Collection Summary
United States War
Department Records
1794-1848
1794-1848
MSS76072
United States. War
Dept.
500 items
6 containers plus 21 oversize
24.2 linear feet
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Correspondence,
letterbooks, ledgers, account books, legal records, lists, and other material
relating primarily to the United States Arsenal in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
later know as the Frankford Arsenal, and to superintendents of military stores
William Irvine and his son Callender Irvine.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Calhoun, John C. (John Caldwell), 1782-1850.
Clay, Henry, 1777-1852.
Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804.
Irvine, Callender, 1775-1841.
Irvine, William, 1741-1804.
Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845.
Johnson, Richard M. (Richard Mentor), 1780-1850.
Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866.
Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850.
Wirt, William, 1772-1834.
Organizations
Frankford Arsenal (Philadelphia, Pa.)
United States. War Department.
Subjects
Creek Indians--Wars.
Mexican War, 1846-1848.
Military supplies.
Seminole Indians--Wars.
Places
New Orleans (La.)--History.
United States--Armed Forces--History.
United States--Armed Forces--Supplies and stores.
United States--History--War of 1812.
Provenance
The records of the United States War Department were acquired by the
Library of Congress in 1920 by transfer from the War Department zone supply
officer of Philadelphia, Pa. A letterbook of Callender Irvine was purchased by
the Library in 1934 and added to the collection.
Processing History
The records of the United States War Department were arranged and
described in 1985. The collection was expanded and revised in 1996. The finding
aid was revised in 2009.
Copyright Status
The contents of public records created by federal agencies may or may
not be covered by copyright legislation. It is the researcher's responsibility
to determine requirements of domestic copyright laws and international treaties
and conventions.
Access and Restrictions
The records of the United States War Department are open to research.
Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to
visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to
retrieve these items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, United States War Department Records,
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The records of the United States War Department span the years
1794-1848 and include correspondence, letterbooks, ledgers, account books,
legal records, lists, and other material. The collection relates primarily to
the United States Arsenal in Philadelphia, Pa., later known as the Frankford
Arsenal, and to superintendents of military stores William Irvine and his son
Callender. The material depicts the growth of the United States military and
its supply needs during the early national period. For example, the letterbook
of Callender Irvine and William Duncan of 1812-1813 reveals that as early as
April 1812 extensive preparations were being made to provide New Orleans with
the means of defending itself. Other topics include operations against the
Creek and Seminole Indians and items relating to the war with Mexico,
1846-1848. The collection is arranged in the following series:
[
Chronological
File
](chron) and
[
Oversize
](over).
Significant individuals represented in the collection include John C.
Calhoun, Henry Clay, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson, Richard M. Johnson,
Winfield Scott, Zachary Taylor, and William Wirt.
Arrangement of the Records
This collection is arranged in two series:
-
[
Chronological
File, 1794-1848
](chron)
-
[
Oversize,
1795-1825
](over)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm82076072]
Container List
Container
Contents
1-6
Chronological File,
1794-1848
1794-1848
Correspondence, letterbooks, journals, ledgers, account books,
lists, abstracts, legal records, printed matter, and other material.
Arranged chronologically by date of latest material within each
heading.
1
1798
1798
1
Ledger, military stores keeper,
unknown post,
1796-1798
1796-1798
1
1799
1799
1
Ledger, Major Craig, unknown
post, provisions receipt book,
1797-1799
1797-1799
1
Letterbook, Samuel Hodgden,
Philadelphia, Pa., depot,
1798-1799
[
See Oversize
](ov1)
1798-1799
1
1800
1800
1
Military depot, Philadelphia,
Pa., general account of stores,
1797-1800
[
See Oversize
](ov2)
1797-1800
1
List (partial) of officers of
the infantry regiments of the United States, citing rank, date of acceptance,
and date of resignation,
1799-1800
[
See Oversize
](ov3)
1799-1800
1
Superintendent of stores,
United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., account of stores,
1799-1800
[
See Oversize
](ov4)
1799-1800
1
Superintendent of stores,
United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., journal,
1799-1800
[
See Oversize
](ov5)
1799-1800
1
1801
1801
1
Lists of promotions and
appointments made by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate
[
See Oversize
](ov6)
1
1802
1802
1
List of officers in the army as
of 31 March 1802
[
See Oversize
](ov7)
1
Military depot, Philadelphia,
Pa., general account of stores,
1797-1802
[
See Oversize
](ov8)
1797-1802
1
1805
1805
1
Superintendent of stores,
United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., provisions receipt book,
1795-1805
1795-1805
1
1806
1806
1
Military depot, Philadelphia,
Pa., general account of stores,
1800-1806
[
See Oversize
](ov9)
1800-1806
1
Superintendent of stores,
United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., multipurpose book,
1794-1806
1794-1806
2
1807
1807
2
Superintendent of stores,
United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., journal of purchases,
1801-1807
[
See Oversize
](ov10)
1801-1807
2
1808
1808
2
Engels, George, Military Stores
Keeper, United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., return book,
1803-1808
1803-1808
2
1809
1809
2
Irvine, Callender,
Superintendent of Stores, United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., letterbook,
1808-1809
1808-1809
2
1810
1810
2
Superintendent of military
stores, United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., account of stores,
1795-1810
[
See Oversize
](ov11)
1795-1810
2
Military depot, Philadelphia,
Pa., general account of stores,
1802-1810
[
See Oversize
](ov12)
1802-1810
2
1811
1811
2
Irvine, Callender,
Superintendent of Stores, United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., letterbook,
1809-1811
[
See Oversize
](ov13)
1809-1811
2
1812
1812
2
Military depot, Philadelphia,
Pa., general account of stores
2
1806-1812
[
See Oversize
](ov14)
1806-1812
2
1809-1812
[
See Oversize
](ov15)
1809-1812
2
Superintendent of stores,
United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., journal of purchases,
1809-1812
[
See Oversize
](ov16)
1809-1812
2
1813
1813
2
Military depot, Philadelphia,
Pa., general account of stores,
1809-1813
[
See Oversize
](ov17)
1809-1813
2
Irvine, Callender, and William
Duncan, superintendents of stores, United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa.,
letterbook,
1812-1813
[
See Oversize
](ov18)
1812-1813
2
1814
2
Statement of ordnance, military
and quartermaster stores in several arsenals, abstract of returns,
1801-1814
[
See Oversize
](ov19)
1801-1814
2
1820
1820
2
Johnson, Col. Thomas, contract
arbitration case,
1817-1820
1817-1820
(2
folders)
3
(6
folders)
4
(4
folders)
4
1822
1822
4
Irvine, Callender, Commissary
General, account book,
1817-1822
1817-1822
4
United States Indian Factory,
Ft. Edwards, [N.Y.?],
1818-1822
1818-1822
5
1825
1825
5
List of real estate purchased
by the United States from July 1776 to Jan. 1825
[
See Oversize
](ov20)
5
1835
1835
5
Appointment of boot inspector
by Callender Irvine,
1833-1835
1833-1835
(3
folders)
5
Complaints of seamstresses at
Schuylkill Arsenal, Pa.,
1834-1835
1834-1835
5
1845
1845
5
Hetzel, A. R., Assistant
Quartermaster, Washington, D.C., letterbook,
1842-1845
1842-1845
5
Jesup, S. T., Quartermaster
General, letter to Representative Howell Cobb
5
1846
1846
5
Herburne, John H., letter
from
5
Walker, Robert J., Secretary of
the Treasury, letter to
5
1847
1847
5
Scott, H. L., Acting Assistant
Adjutant General, to General Winfield Scott, general orders, Headquarters of
the Army
5
1848
1848
5
Sibley, E. S., Assistant
Quartermaster, letterbook,
1845-1848
1845-1848
6
Irwin, J. R., Chief
Quartermaster, to General Winfield Scott, letterbooks,
1847-1848
1847-1848
(2
volumes)
6
The State of California and the Boundary of
Texas
6
Undated
Undated
6
List of officers of the First
Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers,
undated
[
See Oversize
](ov21)
undated
OV 1-OV 21
Oversize,
1795-1825
1795-1825
Oversize letterbooks, journals, ledgers, account books, lists, and
abstracts.
Organized and described according to the series, containers and
folders from which the items were removed
OV 1
Chronological File
OV 1
1799
1799
OV 1
Letterbook, Samuel
Hodgden, Philadelphia, Pa., depot,
1798-1799 (Container 1)
1798-1799
OV 2
1800
1800
OV 2
Military depot,
Philadelphia, Pa., general account of stores,
1797-1800 (Container 1)
1797-1800
OV 3
List (partial) of
officers of the infantry regiments of the United States, citing rank, date of
acceptance, and date of resignation,
1799-1800 (Container 1)
1799-1800
OV 4
Superintendent of stores,
United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa.
OV 4
Account of stores,
1799-1800
1799-1800
(Container
1)
OV 5
Journal,
1799-1800 (Container 1)
1799-1800
OV 6
1801
1801
OV 6
Lists of promotions
and appointments made by the president with the advice and consent of the
Senate (Container 1)
OV 7
1802
1802
OV 7
List of officers in
the army as of 31 March 1802 (Container 1)
OV 8
Military depot,
Philadelphia, Pa., general account of stores,
1797-1802 (Container 1)
1797-1802
OV 9
1806
OV 9
Military depot,
Philadelphia, Pa., general account of stores,
1800-1806 (Container 1)
1800-1806
OV 10
1807
1807
OV 10
Superintendent of
stores, United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., journal of purchases,
1801-1807 (Container 2)
1801-1807
OV 11
1810
1810
OV 11
Superintendent of
military stores, United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., account of stores,
1795-1810 (Container 2)
1795-1810
OV 12
Military depot,
Philadelphia, Pa., general account of stores,
1802-1810 (Container 2)
1802-1810
OV 13
1811
1811
OV 13
Irvine, Callender,
Superintendent of Stores, United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., letterbook,
1809-1811 (Container 2)
1809-1811
OV 14
1812
1812
OV 14
Military depot, Philadelphia,
Pa., general account of stores
OV 14
1806-1812 (Container 2)
1806-1812
OV 15
1809-1812 (Container 2)
1809-1812
OV 16
Superintendent of
stores, United States Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., journal of purchases,
1809-1812
1809-1812
(Container
2)
OV 17
1813
1813
OV 17
Military depot,
Philadelphia, Pa., general account of stores,
1809-1813 (Container 2)
1809-1813
OV 18
Irvine, Callender,
and William Duncan, superintendents of stores, United States Arsenal,
Philadelphia, Pa., letterbook,
1812-1813 (Container 2)
1812-1813
OV 19
1814
OV 19
Statement of
ordnance, military and quartermaster stores in the arsenals, abstract of
returns,
1801-1814 (Container 2)
1801-1814
OV 20
1825
OV 20
List of real estate
purchased by the United States from July 1776 to Jan. 1825 (Container
5)
OV 21
Undated
Undated
OV 21
List of officers of
the First Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers,
undated (Container 6)
undated