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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.

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868 to Elizabeth N. Kessler

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.52.58 Author/Creator: Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868 Place Written: Petersburg, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 5 July 1864 Pagination: 4 p. : envelope Height: 20.4 cm, Width: 24.9 cm Order a Copy

Writes to his sister. Complains about having to wash his clothes in cold water. Comments he does not care how he looks or what he wears; however, she would find him dirty and ragged. Describes being sick with a bad case of dysentery. Notes he has cured it with cheese ginger snaps and brandy. Reports he was within 30 rods of the rebels line this morning. Writes they trade tobacco and coffee with each other and they all bathe in the same creek. Believes the two sides struck a deal not to fire at each other. Requests she writes him with all the news.

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868
Kessler, Elizabeth N., fl. 1863

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