Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Smith, David V. M. (1823-1863) to Elizabeth Smith & children

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04189.17 Author/Creator: Smith, David V. M. (1823-1863) Place Written: Ellicott's Mills, Maryland Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1862/11/25 Pagination: 4 p. : envelope. Order a Copy

The army is building a General Hospital in town and his regiment has been assigned to guard it. He again asks his wife not to mention the "Rum question," claiming it makes him "feel a little dry until I forget it again." Continues on 11/26 to mention twenty-five hour period of guard duty in the rain.

Smith, David V.M., fl. 1862-1863
Smith, Elizabeth, fl. 1862-1863
Smith, Charles, fl. 1862-1863
Smith, John M., fl. 1862-1863

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