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.

Gibson, Randall Lee, 1832-1892 to his father Tobias Gibson

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04501.019 Author/Creator: Gibson, Randall Lee, 1832-1892 Place Written: Knoxville, Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 31 October 1862 Pagination: 3 p. : Height: 34.5 cm, Width: 22 cm Order a Copy

Gibson describes a march ending at Chattanooga and estimates the sizes of John Buford's and Jonathan Hunt Morgan's respective cavalry units. He laments the failed campaign into Kentucky and vividly describes the Battle of Perryville (10/8/1862). He recommends moving the negroes to Eastern Louisiana, away from the Union lines. The army has lost confidence in General Bragg, who has gone to Richmond. Was written near Knoxville, Tennessee.

Gibson, Randall Lee, 1832-1892

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources