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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.

Cyril, M., fl. 1862 [Rail pass and train ticket]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01013.30 Author/Creator: Cyril, M., fl. 1862 Place Written: Cairo, Illinois Type: Printed document signed Date: August 1862 Pagination: 3 p. : Height: 9.5 cm, Width: 15.6 cm Order a Copy

Contains two items. The first is a permit for Sarah Lay to travel by "rail or river" at her expense, good for one day. Issued by Major J. W. Merrill, Provost Marshal, District of Cairo, and signed by [M. Cyril]. On verso is printed, "It is understood that the bearer accepts this Pass on his word of honor that he is and will be ever loyal to the United States; and if found in arms against the Union, or in any way aiding her enemies, the penalty will be Death." The second item is a rail pass, dated 20 August 1862, stating that Sarah Lay has paid cabin passage to Memphis on the Steamer Continental. The rail pass measures 4.9 x 7.8 cm.

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