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.

Miller, Michael Murray (1861-1864) to Lile Miller

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02155.107 Author/Creator: Miller, Michael Murray (1861-1864) Place Written: Culpeper, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 21 September 1863 Pagination: 4 p. ; 20.3 x 12.6 cm. Order a Copy

Miller describes the Virginia landscape, noting that Culpeper is "like all the towns nearby that I have saw in Virginia old fashioned looking and dilapidated nothing neat or tidy about it I wish you were here Dear Lile to go with me to see some of those old farm mansions that was once the house of some Rich Old Virginian, But now are left desolate and forsaken it makes one feel sorrowfull and ask yourself what has caused all this wretchedness, the answer comes war unrelenting war Between two parts of what once was a happy and prosperous union... but I suppose the good man has brought this about for some wise purpose." Wonders whether Andrew Curtin will be reelected as Pennsylvania Governor.

Miller, Michael M
Curtin, Andrew Gregg, 1815-1894

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