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.

Higgins, Patrick to Fannie Schoonmaker

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02164.05 Author/Creator: Higgins, Patrick Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 14 February 1862 Pagination: 3 p. : envelope ; 20.2 x 12.8 cm. Order a Copy

Received a letter from her yesterday, and is glad to hear she is in good health. Does not have much to ask her because she wrote a very long letter. Wrote to her the Saturday before, but it appears that that letter did not arrive before she sent her letter. Hardly knows that day of the week it is. It is sunny today, but that does not help him figure out what day it is. Has enjoyed himself with some down time. Was sick, but pretended to be well so that he could stay with the rest of the company. Nat Hodge, presumably a mutual friend, arrived at camp the day before, which pleases Higgins greatly. The brigade might be on the move soon, and the general sentiment around camp is that they will finally "have the chance to play ball with the Rebels." Reveals that he is ambivalent about going into battle. A man in the regiment has a fiddle, and there has been a good deal of dancing.

Higgins, Patrick, fl. 1859-1862
Reese, David, fl. 1859-1862
Johnson, Charles, fl. 1859-1862
Schoonmaker, Fannie, fl. 1859-1862

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