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.

Perry, Oliver Hazard (1785-1819) to Daniel Dobbins [copy]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00496.273.02 Author/Creator: Perry, Oliver Hazard (1785-1819) Place Written: Sandusky Bay, Ohio Type: Letter Date: 4 September 1813 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 22.5 x 19.5 cm; 1 engraving ; 23.5 x 18 cm. Order a Copy

From aboard the USS Lawrence during the War of 1812., Commodore Perry instructs Captain Dobbins to "proceed again to Erie for the purpose of bringing up provisions & Stores for the Squadron." Indicates that "the services of the Ohio will in all probability be wanting in a week" and notes that "Every thing that belongs to the Squadron must be brought on." He was right, six days later, Perry fought the Battle of Lake Erie. The letter is pasted to a piece of paper. Pasted to the verso is an undated engraving of Perry.

Perry, Oliver Hazard, 1785-1819
Dobbins, Daniel, 1776-1856

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