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.

Holly, William H., ?-1864 to Mary Ann Davis

Order a pdf of this item here.

A high-resolution version of this object is available for registered users. LOG IN

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02165.07 Author/Creator: Holly, William H., ?-1864 Place Written: New Orleans, Louisiana Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 29 July 1862 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 20.5 cm, Width: 12.4 cm Order a Copy

Written at Camp Parapet to a friend. First mentions a skirmish near Lake Pontchartrain. Visits a nearby plantation, visiting its sugar house, and conversing with former enslaved people who say they would rather be there than in the camp. Describes the situation of the Blacks in the camp and describes them as "independent and saucy." Talks of a funeral for two uncommisioned officers and a march through mud, then a Maine regiment that loses one or two men a day to disease.

Holly, William H., ?-1864

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources