Scope and Content: The Massachusetts Military State Agency in Washington, D.C.,  established in 1862 and headed by Gardiner Tufts, served as a charitable and relief organization for Massachusetts soldiers during the Civil War, along with similar agencies in four other Atlantic seaboard transport centers. Its duties included the visiting of hospitals to ascertain the condition of soldiers and providing them with necessary supplies; acting for claimants of back-pay, bounties, and pensions; arranging for the interment or return to Massachusetts of the bodies of deceased soldiers; and providing information to soldiers’ families about their condition and whereabouts. After the war, the agency continued its work with pension and bounty claims, in Washington until 1870, then in Boston until 1879, when its functions were transferred from the state surgeon general to the state adjutant general.
Arrangement: In two subseries: (1) Receipts for goods (2) Receipts for monies; arranged within each subseries chronologically
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Scope and Content: Authorized in May 1779 (Resolves 1778-79, c 753), the position of State Clothier was established to expedite the distribution of clothing to Massachusetts soldiers in the Continental Army.  Supplies from several sources were channeled to Massachusetts regiments through appointed regimental clothiers, who in turn distributed the clothing among the officers and soldiers.  Series documents the transactions of state clothiers Samuel Ruggles (Sept. 1779-Oct. 1780) and Ezra Lunt (Oct. 1780-July 1782)
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Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Public document, no. 7 –Reports for 1863, 1866, 1869-1871, 1878-1906 missing
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Scope and Content: The post of Surgeon General was established during the Civil War to administer and oversee the medical department of the state militia.  Among the department’s records is this series, created on the order of the surgeon general of the United States to compile data reflecting on the health of troops at military posts.  The medical officers charged with keeping the record were directed to pay particular attention to sanitary conditions there.
Notes: Spine title: Record of medical history of post
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Scope and Content: The post of Surgeon General was established during the Civil War to administer and oversee the medical department of the state militia.  Inspection of officers and recruits was among the duties performed by the surgeon general’s department.  This series records information from medical examinations undergone periodically by each officer of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia for the purpose of certifying his fitness for continued duty.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: The post of Surgeon General was established during the Civil War to administer and oversee the medical department of the state militia.  Selection of qualified physicians for military serivce was among the duties performed by the surgeon general’s department.  This series consists of a record of those persons who had qualified to serve as a part of medical staff.
Arrangement: Arranged numerically by military unit
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Scope and Content: The defense of the eastern Maine coast from the British during the Revolutionary War was a concern of the Massachusetts General Court and the Continental Congress, addressed by two ventures: (1) establishment at Machias of a truckhouse for regional Indian tribes to encourage their participation in the war effort under the Continental Army agent (later superintendent) for Indian affairs in the Eastern Department, Col. John Allan  (see: Massachusetts. Council. Correspondence relating to Indian and military affairs at Machias, 1776-1783 ((M-Ar)2402X))  (2) stationing of troops and naval forces in the area, serviced by a commissary whose functions were closely tied to those of the truckhouse (see: Massachusetts. Truckhouse and Commissary (Machias, Me.). Commissary books, 1777-1783 ((M-Ar)2409X); Truckhouse books, 1776-1780 ((M-Ar)2408X))
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: The defense of the eastern Maine coast the British during the Revolutionary War was a concern of the Massachusetts General Court and the Continental Congress, addressed by two ventures: (1) establishment at Machias of a truckhouse for regional Indian tribes (see: Truckhouse books, 1776-1780 ((M-Ar)2408X)) to encourage their participation in the war effort under the Continental Army agent (later superintendent) for Indian affairs in the Eastern Department, Col. John Allan (see: Massachusetts. Council. Correspondence relating to Indian and military affairs at Machias, 1776-1783 ((M-Ar)2402X)) (2) stationing of troops and naval forces in the area, serviced by a commissary whose functions were closely tied to those of the truckhouse. –Militia, state troops, and a Continental artillery company (Continental Congress Journals, Jan. 15, 1781), were served by Stephen Smith as commissary official from 1777 (Resolves 1780, Oct Sess, c 45, Nov. 15, 1780), until 1783 (Resolves 1783, Sept Sess, c 6, Sept. 30, 1783), during which time Smith also held the posts of truckmaster and naval officer.  Supplies were furnished by the Board of War until its discontinuance in 1781, at which time, per Resolves 1780, Apr 1781 Sess, c 80 (Apr. 25, 1781), responsibility for providing supplies and accounting for them to the General Court was placed with the state commissary general.
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Scope and Content: As the northernmost settlement in Maine during the Revolutionary War, Machias was judged by the Massachusetts General Court to be a vital military installation. Accordingly, troops were called out on several occasions to defend the post from real or perceived British threats.  Initially local militia companies defended the settlement for short periods, but other troops also served at Machias at various times until the end of the war.  In 1777, Massachusetts authorized the creation of an expedition to Nova Scotia (Resolves 1777-78, c 20, June 7, 1777), and these companies were formed in and around Machias.  When the Nova Scotia enterprise  was discontinued (Resolves 1777-78, c 219, Aug. 8, 1777), some troops remained there. Shortly thereafter, the Massachusetts legislature provided for the permanent defense of Machias (Resolves 1777-78, c 277, Sept. 16, 1777), initially in the form of three infantry companies, eventually reduced to one company of artillery (Resolves 1777-78, c 967, Apr. 17, 1778), which served until 1783.
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Scope and Content: The defense of the eastern Maine coast from the British during the Revolutionary War was a concern of the Massachusetts General Court and the Continental Congress, addressed by two ventures: (1) establishment at Machias of a truckhouse for regional Indian tribes to encourage their participation in the war effort under the Continental Army agent (later superintendent) for Indian affairs in the Eastern Department, Col. John Allan  (see: Massachusetts. Council. Correspondence relating to Indian and military affairs at Machias, 1776-1783 ((M-Ar)2402X) (2) stationing of troops and naval forces in the area, serviced by a commissary whose functions were closely tied to those of the truckhouse (see: Massachusetts. Truckhouse and Commissary (Machias, Me.). Commissary books, 1777-1783 ((M-Ar)2409X) –The Massachusetts General Court ordered the opening of the truckhouse, or trading post, for commerce with the St. Johns, Micmac, and Passamaquoddy Indian tribes (Resolves 1775-76, c 633, Feb. 12, 1776), the truckmaster being allotted four hundred pounds to acquire ammunition and other goods such as cloth and rum for the Indians in return for their furs and other hunting trophies. The existence of a truckhouse in Machias was also a condition of the Watertown Treaty signed on July 19, 1776 between the United States of America and the St. Johns and Micmac tribes, who agreed to act as military allies against the British; the treaty was the first made between the new government and a foreign power. By July 1776, the truckmaster, Stephen Smith, was granted an additional thousand pounds for purchase of trading goods (Resolves 1776-77, c 231, July 13, 1776). Smith, who also served as commissary for troops stationed at Machias, and as naval officer, was discharged as truckmaster as of May 1781 (there is no evidence of truckhouse activity itself after 1780), presumably on the gubernatorial licensing of a person with exclusive right to trade with Maine Indians, as provided by Resolves 1780, Oct Sess, c 96 (Nov. 29, 1780)
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