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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.

Smith, Martin Luther, 1819-1866 to Daniel Ruggles

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02457.17 Author/Creator: Smith, Martin Luther, 1819-1866 Place Written: New Orleans, Louisiana Type: Autograph letter signed Date: January 29, 1862 Pagination: Order a Copy

Wonders whether or not to grant a request for ammunition. Smith encloses a request for musket cartridges from soldiers at the Parish prison. Notes this force just received 1000 bullets the month before and wonders "is this expenditure of Ammunition necessary in our imperfectly supplied condition." One bust engraving of Smith included as collateral.

Ruggles, Daniel, 1810-1897
Smith, Martin Luther, 1819-1866

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