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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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Place written

Year

Sub-era

3 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

Some of the company has been sick but they have fattened up since they arrived 2 years sgo. He has gone through a lot of pens because of his letter writing and had to nuy more ink,

GLC02740.29

4 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

He does not think the Rebels will be able to fight much longer. He suspects the war will be settled in the summer.

GLC02740.30

8 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

very difficult to read.

GLC02740.31

11 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

One of the lieutenants deserted to see his parents, but they caught him and sentenced him to be shot. The weather is quite warm now. They have their guns now.

GLC02740.32

19 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

They have been under constant marching orders. They are now a few minutes walk from Rebel lines.

GLC02740.33

14 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

He is sorry to hear the baby is sick. He is currently in the book house, just killing time. The Rebels currently have to keep shooting across lines all night to prevent deserters.

GLC02740.34

15 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

He forgives her for writing "that letter," but does not say what was in the letter. He has got four months pay now besides the bounty money at his disposal.

GLC02740.35

23 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

He is in site of the Rebels' picket line. They plan to surround them and starve them. They can't last much longer. He thinks he will come out all right.

GLC02740.36

26 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

He describes a battle in which the Rebels lost 400 people.

GLC02740.37

28 March 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

The Rebels lost 3,000 soldiers recently.He describes their efforts to take care of the dying and wounded.

GLC02740.38

19 April 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

He warns her not to expect him home in a few months. It could be the rest of the year. He guesses that every day since they left they have marched about 300 miles.

GLC02740.39

26 April 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

He has been feeling sick lately. He reassures her that he won't be reenlisting. He tells her to keep up the courage, for he will be coming home soon.

GLC02740.40

29 April 1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

He talks of wanting to come home. He speculates on when they may begin discharging soldiers. He also mentions seeing all the wounded from the last battle and how devastating it was.

GLC02740.41

1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

He has a bad cough. He plans to send her a picture of gallups island and city point. He will soon witness a man getting shot. They plan to shoot him so that he falls into the coffin. He worries his heart will get hardened to such sights.

GLC02740.46

1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

His cough is getting better. He talks of wanting to go home and the nice times they will have.

GLC02740.47

1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

They are going to be sent to Maine as sharpshooters since they cannot be put anywhere else in the United States. He sees a lot of Rebels coming in lately and describes them as good-looking, smart men.

GLC02740.48

1865

Thompson, Wilmot, fl. 1864-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear wife

There is a heavy battle going on nearby. They, on the other hand, are still having good times. They do not have their rifles yet. He reminds Lizzie that she is always in his prayers.

GLC02740.49

1861-1877

Autograph note

Title: to Unknown

The author encloses a picture the boys gave to him. The picture is unidentified but is most likely Wilmot Thompson. He is shown with the picture of a car in the background.

GLC02740.50