Our Collection

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.

Kell, John McIntosh, 1823-1900 to Mary Kell

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00684.02 Author/Creator: Kell, John McIntosh, 1823-1900 Place Written: Santo Domingo, Aux Cayes, St. Iago de Cuba Type: Autograph letter signed Date: May 6, 1849-June 16, 1849 Pagination: 6 p. : Height: 25 cm, Width: 20 cm Order a Copy

John McIntosh Kell writes to his sister while suspended from duty and awaiting Court Martial aboard the Albany. He describes surrounding islands of Santo Domingo and Navarro with stories of landscape and native islanders. He arrives at Aux Cayes, Haiti, on June 11, 1849 and learns that "the Frigate Raritan had sailed from there ten days since for Port au Prince." On June 16, 1849, writes of the Albany's move to St. Iago de Cuba, where he is allowed to go ashore after four months confinement. He feels like "quite a new being" and reports to his family that he will reach Pensacola by "the middle or perhaps the last of July," when his Court Martial will be held. Four leaves with a half sheet stitched to back. Letter signed on the sixth page, postscript on bottom of fourth page.

Kell, John McIntosh, 1823-1900
Kell, Mary, fl. 1849

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources