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.

Conover, Thomas A. (1794-1864) to William McBlair

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00722.52 Author/Creator: Conover, Thomas A. (1794-1864) Place Written: s.l. Type: Manuscript letter signed Date: 23 March 1859 Pagination: 1 p. : docket ; 34 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

Orders McBlair to receive two prisoners for transport to the United States. McBlair is to transport Thomas Connor and Frederick Breckendorf back to the United States. Both were discharged from the Navy for "Bad Conduct." Written on board the U.S.S. "Cumberland" at Porto Praya, Cape Verde.

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. Conover was a Captain, later Commodore in the United States Navy, and the Commander of the African Squadron.

Conover, Thomas A., 1794-1864
McBlair, William, ?-1863

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