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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.

Richardson, William, 1743-1786 to William Smallwood

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06508.01 Author/Creator: Richardson, William, 1743-1786 Place Written: Gilpin Point, Maryland Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 12 April 1777 Pagination: 1 p. : address Height: 37.5 cm, Width: 23.5 cm Order a Copy

Enclosing report to General Washington regarding the state of the regiment. Richardson has small pox and has inoculated the entire regiment. Complains of lack of officers, hardship and illness. It is a "wonder that they don't die at a much faster pace." He also expresses some discontent regarding commissions, "as I have not had influence enough to make a single officer... and strangers are put in that have never seen service."

Richardson, William, fl. 1777
Smallwood, William, 1732-1792

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