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.

Sayer, Ebenezer (fl. 1757-1777) to Morgan Lewis

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01450.603.10 Author/Creator: Sayer, Ebenezer (fl. 1757-1777) Place Written: Wells, Maine Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 21 May 1777 Pagination: 1 p. : address ; 19.8 x 15.3 cm. Order a Copy

Sayer informs Lewis, a Sanford (present day Maine) selectman, that the committee of selectmen and militia at Sanford are mistaken regarding the proportion of men they commissioned for service in the Continental Army. States "the Act of the General Court provides that one fourth Parts of all the Male Inhabitants should be raised for the continental Army these must be a full seventh Part & the Return must be made on both you will therefore see the Mistake rectified or the Town will be Sent to for more Men."

Lewis's company of militia marched in response to the 19 April 1775 Lexington Alarm.

Lewis, Morgan, 1737-1784
Sayer, Ebenezer, fl. 1757-1777

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