Our Collection

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.

Dupont, Samuel F., 1803-1865 to Harwood

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04226 Author/Creator: Dupont, Samuel F., 1803-1865 Place Written: Wilmington, North Carolina Type: Autograph letter signed Date: January 24, 1861 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; Height: 20.2 cm, Width: 13 cm Order a Copy

Says he heard from his family that the "eldest member of our present generation had died." Says the woman was like a second mother to his wife. Goes on to proclaim her goodness. Went to the funeral and had to return quickly to the navy yard. Wrtites, "What a blot on our naval escutchion that Pensacola affair! Not so much for old [Commodore] Armstrong, but...traitors [Commodore Ebenezer] Farrand & Renshaw; and our poor miserable way of doing things, accepting...when such an event as the capture of a Navy Yard is announced before waiting to hear a single circumstance! These men will all come back when their states return."

According to an 1865 New York Times article, after the stars and stripes were hauled down at Pensacola, Florida, January 12, 1861, Flag Officer Renshaw ran his sword through the flag. Written near Wilmington, North Carolina.

Dupont, Samuel F., 1803-1865

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources