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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.

Stephen, Adam, 1718-1791 to Horatio Gates

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02021 Author/Creator: Stephen, Adam, 1718-1791 Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: December 10, 1786 Pagination: 2 p. : address : docket ; Height: 22.7 cm, Width: 18.6 cm Order a Copy

Describes his visions of lava flows, overflowing oceans and ghosts (sounds almost Blakean). Mentions places all over the globe and gives strange account of manufacturing snowshoes from a pattern from Greece. Stephen as Major General in the Revolution led a division which accidentally fought troops of Anthony Wayne at Germantown, was accused of intoxication, and was subsequently dismissed in 1777. Seller's description says he apparently became insane after this.

Stephen, Adam, fl. 1786

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