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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.

Sayles, Sumner (fl. 1862-1868) to Isora Sayles

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.32.10 Author/Creator: Sayles, Sumner (fl. 1862-1868) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter Date: 6 May 1863 Pagination: 4 p. ; 18.7 x 22.8 cm. Order a Copy

Informs his sister that he sent 30 dollars by express to a man named Mr. Wells. Reports that there were 560 rebels who were marched into their camp the other night and that another 6000 to 8000 were taken in the same place. Writes that they are planning on taking them to Cincinnati, Ohio and exchanging them for our boys. Comments that he has heard that he may have another brother. Written on paper with an image of a liberty and the Union flag with a boat in the background. The ink has bled through the paper making some of the words illegible.

Sayles, Sumner, fl. 1862-1868
Sayles, Isora fl. 1860-1868

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