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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.

Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809 to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.00604 Author/Creator: Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809 Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter Date: 27 May 1777 Pagination: 6 p. : docket ; Height: 22.1 cm, Width: 18.5 cm Order a Copy

Gives details of marching with an unspecified company, and discusses his recent service at Providence, Rhode Island. Refers to a recent election of representatives, possibly in Boston, Massachusetts. Writes, "My good friend, we are in a very bad state of defence in this Town & harbour, not a man in all the Forts here..." Sent his regiment to recruit soldiers outside of Boston, and they have only raised 26 men: "the Country People have got the devil in them... good god Harry if we go on in this way we shall soon be ruined, ruined for ever." Mentions the discrepancy between the current draft of nine months and George Washington's orders to draft for three years or the length of the war. Disapproves of the nine month draft, stating "by the time I had got them well disciplined their time would out... then all my time, trouble & expense would be lost." Spotted two British frigates in the [Massachusetts] Bay.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809

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