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.

U.S. Dept. of War Appointment of Thomas Ward as cadet at West Point with instructions

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00778.01 Author/Creator: U.S. Dept. of War Place Written: Washington Type: Document signed Date: 18 March 1859 Pagination: 4 p. 25 x 20 cm Order a Copy

Signed on front by John Floyd as Secretary of War. Blue paper. With instructions for qualification for admissions, exercises and extract of regulations.

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