colonies. Miscellaneous historical documents, 1649—1650. French Colomes. Jesuit Relations, 1632-1672, 1 vol. 190 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. " Guerres du Canada et de Flndependance et analyses des negocia- tions entre la France et les autre puissances de I'Europe ", 1748—1788. Plan for the expulsion of French settlers from the Ohio country, 1757. English Colonies. Opinions of Richard West upon plantation affairs, 1G82— 1725. Documents relating to the equipment of the British forces in North America, 1728—1792; 131 documents containing 500 pages, including many papers signed by George II and George III and their secre- taries. Diaries of two prisoners among the French, 1745—1750; 2 vols. Memorial of the Stamp Act Congress to the House of Lords, 1765. Letters of General Henry Seymour Conway; a volume of 159 pages containing official copies of the letters of H. S. Conway, Secretary of State, to the various American colonial governors during the stamp-act troubles, 1765-1766. II. United States. General. Revolutionary papers: This large collection of papers was obtained mainly from the Force purchase of 1867. It is composed of mis- cellaneous correspondence of almost every distinguished general in the Continental Army, letters and resolves of the Continental Congress and its various committees, returns of troops, records of courts-martial, lists of prisoners, etc. The Articles of Association of the Continental Congress of 1774, negotiations with the British Peace Commission of 1778, and an exhaustive file of records of the Court of Inquiry upon the Paoli surprise of 1777 are specimen documents. Loyalist papers : A Record of the Proceedings of the Loyalist Com- missioners, presented to the Smithsonian Institution in 1874 by Major General Lefroy, and transferred in 1866 to the Library of Congress. There are 34 volumes giving the testimony taken at Lincoln's Inn Field, Halifax, St. John, Quebec, Montreal, Carleton Island, and Niagara, 1783—1789, on the losses and services of American Loyalists during the Revolution. The thirty-fifth volume contains the reports of the Com- mission from 1784 to 1790. Letter-book of the Marine Committee of the Continental Congress, 1776-1780. Muster rolls, returns, etc., of certain Massachusetts regiments in the Continental Army, 1776—1783; 11 vols. Memorandum and receipt books of Ephraim Blaine, 1782-1784; 2 vols. DIVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS. 191 A number of orderly books, including that of the Fifteenth Conti- nental Regiment, Cambridge, July 19-September 22, 1775. One volume of 11 manuscripts relating to the French Army in America, 1780. Deposition of Paul Jappie, regarding the capture of his ship " Free Trade", 1781. Journal of the Society of the Cincinnati, 1784—1810, and the original list (incomplete) of subscribers to that society in Virginia, 1783. Minutes of the Annapolis Convention of 1780, with the signatures of its members. Papers relating to the Ordinance of 1787, dated from 1785 to 1788. Madison's notes of debates in the Federal Convention of 1787; a transcript in one quarto volume. William Paterson's plan for a constitution of the United States, sub- mitted in the Federal Convention, June 18, 1787; 5 manuscripts (printed in "American Historical Review", IX, 310 IF.). Papers relating to the settlement of the Northwest Territory, includ- ing letters and papers of Governor Arthur St. Clair, 1788—1793. Letter from William Eaton to Hamet, Bashaw of Tripoli, 1804. Sir Charles Napier's narrative of operations on the Potomac, 1814. Papers relating to the Foxardo affair, 1824, including letters of James Monroe, Secretary Southard, and Commodore Porter; 10 manu- scripts. Papers relating to the negotiations between Mexico and the United States, 1848. A collection of 458 original acts passed by the Confederate Con- gress, 18G1-1864. Vouchers for supplies purchased for the C. S. S. " Sumter ", signed by Rafael Semmes, 18G1; 15 manuscripts. Letters from Judah P. Benjamin to Ambrose Dudley Mann, 1862— 1864; 16 manuscripts. Confederate muster rolls and returns, including 76 returns of the Army of Tennessee, 1864-1865. Log book of the U. S. S. " Santee ", 1861-1862; 2 vols. General courts-martial held in the Union Army, 1863—1864. Minutes of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, 1869-1877; 1 volume. Individual States. New Hampshire. Over 500 documents, 1629-1809. Among these papers are many letters of Governors John and Benning Wentworth, President Meshech 192 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Weare, and Secretary Waldron; royal instructions to the governors of the state, and much of the Revolutionary correspondence which passed between the state and Continental authorities. The collection con- tains also many official letters respecting the organization and direction of the New Hampshire militia, 1775—1783, as well as memorials re- garding the support due to the state government of 1776. Vermont. Official papers of 1744; one volume of transcripts. Minutes of the Westminster conventions, 1776—1777; the original manuscript document of Jonas Fay. [Facsimile reproduction.] Transcripts of the Allen and Chittenden accounts against the state, 1777-1780. Journals of the Council of Safety, 1777-1782. Proceedings of the Board of War, 1779-1781. Contemporary attested copy of the articles of union proposed among Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York in 1781. Correspondence of Ira Allen, 1809-1810. Massachusetts. Over 800 documents prior to 1789, including a copy of the consti- tution of the New England Confederacy of 1643, by Rufus King; over fifty letters and papers regarding the French and Indian War ; as many letters from Massachusetts governors, and circular letters from the General Court to other colonial assemblies. The collection includes letters of Joseph Warren and papers relating to the foundation or sup- port of Harvard and Amherst colleges. Transcript, by Rufus King, of the Articles of Confederation be- tween Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven, 1643-1654. Muster roll of colonial troops, 1744—1750, to whom the colony re- mained indebted in 1754. Papers from the United States custom-house at New Bedford. Rhode Island. Certain correspondence of the Assembly with the different states and the Continental Congress, 1764-1786. Connecticut. Fourteen letters of the governors of Connecticut, 1712—1781. Letter from the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations to the governor and company of Connecticut, 1764. Seventeen volumes of the receipt books of the Continental Loan Office for the state of Connecticut, 1781-1804. DIVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS. I93 New York. Transcript of a short account of New Netherlands in 1662. Two folio volumes of "Public Instruments anci Writings", 1664— 1713. Memorials to the king and Parliament, 1764. Various letters from the Provincial Congress to its delegates in the Continental Congress, 1775. Minutes of the New York City Committee, 1775-1776. Minutes of the Committee of Safety of Tryon County, 1777-1778. Continental Loan Office receipts, 1791-1793; 4 vols. Lists of invalid pensioners, 1797—1802. Political and professional memorandum book of Dr. Charles D. Cooper, Albany, 1797-1805. Letter-book of Governor Daniel D. Tompkins, 1801—1811. New Jersey. Miscellaneous papers, 1676-1757. Sixteen pages from the town docket of Chesterfield, 1692-1711, containing records of town meetings and elections. Letters and papers relating to the proceedings of the Provincial Con- gress in 1776, and to the position of Governor William Franklin at that time. Papers relating to East New Jersey, including a proprietors' book of accounts, 1771—1843; the rent account, in one volume, of the Ramopo Patent, 1787; and one volume of certificates of mislocation, 1789—1842. Delaware. A collection of manuscripts in four volumes, relating to the history of Delaware; these papers are mostly official records of the state, and include accounts of the Swedish settlements, the minutes of the Con- stitutional Convention of 1791, and many original letters and messages of John Dickinson. List of taxables in four of the hundreds in New Castle County, 1776. Maryland. Minutes of the Baltimore Committee of Safety, 1774-1776. Miscellaneous official papers and letters, 1776—1779. Book of accounts of the state of Maryland, 1778-1785; 2 vols. District of Columbia. Records of the Washington National Monument Association; 8,176 manuscripts. Two plans of the House of Representatives, 1830 and 1848. Material relating to the Columbian Institute. ^^ 14 ^<^ 194 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Virginia. The " Jefferson Manuscripts ", so called because obtained at the time of the purchase of Jefferson's library; they cover the years 1606— 1711, and include the following documents: (1) One volume of miscellaneous papers, 1606-1680. ** Instruc- tions, Commicions, Letters of Advice and Admonition and Publique Speeches, Proclamations, etc." (2) One volume of miscellaneous papers, 1606-1683, being in the main part royal orders and decrees. (3) One volume of miscellaneous records, containing notes by Jeffer- son; this is the "Bland Manuscript" to which Hening refers. (4) The Records of the London Company for Virginia, 1619—1624, in two volumes, and one unbound volume of " Papers and Records ", 1621—1625, consisting in the main of correspondence between the rep- sentatives of the London Company in Virginia and the authorities in England, see Annual Report of the American Historical Association for 1901, I, 545. (5) Legislative Council; Orders from February, 1622, to Novem- ber, 1627; one unbound volume. (6) Legislative Provincial Assembly. " Laws and Orders con- cluded on by the General Assembly, March the 5th, 1623 "; one volume. (7) Journal of Council and Assembly, 1626-1634. This volume is the so-called " Edmund Randolph Manuscript " to which Hening re- fers. (8) " The Laws of Virginia ", 1642-1662, one volume. (9) Minutes of the "Grand Assembly", 1652-1660. This is the so-called " Jefferson Manuscript " to which Hening refers. (10) Acts of the Assembly, 1660-1697, 1662-1702, 1705, 1705- 1711; four volumes in all. (11) A volume entitled " Foreign business and Inquisitions ", 1665- 1676; in which, however, domestic matters predominate; a portion of the volume refers to escheats in Virginia. (12) Council Journal, 1698-1700; one volume. (13) Miscellaneous broadsides, letters, and unbound manuscripts relative to Virginia and dating from 1606 on. The Ambler or Jamestown manuscripts. These consist of 125 pieces, dating from 1649 to the American Revolution. They comprise deeds to land, bonds, surveys, and other like documents, bearing the signatures of the earlier governors and members of the council. Historically they are of importance as giving descriptions of properties and land grants, while their personal value for family history is even greater. DIVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS. I95 Letters of Lieutenant-Governor Dinwiddle to the Earl of Halifax. Tabulated imports and exports from the Rappahannock and York River districts^ 1764-1774. Minutes of the Williamsburg Masonic Lodge, 1773—1779. Papers of the United States custom-houses at Alexandria and Tap- pahannock. North Carolina. A list of estimates of allowances due members of the assembly in 1756. Instructions from the Provincial Congress to its delegates to the Continental Congress, 1776. Letters and resolutions relating to the Constitutional Convention of 1788. South Carolina. Acts of the legislature, 1704-1729; twelve manuscripts. A petition of the merchants and freeholders to the state legislature, 1766. Commission to Colonel William Moultrie from the Provincial Con- gress, 1775. The presentments of the grand jurors of George Town district, 1776. A volume of papers relating to the evacuation of Charleston, 1782. Resolves of the Planter's meeting of 1786. Signed pledge of certain inhabitants of St. Thomas and St. Dennis parish to maintain the credit of paper currency, 1786. Georgia. Minutes of the Masonic Lodge of Savannah, 1757. Official correspondence with the Continental Congress in May, 1776. Papers from the U. S. custom-house at Savannah, 1787-1860. Papers relating to the slave yacht " Wanderer ", 1858-1860, twenty- six manuscripts. Kentucky. A number of papers relating to transactions in slaves; bills of sale, deeds of transfer, emancipation papers, records of time of hired slaves, etc., 1797-1856. Inventory (15 pages) of estate of Robert T. Gilmore, February 6, 1835. Louisiana, Power of attorney to sell slaves, February 18, 1815. Bill of sale of slaves, September 17, 1852. 196 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. New Mexico. Spanish and Mexican archives, recently brought from the Land Office in Santa Fe to the Library of Congress. They are now in pro- cess of examination (see Annual Report of Librarian of Congress, 1903, pp. 26-27). III. Personal Papers. Barry, John, 1782-1801. This collection includes the muster book of the "Alliance", 1782- 1783, a letter-book for the same period, and miscellaneous letters to Barry from James McHenry (1797-1798), Benjamin Stoddert (1798- 1800), Robert Smith (1801), Robert Morris (1782-1783), Thomas Barclay (1782-1783), and Benjamin Walker (1786). There is also a power of attorney given by the officers of the " Alliance " to Barry, in 1782, and an account against the "Alliance" for 1783-1784. Blennerhassett, Harman. This collection contains 400 manuscripts and includes Blenner- hassett's diary in the Richmond Penitentiary, and his speech in his defense against the charge of treason. Bourne, Sylvanus, 1790-1800. An album containing twenty manuscripts, including letters from Edmund Randolph, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, and others. Bourne was United States consul at Amsterdam. Carroll, Charles. Account books (two volumes) of the first three Charles CarroUs, 1720 to about 1800, and a scrap album containing 113 manuscripts relating to the family. Chase, Salmon P., 182^-1873. The Chase papers comprise twenty-two bound volumes and over 6,300 letters; they include his journals, 1829-1835, and 1861-1863, a diary for 1864, his letter-books for 1833-1837 and 1867-1 868, his notes on Supreme Court cases of 1869, his political scrap books and com- monplace books, and his correspondence, both letters received and copies of letters sent. The collection is being calendared, and a por- tion of it is printed in the second volume of the Annual Report of the American Historical Association for 1902. Clay, Henry. A scrap album containing seventeen letters of Clay, 1799-1851 ; also two letters to Robert Walsh, Jr., of September 6, 1817, and April 25, 1836. DIVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS. I97 Cochhurn, Martin. Day book and ledger for the years 1767-1818. The entries are in Cockburn's own hand and contain accounts with prominent Virginians, such as Richard Henry Lee, George W. Fairfax, George Mason, and others. Creamer, David. Diary in one volume, 1861-1862. Gushing, Jacob. Diary, kept on interleaved editions of almanacs, 1 749-1 809 ; twenty- two volumes. Ellis Papers. These are the mercantile records of the firms of Ellis and Allen, Charles Ellis and Sons, Thomas and Charles Ellis, and Thomas and Charles Ellis and Co., of Richmond, Va. They cover the years from 1805 to 1853 and comprise 258 bound volumes and 56,064 individual pieces of manuscript. The house was concerned