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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.

Lane, Joseph, fl. 1779 to Benjamin Lincoln

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03369 Author/Creator: Lane, Joseph, fl. 1779 Place Written: Charlestown, South Carolina Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 22 December 1779 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; Height: 23.3 cm, Width: 18.3 cm Order a Copy

Major Lane, having offered to carry General Benjamin Lincoln's dispatches to Congress, says he is ready to depart. Says it is his intention to return to Charlestown as soon as possible. Says he has no business in the north and will return quickly. Appears there was an issue with Lane's servants. Says the ship "Betsy" was captured by American privateers and brought to Philadelphia. Since his servant papers were on that ship he hopes to clear up this situation. Says he was thankful that Lincoln brought it up privately. Written one week before the fall of Savannah, Georgia.

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