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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.

Forbes, Edwin (1839-1895) The Pontoon Bridges

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02199.05 Author/Creator: Forbes, Edwin (1839-1895) Place Written: New York, New York Type: Print Date: 1876 Pagination: 1 etching : b&w ; 46.9 x 59.3 cm. Order a Copy

Marked "Plate 5." Depicts an army crossing two pontoon bridges over a river and closing up into column on a hill. The advance is pushing through the woods, which have caught fire. Actual size of the image without the margins is 27.7 x 40.4 cm. Outline from matting is faintly visible. Slight damage at bottom margin, probably from when the image was removed from the binding. Titles taken from the table of contents.

Created by Forbes, a member of the French Etching Club, while he travelled with the Union Army from 1862-1865. Born in New York City, Forbes became a Civil War reportorial artist for Leslie's Illustrated newspaper, joining the staff at age 22 in 1861.

Forbes, Edwin, 1839-1895

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