W[illiam] Smallwood to [Mordecai] Gist, 1781 April 6

The Mordecai Gist Papers consist of over 700 documents, mostly letters, both to and from Gist. There are also proceedings of courts martial, weekly and monthly regimental returns, muster rolls, accounts, officers' lists, guard reports, and orderly and account books. The papers range in date from 1774 to within several months of his death in 1792.

The greatest value of this collection lies in its information on the military operations of the Revolutionary War. Over three-quarters of the collection falls within the years of 1781-1783 and thus reflects Gist's involvement in the Southern Campaign. Although Gist was not an outstanding military strategist or theorist, he was a capable field commander who was not afraid to express his opinions concerning the conduct of the war. Of immense importance are letters to and from such figures as George Washington, William Smallwood, Horatio Gates, Thomas Sim Lee, Baron Von Steuben, and Nathanael Greene.

The obvious lack in the collection is its documentation of Gist's personal life. Although there are some manuscripts which demonstrate his involvement in the Masons and the Society of the Cincinnati, there is very little else apart from his military duties. In a few letters he writes of his personal life, family, or health, but this does not appear to have been a typical subject for him.