Papers, 1847-1861, 1877-1885
43 items.
Gift of Mrs. Lammot Du Pont Copeland

BIOGRAPHY:

Thomas Grimke Rhett was born August 2, 1821 in Charleston, S.C., the son of James Smith Rhett (1797-1855) and Charlotte Haskell Rhett (1794-1871). On June 10, 1846 he married Ann Graham Mason, the daughter of Thompson Francis Mason (1785-1838). Rhett graduated from West Point in 1845 and served in the Mexican-American war where he was promoted to first lieutenant in April 1846 and brevet captain in September following the defense of Peubla, Mexico. After the war he was assigned to a succession of posts, including Fort Laramie, Dakota Territory (Wyoming), 1849-1852; Corpus Christi, Texas, 1852-1855; Fort McIntosh, Texas, 1855; Fort Fillmore, New Mexico, 1857; Fort Union, New Mexico, 1858; Fort Bliss, Texas, 1859-1860. He was promoted to Major in 1858 and served as an army paymaster. In 1861 he resigned and joined the Confederate army, was commissioned a major and served in various posts throughout the war. After the war, in 1870, Rhett served as a colonel of ordinance for the Khedive of Egypt. He died in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 28, 1878.

CONTENTS:

Folder I
1. Letter to Thomas Grimke Rhett dated July 21, 1851 from his wife regarding leaving Fort Laramie and her return trip home (Rhett is mentioned as having passed through his trial).

Folder II
2. Personal account book of T.G. Rhett, c. 1849-52; including lists of items to purchase, numbered cartons for moving, personal financial notes, pay drawn, forage, etc., addresses of businessmen, purchase of slaves.

Folder III; 1847-49
3. Letter addressed to Lt. H.D. Russell regarding proper handling of draft, dated August 6, 1847, from Lt. B.R. Johnson.
4. Letter acknowledge refund of over payment to Lt. Rhett for December 1846, dated May 19, 1847, from N. Towson, Paymaster General's Office.
5. Receipt for repayment of $91.00 from Lt. Rhett (duplicate) dated May 19, 1847, from Girtt Ringgold, Paymaster Assistant.
6. Letter to Lt. Rhett, Puebla, Mexico October 26, 1847, from Capt. John B. Grayson., regarding change of supply contract from the late Mr. Donnelly to his partners.

Folder IV; 1850-1851
7. Letter from C. Conrad to Madam (Rhett?) [has a daughter named Virginia], January 20, 1850. Case of Lt. Rhett mentioned regarding the increase of men.
8. Letter of response to commanding officer's inquiry at Fort Laramie, Oklahoma, addressed to Lt. L.C. Booth regarding herding manpower, March 18, 1851 from Capt. Rhett.
9. Letter to Capt. Rhett, July 29, 1851 from Virginia Mason (?).
10. Letter to Mrs. Rhett, September 6, 1851 from Thomson Francis Mason regarding procuring transfer from Fort Laramie.

Folder V; 1852, 1853, 1857, 1858
11. Letter to Capt.Thomas G. Rhett, March 22, 1852 from Alex MacRae, representative of the Wilmington R.R.R. Co., Wilmington, NC, re: Rhett's lost luggage.
12. List of complete man's suit of clothing with prices, probably sent to MacRae as per his request in the preceding letter (V11)
13. Fragment of receipt signed by Patterson(?), money from Capt. Rhett (placed in this time frame because he became a Major in 1859).
14. Page of an account book; drawn: December 2 to 10, 1853; credit: October 5 to 10, 1853
15. Three pages of an account book , one page dated 1856, the last page is a list of food stuffs and prices.
16. Letter to Capt. Thomas G. Rhett July 18, 1857 from Third Auditor's Office regarding a discrepancy in pay of men on leave, Fort Fillmore, New Mexico.
17. Written certification of the death of a horse. Dec. 17, 1857.
18. Ledger of livery expenses for Quartermaster stores during the first quarter of 1858, signed "Thos. G. Rhett, Cpt at Fort Union, N.M.," March 31, 1858.
19. Certification of death of horse at Fort Union, c. January 1, 1858, by Sgt John Ranch, notarized by Henry H. Green, March 20, 1858.
20. Wrapper for Quartermaster Vouchers, first quarter, 1858.

Folder VI; 1859
21. Account book with only 2 pages, household items with prices, December 1858, January, March and April 1859.
22. Letter to Major and Paymaster Thomas Rhett, Fort Bliss, Texas, June 13, 1859 from Benjamin Larned, regarding turning over accounts to auditor, noting errors (copy).
23. Letter to Fuller, June 13, 1859 from Benjamin Larned. Auditor regarding turning over accounts and Rhett's errors in payments.
24-25. Discharge pay order and voucher for Peter Lohne, September 8, 1859.
26. Major Rhett's account for the first half of 1859, "in Account with John J. Cisco," Assistant Treasurer of the United States, at New York, dated July 6, 1859.

Folder VII; 1860-1861, n.d.
27. Pay receipt to J. Cooper McKee, Assistant Surgeon, U.S.A. (November 1 to December 31, 1859), January 14, 1860 by Major Rhett.
28. Letter to Rhett at Fort Bliss, Texas from Benjamin Larned, January 21, 1860, acknowledges receipt of accounts current from Major Rhett for period to November 30, 1859.
29. Duplicate of Statement of Monies for month ending March 31, 1860 from Thomas G. Rhett, Paymaster to Paymaster General's Office, dated April 1, 1860.
30. Letter to Rhett from R.S. Ewell, May 5, 1860 [fragment]
31. Pay receipt to Thomas Burke, Private, discharge allotment $146.20 signed by Ferd. Knauerf, issued by Maj. Rhett for period May 1 to 26, 1860, dated June 2, 1860.
32. Pay receipt to Thomas G. Rhett, Maj. and Paymaster, U.S.A. for the sum of $216.70, for the period August 1, 1860 to August 31, 1860, dated August 31, 1860 and signed by Rhett at Fort Bliss, Texas.
33. Authorization for payment by Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates of Capt. T. G. Pitcher's detachment, October 15, 1860.
34. Payment order from White and Thompson to Capt. John Donaldson to be rendered to Maj. T.G. Rhett at Fort Bliss, Texas, November 15, 1860.
35. Payment order to W.S. Grant, Esq, by White and Thompson for $500.00 to be paid to Maj Rhett, January 26, 1861.
36. Small envelope (for a card enclosure or such) addressed to "Rhett Esqre" (n.d.)

Folder IX; Oversized (see T.F.M. oversize box)
37. Muster Roll and Payroll, "E" Company, Eighth Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, December 1859, Maj Thomas G. Rhett: Paymaster, Fort Fillmore, New Mexico.
38. Muster Roll and Payroll, "B" Company, Eighth Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, June 1860, Maj T.G. Rhett, Paymaster.
39. Account of J.N.G. Whistler, paid by Paymaster Maj Thomas G. Rhett, September 11, 1860.

Folder X; 1877-1885
40. Freight rates to Culpeper and Gordonsville, August 12, 1877
41. Rate quote from F.T. Hawks, Virginia Midland Railway, to W.A. Smoot, June 29, 1881
42. Rate quote from J.T.B. Thompson, Virginia Midland Railway, to Messrs W.A. Smoot and Co, September 23, 1885.
43. Rate quote from J.T.B. Thompson, Virginia Midland Railway, to Messrs W.A. Smoot and Co, November 19, 1885.