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.

Boyle, William H. (fl. 1863) to Isaac H. McCauley

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09180.02 Author/Creator: Boyle, William H. (fl. 1863) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: July 5, 1863 Pagination: Order a Copy

Gettysburg's aftermath. "the rebs have stripped this valley of everything...there is not enough left for the people to live on for two weeks. Both railroads are destroyed. All the new depot buildings are down. Many farms are destroyed by roads over them or encampments upon them...The outrages committed on private property and on individuals have been dreadful. Murder rape, robbery and arson are the names by which you designate a few of their atrocities. Gen. Lee's orders to respect private property was laughed at by the villains that compose his army..."

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