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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 Mary West

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03836.70 Author/Creator: West, Lewis H., 1829-? Place Written: St. Catherine's Sound, Georgia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 18 July 1864 Pagination: 4 p. : docket ; Height: 24.6 cm, Width: 19.6 cm Order a Copy

References her letter of 4 July 1864. Says he collected money for a fair for the sailors in the squadron. Says he has collected 85 dollars thus far. Says he is glad that Confederate Captain Raphael Semmes was finally captured. Gives grudging respect to Semmes's abilities. Says the British are afraid of Union Navy's Dahlgren guns. Says "If we were to go to war with England tomorrow it would be 1812 all over again as far as wooden ships are concerned." Says their latest executive officer was detached and granted a leave of absence. Likes his new officer who is young. Questions why the Union Navy keeps sailing ships like his in service when it has so many steamers. Says his ship has 70 sailors and petty officers. Written while aboard the USS "Fernandina".

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