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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.

Churchill, Byron, 1846-? to: Drazilla Churchill.

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03859.06 Author/Creator: Churchill, Byron, 1846-? Place Written: Chawalla, Tennesee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 01 September 1862 Pagination: 4 p. : Order a Copy

Churchill describes a false alarm the previous evening, when a picket reported around 2:00 A.M. that "the Rebels were coming in force." All of the soldiers turned out equipped to fight, and remained ready until 6:00 A.M., when it became apparent they were not in danger. Churchill reports that "the boys are burning the town" [Chawalla?], with "ten buildings already burned to the ground, and others burning." Only the depot is to be left standing. He expresses contempt for the men of Burr Oak who have remained at home, and observes that Boughton and Snook (see #4) "had better turn their attention to their business and let the girls alone for a while."

Churchill, Byron, 1846-1933

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