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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.

Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878 to Lewis West

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03836.39 Author/Creator: Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878 Place Written: Aboard USS "Alabama" at St. Andrews Sound, Georgia Type: Document signed Date: 31 October 1862 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 24.6 x 19.6 cm. Order a Copy

Printed Navy Department document orders West to proceed to Philadelphia without delay and report to Commodore Pendergrast for duty on the USS "Ladona." Signed by Welles as Secretary of the Navy. Note on bottom of document, signed by Commander C.H. Stribling, tells West to report to Commander Rolando. Docket signed by Commanders Paulding and Rolando says West reported on 5 November.

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