Library Jewel #2: Washington Territory volunteer papers

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This month’s second State Library Jewel focuses on the library’s collection of Washington Territory Volunteer papers from 1854 to 1861. The papers include correspondence by the territorial governor, adjutant general, assistant adjutant general Second Regiment general, and Quartermaster and Commissionary Department, as well as other documents. The papers cover the Indian War and Civil War periods. The Washington territorial volunteers were authorized by a law passed by the Washington Territorial Legislature on Jan. 26, 1855 to organize a militia. The top image shows some of the contents in a volunteer papers folder in the State Library’s territorial collection. The middle image shows the General Orders of the Adjutant General’s Office on Nov. 13, 1855, including the first order of business which stated the appointment of Edward Lander as Aid to Acting Governor. Commander-in-Chief Charles Mason also gave Lander the rank of Lieut. Col. of the Volunteer forces of Washington Territory. Landers later resigned from his militia position when Territorial Gov. Isaac Stevens invoked martial law on May 12, 1856. Stevens had removed Landers from the Territorial Supreme Court, which Landers himself had established (more information about that here). The bottom image shows the treasury warrant to the territorial treasurer from Territorial Auditor Urban East Hicks to pay Thurston County Sheriff William Mitchell $229 (the purpose was unstated). The warrant was dated April 1, 1858, and stamped with the auditor’s seal. Want to know what our third Library Jewel is? Come back to our blog Thursday and find out!