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.

Committee of Defence (Philadelphia, Pa.) [Announces that the Corps of Field Engineers will fortify the defenses of Philadelphia]

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02978.04 Author/Creator: Committee of Defence (Philadelphia, Pa.) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph document Date: 1814/08 Pagination: 1 p. ; 20.5 x 12.5 cm. Order a Copy

Indicates that a company of artillery will be devoted to building a defense of ports and obstructing the British army's approach during the War of 1812. The company would be outfitted with tools. They would come from the Corps of Field Engineers, which had been raised by the Philadelphia General Committee of Defence and led by Dr. Robert M. Patterson as the chief engineer (see GLC02973.01 and GLC02973.03).

Williams, Jonathan, 1750-1815

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources