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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.

Hand, Edward (1744-1802) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.01255 Author/Creator: Hand, Edward (1744-1802) Place Written: Yorktown, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 21 October 1781 Pagination: 1 p. + docket Order a Copy

Communicates General George Washington's order that 100 swords confiscated from enemy forces at the surrender of Yorktown be sent to the regiment of Marquis Laval. Hand was an adjutant general under Washington.

[Draft]
Camp near York 21st Octr. 1781.
Sir
His Excellency request you will please to Order that one Hundred of the Swords taken from the Enemy's non commissioned Officers & Soldiers by the Surrender of York & Gloucester may be delivered to the Marquis Laval for the use of his Regiment if they amount to that number
I am Sir
your Hble Servt
Edwd: Hand
Adjt. Genl. -
Brigadr Genl. Knox
[docket]
Order for Swords de-
livered the regiment
de Bourbonnois

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Hand, Edward, 1744-1802
Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis, Marquis, 1738-1805

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