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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.

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913 to Ida

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.14.58 Author/Creator: Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913 Place Written: Morganza Bend, Louisiana Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 2 June 1864 Pagination: 4 p. : envelope Height: 12.5 cm, Width: 20.5 cm Order a Copy

Writes that the whole camp is on picket, except for himself (the orderly) and the cooks. One of Damuth's friends has adopted birds, and it is Damuth's job to care for them. He dislikes them, but his friend "thinks every thing of them and will talk baby talk to them all the time." Mentions that he is glad "they are raising so many 100 day men," but mentions that serving for a hundred days is not long enough to really experience the soldier's life. Speculates on the end of the war and writes "I want to get home and enjoy domestic bliss for the rest of my days."

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