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 #: GLC02570.33 Author/Creator: Cook, Gustave (1835-1897) Place Written: In camp near Kingston, Tennesee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 9 November 1862 Pagination: 2 p. Order a Copy

Camp news and possible rumors of a possible promotion. Says he bought a young mare and a large horse and regrets the purchase of the horse because he could have sent her the money. He will send money for Christmas dinner.

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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