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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.

Paul, Miles W. to Celicia Paul

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03058.06 Author/Creator: Paul, Miles W. Place Written: Fredricksburg, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 10 January 1863 Pagination: 8 p. ; 26.2 x 20.3 cm Order a Copy

In this letter Paul responds to accusations made by Celicia that he does not write enough, and tells her that he writes whenever he can, and thanks her for what she sends. He asks her to write when she receives the money he sent to her, and he complains that he has "not receved any leter for too weaks." Paul recounts in detail what the sutlers do at the camp, the foods they make and for how much they sell them, criticizing "the way these Sutlers make thare mony of tho Poor souldiers". Paul then mentions that he read about a smallpox outbreak in Williamsport, though he assures her that nobody in his regiment is ill. Last, he goes through men who he knows that are wounded, and names a man, Bruse Montgunery, who was known to be a deserter.

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