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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.

Ellery, William, 1727-1820 to Nicholas Cooke

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00202 Author/Creator: Ellery, William, 1727-1820 Place Written: Baltimore, Maryland Type: Autograph letter signed Date: February 15, 1777 Pagination: 3 p. : docket : free frank Height: 34 cm, Width: 21 cm Order a Copy

William Ellery voices concern about the financing of the national debt and the issuance of paper money. He has found in Congress some interest in naval defense. The American army is at Morristown and the British army is at Brunswick. There have been skirmishes. In one, the Americans would have defeated the enemy if not for the cowardice of Colonel Buckner, possibly Mordecai Buckner of Virginia. In another, the Colonial Commandant of the British was killed. Comments that their army on the east side of the Hudson has had to retire to White Plains because of the inclement weather. Comments on a rumor about the Diamond Frigate, which he considers apocryphal. Members of Congress hope to return to Philadelphia, for which Ellery is eager. Cooke was the Governor of Rhode Island. A Member of the Continental Congress from Rhode Island from 1776 until 1785, William Ellery was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Ellery, William, 1727-1820
Cooke, Nicholas, 1717-1782
Buckner, Mordecai, 1735-1787

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