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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.

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862 to mother

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03696.11 Author/Creator: Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862 Place Written: Hampton, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: February 2, 1862 Pagination: 3 p. : Height: 19.9 cm, Width: 12.7 cm Order a Copy

to mother [Ann Smith] The men took up a collection to replace the twenty-three dollars he lost, and he says, "It came unexpected but was welcome and shows a good feeling towards me that pleases me much." He sent fifteen dollars home to avoid losing it again. He responds to the news of Carrie's death [his sister] and the receipt of a book from home. Rum in camp caused a scuffle between some soldiers. He notes the movement of some military ships. Numbered in pencil "47." Written at Camp Hamilton/

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