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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.

Cook, Gustave, 1835-1897 to Eliza Cook

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02570.02 Author/Creator: Cook, Gustave, 1835-1897 Place Written: Hayneville, Alabama Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 17 February 1861 Pagination: 3 p. Order a Copy

Has arrived in Hayneville from Montgomery and plans to return to the latter to attend the inauguration of Jefferson Davis. Has received Eliza's letter and writes, "…I do assure you that I was much gratified that you had thought enough of me to write to me. Now you see I regard it as a very considerable matter to get a letter from you for you know you never write to anyone besides me, so you see I regard it as quite a compliment." Includes plan to open a plantation with his brother Girard when they return. Cook again believes he will be home sooner rather than later. He writes, "At any rate I shall be home by the 15th March."

Cooke, Gustave, fl. 1861-1865
Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

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