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.

Thompson, Joseph, fl. 1863-1864 to Sarah Ogden

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06559.090 Author/Creator: Thompson, Joseph, fl. 1863-1864 Place Written: Arlington, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: January 10,1864 Pagination: 3 p. : envelope Height: 27.5 cm, Width: 21 cm Order a Copy

Writes from Fort Ethan Allen. Informs Ogden he reenlisted twenty-nine days after being discharged from his old regiment. Says he reached Harrisburg, Pennsylvania when the Rebels were raiding Pennsylvania and "could not stand and see old Pa. invaded by no means while I have a hand to help her." He was assigned to the second New York Heavy Artillery but is unhappy with the position and wants to reenlist. States, "I am bound to stay in the army untill [sic] peace is declared for I think it is every mans dutey [sic] to help and get this settled."

Ogden, Sarah Morris Perot, 1831-1912

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources