Our Collection

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.

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913 to Maria Damuth

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.14.42 Author/Creator: Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913 Place Written: Vermillionville, Louisiana Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 8 November 1863 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 20 cm, Width: 25 cm Order a Copy

Writes to his sister about doing guard duty on a plantation near camp. The soldiers encounter enslaved people who remained living on the plantation. Damuth purchases food from them and enters their homes. Describes that the enslaved people observe did not seem, he believed, interested in attacking them. Writes that he is currently in the largest group of men since the battle of Champion Hills. General Banks is moving a large force from New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico, and Damuth anticipates meeting up with them. The regiment has received a new flag with "all the Battles we have been Grand Gulph, Port Gibsen, Champeon Hills Siege of Vicksburgh & Jackson."

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources