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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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1865/8/13

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

The troops have been paid off and are beginning to desert. He thinks he may resign from the army soon.

GLC04662.106

1865/8/21

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He no longer receives the pay of a Lieutenant Colonel. He plans to leave the army in a few days. The 100th regiment is in Richmond and will be mustered out.

GLC04662.107

1865/9/7

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He will stay in the South for two or three months. He has borrowed $3000 from Mr. Pratt and is investing in stock [selling horses and mules in South Carolina, see # 68 ] speculation. He has been formally relieved of duty and is anxious to get home, once his trip to South Carolina is over.

GLC04662.108

1865/9/15

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He has purchased his stock and will start South immediately.

GLC04662.109

1865/10/8

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He is on his way to Augusta, Georgia to sell his stock. He thinks Columbia must have been a beautiful city before Sherman marched through. "There are a few fire places left yet, which serve to show what the city was, but most of the buildings are now only a heap of ruins or blank, half fallen walls."

GLC04662.110

1865/10/1

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

His stock is not selling as fast as he had hoped. He thinks Darlington is the wealthiest district in the state and adds, "The people are very sesech in their proclivities and are as 'ugly as sin', as the children say."

GLC04662.111

1865/10/27

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He has been renting out his teams, but will now sell them. He received a job offer from Pratt & Co. and plans to accept it.

GLC04662.112

1865/11/12

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

His stock is selling slowly, but he has already made enough to cover his original purchase and all his expenses. He will hold an auction and hopes to sell of the rest of the teams at that time. Hopes to be home before Christmas.

GLC04662.113

1865/11/23

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

Describes the damage done by union bombardment and subsequent fires. Hopes to dispose of his stock in auction. Wants to be home for Christmas.

GLC04662.114

1865/12/1

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He asks his mother to buy Christmas presents for him to give to the rest of the family. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in Charleston, "But the southern people know nothing about our time honored anniversary. Thanksgiving is pre-eminently a New England institution."

GLC04662.115

1865/12/15

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He has made $3000 in profit in the last three months. Still hopes to be home for Christmas.

GLC04662.116

1866/1/16

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

Describes the auctions which are occurring throughout the state. Discusses the weather, which is quite warm one day and cool the next. Also discusses the economic stagnation of the south.

GLC04662.117

1866/1/28

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

Does not think his family needs to worry about an outbreak of small pox near their house. He thinks his vaccination kept him from getting the disease, even though he was in the company of small pox victims on several occasions. He has been delayed from shipping goods that he bought in auction. The blacks in the area are contracting with the planters. He disliked a church service because it sounded a "little to[o] "Beechering' for my taste."

GLC04662.118

1866/02/13

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He has purchased many items at auction, including 257 army wagons. He spilled a mixture of kerosene oil and lamp black all over his face and clothes and had a horrible time trying to clean up.

GLC04662.119

1865/2/24

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He is feeling homesick. Selling the mules and wagons is taking a long time. He writes of a girl from home, Katie Pratt, whom he is interested in and who his mother thinks would be a good choice for a wife. Yet he will not marry until he is financially established.

GLC04662.120

1866/3/3

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He has a 22 hour lay over while waiting for a train. He plans to go to Macon, and Savannah, Georgia before catching a steamer bound for New York. The family oil well has made "a fair show." He can not wait to come home and work.

GLC04662.122

1866/8/8

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He writes of the health of family members in the city, discusses repairs made to family property, and attended an organ concert at Henry Ward Beecher's church.

GLC04662.124

1864/12

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He encloses $30 and contains a list for the dispersal of the money as Christmas gifts. Date inferred from information in letter # 85.

GLC04662.125

1865/6/10

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Minnie

Writes to his sister about the discharge of troops, including Leon Brown. Mentions the garden back home and that he does not think he will get a furlough.

GLC04662.126

18 April 1862

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Louise Walbridge

Discusses marching orders, his impression of Warwick, and building a road to Yorktown.

GLC04663.02

13 June 1862

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Louise Walbridge

Advises his sister not to teach any longer, managing the property and defends his brigade from attacks resulting from their performance at Fair Oaks. He also tells of wounded men who lay on the battlefield for three days and who claimed to have been treated well by the confederates. He has been detailed as Quartermaster.

GLC04663.03