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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.

Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) to Simon Cameron re: recommending Edward Ellsworth cousin of Elmer Ellsworth

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02840 Author/Creator: Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) Place Written: [Washington] Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1861/08/08 Pagination: 1 p. 21 x 13 cm Order a Copy

Written as President to Secretary of War Cameron, asking for a commission for Ellsworth, first cousin of Col. Elmer Ellsworth. The Colonel was the first officer killed in the war.

Basler, Roy, P. The Collected Works Of Abraham Lincoln. (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1953), Vol. IV 186 - 1861,
p. 479

Executive Mansion
Aug. 8. 1861
Hon. Sec. of War
My dear Sir
Edward Ellsworth, first couisin [sic] to Col. Ellsworth who fell at Alexandria, is a non-commissioned officer in the 4th Regiment of Michigan Volunteers, now stationed at the Relay House, wishes to be a 2nd Lieut. in the Army. He is present while I write this; and he is an intelligent, and exceedingly merry appearing young man of 20 year's age. I shall be glad if a place can be found for him.
Yours truly
A. Lincoln

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