with foreign trade, was a large importer and one of the largest exporters in Virginia of tobacco and cotton. The journals, ledgers, day-books, and letter-books relate to every detail of its business and throw much light on prices and trade usage. Fitch, John. The papers of John Fitch were obtained in the Peter Force pur- chase; they relate mainly to the application of steam to water naviga- tion. Fritsch, Baron von. Typewritten diary in one volume, 1856-1900. Greene, Nathanael. Two letter-books, January, 1781, to April, 1782; obtained in the Peter Force purchase. Jackson, Andrew. The ** Montgomery Blair collection " comprises a large number of unbound manuscripts, as well as 13 bound volumes of letter-books, orderly books, and other papers of Andrew Jackson. These papers are remarkably full on Jackson's military career, and include some of the most important public and private documents of his administrations. They were presented to the Library of Congress in 1903 by the family of Montgomery Blair, who had received them from Mr. Jackson and his heir. For a detailed description of this collection see the article 198 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. by C. H. Lincoln^ on ** Some Manuscripts of Early Presidents " in "The Literary Collector" for May, 1904. Manuscripts relating to Jackson's controversy with Secretary South- ard respecting the battle of New Orleans; together with a letter of James Buchanan regarding Jackson and the United States Bank, and other miscellaneous papers; twenty-six manuscripts in all. Johnson, Andrew. These papers, 15,000 in number, date from 1861 and cover John- son's career as Senator, military governor of Tennessee, Vice-President, President, and ex-President. Jones, John Paul, 1775-1778. This is the Bancroft collection of John Paul Jones papers; it fills twelve volumes and one bundle, and was obtained in the Peter Force purchase. It has been calendared, and the calendar has been pub- lished by the Library of Congress : " Calendar of John Paul Jones Manuscripts in the Library of Congress," by C. H. Lincoln (Wash- ington, 1903). Madison, Mrs. Dolly. The Dolly Madison papers were purchased by Congress in 1848. They deal mainly with family matters, but also throw much light upon the political and social life of Washington during the first half of the nineteenth century. Morris, Robert. The Robert Morris papers, filling fifteen volumes, were formerly owned by General John Meredith Read, but have not been used or printed. They comprise the diary and the letter-books of the United States Department of Finance during the years 1781-1784; the private letter-books of Morris from 1794 to 1798; official copies, over the sig- nature of Charles Thomson, of the Journals of the Continental Con- gress, transmitted to Morris as Superintendent of Finance; an account of Pierre Caron de Beaumarchais against the United States for services during the Revolution, and a letter from Beaumarchais to Morris in re- lation to the settlement of this account. The diary, in three volumes, contains summaries of the official correspondence of the department, and notes of significant interviews from September 7, 1781, to Sep- tember 30, 1784. The official letter-books, in seven volumes, contain copies of over 3,000 letters written by Morris during the same period. The private letter-books, in three volumes, contain over 2,700 letters; they cover the period of his later speculations, including those in lands DIVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS. I99 in the District of Columbia and on the western border ; and of his busi- ness reverses; and end with several dated from the debtor's prison. Polk, James Knox. This collection, purchased from the adopted niece of Mr. Polk, is rich in material relating to the history of Tennessee, and to Polk's public career in Washington, before and during his presidency. Porter, David. This collection consists of letter-books and miscellaneous papers of Commodore Porter during the years 1805-1812. His letter-book while in command of the "Enterprise" (1805—1807), his correspondence with the Secretary of the Navy (1807-1808), and miscellaneous papers covering his operations at New Orleans and including an account of the difficulties which arose in connection with the attempts of General James Wilkinson to obtain control of affairs there are among the documents in this collection. There are also letters from John Rodgers (1805-1806) and from Tobias Lear (1797-1813). Prehle, Edward. The papers of Commodore Edward Preble (25 volumes in all) con- tain correspondence relating to the early history of the American Navy. The twelve volumes of letters extend from 1799 to 1807, and cover his blockade of Tripoli and his final attack on the Tripolitan batteries. Not only are there many letters from his colleagues and inferior officers, but there is a particularly notable series from William Eaton. That the collection includes also Preble's journal, some log-books, the ship signals of that time, and two volumes of his letter-books indicates its extent and variety. Lorenzo Sabine, who prepared a biography of Preble in 1847, presented a number of Preble's papers to the Massachu- setts Historical Society. They are described as having special refer- ence to his Tripolitan campaign and must once have formed part of this collection acquired by the Library of Congress. De Rochamheau. This collection, purchased by Congress in 1882, includes eight vol- umes of De Rochambeau correspondence, 1780-1783, a brief history of the wars in America, 1763-1780, and a diary kept by the French general during the winter of 1780-1781. There are in addition over 500 documents embracing correspondence among the officers of the French army and with the French minister at Philadelphia from 1780 to 1782. 200 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Schoolcraft, Henry R. Letters and documents once belonging to Henry R. Schoolcraft, and relating to his researches among the Indians, the history of the North- west, and the career of Lewis Cass from 1815 to 1860. Van Buren, Martin, This collection contains the manuscript of Van Buren's autobiog- raphy, prepared late in life, but never published, together with a re- markable series of letters between Van Buren and Jackson, more than 270 in number, and most of them of a private and confidential character. The letters from other of Van Buren's correspondents were such as he himself selected for preservation. The collection is the gift of Mrs. Smith Thompson Van Buren, of New York. Washington, George. The Washington papers, which the Library of Congress possesses, exclusive of the great collection by that name transferred from the State Department, consists of the following documents: (1) Braddock orderly-book in two volumes, containing Washington's autograph record of the campaign of 1755; obtained from the Peter Force purchase. (2) Washington's diary when in attendance upon the Constitutional Convention of 1787; obtained from the same source. (3) Papers in Washington's manuscript on the Western Expedi- tion, 1779. (4) Many documents prepared by the secret service agents, by whom Washington obtained information of the enemy's intentions and movements. (5) Correspondence with Rochambeau. (6) The Toner collection, accepted by Congress in 1882, contains copies of many manuscripts of Washington, being the partial fulfil- ment of a purpose of Dr. Toner to copy every manuscript known to have been written by Washington. Among these papers are 225 press copies of original documents, which have the authenticity of the manuscripts themselves. These papers have been calendared : " A Calendar of Washington Manuscripts in the Library of Congress " (Washington, 1901). Watterston, George. About 300 manuscripts, covering the years 1815-1849, and including many letters of men noted in American political and literary history. Mr. Watterston was Librarian of Congress, and the papers were pre- sented by Mr. David Watterston. DIVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS. 201 Winchester, Brigadier-General James. Letter-book, January to March, 1815. Webster, Daniel. The Webster correspondence: Acquired by purchase from Mr. Charles Greenough, of Boston. The greater part of the Webster papers was left by Peter Harvey to the Historical Society of New Hampshire. A part, however, of the original collection had been taken out for the purpose of preparing a biography, and it is this which the Library has acquired. It comprises 2,500 pieces, and includes naturally the more important political and personal letters both to and from Webster. It serviceably continues the Jackson letters, bringing the account of public affairs down through a later period. Wright and Company and Poulteney and Moale. The commercial correspondence (800 manuscripts) of these two Baltimore firms, 1844-1864. IV. Foreign Papers. Great Britain. The Hallin) ell-Phillips Collection. This consists of 54 volumes of bills, accounts, inventories, etc., in- tended to illustrate the manners, customs, and economic history of England from 1632 to 1792. These volumes were in 1852 received as a gift by the Smithsonian Institution, and in 1866 were transferred to the Library of Congress. They were prepared by Mr. J. O. Halliwell- Phillips, and contain about 7,000 documents. Miscellaneous papers. Various tabular statements of trade, 1640—1797. Two volumes of protests of the House of Lords (transcripts), 1641- 1735. An early volume, undated, of tracts on the power of the sovereign. A commission and instructions to Sir Edmund Andros, 1686. Reports to the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, 1726— 1745. A volume relating to the siege of Minorca, 1756. Debates in the British Parliament (loose printed sheets with MS. notes), 1775-1776. Over forty volumes of debates in the Irish Parliament, 1776-1789. A folio volume of estimates for defraying the expenses of the civil establishments in America and Australia, 1786-1787. Log book of H. M. S. " Thunderer ", 1833-1837. 202 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. DIVISION OF MAPS AND CHARTS. The Division of Maps and Charts possesses the largest collection of maps relating to America. A general description of this class of ma- terial may be found in the Report of the Librarian of Congress for 1901 (pp. 345— 346). For a full description see "A List of Maps of America in the Library of Congress ", by P. Lee Phillips, Chief of the Division of Maps and Charts, 1901 (also printed as H. Doc. 516, 56 Cong., 2 sess.). In 1903 the Kohl collection of 474 maps, relating for the most part to the progress of discovery in America, was trans- ferred to this division from the State Department. This collection is listed in Harvard University Library Bibliographical Contributions, No. 19. BIBLIOGRAPHY. [For references to books, pamphlets, articles, reports, etc., relating to the history, functions, methods of work, publications of the various departments and bureaus, the historical and descriptive paragraphs under the respective offices should be consulted. As the references to sources of information con- cerning the archives or manuscript coUectiojis, as such, are much more scat- tered, a list is here given of all the important items.] General. Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1896, I, 483-485. Report of Historical Manuscripts Commission. Contains a bibliography of books and articles relating to the Federal archives. Narrative and Critical History of America, VIII, 413-426. Justin Winsor, ed. Notes on the more important manuscript sources in the archives ; with espe- cial attention to those in the State Department. American Antiquarian Society Proceedings, New Series, II, pp. 118-135. Report of the Council, by Hon. George F. Hoar, October, 1882. Material for Historical Study in Washington. This account mentions many collections of manuscripts, but contains a number of errors. For example, the statement is made that the " Registry of Deeds has the documents and surveys of the original laying out of the City of Washington." There is no ofllce by that name, and no such papers are to be found in the municipal ofllces of the District of Columbia. They are, however, in the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds in the War Department. Annual Report of Librarian of Congress, 1897, pp. 28-32. A brief general account of the various collections in the departmental archives, apparently compiled from the descriptions in Winsor and in American Antiquarian Society Proceedings, New Series, II, pp. 118-135. Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1894, pp. 549-561. What the United States Government has done for History. By A. Howard Clark. Includes a list of the manuscript volumes in the State Department con- taining the records (other than military) of the Revolution. This list is also in S. Doc. 22, 53 Cong., 3 sess. Forum, July, 1898. The Nation's Records. By Adelaide R. Hasse. A brief article descriptive of conditions in the archives, but containing no information as to the different classes of material. Department of State. [It should be noted that many of the references given below relate to col- lections that are in process of being transferred to the Library of Congress (see above, p. 9).] 203 204 BIBLIOGRAPHY, History of the Department of State. By William H. Michael. Washington, 1901. With the history of the Bureau of Rolls and Library is an account of the" historical collections contained in the bureau. Bulletins of the Bureau of Rolls and Library, Nos. 1-10. Washington, 1893-1903. No. 1, Miscellaneous Index of the Continental Congress papers, which is continued in No. 3 (pp. 22-134), in No. 5 (pp. 14-138), and in No. 7 (pp. 9-.126). No. 2 is a Calendar of the Correspondence of James Monroe. No. 3 contains (pp. 5-21) a list indicating the arrangement of the Washington Papers. No. 4 is a Calendar of the Correspondence of James Madison ; an index to this has been issued as a supplement. No. 5 contains (pp. 5-14) a list indicating the arrangement of the Madison, Jefferson, Hamilton, Monroe, and I'ranklin Papers. Nos. 6 and 8 constitute a Calendar of the Correspon- dence of Thomas Jefferson, No. 6 relating to the letters from him and No. 8 to the letters to him. No. 7 contains a list of the Territorial and State records deposited in the Bureau of Rolls and Library. No. 9 contains (1) the contin- uation of a partial miscellaneous index of the manuscripts of the Continental Congress; (2) the Documentary History of the Constitution — Madison's Notes of the Proceedings of the Federal Convention, with index. No. 10 is a supple- mentary Calendar of Letters to and from Jefferson, and also contains an index to the three parts of the Jefferson Calendar contained in Nos. 6, 8, and 10. Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1894, pp. 281-298. The Historical Archives of the Department of State. By Andrew Hussey Allen, Chief of the Bureau of Rolls and Library. An account of the methods of caring for the historical collections in the Bureau of Rolls and Library, with especial reference to their accessibility. Catalogue of Manuscript Books deposited in the Archives of the Department of State, 1774-1789, Washington, 1835; enlarged edition, 1855. An early list of the volumes of Continental Congress papers. Senate Document No. 22, 53d Congress, 3d sess. Contains a memorandum on the acquisition and preservation of the historical archives in the Bureau of Rolls and Library, and an inventory of the Conti- nental Congress papers. House Report No. 381, 23d Congress, 1st sess. Report of House Committee on Foreign Affairs, relating to the purchase of the Washington papers, and containing a brief statement by Jared Sparks as to their value. Magazine of American History, IX, 428-439. The Lost and Found Manu- scripts of Benjamin Franklin. By Theodore F. Dwight. A general description of the Franklin papers, giving the history of the collection. Senate Miscellaneous Document No. 21, 47th Congress, 1st sess. A detailed inventory of the Franklin papers. Annual Report Chief of Engineers, U. S. A., 1900, Part 8, p. 5283. List of papers on file [in Department of State] relative to the affairs of the Federal District. The papers listed are in the Washington and Jefferson collections. BIBLIOGRAPHY, 205 Calendar of the Miscellaneous Letters received by the Department of State from the organization of the Government to 1820. Washington, 1897. This publication is considered confidential. It relates to papers in the Bureau of Indexes and Archives. Calendar of Applications and Recommendations for Office During the Presi- dency of George Washington. By Gaillard Hunt, Washington, 1901. The papers here calendared are in the Bureau of Appointments. Treasury Department. The Treasury Department and its Various Fiscal Bureaus. By Robert Mayo, Washington, 1847. While dealing primarily with the functions of the respective bureaus, this work contains descriptive lists of the current record books, which are of con- siderable value. South Atlantic Quarterly, January, 1903. The Pickett Papers. By J. M. Callahan. An account of the purchase of these papers of the Confederate State Depart- ment, with an estimate of their value. They are in the Misceilanous Division of the Office of the Secretary of the Treasury. Department of War. List of Records and Files of the War Department. Washington, 1890. (See above, page 73.) Subject Index of the General Orders of the War Department, 1809-1900. Three volumes, covering the years 1809-1860, 1861-1880, and 1881-1900, respectively. Washington, 1886, 1882, 1901. Annual Reports, Department of War. In the annual reports of the War Department, particularly in those of the Chief of the Record and Pension Office, is much information relating to military records (Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War, Indian wars. Civil War, Spanish War), methods of indexing and arrangement. Confederate archives, etc. Specific references are as follows : 1892, I, 202, 635 ; 1893, I, 172 ; 1894, I, 507 ; 1895, I, 598 ; 1896, I, 616 ; 1897, I, 699 ; 1898, I, 999 ; 1899, I, 42, 828 ; 1901, I, part 2, 1102, 1112 ; 1903, I, 737 ; 19013, IV, 201. Many of the above references involve repetitions. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A., 1895, part 7, p. 4150; 1900, part 8, 5281. Records relating to the early history of the city of Wash- ington. (See p. 100.) A Sketch of the History and Duties of the Judge-Advocate-General's Depart- ment, U. S. A. By M. Dunn. Washington, 1878. This contains (p. 15) a brief statement relating to the bulk of records since 1862. Navy Department. Narrative and Critical History of America. By Justin Winsor. This contains (VII, 413) a critical account, by J. R. Soley, of the principal classes of records among the archives of the Navy Department. 206 BIBLIOGRAPHY, Literary Collector, January, 1904. Naval Manuscripts in National Archives. By C. H. Lincoln. Mentions briefly the principal collections of the Navy Department, but devotes especial attention to the letter-books of the Marine Committee of the Con- tinental Congress. Office Memorandum No. 5, Naval War Records Office, 1898. Contains a list of the log-books of U. S. vessels, 1861-1865, on file in the Navy Department. Department of the Interior. Senate Document 194, 56th Congress, 1st sess. The History and Growth of the United States Census. By Carroll D. Wright and William C. Hunt. A description of the original census schedules is contained on pp. 76-79. Supreme Court. United States Reports, Vol. 131. In the " Centennial Appendix," pp. xxxiv-xliv, is a list of the prize appeal cases decided by the Committee of Appeals in the Continental Congress. (See p. 183.) American Antiquarian Society Proceedings, New Series, II, pp. 118-123. (See p. 183.) Library of Congress. Library of Congress Notes for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904. No. 5. Manuscripts. A brief description of the more important collections. Annual Reports of the Librarian of Congress. (For exact references see pp. 188, 202.) Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1898, p. 35. The Historical Manuscripts in the Library of Congress. Annals of the American Academy of Political Science, XIV, 103. A general account by C. H. Lincoln of the collections. Literary Collector, May, 1904. Some Manuscripts of Early Presidents. By C. H. Lincoln. Relates especially to the Jackson papers. Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1892, p. 71. Some Account of George Washington's Library and Manuscript Rec- ords, and their Dispersion from Mount Vernon. By J. M. Toner. Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1901, I, 543. London Company Records. By Lyon G. Tyler. The Magazine of American History. Vol. VIII, Part I, pp. 346-350. The Franklin, Rochambeau, and Force Papers. By Henry P. Johnston. Magazine of American History, XXIX, 371. Mention of the London Company papers. Narrative and Critical History of America. By Justin Winsor, VI, p. 589. Brief mention of Force papers. BIBLIOGRAPHY. X.^_^X 207 A Calendar of Washington Manuscripts in the Library of Congress. Com- piled under the direction of Herbert Friedenwald. Washington, 1901. A Calendar of John Paul Jones Manuscripts in the Library of Congress. Compiled under the direction of Charles Henry Lincoln, of the Division of Manuscripts. Washington, 1903. A List of Maps of America in the Library of Congress. By P. Lee Phillips, Chief of the Division of Maps and Charts. Washington, 1901. Harvard University Library Bibliographical Contributions, Volume 19, No. 1. The Kohl Collection of Early Maps. By Justin Winsor. A descriptive list of the maps. INDEX. " Abaellino," cruise of the privateer (1814-1815), 20 Access to archives. Department of State, 3, 8, 31; Treasury Depart- ment, 32, 34, 50, 59, 67, 68, 70, 72; War Department, 74, 76, 80-83, 89, 99, 106, 108; Department of Jus- tice, 109; Post-Office Department, 115; Navy Department, 119; De- partment of Commerce and Labor, 174, 176; Civil Service Commission, 176; Interstate Commerce Commis- sion, 177, 178 Accounts, receipts, and expenditures of public money, 42; Cash account of the commission at Court of France (1776-9), 50; Public loans, 49; Washington's expenses (1775- 84), 57; Revolutionary accounts, 59, 85; Cayuse Wars, 64; Public buildings and grounds in District of Columbia, 101; Insular govern- ments, 107; Navy commissioners, 137; for regular administrative accounts See under the various ex- ecutive departments and bureaus. (See also Continental Loan OflSce.) Adams, H. A., papers, 131 Adams, John, letters, 101 Adams, J. Q., letters, 196 Alabama, Territorial papers, 8 Alaska, Russian archives, 15; Educa- tion in, 168 Allen, Ethan, dispute with Benedict Arnold, 159 Allen, Ira, correspondence, 192 Ambler manuscripts, 194 Annapolis Convention, 191 Appointments, State Department, 30; Treasury Department, 40; Department of Justice, 111; Navy Department, 120, 125, 127; Interior Department, 144, 161 Arizona, Territorial papers, 8, 141 Arkansas, Territorial papers, 8 Army, regular and volunteer. (See Military records; also various wars.) Attorneys-General, letters and opin- ions of, 23, 110; oflScial records of, 109, 110 Bailey, Theodore, papers, 131 Bank of the U. S., 37, 198 15 209 Bankers, letters to foreign, from Treasury Department, 40 Barclay, Thomas, letters, 196 Barry, John, papers, 196 Bell, H. H., papers, 131 Benjamin, Judah P., letters. (See Confederate States.) Bensted, Alexander, letter, 159 Blennerhassett, Harman, papers, 196 Boston tax lists (1814), 68 Boundaries, southern, 16, 24; Com- missions for settlement of disputes relating to, 18; Mason and Dixon's line, 21; Louisiana boundary, 25 Bourne, Sylvanus, papers, 196 Buchanan, James, letter, 101, 198 Bureaus. (See Table of contents.) Burr, Aaron, conspiracy of, 25, 121 California, Territorial papers, 8; Operation of tariflF laws in, 38; Military government in, 86; Span- ish archives of, 161. (See Mexican war.) Campaign almanacs, 182 Canada. (See Great Britain; French in America.) Carroll, Charles, papers, 196 Cass, Lewis, letters, 180, 200 Census, original schedules of (1790- 1890), 142-144 Central America. (See South Amer- ica.) Ceremony, letters of, 19 Chase, Salmon P., papers, 196 Chinese, exclusion of, 175 Cincinnati, Society of, 191 Civil service, records of Commission, 176, 177 Civil War: Miscellaneous letters and papers sent to Secretary Seward, 29; General Butler in New Or- leans, 29; Address of citizens of Switzerland, 29; Blockade, 37 Western Gunboat Flotilla, 58 Pittsburg Defence Claims, 58 Mississippi Marine Brigade, 58 Frauds in Department of the West, 58; Capture of Jefferson Davis, 58; Navy prize claims, 61; Volunteer records, 86; Amnesty, 111; Classes of naval records, 120; Personal papers of naval officers, 130-134; Surveys and notes by 210 INDEX, Coast and Geodetic Survey, 172. (See Military government; Mili- tary records; Claims; Ord papers; Confederate States; and personal papers of contemporaries.) Claims: Records of mixed and do- mestic commissions for the settle- ment of, 18; Papers relating to the French spoliation claims, 19, 24, 25, 42, 113, 185; Beaumarchais claim, 21, 198; Private claims against foreign states, 24; Ala- bama claims, 29; Neapolitan in- demnity, 41; Papers relating to southern claims, 43-49, 185; R. B. Lee claims commission, 58; Pitts- burg defence claims, 58; Claims for capture of Jefferson Davis, 58; Frauds in Department of the West (1861-2), 58; Naval prize claims, 61; Slave claims commis- sions, 86; Naval bounty claims, 113, 185; Indian depredation claims, 113, 185; Claims against District of Columbia, 113, 185; General claims against U. S., 113, 185; In- dian claims, 149; Claims against executive departments, 185; Court of Claims, 184; In Congress, 186. (See Pensions; Lands, public.) Clay, Henry, papers, 196 Clinton, Gov. George, letter, 159 Coast Survey, 41; Archives of Coast and Geodetic Survey, 171 ff. Cockburn, Martin, papers, 197 Colonization Society, American, 122, 141; Maryland State, 122; Colony on lie a Vache, 141 Colorado, Territorial papers, 8; Con- stitution, 15 " Columbia ", log-book of the ship (1790-1792), 22 Columbus Codex, 188 Committees of Congress. (See Con- gress.) Comptroller of the Treasury, deci- sions of, 54 Confederate States: Papers of the State Department (Pickett pa- pers), 43; Papers of the Treasury Department, 48; Post-Office rec- ords, QQ'^ Captured archives, 87; Surrendered troops, 87; Naval pa- pers relating to, 129; Papers of naval officers, 29, 134; Acts of Congress, 191; Letters of Judah P. Benjamin, 191; Naval and military papers, 191 Congress: Acts and resolutions of, 13; Executive proceedings of Sen- ate, 22; Letters to, from Secretary of Treasury, 36; Correspondence with Navy Department, 125; Corre- spondence with Interior Depart- ment, 139; Correspondence with Civil Service Commission, 177; Legislative papers, bills, petitions, committee papers, journals, re- ports, etc., 186, 187; Plans of House of Representatives, 193 Connecticut : Revolutionary papers, 155, 156; Miscellaneous papers, 192 Constitution of U. S.: Papers relat- ing to, 13; Ratification of amend- ments by states, 14; Federal Con- vention, 191, 200. (See also pa- pers of members of Federal Con- vention.) Consular archives, 6 Consuls, fees, leaves of absence, and transfers of, 29 Continental Congress, papers and documents of and relating to, 10, 182, 190, 191, 192, 193, 195, 198 Continental loan office. (See Debt.) Conventions. (See Annapolis Con- vention ; Westminster Convention ; Constitution; and under various States. ) Conway, Gen. H. S., papers, 190 Corporations, Bureau of, 176 Court. (See Supreme Court; Claims.) Craven, T. A. M., papers, 131 Creamer, David, papers, 197 Cuba: Report of J. R. Poinsett on, 25; American occupation, 108; Naval papers relating to, 123, 124, 129, 130; "Creole" expedition, 142. (See West Indies.) Cura^oa, consular archives, 24 Currency: Comptroller of, 68; En- graving and printing of, 69 Cushing,, Jacob, papers, 197 Custom houses, 38, 39, 41; New Bed- ford, 192; Alexandria, Tappahan- nock. Savannah, 195 Customs. (See Tariff.) Dahlgren, J. A., papers, 131 Dakota, Territorial papers, 8, 141 Davenport, H. K., papers, 131 Davis, Jefferson: Letters and papers, 28, 180; Capture of, 58 Debt of U. S.: Records of Conti- nental loan-office, 51, 59, 192; Con- tinental certificates of indebted- ness, 51 ; Records and accounts of public loans, 49, 51 Delaware, miscellaneous papers, 193 Detroit, in War of 1812, 14 Dickinson, John, letters, 193 Dinwiddle, Lt. Gov., letters, 195 INDEX. 211 Diplomatic archives, 4, 5 District of Columbia: Territorial papers, 8; Public buildings and grounds in, 99; Old records of City of Washington, 100-102; Claims against, 113, 185; Prisons in, 142; Buildings and affairs in, 142; Miscellaneous papers, 193. (See Dolly Madison papers.) Dumas, C. W. F., letters to Jeffer- son, 22 Du Pont, S. F., papers, 132 Dutch colonies in America, 189 Education: Correspondence of Com- missioners of, 141; Indian schools, 147, 148; Records of Bureau of, 167 ff. Ellicott, Andrew, papers and jour- nal of, 24 Ellis papers, 197 England. (See Great Britain.) Executive Departments. (See Table of contents.) Executive orders, 13 Explorations: Records of, in naval archives, 126-27; Scientific notes of, 182 Expositions: Vienna, 29; Paris, 29; Centennial, 142 Farragut, D. G., papers, 132. Federal Convention. (See Constitu- tion of U. S.) Fillmore, Millard, letters, 101 Finlay, Hugh, surveyor of post roads, journal, 115 Fires. (See under Losses of papers.) Fitch, John, papers, 197 Florida: Territorial papers, 8; Ces- sion of, 15; Provisional govern- ment of, 15; Transfer of archives of, 15; Spanish archives of, 161; Spanish occupation of, 188 Font diary, 181, 189 Foote, A. H., papers, 132 Foxardo affair, 191 Franklin, Benjamin, Papers of, 12; Post-office ledger, 66 - — ■ Freedmen's Bureau, records of, 77, 86. (See Reconstruction.) French and Indian Wars, 192, 200 French in America, 189, 190 Fritsch, Baron von, papers, 197 Fulton, Robert, letters to Navy De- partment, 125 Gallatin, Albert, correspondence of, 24 Geological Survey, correspondence, 141; records of, 169 Georgia, miscellaneous papers, 195 Goldsborough, L. M., papers, 132 Grant, U. S., Letter-books of, 1; Let- ters, 180 Great Britain: Neutral commerce, 26; Letter-book of British Naval Commissioners, 128; Colonies of, 190; Miscellaneous papers, 201. (See also West Indies; Revolution- ary War; and individual states, formerly colonies). Greene, Nathanael, papers, 159, 197 Halderman, John A., papers, 180 Halliwell-Phillips collection, 201. Hamilton, Alexander, papers of, 12 Hassler, F. R., letters, 171 Hayes, R. B., letters, 180 Henry, James M., letter, 159 Henry, John, papers of, 26 "Hope", journal of the ship (1790- 1792), 22 House Tax Insurrection, 24 Idaho: Territorial papers, 8, 141; Constitution and admission into Union, 16 Illinois, Territorial papers, 8, 14 Immigration, records of Bureau of, 175 Impressment of seamen, 24, 25 Indiana: Territorial papers, 8, 14; " Indiana treason cases ", 92 Indians: Treaties with, 13, 110, 148; Chickasaw funds, 40; Rolls of friendly Indians, 58; Accounts, 61; Depredations of, 113, 185; Corre- spondence of Commissioners of Indian Affairs, 141; Correspond- ence of Secretary of Interior, 145; Files of office of Indian affairs, 146-149; Removal of Indians, 149; Lands, 149, 164; Trade with, 149; North Carolina Indians, 159; Zuiii Indians, 189. (See Schoolcraft papers; Indian Wars.) Indian Wars: Rolls of Wayne and St. Clair wars, 59, 85; Accounts of Cayuse wars, 64; Sac and Fox, Black Hawk, Creek and Seminole, New Mexico Indian, 86. (See Ord papers.) Insolvency, letters to Secretary of Treasury from Commissioners of, 40 Insurrection. (See House Tax In- surrection ; Whiskey Insurrection ; Philippine Insurrection.) Internal Revenue, 41, 42; Letters of the Commissioners (1790-1808), 67; List of Collectors, 68; Bonds, 68; Reports of agents, 68; Corre- spondence, 68 Interstate commerce, records of Commission, 177, 178 212 INDEX. Jackson, Andrew; removal of de- posits, 37; papers, 101, 197, 200 Jamestown, manuscripts relating to, 194 Japan: Perry's mission to, 123; Negotiations with, 124 Jefferson, Thomas: Papers of, 11; Journal kept by private secretary of, 26; Letters relating to city of Washington, 101; Manuscripts in library of, 194; Letters, 196. (See Dumas.) Johanna, trouble of Dr. Wilson with king of, 130 Johnson, Andrew, papers, 101, 198 Jones, John Paul, papers, 198 Kansas, Territorial papers, 8 Kentucky: Slave claim commission, 86; Miscellaneous papers, 195 Kosloff, N., consul-general of Rus- sia, arrest of, 26 Kossuth and Hungarian refugees, 123 Labor, Bureau of, 174 Lands, public: Correspondence of Secretary of Treasury relating to, 37; Insular possessions, 106; Cor- respondence of General Land Of- fice, 140; Records of General Land Office, 160 ff. " La Virgin ", log-book and account- book of the steamer, 28 Lear, Tobias, letters, 199 Lee, R. E., letter, 180 Legislative papers. (See Congress.) " Lexington ", log-book of ship (1807- 1808), 26 Liberia, 28 Libraries: Department of State, 8; War Department, 75; Judge- Advo- cate-General's Office, 93; Office of Indian Affairs, 146; Patent Office, 167; Bureau of Education, 168; Bureau of Labor, 175; Civil Ser- vice Commission, 176; Interstate Commerce Commission, 178 Life-Saving Service, 41, 71 Light-House Board, 41, 174 Lincoln, Abraham: Death of, 29; Trial of "Lincoln conspirators", 92; Letters, 180 Livingston, Edward, claims to bat- ture in New Orleans, 16 Loans, public. (See Debt.) Local records and papers. (See under various States.) Log-books: Naval vessels, 136, 181, 191; Other vessels, 22, 26, 28 London Company, records, 194 Losses of papers: By fire, 3, 32, 33, 49, 50, 52, 57, 60, 62, 64, 66, 74, 114, 115, 117, 119, 144, 160, 167, 186; By official destruction, as useless, 3, 33, 50, 52, 55, 57, 61, 62, 64, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 79, 88, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 104, 105, 115, 145, 146, 153, 160, 167, 169, 173, 174 Louisiana: Territorial papers, 14; Correspondence of Governor Clai- borne, 16; Purchase of, 16; Bound- ary of, 16, 25; Journal of Iberville and Bienville, regarding establish- ment of French in, 25; General Butler in New Orleans, 29; Slave papers, 195; Gen. Wilkinson in New Orleans, 199 Loyalist papers, 190 Madison, James, papers of, 11, 101 Madison, Mrs. Dolly, papers, 198 McHenry, James, letters, 196 McKean, W. W., papers, 132 Maine, Territorial papers, 8 Maps: Military engineer maps and charts, 98; Of city of Washington, 102; Public lands, 163, 164; Coast and Geodetic Survey, 172; In Library of Congress, 202 Marine Corps, 127, 137 Marine hospitals, 41, 71 Marine papers of vessels clearing at various ports (1789-1808), 42; Marine documents, 173 Maryland: Slave claim commission, 86; State Colonization Society, 122; Miscellaneous papers, 193 Mason and Dixon, journal of, 21 Massachusetts : Miscellaneous mili- tary papers (1775-1820), 154, 155, 190, 191; Miscellaneous papers, 192. (See Custom houses, Boston Tax List.) Merchant marine, 173 Mervine, William, papers, 132 Meteorological records, 105 Mexican War: Causes of, 28; Volun- teer records, 86; Accounts, 86; Naval operations, 123; Negotia- tions for peace, 191. (See Polk papers.) Mexico: Revolution, 16; Jesuits in, 20; Report on affairs in, by J. H. Robinson, 26; Naval papers relat- ing to, 124; Spanish in, 189. (See Ord papers.) Michigan, Territorial papers, 8, 14, 16, 17. (See Schoolcraft papers.) Military government: California, New Mexico and Reconstruction dis- tricts, 86; Insular possessions, 105- 107; Cuba, 108. (See Reconstruc- tion.) Military Records: General classes of, INDEX. 213 76; Records of Regular Army, 86, 88; Records of volunteer armies, 77, 78, 86, 88; Pay and muster rolls, 58, 59, 77; Inspections, 89, 90, 91; Military justice (courts martial, courts of inquiry, and military commissions), 91, 191; Military information, 75; Military supplies (quartermaster's depart- ment), 84, 85, 86, 93; (commissary department) 94; (ordnance de- partment) 103; Medical and Hos- pital records, 77, 78, 94, 95; Pay of the army, 95, 96; Military sig- naling, 105; Prisoners of war, 19, 77, 87; Discontinued commands, 77, 86; Military maps, charts, surveys, 98, 99; Engineer's records, 97, 98; Provost-Marshal-General's bureau, 86. (See Secretary of War; Mili- tary government ; Confederate states ; Accounts ; Claims ; and under the various wars.) Minnesota, Territorial papers, 8. (See Schoolcraft papers.) Mint of the U. S., 41, 69 Miscellaneous archives. State Depart- ment, 7 Mississippi: Territorial papers, 8, 17; Lands in, 17, 23; Constitution of (1869), 17 Missouri: Territorial papers, 8, 14; Slave claim commission, 86 Money, public: Deposits of, 37; Re- moval of deposits, 37; Correspond- ence with depositories, disbursing agents, etc., 41; Record of expen- ditures and receipts of, 42. (See Accounts; Debt.) Monroe, James, papers of, 12, 101 Montana: Territorial papers, 8, 141; Admission into Union, 17 Morris, Robert, papers, 196, 198 Morse, S. F. B., letters. (See Vail papers.) Naval records: Pay and muster rolls, 61, 137; Establishment of navy, 85; Navy commissioners' records, 128, 136, 137; Yards and docks, 128; Construction, repair, and equipment of vessels, 128, 136, 137; Courts martial and courts of inquiry, 138; Correspondence with officers, 120- 122; Squadron letters, 122-125; Executive correspondence, 125; Congressional correspondence, 125; General corespondence, 125; Ex- ploring expeditions, 126; Marine Corps, 127, 138; Lists of officers, 130, 160; Personal records of of- ficers, 135; Orders, 135; Enlist- ments, 135; Prize lists, 129; Log- books, 136; Admiral Gregory's office, 137; Loaned papers of of- ficers, 130-134; Corporal punish- ment and spirit rations, 129. (See Barry; John Paul Jones; Porter; Preble papers; Continental Con- gress; and under various wars.) Navigation, records of office of com- missioner of, 173 Navy. (See Naval Records.) Nebraska, Territorial papers, 8 Nevada, Territorial papers, 8. New England Confederacy, 192 New Hampshire: Revolutionary forces, 153; Miscellaneous papers, 191 New Jersey: Revolutionary papers, 157; Miscellaneous papers, 193 New Mexico: Territorial papers, 8, 141; Constitution (1890), 17; In- dian war in, 86; Military govern- ment in, 86; Letters of Governor Calhoun, 146; Spanish in, 181; Status of citizens of, 185; Claim of Texas on, 185; Zuili Indians, 189; Spanish and Mexican archives, 196 New Orleans. (See Louisiana.) New York: Revolutionary papers, 156, 157; Miscellaneous papers, 193 North Carolina: Legislative docu- ments (1777), 21; Abandoned lands in, 110; Revolutionary papers, 159; Cherokees, 159; Miscellaneous pa- pers, 195 North Dakota, Constitution and ad- mission into Union, 171. (See Dakota.) Northwest Territory, papers of, 14, 17, 191 Ohio, Territorial papers, 8, 18 Ord, Gen. E. O. C, papers, 179 Ordinance of 1787, 191 Oregon, Territorial papers, 8. (See Schoolcraft papers.) Orleans Territory, Territorial papers, 8 Pacific railway, 142 Pardons, executive. 111 Patents: Correspondence of Com- missioners of, 140; Archives of Patent Office, 166, 167 ' Patterson, T. H., papers, 132 Pennsylvania: Whiskey Insurrection, 23; House Tax Insurrection, 24; Revolutionary papers, 157 Pensions : Correspondence between Secretary of Interior and Commis- sioner of, 140; Records of Pension Bureau, 150 ff. Petitions in Congress, 186, 187 214 INDEX. Philippine insurgent records, 107 Pickett papers, 43 Pickering, Gen. Timothy, letter, 159 Pierce, Franklin, letter, 101 Pirates: Depredations of, 27; Span- ish (1835), 28 Polk, James K., papers of, 1, 199 Porter, David, papers, 199 Porto Rico. (See Military records, West Indies.) Postmaster-General: Letters and or- ders, 115, 116; Records of Assist- ant Postmaster-General, 115, 116 Post-Office: Suits, 113; Establishment of post-offices, 116; Post-Office ledgers, 66 Poulteney and Moale, papers, 201 Preble, Edward, papers, 199 Preble, G. H., papers, 132 Presidents of the United States: Papers of, 1; Letters from Secre- tary of Treasury, 35; Letters relat- ing to city of Washington, 101 ; Cor- respondence with Secretary of Navy, 125; Correspondence with In- terior Department, 139, 140; Corre- spondence with Civil Service Com- mission, 177. (See also under in- dividual Presidents.) Prisons, federal, 142 Proclamations, presidential, 13 Provost-Marshal-General, records of bureau of (1863-1866), 86 Quebec, Arnold's expedition against, 156 Radford, WiUiam, papers, 132 Randolph, Edmund, letters, 196 Randolph, John, letter, 181" Reconstruction: Captured and aband- oned property, 35, 36, 48; Records of military government, 77, 86. (See Johnson papers.) Representatives, House of. (See Congress.) Revere, Paul, letters to Navy Depart- ment, 125 Revolution, War of: Orderly books, journals, diaries, rolls, and miscel- laneous papers, 21, 153-160, 190, 191; Prisoners, 21, 159, 160; French in, 191, 199; Forton prisoners, 21; Clinton annotations, 22; List of negroes taken from Charleston, 22; Accounts, 57, 59; Transfers of mil- itary records of, 84; Army returns, 84; Records of Quartermaster's department, 84; Prize appeal cases, 182. (See Loyalist papers; Great Britain; Washington papers; Con- tinental Congress papers; and per- sonal papers of contemporaries. Rhind, A. C, papers, 132 Rhode Island: Depredations by Brit- ish vessels, 14; Revolutionary pa- pers, 155, 192 Roe, F. A., papers, 133 Rochambeau, De, papers, 199 Rodgers, John, letters, 199 Rowan, S. C, papers, 133 St. Clair, Gov. Arthur, papers, 191 Sands, B. F., papers, 133 " Savannah ", log-book of the steamer, 181 Schoolcraft, Henry R., papers, 180, 200 Scientific manuscripts, 182. (See Vail papers; Hassler letters.) Secret Service, 70 Secretary of Agriculture, corre- spondence of, 170 Secretary of Interior, correspondence of, 139 flF., 145, 146 Secretary of the Navy, correspond- ence of, 119 ff. (See Naval Rec- ords.) Secretary of Treasury, correspond- ence of, 32-41 Secretary of War, official records of, 75, 85. (See Military Records.) Senate of U. S. (See Congress.) Sheridan, Gen. P. H., letters, 180 Sherman, Gen. W. T., letters, 179 Siam. (See Halderman papers.) Slavery: Petitions against, 186; Pa- pers relating to slaves, 181, 195; Slave-trade, 122, 141, 195; Slave claim commission, 86 Smith, Robert, letters, 196 Smithsonian Institution, administra- tive records of, 179 South America: Revolt of Spanish provinces, 26; Depredations of privateers in waters of (1819), 27; Correspondence of J. B. Prevost relative to revolt of Spanish prov- inces, 27; Controversy with Buenos Ayres belligerents (1844), 43; Naval records relating to, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127; Spanish in, 189 South Carolina: Revolutionary pa- pers, 159; Miscellaneous papers, 195 South Dakota: Constitution and ad- mission into Union, 18. (See Dakota.) Southwest Territory, papers of, 14, 18 Spanish in America, 181, 188, 189, 196 Spanish War: Military records, 78; naval bounty claims, 113, 185 INDEX. 215 Special agents (Treasury Depart- ment), reports of, 39 Stamp acts in America, 190 States, papers of, 14. (See also un- der individual states.) Steam, application of, to navigation, 197 Steamboat Inspection, 41; records of office of, 173 Stoddert, Benjamin, letters, 196 Stribling, C. K., papers, 133 Stuart, J. E. B., letter, 182 Supervising architect, records of, 70 Supreme Court, records of, 182 ff. (See Chase papers.) Tariff: French imports under tariffs of 1846 and 1857, 28; Admin- istration of tariflF laws, suits under, etc., 36, 37, 38, 112; Insular pos- sessions, 106; Petitions to Con- gress, 186 Taylor, Zachary, letter, 101 Telegraph. (See Vail papers.) Tennessee: Territorial papers, 18; Tennessee Land Company, 23; Slave claim commission, 86. (See Johnson papers; Polk papers.) Territories, papers of, 8, 14, 141; (see also under individual territories and states) ; Fiscal relations in the U. S., 40 Texas: Constitution (1866), 18; Ar- chives of U. S. legation in, 28; Debt, 41; Tariff, 182; Claim on New Mexico, 185; Petitions relat- ing to admission of, 186; Spanish in, 189 Treasurer of U. S. ; Correspondence of, 52; Accounts of, 53 Treaties: With foreign states, 13; With Indians, 13, 110; Papers of commissioners for formation of (1783-1787), 22; Tench Coxe on treaty with England, 25; Negotia- tions for commercial treaty with European powers, 27; With Great Britain (1854), 28 Tripolitan War, 191, 199 Tyler, John, letter, 101 Useless papers, destruction of, (See under Losses of Papers.) Utah: Territorial papers, 8, 141; Polygamy in, 142 Vail papers, 181 Van Buren, Martin, papers, 101, 200 Vermont, miscellaneous papers, 192 Vernon- Wager papers, 189 Virginia: Colonial forces, 20; Revo- lutionary papers, 158, 159; Claims against, 158; Miscellaneous papers and legislative records, 194, 195 " Virginius ", seizure of ship, 130 Voyages, early, 189 Walke, H., papers, 133 Walker, Benjamin, letters, 196 War of 1812: Detroit, 14; Records of, 19; Prisoners of war, 19, 128, 181; Sea fights, 20; Proclamation of General Hull, 25; Attitude of Spain, 25; Proclamation of Brig. Gen. Alexander Smith, 26; Claims for property taken, 58; Military records, 85; Inspection report, 89; Journal of General Jackson's march (1814), 99; Naval captures, 110; Naval records, 121; Opera- tions on the Potomac, 191; Battle of New Orleans, 198 Warren, Joseph, letters, 192 Wars. (See French and Indian; Revolutionary; Tripolitan; War of 1812; Mexican; Indian; Civil; and Spanish.) Washington, City of. (See District of Columbia. ) Washington: Territorial papers, 8, 18, 141; Constitution and admis- sion into Union, 18 Washington, George, papers and let- ters of, 11, 57, 101, 159, 200 Watterston, George, papers, 200 Wayne and St. Clair Wars, 59, 85 Weather. (See Meteorological rec- ords.) Webster, Daniel, papers, • 201 Welles, Gideon, papers, 133 Western lands, 14 Western Territory, Territorial pa- pers, 8 West Indies: Tour of British, by R. M. Harrison (1827-8), 26; Naval papers relating to, 123; Spanish in, 189; British in, 189 Westminster Conventions, 192 Whiskey Insurrection, 23, 68 Wilkes, Charles, papers, 133 Winchester, Brig. Gen. James, pa- pers, 201 Wright and Company, papers, 201 Wyoming: Territorial papers, 8, 141; Constitution and memorial, 18 Yazoo claims, 23 ^HIS 300K IS l^t^roT^T^r^^ STAMPED beSV«^ "ATE f'-AV 30 1934 WSTACi^ ^^•' :v/cs,.^v ^ iyii.fii..S.f.SKf.':;EYLIBRARIt i ^ , <^D5mDggfc,q v;^ :3il li^rel i/5 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY • «*••