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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.

Jackson, Edwin, fl. 1862-1865 to William Jackson

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00203.18 Author/Creator: Jackson, Edwin, fl. 1862-1865 Place Written: Maple Plain, Minnesota Type: Autograph letter signed Date: September 24, 1865 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 25.1 cm, Width: 20.5 cm Order a Copy

Writing from home, he rejoices about having been part of crushing the rebellion in the South. He talks about how happy his father was to see him home again. He mentions that he was in the last battle in Blakely, Alabama, with his trusty Springfield rifle, and writes about how Copperheads should dig holes and lay down in them. He talks about the triumph of free government and says that the country should be grateful and repentant to God and try to do better; he then states that Jefferson Davis should be shot. He describes his life now: he busy helping Henry with the crops, and praises his new namesake nephew. He asks Bill to write to him, as he has not heard from him in many months. Written at the Maple Plain Post Office.

Jackson, Edwin, fl. 1862-1865
Jackson, William, fl. 1861-1865
Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889
Little Crow, -1863

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