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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.

Brett, Piercy, fl. 1788-1792 to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.04767 Author/Creator: Brett, Piercy, fl. 1788-1792 Place Written: London, England Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 3 November 1790 Pagination: 2 p : address : docket ; Height: 23.2 cm, Width: 18.3 cm Order a Copy

Brett acknowledges receiving Secretary of War Henry Knox's letter from William Knox in London. General [John] Maunsell passes along to Knox that he has no political news to report, therefore he sees no need in sending a letter. No one truly knows what is happening with the military buildup between England and Spain, as the negotiations, if there are any, are secret. Should war ensue, Lord Howe "with a noble fleet riding at single anchor at spithead will sail directly..." Says Parliament meets 25 November, and at that time "the Minister must satisfactorily account for putting the nation to so enormous an expence." "Free" stamped on address leaf with no signature.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Brett, P., fl. 1790
Maunsell, John, 1724-1795

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