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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.

Wortham, George, fl. 1823-1883 to James S. Wortham

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02233.22 Author/Creator: Wortham, George, fl. 1823-1883 Place Written: Kinston, North Carolina Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 17 May 1863 Pagination: 2 p. : envelope Height: 22 cm, Width: 15 cm Order a Copy

Writes his father saying his regiment is leaving for Virginia, his application for a furlough was denied, and he is temporarily in command of the regiment. Informed by a General that he "cannot be spared from the field," but he expects to be granted a furlough soon. Wortham is in command of the Regiment because Colonel Washington is sick.

Adds, "P.S. May 19th I have just learned where we are going to. It is Virginia. We have been waiting here since the 17th for transportation and do not know when we can get off - perhaps tonight, perhaps not in two or three days…."

Wortham, George, fl. 1823-1883
Wortham, James S., fl. 1863

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