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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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1856

Broadside

Title: Political chart of the United States with a comparative statistical view of North and South

Hand colored Republican campaign chart showing slave states, free states, and territories, as well as an image of John C. Fremont, the party's first presidential candidate. Includes population information for North and South, differentiating between enslaved and freedpeople. Published by the Rocky Mountain Club of Springfield, Ohio. Printed by C. F. Bradley.

GLC06143.25

12 December 1896

Turner, James H., fl. 1896

Newspaper clipping

Title: [Clipping of the article "boyhood days"]

Turner shares his memories of David P. Harmon's garden and other members of the community.

GLC06143.26

1877-1900

Newspaper clipping

Title: [Obituary of David P. Harmon]

Describes Harmon as a horticulturalist, farmer, and abolitionist. Mentions that Harmon withdrew from his religious associations due to the "complicity of the church... with the crime of slavery." Harmon was also a member of the Masonic fraternity. Gives brief information on funeral services.

GLC06143.27

circa 1940

Bamma, fl. 1940

Autograph letter

Title: to Nancy

Written from New Rochelle, possibly in New York. Encloses the letters of David P. Harmon and asks that she take care of them and return them when she is done. Mentions that Harmon was honored by being mentioned in the fourth volume of the American Historical Society, under the title "The Story of Massachusetts." Writes that she owned other letters but they were lost by David J. Harmon after he asked to borrow them for his thesis from Harvard University. The recipient of the letter is David P. Harmon's great-granddaughter. The author of the letter is Harmon's granddaughter.

GLC06143.28

circa 1940

Bamma, fl. 1940

Manuscript document

Title: [Draft of an article]

Briefly discusses David P. Harmon and his association with the anti-slavery movement. Mentions her granddaughter's essay assignment on the anti-slavery movement. Comments on contemporary public school education as "rather limited in details, especially on the anti-slavery movement." The author of the letter is Harmon's granddaughter.

GLC06143.29

23 March 1822

Peirce, Levi, 1773-1847

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Clarifies an earlier letter "relative to percentage" in regard to tax collection.

GLC06313.04.177

25 March 1822

Warren, C.H., fl. 1822

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Inquires about a petition "for a bounty upon a fishing vessel" for Leonard Hammond. Indicates that he wrote to the Postmaster General about his late uncle's accounts and his hope to use proceeds from a real estate sale to settle them. Makes a comment about private petitions in a democracy.

GLC06313.04.178

28 March 1822

Holmes, Abraham, 1754-1839

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Discusses the establishment of "a post office in the Wharf Village and logistics of mail routes.

GLC06313.04.179

September 1862

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister Martha [Spohn]

Wheeler writes that a few men from his hometown of Sycamore, Illinois are at camp including his brother-in-law Darius Spohn. He reports that while the soldier's wives visit, they mend and alter clothes, and accompany their husbands to the city at night. He reprimands his sister for writing bitter letters to Darius and complaining about Lysander and Darius volunteering. Wheeler expresses that he would rather be dead than "have nothing to do in putting down this accursed Rebellion". In defense of Darius, he writes that his brother-in-law is "engaged in the noblest work he can be next to…

GLC07460.001

5 October 1862

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents and sister

Wheeler's regiment has marched 33 miles and many of the men have discarded their belongings along the way. He writes that they pass slaves along the road at almost every house and although a few volunteered to join the Union soldiers, they later backed out. Wheeler describes the slaves as well brought up and states that they support the Union. He is wary of any news of movements and feels that he can't rely on anything that is said anymore.

GLC07460.002

5 November 1862

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his father [Shepherd Wheeler]

Writes that his regiment is stopping in Scottsville, Kentucky for a while. Asks his father to send him tea, as he cannot find any where he is.

GLC07460.003

7 November 1862

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents and sister

He advises his family not to worry about writing him when he's marching because the mail follows closely behind. Writes that it is sixty-eight miles to Nashville by railroad and there are too many men to transport by train. Some of the men have fallen out since they began marching but he supposes they may have been taken to Missouri.

GLC07460.004

13 November 1862

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents and sister

He writes that it took two days to travel from Bowling Green to Scottsville because the roads were rough and the wagons so heavily loaded the wheels had to be chained to go downhill. Comments that men and women, "meager looking whips," are often seen along the road. Observes that most of the townspeople do not side with the Secesh, but did vote for "Southern rights".

