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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.

Sayles, Nelson, fl. 1861-1865 to his cousin

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.32.33 Author/Creator: Sayles, Nelson, fl. 1861-1865 Place Written: Memphis, Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 28 April 1864 Pagination: 3p. : envelope ; 20.1 x 25.5 cm. Order a Copy

Reports that he has not heard from Sumner (likely his cousin Sumner Sayles) since he was in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Notes that his regiment received orders to go on a scout this Saturday. Comments that scouting is the fun part about soldiering. Writes that they are having cold weather for the time of the year. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

Sayles, Nelson, fl. 1861-1865

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