Nathanael Greene collection of correspondence, 1775-1786

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Summary

Creators:
Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786.
Abstract:
This collection contains original letters of American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene (1742-1786), largely with Robert Morris and Henry Lee, and approximately 2700 transcriptions of Greene's military correspondence gathered by his grandson George Washington Greene (1811-1883).
Extent:
2.25 Linear Feet (1 box and 14 volumes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Nathanael Greene collection of correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection of Nathanael Greene's correspondence was assembled at the Huntington Library from pieces acquired from various sources prior to 1927. The collection consists of 107 pieces of original correspondence of Greene, largely with Robert Morris and Henry Lee, and more than 2600 transcriptions of Greene's military correspondence gathered by his grandson historian George Washington Greene. These were gathered from many sources, public and private, by George Washington Greene for publication purposes, but were never used.

Subject matter of the correspondence includes: the American Revolution and military events; activities of Congress; the Southern campaign (1781-1784), with letters related to operations of General Greene's army and subsistence and pay of the army; and Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lee's resignation from the Continental Army.

Persons represented by three or more pieces: Nathanael Green (47 pieces); Thaddeus Kosciuszko (3 pieces); Henry Lee (12 pieces); and Francis Marion (3 pieces).

Biographical / historical:

Nathanael Greene (1742-1786) was an American Revolutionary general. He commanded the Southern Department of the Continental Army from December 1780 to December 1781.

Acquisition information:

Purchased from various sources.

Greene's correspondence with Robert Morris was purchased from the Anderson Gallery George P. Marsh sale, March 19-20, 1919.

The correspondence with Henry Lee was purchased from George D. Smith, 1919.

Miscellaneous items came from the American Art Association, the Anderson Galleries, Maggs Brothers, and others.

Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library staff in 2002. In June 2024, Mari Khasmanyan rehoused materials and updated the linear feet of the collection.

Arrangement:

Organized in the following manner:

  1. 1. Original letters (107 pieces)
  2. 2. Copies of military correspondence collected by George Washington Greene + chronological index (incomplete) (15 volumes)
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Nathanael Greene collection of correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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