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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.

United States. Congress (47th, 1st session : 1881-1882). Senate Memorial of Fitz John Porter, in favor of such action by Congress as will restore him to the positions of which he was deprived by the action of a court-martial.

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00267.315 Author/Creator: United States. Congress (47th, 1st session : 1881-1882). Senate Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Pamphlet Date: 1882 Pagination: 27 p. ; 22.7 x 14.7 cm. Order a Copy

Pertains to the case of General Fitz John Porter. Includes letters and documents that support Porter's case. President Chester A. Arthur remitted a part of Porter's sentence in 1882. Appears to have been removed from a larger volume.

In 1878 and 1879, General Porter was placed before a military board gathered to reevaluate his actions in the Battle of Second Manassas. In March 1879, the board exonerated Porter of former charges placed against him. In the 1880s, Porter's sentence was officially reversed, and under a special act of Congress, his commission was restored (with no back pay due). In an autobiographical sketch (refer to GLC02494.07) he notes, "restoration to the army by President Cleveland under authority of act of Congress dated July 1 '86- Commission as Colonel dating back to May 14 1861. Placed on the retired list of the Army as Colonel July 7 1886."

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