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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.

Hayes, Rutherford Birchard (1822-1893) to Eliakim P. Scammon

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03203 Author/Creator: Hayes, Rutherford Birchard (1822-1893) Place Written: Camp Green Meadows, West Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 11 August 1862 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 25 x 19.2 cm. Order a Copy

Hayes writes as Lieutenant Colonel of the 23rd Regiment of Ohio Volunteers to Scammon, his superior, as commander of the 1st Brigade. Mentions the completion of service of a three month Ohio regiment and that more men will have to be recruited. Comments that he is glad a cannon is being sent in case the Confederates make another attempt to cross the River. Justifies his command assignments for completed Mercer Salt well expedition. Encloses (not present) correspondence re an ambulance taken by Capt. Harrison. Continues the letter on 12 August informing that they had enemy alarms the previous night. Describes the Confederates firing on their picket lines.

Hayes fought in the Civil War and rose to the rank of brevet major general. Between 1867 and 1876 he served three terms as Governor of Ohio, and was elected President in 1876. Scammon was commissioned colonel of the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry in June 1861. He was promoted to brigadier general October 15, 1862 and commanded the District of Kanawha until February 3, 1864 when he was captured and held as a prisoner of war until August 3, 1864. In the last months of the war, he commanded the District of Florida.

Hayes, Rutherford Birchard, 1822-1893
Scammon, Eliakim Parker, 1816-1894

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