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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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31 December 1863

Johnston, Joseph Egleston, 1807-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John S. Thrasher

Accepts Thrasher's offer to telegraph him relevant news items and send him a Richmond newspaper daily. Expresses his desire that the state authorities would help find army deserters and "get them back." Also discusses military movements.

GLC03745

1861-1864

McPherson, James Birdseye, 1828-1864

Diary

Title: [James B. McPherson diary describing early Union successes in the western theatre.]

Notebook with McPherson's diary discussing the western theatre under Grant, with some 1861 diary entries relating to Fort Donelson, diagrams on making pickets, lists of artillery at different forts, and a hand-drawn map of Chickasaw (from 1864). Written from various locations.

GLC03746.01

1 January 1853

McPherson, James Birdseye, 1828-1864

Book signed

Title: A Treatise on field fortification

A copy of Dennis H. Mahan's "A Treatise on Field Fortification" signed by James B. McPherson. The full title of the book is"A treatise on field fortification : containing instructions on the methods of laying out, constructing, defending, and attacking intrenchments, with the general outlines also of the arrangement, the attack and defence of permanent fortifications." McPherson signs just before the title page, and also writes the date. The book contains twelve fold-out lithographic plates. It was printed in 1852 in New York by John Wiley. Original binders stored separately.

GLC03746.02

1859-1864

McPherson, James Birdseye, 1828-1864

Header Record

Title: Invitations for James B. McPherson [Decimalized .01-.10]

Collections of ten items belonging to James B. McPherson, including nine invitations and one poem with an attached sketch.

GLC03746.03

1875

McPherson, James Birdseye, 1828-1864

Map

Title: Sketch showing the relative positions of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson

Engraved map of Fort Donelson and Fort Henry on woven paper. Map was "drawn under the direction" of General McPherson.

GLC03746.04

30 April 1862

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Letter signed

Title: to Joseph E. Johnston re: defense of Richmond during Peninsular Campaign, plans

Also concerns his plans to obstruct the James River.

GLC03747

21 January 1861

Anderson, Robert, 1805-1871

Autograph letter

Title: to Anthony Thornton

Discusses South Carolinians view of the Union, and worries that America may be punished. States "All give me much more credit for what has been done here, than I deserve...I fear that as a Nation we have taken too much upon ourselves - that we have thought most of self and of worldly vanity and pride than we have of our Maker and that He may now bring us under subjection to his will by severe punishment - Never had a people better reason - if any be needed -than ours to be grateful to God -" Says Charleston's residents "seem to me to have lost all love for the Union, and to think that S.…

GLC03748

5 July 1862

Pitt, G. W., fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Pitt

Notes the retreat from Peninsular Campaign, Richmond. Also mentions the destruction of Federal supplies when retreating.

GLC03754

1 March 1864

Waterman, Frank A., fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lewis Anthony

Discusses the Election of 1864 and soldiers support for President Abraham Lincoln.

GLC03755

1790

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Pamphlet

Title: Report... on... establishing a uniformity in... weights and measures

Full title: "Report of the Secretary of State, on the subject of establishing a uniformity in the weights, measures, and coins of the United States." Printed by Francis Childs and John Swaine. Jefferson's report on standardizing weights, measures and coins. This report is a primary document in the establishment of the federal government and in the implementation of Jefferson's ideas concerning science and government. Politically the report would bind the nation together as a unit with similar measures, and inventions would be encouraged by uniformity in standards. Jefferson also felt…

GLC03756

16 July 1798

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Letter signed

Title: to William North

Adams as president asks North as Senator from New York, to attend an important session of the Senate where he will communicate new information, probably in relation to the creation of the Provisional Army or the Quasi War with France. On 19 July 1798 North was appointed adjutant general of the army, which carried the rank of brigadier general. In March 1799 he became chief of staff to General Alexander Hamilton. North left the Senate in August 1798 after the New York legislature voted in James Watson.

GLC03757

14 May 1784

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Cranch

Written as ambassador at The Hague, Adams discusses waiting for his family to arrive and how walking six or seven miles per day has helped him overcome the "Disorders into which Voyages Journeys and too much application had thrown me." He concludes by mentioning Mr. Tyler, who was involved with courting a woman. Cranch was the husband of Abigail Adam's sister; Adams greets him as "dear brother."

GLC03759

07 June 1776

Warren, James, 1726-1808

Broadside

Title: Massachusetts resolution re: calling for meetings on question of independence

References: Bristol 4265.

GLC03760.01

1794

Steuben, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin, Baron von, 1730-1794

Book

Title: Regulations for the order and discipline of the troops of the United States... [Incomplete]

Boston edition. Title continues, " ... to which are added the United States Militia Act passed in Congress, May 1792, and the Militia Act of Massachusetts, passed June 22, 1793." Steuben's name is spelled Stuben. Printed for David and John West, Boston, Massachusetts. Missing pages 61-62 and some engravings and plates. Original leather binding.

GLC03760.02

02 December 1780

Massachusetts

Broadside

Title: Resolutions for immediate enlistment of 4,240 men to serve 3 years

Accompanied by a blank military appointment.

GLC03761

11 August 1777

Warren, James, 1726-1808

Broadside

Title: (Massachusetts-Bay) Resolution providing for exchange of bad gunpowder

GLC03762

28 November 1793

Virginia

Broadside

Title: Resolution by the Virginia House of Delegates that a state cannot be made a defendant

A state cannot be sued by individuals, opposing the Supreme Court case Chrisholm v. Georgia.

GLC03763.01

circa 10 October 1793

Wyllys, George, fl. 1793

Manuscript document signed

Title: Document opposing Supreme Court decision (Chisholm v. Georgia) that a state may be sued

Signed by George Wyllys and Docketed by Samuel Huntington. Dated the second Thursday in October, i.e., the 10th.

GLC03763.02

12 December 1795

Stewart, John, 1759-1823

Printed document signed

Title: [Resolutions in the Virginia House of Delegates recommending additional Amendments to Constitution][copy]

Instructs Virginia senators and representatives in the U.S. Congress to "unite their utmost exertions" to obtain the following constitutional amendments included: 1. treaties that become law must be ratified by the House; 2. impeachments be conducted by a tribunal other than the Senate; 3. changing Senate terms to three years with one third of the Senate changing each year; 4. excluding judges from holding other offices. Stewart was the clerk of the Virginia House of Delegates. Co-signed by R. Brooke for the state Senate.

GLC03764

16 January 1799

Stewart, John, 1759-1823

Broadside

Title: Va. Resolutions recommending amendment to bar aliens from Congress

Also asking that aliens be barred from the Judiciary and Executive departments.

GLC03765

1863-1888

Caulkins, Clarence, fl. 1863-1865

Header Record

Title: [Collection of letters belonging to Clarence Calkins, 1863-1888][Decimalized .01-.46]

Collection of letters belonging to Clarence Calkins dated 1863-1888. Correspondence is primarily sent between Clarence to his family members; Samuel J. Calkins, his father; Nettie and Nellie his sisters; and his brother Oscar Calkins. Contents pertains to Petersburg, and prisoners of war at Libby and Danville where Clarence Calkins was likely held. Also included are freemasons ephemera.

GLC03766