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.

Clemons, W.G. (fl. 1853-1860) to Paul J. Semmes

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00572.17 Author/Creator: Clemons, W.G. (fl. 1853-1860) Place Written: Columbus, Georgia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 5 September 1860 Pagination: 4 p. : docket ; 20 x 13 cm. Order a Copy

Discusses the hiring of a Major Kleber, a German mercenary, to train the Georgia troops. Advises that any information about training troops should be kept confidential and known only by those in the company. Relates that he is working on finding Semmes an overseer in time. Clemons, a member of the Columbus Guard, may have been the owner of a cotton gin company in Columbus, Georgia.

Clemons, W.G., fl. 1853-1860
Semmes, Paul Jones, 1815-1863

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