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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 #: GLC04558.085 Author/Creator: Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918 Place Written: Suffolk, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 23 April 1863 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 20.5 cm, Width: 13 cm Order a Copy

Battle letter. Taking the rebel fort (mentioned in #84): "as soon as the boat touched the shore the boys piled off like a flock of sheep and as soon as they got ashore struck a dead run for the fort. Some of the officers asked the officer in command if he wasnt going to form a line and his answer was 'to hell with your line the fort is what we want' and so they strung along every man for himself. They had to run pretty much around the fort on three sides and came in partially in rear on a road.... When the rebels saw them coming they whirled one of the 24 pounder guns around so as to sweep down that road and put down a double load of grape and canister.... As soon as our boys entered the fort the rebs surrendered so they took about 200 prisoners...." Mentions soldier threatening to bayonet lieutenant during battle if he withdrew. Also mentions (in marginal note) that "we are making our defences stronger every day" and getting reinforcements.

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

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