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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.

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878 to his family

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03603.139 Author/Creator: Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878 Place Written: Fredericksburg, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 28 August 1862 Pagination: 2 p. : Order a Copy

Writes of preparing to leave Fredericksburg: "This is the first time we have shown the enemy our backs, the first time we have been ordered to run and I hope the last time." In a note on the 30th says that they were expecting to fight but that the enemy never appeared. Ends with "Rumor says the enemy is advancing. If so we shall retreat I suppose."

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

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