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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.

Dornin, Thomas A. (1800-1874) to William McBlair

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00722.08 Author/Creator: Dornin, Thomas A. (1800-1874) Place Written: Portsmouth, Virginia Type: Manuscript letter signed Date: 9 April 1857 Pagination: 1 p. : docket ; 25 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

Enclosing a letter "for the guidance Purser Cunningham" regarding letters of credit and a copy of a letter regarding pay to officers on McBlair's ship, the "Dale." Thomas A. Dornin, a Captain in the United States Navy, was later promoted to Commodore. In 1855, Dornin had captured two slave vessels off the African coast with over 1,400 slaves on board.

William McBlair was a United States naval officer in command of the ship "Dale," responsible for catching illegal slave trading ships off the coast of Africa. Later served in the Confederate Navy.
Thomas A. Dornin was a Captain in the United States Navy, later promoted Commodore. In 1855 Dornin captured two slave vessels off the African coast with over 1,400 slaves on board.

Dornin, Thomas Aloysius, 1800-1874

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