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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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8 July 1863

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from Fort Scott in Virginia. Expresses deep love for her. Comments "It will be a source of great gratification for me to know that we have done our share towards preserving the Union and Liberties of our country." Inquires about the baby and requests a lock of her hair. Asks when the baby will be baptized. Reports he is officer of the day and they will start for Fort Richardson. Complains about fleas. Says Confederate General Robert E. Lee is so badly defeated, the rebels will not be able to recover. Letter has a Union logo on it.

GLC03523.20.08

25 April 1864

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from Fort Scott in Virginia. Reports he took the company to Fort Ward for a very severe brigade review and inspection. Expresses deep love for her. Expects to move to the front as artillery. Reports Union General Ambrose Burnside passed by their fort with nearly 40,000 men who are camped all around them. States he is being asked to give up his bed for the night for a sick General. Informs he was officer of the day. .

GLC03523.20.09

11 July 1864

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from camp outside Petersburg, Virginia. Inquires about the shirt and socks she sent him. Informs her the gun he fires into Petersburg is called the Petersburg Express and takes fourteen seconds to reach its target. Mentions his regiment reports directly to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. States he is along the Appomattox River. Comments Union General Ambrose Burnside is there with the 9th Corps.

GLC03523.20.11

19 July 1864

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from camp outside Petersburg, Virginia. Expresses how down-hearted and lonesome he feels. Reports heavy artillery on the picket lines, even at night. Informs her they will use new thirteen inch mortar shells that weigh 200 pounds each instead of the Petersburg Express. Writes about the death of their young child and his belief that she was too good for this earth. Letter includes a brief postscript written the following morning.

GLC03523.20.12

25 July 1864

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from camp outside Petersburg, Virginia. Complains about the lack of letters from her and expresses his deep need to receive word from her. Requests the New York papers be sent to him. Says he is extremely lonely and camp conditions are miserable, with cold, wind and rain. Reports a new man was wounded by a piece of shell. Asks for stamps and envelopes.

GLC03523.20.13

27 July 1864

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from camp outside Petersburg, Virginia. Complains about the lack of letters from her. Expresses anxiety about her well-being. Suspects the siege has not begun yet. States he is not kept busy enough, and they cannot get the rebels to fire a shell at their battery. Claims he has never missed her more. Reports he has a severe cold. Mentions two men in the company died of typhoid fever. Letter continues on 28 July 1864. Says the rebels opened fire and he had to return fire for two hours which silenced them.

GLC03523.20.14

11 August 1864

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from Spring Hill, Virginia. Worries about her lack of letters and wonders if her health is compromised. Expresses desire to "...enjoy each others society again..." Mentions he will be exempt from any future drafts unlike "...others who have neglected their plain duty in this war." Refers to the explosion at Civil Point, Virginia, Union General Ulysses S. Grant's headquarters next to the James River. Expresses relief he was not nearby at the time.

GLC03523.20.15

14 September 1864

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from a camp outside Petersburg, Virginia. Reports eight shells were fired into Petersburg last night. Expresses happiness at receiving three letters from her. Complains of the cold weather and sleeping outside. Comments on the large number of men from Danbury, Connecticut who have enlisted and expresses his wish they would join his regiment. Discusses several rumors regarding the discharge date for officers. Informs he will stay until March 1865 due to his sense of duty. Feels he will be offered a promotion to Captain, but will decline as he wants to get home to her.…

GLC03523.20.17

21 September 1864

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from a camp outside Petersburg, Virginia. Expresses deep love for her and gratitude for her support of the war. Predicts success for the Union is imminent. Refers to Union control of the Weldon Railroad in Petersburg, Virginia and the capture of Mobile, Alabama. Mentions a grand salute with large mortars in honor of these victories.

GLC03523.20.18

26 May 1865

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John and Sophia Henry

Henry writes to his parents from Washington D.C. Mentions he will not be discharged until the fall even though the war is over. Anticipates a furlough over the summer. Expects a Washington review of the corps soon. Both letter and envelope have a "Sanitary Commission" emblem.

GLC03523.07.37

16 September 1861

Terry, Robert B., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister

Relays, "That account of the affair at big falls is all a big lie they put in anything to make the papers sell. Their was no musketry shot returned by our Regiment. The Artillery only answered them the next day and then they did not return the fire." Continues on about the newspapers, commenting "I reckon the newspapers had another blow in about that affair down the falls church. We was called out but only get down as far as the chain bridge before the fight was over." Mentions that she will probably "here tell of a Movement of McClellan that will quite surprise you. In his speech to the…

GLC03523.08.17

20 September 1861

Terry, Robert B., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mother

Writes to his mother, discussing whether or not some men from home will be enlisting in the army. Confides, "As I know about a soldiers life. But the best thing he can do is stay at home and have a little more sense than I had." Reports that he heard heavy firing on Tuesday while he was on picket duty, but a "heavy storm came and put a stop to the firing." Asks that she send him a number of things, such as woolen socks, shirts, and a wooden pipe. Written on red and blue bordered stationery with a small image of a woman and the words, "Union and Prosperity" in the top left corner.

GLC03523.08.18

25 September 1861

Terry, Robert B., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister

Informs sister that some of the "Baptor five Zouaves" came through his camp this morning. Reports that they were received by General George McClellan and their new Brigadier General, George Meade. Tells her that everything is quiet now. In a post script, relates that she should not be concerned if he isn't home for Christmas, stating that he expects to eat Christmas dinner in Philadelphia, "for they are now getting the enemy completely surrounded." Last page of letter written in pencil. Written on red and blue bordered stationery with a small image of a woman and the words, "Union and…

GLC03523.08.19

17 December 1861

Terry, Robert B., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister and Father

First half of letter written to his sister from Camp Pierpont. Includes newspaper clippings, noting that they are in regards to General George McCall and his division, as well as some "poetry dedicated to the Ranger's which I knew you will like it after you read it." The second half of the letter is addressed to his father, relaying information of the trial of Lieutenant Howell in Washington and "about a dozen" other men. Comments that "the reason we took the women prisinors was on account of being spies." Also divulges that a man named Johnson, who joined the Lincoln Cavalry in New York was…

GLC03523.08.24

18 August 1862

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Sarah Knox

Knox writes to his wife from Harrison's Landing. Complains about her scarce letters and wonders if it is because she is sick. Expresses anger about nephew George F. Knox enlisting because so many men are dying daily. Recommends George tries to get out of the company he is assigned to because it is comprised of inexperienced young boys. Requests the name of the man who enlisted George and informs he will write to him. Reports he will be moving onto Fredericksburg or Washington, D.C. soon.

GLC03523.20.05

21 November 1783

Grant, Edward, fl. 1783-1789

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Shaw

Discusses Knox's military accounts.

GLC02437.02792

24 November 1783

Bowles, Ralph H., 1757-1813

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of the detachment commanded by brigadier general Henry Jackson

Countersigned by Henry Jackson. Lists men by rank and corps.

GLC02437.02799

November 1783

Merlet, H., fl. 1783

Manuscript document signed

Title: Provision return for the Canadian refugee drawing at West Point

Lists men by military denomination with issued rations.

GLC02437.02811

November 1783

Merlet, H., fl. 1783

Manuscript document signed

Title: [List of Canadian refugees drawing provision at Newburgh and West Point]

Lists men by military denomination, number of men in each denomination and rations issued. Countersigned by John Lillie.

GLC02437.02812

November 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Certificate for Richard Frothingham]

Certifies that Richard Frothingham served as the field commissary of military stores under Knox. Written and signed in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide de camp.

GLC02437.02813