Letters received by the Secretary of War, unregistered series, 1789-1860

Notes

On this microfilm publication "are reproduced letters, with their enclosures, that were received by the Secretary of War during the period 1789-1861 but, for one reason or another, not registered. Included are some documents of earlier and later dates: one in 1777, two in 1788, and one in 1864. There are no documents dated 1854, 1859, or 1860"--Introd.

"The letters and enclosures reproduced in this microcopy were received from officers of subordinate bureaus of the War Department, Army officers in the field, Governors of States and Territories, civilian agents in the field, the President, Members of Congress, officials of other executive departments, and private persons. They relate to such topics as Indian affairs, fortifications for the defense of the country's coasts and frontiers, military campaigns against the British and the Indians, the constructing and opening of military roads, the organization and strength of the Army, the granting of pensions, the furnishing of subsistence for armies in the field, and the assignment and activities of military personnel"--Introd.

"These unregistered letters were received from the same classes of correspondents and relate to the same subjects as the letters received by the Secretary of War that were registered. Few of them are dated earlier than November 8, 1800, when a fire swept through the Secretary's office. There are also relatively few unregistered letters for the last 25 years of the period covered by the series"--Introd.

"The letters are arranged by year and thereunder alphabetically mostly by the initial letter of the surname of office of the writer, but a few by the initial letter of the subject. Some letters in the series are incomplete, and some enclosures have become separated from the transmittal letters. Such enclosures were usually filed under the name of the writer, or, if no writer was given, by the initial letter of the subject of the document. Letters received from anonymous correspondents were frequently filed under 'A'"--Introd.

Microfilm of original records in The National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Subjects

Locality Subjects

Film/Digital Notes