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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.

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April 17, 1777

Johnston, Francis, 1749-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Persifor Frazer

Johnston asks Frazer to make "a list of neccesities" for the company, and to order all men back from furlough.

GLC01450.457.04

June 2, 1777

Johnston, Francis, 1749-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Persifor Frazer

Johnston says he is sick, and advises Frazer on how to organize the troops and supplies for a march.

GLC01450.457.05

August 10, 1777

Johnston, Francis, 1749-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Persifor Frazer

Company moving to Cornell's Ferry. Does not know where they will move next, but suspects it will be Albany or New England, and hopes recipient can join him there. Not addressed, but ends "my best respects to Mrs. Frazer."

GLC01450.457.06

June 22, 1778

Johnston, Francis, 1749-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Persifor Frazer

Johnston expects to move out in the morning, and asks Frazer to have his things packed for him. A note reads "Please inform the officers that nothing can be done touching the arrangement till General Reed comes to Camp, as soon as he comes I shall state their complaints before him."

GLC01450.457.07

October 24, 1777

Johnston, Francis, 1749-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Persifor Frazer

Johnston wonders why Frazer has not written him for some time, and says he is now healthier and has returned to service. At the time Frazer was a British prisoner.

GLC01450.457.08

July 19, 1778

Johnston, Francis, 1749-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Persifor Frazer

"I have escaped the clutches of old death with great difficulty." He is still weak but "I shall return to you soon" and resume active duty.

GLC01450.457.09

July 25, 1777

Johnston, Francis, 1749-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Persifor Frazer

Was sick in Brunswick for three weeks, then Philadelphia, but is now better. He asks Frazer to take care of various duties with regard to the company.

GLC01450.457.10

circa 1778

Johnston, Francis, 1749-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Persifor Frazer

Discusses American troop movements, including those of General Gates and Comte d'Estaing. Asks Frazer to send Andrew, since he is in need of a good waiter.

GLC01450.457.11

October 1, 1775

Cudworth, Melzar, fl. 1775-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Cudworth

Cudworth, impressed on board H.M.S. Asia, writes to his father James in Scituate, Massachusetts. Assures James of his well being. Expresses uncertainty regarding his return home. Mentions John White, Daniel [Mack], Morris Comdon, and Joseph Pierce, possibly some of his shipmates aboard the Asia. Reports that he received news of his father from Edman Patrick.

GLC01450.630.01

March 24, 1776

Cudworth, Melzar, fl. 1775-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Otis

Cudworth, impressed on board H. M. S. Asia, writes to Otis, his friend in Boston. States that on March 14, he was impressed on the H. M. S. Livley, at Marblehead, Massachusetts. Relates that he was on the Livley until March 24, when he was taken to Boston and placed on board the H. M. S. Asia. Pleads with Otis to visit him on board the Asia. Asks that Otis inform James Cudworth, Melzar's father, that he went to Marblehead with Samuel Holbrook. Possibly written in 1775 (date is partially illegible).

GLC01450.630.02

March 25, 1776

Cudworth, Melzar, fl. 1775-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Zephaniah Cudworth

Cudworth, impressed on board H. M. S. Asia, instructs his brother Zepheniah "what you do do quick for I hear we are a going to nan tasket ... " Letter addressed to Melzar's friend Joseph Otis in Boston. Includes some mathematical calculations near the address.

GLC01450.630.03

circa 1776

Cudworth, Zephaniah, 1752-1827

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Cudworth

Cudworth reports to his father in Scituate, Massachusetts that he has been aboard the ship where his brother Melzar remains impressed. States that Melzar, who was impressed on H.M.S. Asia in March 1776, is on board the ship Russia. Informs James that Melzar fairs well. Relates his plans to hire a man to "go in his bierth theirs one appears to go in his Room for ten guines & if I Cant get no other I must give that ... " Assures his father not to be concerned.

GLC01450.630.04

circa 1776

Cudworth, Zephaniah, 1752-1827

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Melzar Cudworth

Zephaniah informs his brother, Melzar, impressed aboard H.M.S. Asia "I have got a man to go in your Room If you go to Nantasket Road I Shall Come in a Sail boat to bring the man ... " Mentions Mr. Otis (possibly Joseph Otis), a friend of Melzar's. A small hole obscures some text.

GLC01450.630.05

circa 1783

Object

Title: [Anchor button]

Round in shape. Contains the image of an anchor. Transmitted with a certificate of discharge for Jonathan Mury, who served on board the frigate Alliance 6 December 1781- 13 April 1783 (refer to GLC01450.655.01). Date inferred from certificate of discharge.

GLC01450.655.02

February 24, 1782

Livingston, Peter, 1737-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Sent Captain John Shaver with four barrels of flour. Asks Bromfield to store them and send them by first conveyance to Captain Hopkins at Hartford. Also says to send Hopkins all the pork. Says to also send what is not cut up because this will be the last sledding of the year. Asks him to check the town records and let him know if there if there is a record of transaction between Edward Quincy and anyone else for ore at the Simsbury mines. Livingston wants to buy it, but he heard that Quincy might have already sold it.

GLC01450.803.01

March 11, 1777

Bromfield, Sally, fl. 1777-1782

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Bromfield

Very informal letter to her brother Henry (who she refers to as Harry in the body of the letter). Says she will not apologize for writing so soon after her last letter and that he will write whenever there is a trifle worth mentioning. Says "I cannot boast much of the figure I make in the gay World." Comments on the wounding of the "brave & Gallant General Arnold." Says it is past three in the morning as she writes. Goes through her circle of acquaintances and describes various parties in a flippant way.

GLC01450.803.02

May 14, 1777

Bromfield, Sally, fl. 1777-1782

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Bromfield

Sally Bromfield's informal and funny letter to her brother. Says she received what she will call only a beginning of a letter from Livingston. Pokes fun at him when she says "I chearfully acquiese in your abrupt conclusion, as I am sure you must have receivd pleasure from attending those agreeable Ladies, as you describe them to be." Speaks in an ironic tone when she agrees with him for having opened her writing genius. Says it is because she writes four letters to his one and gets more practice. Says their father, Robert Livingston, received his letter and was pleased. Wishes to see their…

GLC01450.803.03

April 19, 1777

Bromfield, Sally, fl. 1777-1782

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Bromfield

Affectionate, and at some points funny, letter to her brother. Jokes about who in the family was going to take up the pen to write him. Worries about the destruction the war is causing. Says she "cannot help hoping that an overuling providence will interpose in our favor before we are utterly ruin'd." Says respectful gentleman are being dragged out of their houses and surrounded by the rabble. Laments the evil side of human nature. Sends family's love. Postscript says she has sent several letters before this and asks him to pick up red leather pocketbooks for ladies, if he can find them.

GLC01450.803.04

July 15, 1774

Bromfield, Thomas, fl. 1774-1777

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Bromfield

Also has a note from Thomas on the third page dated July 26, 1774. Thomas is writing from London to Bromfield in Boston. Mentions he received Henry's letter from June 9, 1774. Most of the letter deals with business transactions, inventories, bills, and transport of goods. Wants to know why their business is declining, and mentions that the Quebec trade seems to be growing. Note mentions enclosed invoices and bills of lading (not included). The note is also signed by a Thomas Walters.

GLC01450.803.05

March 30, 1782

Bromfield, Henry, 1751-1837

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sally Bromfield

Affectionate letter from Henry to his sister Sally at Harvard. Says he has not written because he has been so busy with business. Says he has received two letters from her, one met him before he left Amsterdam previously and another when he was on the road to Spain. Says the letters reached him at a low point and bolstered his spirits. Says he cried over the letters and that "if my valet made any Observation, he must certainly have supposed I had lost a Patron or was discarded by a Mistress." He is happy to hear that their sister Abigail has "found her Daniel" and will be with a deserving man…

GLC01450.803.06