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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.

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918 To his wife

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04558.050 Author/Creator: Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918 Place Written: Pleasant Valley, Maryland Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 24 October 1862 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 20 cm, Width: 24.5 cm Order a Copy

Feeling better, wishing he could help his wife with farm-work, speculating about McClellan's intentions. "...I dont feel as patriotic as I did, Maybe, because I have lost confidence in most of the head officers, for I dont believe they want the war to end, and further, in the way things are going it will never end, by fighting. I am not alone in this opinion, for it is one generally, and openly expressed thoughout the ranks, except, by some of the new troops, who have not forgotten the old home idea, that the South is a going to be scared to death of a presidents proclamation or a call for a few hundred thousand more men, but by the time they have fully seen the elephant, the idea of scare, like that of starve, and nothing to fight with, will 'play out.' I had rather see the Union divided rather than have the war last the remainder of my term of enlistment." Mentions other soldiers who have enlisted in regular service and transferred to other branches.

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

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