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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.

Painter, Heber, 1841-1900 to his sister

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02016.017 Author/Creator: Painter, Heber, 1841-1900 Place Written: Portsmouth, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: June 1862 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 20.5 cm, Width: 25 cm Order a Copy

Writes from camp near Portsmouth, Virginia that he received his sister's letter and was happy to hear from her. Also writes that he sent home a sum of thirty dollars in a package sent along with the Captain. Refers to General McClellan as the "Napoleon of America." Describes a recent visit to a local church in Portsmouth where he was impressed by the furnishings but not by the orator of the service. He explains that the orator skipped over the prayer for the president and that he and his congregation were decidedly secessionists. He suspects that the men and boys of the congregation have either gone to war or are not religiously inclined. Reports that he and the captain are in good health and there are no soldiers in his regiment that are currently in the hospital. States that he is able to keep up with current affairs, as the soldiers are receiving the daily paper.

Painter, Heber, 1841-1900

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