diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/HTTPRequest.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/HTTPRequest.cpp
index f5d0dc1c8..b4420a243 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/HTTPRequest.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/HTTPRequest.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 #include "Log.h"
 SETUP_LOG();
 
+// Logic to handle incoming HTTP reqests
+
 void HTTPRequest::reset()
 {
 	vHeaders.clear();
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/HTTPRequest.h b/src/cpp/ripple/HTTPRequest.h
index 596ce8924..1ad3081f0 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/HTTPRequest.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/HTTPRequest.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ enum HTTPRequestAction
 };
 
 class HTTPRequest
-{ // an HTTP request in progress
+{ // an HTTP request we are handling from a client
 protected:
 
 	enum state
@@ -58,4 +58,4 @@ public:
 	int getDataSize()			{ return iDataSize; }
 };
 
-#endif
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/Ledger.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/Ledger.cpp
index aa8b16d57..75bac9ba4 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/Ledger.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/Ledger.cpp
@@ -954,6 +954,40 @@ int Ledger::getLedgerHashOffset(uint32 desiredLedgerIndex, uint32 currentLedgerI
 	return currentLedgerIndex - desiredLedgerIndex - 1;
 }
 
+uint256 Ledger::getLedgerHash(uint32 ledgerIndex)
+{ // return the hash of the specified ledger, 0 if not available
+
+	// easy cases
+	if (ledgerIndex > mLedgerSeq)
+		return uint256();
+	if (ledgerIndex == mLedgerSeq)
+		return getHash();
+	if (ledgerIndex == (mLedgerSeq - 1))
+		return mParentHash;
+
+	// within 255
+	int offset = getLedgerHashOffset(ledgerIndex, mLedgerSeq);
+	if (offset != -1)
+	{
+		SLE::pointer hashIndex = getSLE(getLedgerHashIndex());
+		if (hashIndex)
+			return hashIndex->getFieldV256(sfHashes).peekValue().at(offset);
+		else
+			assert(false);
+	}
+
+	if ((ledgerIndex & 0xff) != 0)
+		return uint256();
+
+	SLE::pointer hashIndex = getSLE(getLedgerHashIndex(ledgerIndex));
+	if (hashIndex)
+		return hashIndex->getFieldV256(sfHashes).peekValue().at(getLedgerHashOffset(ledgerIndex, mLedgerSeq));
+	else
+		assert(false);
+
+	return uint256();
+}
+
 uint256 Ledger::getBookBase(const uint160& uTakerPaysCurrency, const uint160& uTakerPaysIssuerID,
 	const uint160& uTakerGetsCurrency, const uint160& uTakerGetsIssuerID)
 {
@@ -1112,7 +1146,6 @@ void Ledger::updateSkipList()
 		if (!skipList)
 		{
 			skipList = boost::make_shared<SLE>(ltLEDGER_HASHES, hash);
-			skipList->setFieldU32(sfFirstLedgerSequence, prevIndex);
 		}
 		else
 			hashes = skipList->getFieldV256(sfHashes).peekValue();
@@ -1135,7 +1168,6 @@ void Ledger::updateSkipList()
 	if (!skipList)
 	{
 		skipList = boost::make_shared<SLE>(ltLEDGER_HASHES, hash);
-		skipList->setFieldU32(sfFirstLedgerSequence, prevIndex);
 	}
 	else
 		hashes = skipList->getFieldV256(sfHashes).peekValue();
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/Ledger.h b/src/cpp/ripple/Ledger.h
index 741177b05..b9cf05892 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/Ledger.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/Ledger.h
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ public:
 	static uint256 getLedgerHashIndex(uint32 desiredLedgerIndex);
 	static int getLedgerHashOffset(uint32 desiredLedgerIndex);
 	static int getLedgerHashOffset(uint32 desiredLedgerIndex, uint32 currentLedgerIndex);
+	uint256 getLedgerHash(uint32 ledgerIndex);
 
 	static uint256 getLedgerFeatureIndex();
 	static uint256 getLedgerFeeIndex();
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerFormats.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerFormats.cpp
index cca4ba8c0..c1c36bb7b 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerFormats.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerFormats.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ static bool LEFInit()
 		;
 
 	DECLARE_LEF(LedgerHashes, ltLEDGER_HASHES)
-		<< SOElement(sfFirstLedgerSequence,	SOE_OPTIONAL)
+		<< SOElement(sfFirstLedgerSequence,	SOE_OPTIONAL) // Remove if we do a ledger restart
 		<< SOElement(sfLastLedgerSequence,	SOE_OPTIONAL)
 		<< SOElement(sfHashes,				SOE_REQUIRED)
 		;
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.cpp
index 8d68fff13..d1b6f4b18 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.cpp
@@ -540,6 +540,7 @@ bool SHAMap::delItem(const uint256& id)
 				SHAMapItem::pointer item = onlyBelow(node.get());
 				if (item)
 				{
+					returnNode(node, true);
 					eraseChildren(node);
 #ifdef ST_DEBUG
 					std::cerr << "Making item node " << *node << std::endl;
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/SerializeProto.h b/src/cpp/ripple/SerializeProto.h
index cc8a932b7..57ef55200 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/SerializeProto.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/SerializeProto.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 	FIELD(BondAmount,			UINT32, 23)
 	FIELD(LoadFee,				UINT32, 24)
 	FIELD(OfferSequence,		UINT32, 25)
-	FIELD(FirstLedgerSequence,	UINT32, 26)
+	FIELD(FirstLedgerSequence,	UINT32, 26) // Deprecated: do not use
 	FIELD(LastLedgerSequence,	UINT32, 27)
 	FIELD(TransactionIndex,		UINT32, 28)
 	FIELD(OperationLimit,		UINT32, 29)