GLC07460.005

26 November 1862

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents and sister

Wheeler has just marched fourteen miles to Gallatin, Tennessee and writes that he doesn't mind the marching as much as he used to. The letter is continued on Thursday, November 27th; Thanksgiving day. Wheeler writes that he will not march today but reports that there is talk of sending the company to Murfreesboro for rear guard. He mentions that Gallatin is the most beautiful town he's seen in a long time. There are many secessionists in the town and Lysander hopes that one day "we can go right in and clean them right out." He claims he is "willing to march to the Gulf of Mexico if we…

GLC07460.007

21 December 1862

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents and sister

Wheeler writes that his brother-in-law, Darius has been very ill and has not been on duty since they left Bowling Green, Kentucky. Furthermore, Darius is currently waiting for General Rosecrans to sign his discharge papers. Reports that they have been on the lookout for John Morgan and Kirby Smith. He writes that there are only about four or five hundred Union men at this lookout point while it is said that the rebels are eight thousand strong. In response to being outnumbered he writes that "it seems to be the policy of this war to put but few men in the places that need guarding the…

GLC07460.008

29 December 1862

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents and sister

Writes that he is anxious to receive a letter from Darius assuring that he arrived home safely. Wheeler expresses tremendous relief for the discharge of his brother-in-law and writes that Darius was very concerned about leaving Lysander behind. Reports that [Confederate General John Hunt Morgan] has not come after them yet and that they are currently building a fort should he attack. Writes that there has been no mail for three or four days due to torn up tracks. Requests that he be sent pepper, saleratus (salt), a bottle of ink, and some tea.

GLC07460.009

circa September

Sayles, Sumner, fl. 1862-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Skinkle

Informs his sister that he will not be coming home on a furlough. Inquires on how her Sabbath school picnic went in Washington. Writes that there was an expedition in Louisiana to seek out the rebels. Reports that his brigade did not go on the expedition, they had to stay behind and guard Natchez, Louisiana. Reports that the rebels had sharpshooters that shot their men before they could be seen and that they blew up the magazine. Notes that they burnt the works before they left. Sumner Sayles' sister, Isora Sayles, has married and now goes by the name Isora Skinkle.

GLC03523.32.21

11 June 1861

Phelps, Diton, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edith M. Phelps

Writes to his sister from Camp Curtin, Pennsylvania. Mentions that they are under strict rules in the camp; two pages of paper are issued each day to a company and they can wash in the river every other day. Writes about a fellow who was court marshaled yesterday for striking an officer. The man had to spend five days imprisoned; he was then marched out of camp and taken to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was given a new suit and 30 dollars. Most of the camp took the man's side because the officer had abused him. A fight later broke out in camp where some men pushed the guards around.…

GLC03523.49.01

11 August 1861

Phelps, Diton, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter

Title: to Edith M. Phelps

Writes to his sister from Camp Gibson. Says that they are placing a masked battery about a mile from camp. Writes that they are clearing an area of trees that is about a mile in width. Says that 14 men out of his company were chopping down trees yesterday and today. Reports that they are about nine miles from Fairfax Court House where there is a rebel camp. They have picket guards in place between them and the rebel camp with the bridge being heavily guarded. Describes an impending battle that General [Winfield] Scott is planning. He is preparing a masked battery to relieve the picket…

GLC03523.49.04

9 February 1862

Phelps, Diton, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edith M. Phelps

Writes to his sister from Camp Pierpont. Describes trying to get a furlough to go home but says that they stopped issuing all furloughs except for officers. Comments that Lieutenant Forrest has been home three times since they started marching and plans on going home again. Reports that Lieutenant Forrest went to trial and was found guilty of some of the charges. He was sentenced to be reprimanded by General George McCall. Writes that Lieutenant Forrest was taken again on other charges and will have another trial next Wednesday. Comments that Lieutenant Forrest has some bitter enemies…

GLC03523.49.08

January 30, 1862

Hamlin, Hannibal, 1809-1891

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Abraham Lincoln

Signed by Hannibal Hamlin as Vice President. Also signed by members of Congress including Representatives from Maine; Lot Myrick Morrill, John N. Goodwin, Charles Wesley Walton, John H. Rice, Frederick Augustus Pike, Anson Peaslee Morrill, and Ohio Representatives; William P. Cutler, and Albert Gallatin Riddle. Recommends William Archer for promotion to lieutenancy in the regular army. Praises his history in the service. Describes his loyalty to the Union even when tempted with bribes from the other traitorous soldiers and rebel forces. With endorsements and notes on verso. One stating…

GLC05603.01.10