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.

Paca, William, 1740-1799 to George Washington

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03937 Author/Creator: Paca, William, 1740-1799 Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter Date: February 21, 1783 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; Height: 33.5 cm, Width: 21 cm Order a Copy

Written by Paca, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as Governor of Maryland to General Washington. Signature has been clipped and added. Says there is reason to believe the British crown has prohibited offensive operations on the continent. Claims that if that is true, it has been violated by armed vessels in the Chesapeake. Says a party under Wheland landed and plundered the town of Benedict, Maryland. Mentions that Colonel Plater's negroes were plundered. Wants Washington to know about these violations so he can bring them up in any future negotiations with British officers.

Paca, William, 1740-1799
Washington, George, 1732-1799

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