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.

Smith, William Wallace (fl. 1861-1862) to Asa Smith

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03742.09 Author/Creator: Smith, William Wallace (fl. 1861-1862) Place Written: Camp Wilson near Halls Hill, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 2 March 1862 Pagination: 3 p. ; 19.8 x 12.6 cm. Order a Copy

Written by William Wallace Smith to his brother Asa Smith. Mentions high winds that blew through camp recently. Says in less than a half hour half the tents in camp were down, and by evening there were only 10 left standing. Says they were ordered to pick up and march to Harper's Ferry, Virginia to assist General Banks, but another division was sent and the order was countermanded. Says they were mustered in for pay recently and might get it soon. Says they might move soon and all the men who could not carry knapsacks were carried off today, emptying the hospitals. Says they buried a German in their unit who died without a friend in the country. The German's parents do not know where he is. Embossed American eagle on the first page of the letter with the words "Union and Constitution" also embossed.

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources