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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.

McDougall, Alexander, 1732-1786 to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.02005 Author/Creator: McDougall, Alexander, 1732-1786 Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Manuscript letter signed Date: 15 March 1783 Pagination: 3 p. : Height: 24.2 cm, Width: 18.2 cm Order a Copy

Written by General McDougall to Major General Knox. McDougall was a member of a committee sent by the officers to lobby for half-pay pensions to Congress. Mentions that only Georgia is not represented at this point and there were divisions on the pension issue among the other states. Says 7 were for it, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire against it, with Connecticut divided. Goes on to discuss parliamentary maneuvers made by members of Congress on the issue. Says Colonel Dyer of Connecticut, who was to vote for the issue after it was brought up for discussion again shocked everyone by voting against it, which "lost us the question." Discusses ways they might be able to affect a change in the situation. Says if he fails he will return to the army by the end of the month. Encloses newspapers with the latest news from Europe (not included).

McDougall, Alexander, 1732-1786
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

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