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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.

West, Lewis H., 1829-? to R. West

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03836.34 Author/Creator: West, Lewis H., 1829-? Place Written: St. Augustine, Florida Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 25 March 1862 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; Height: 20.2 cm, Width: 12.6 cm Order a Copy

Says he just arrived in St. Augustine from Mosquito Inlet and that he will sail for Port Royal within the hour. Reports that just before they arrived at Mosquito Inlet, several ships that went upriver to attack a Confederate fort were ambushed, killing several officers and wounding the rest. Written while aboard the USS "Alabama"

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