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.

Cook, Gustave (1835-1897) to Eliza Cook

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02570.06 Author/Creator: Cook, Gustave (1835-1897) Place Written: New Orleans, [Louisiana] Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 27 September 1861 Pagination: 1 p. + addr. Order a Copy

Short note. Introduces a Mr. Brauch, who is delivering this note. Discusses the wellbeing of the regiment and writes that he doesn't know where they will be moving next but thinks it will be Kentucky. He writes, "Before leaving I shall write to you where we go to and how to direct your letters, you need not write until you hear from me again. God bless you all."

Born in Alabama on July 3, 1835, Cook moved to Texas alone at the age of 15 and studied law independently. Cook enlisted as a private in 8th Texas Cavalry, "Terry's Texas Rangers," in 1861 and was promoted to colonel by July 1863. After the war he became a circuit court judge for Galveston, served in the Texas state legislature and led an unsuccessful campaign for governor in 1890. He died in 1897 of complications from a wound suffered during his military service.

Cooke, Gustave, fl. 1861-1865

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