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.

Maitland, James M. (1815-1864) to Joseph M. Maitland

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.10.061 Author/Creator: Maitland, James M. (1815-1864) Place Written: Kingston, Ohio Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 8 March 1863 Pagination: 2 p. ; 31.3 x 19.5 cm. Order a Copy

Reports to son about the death of a family friend, Ben Morgan. Writes that "I asked him of his hope of Heaven. He said it was strong, strong enough to bear him over the Jordon of waters." Instructs his son to make himself acquainted with his officers, as it will be helpful later. States, "I am in favor of calling out a sufficient force to end the War at once for we have been having too much of a [temporising] policy. I am in favor also as the War has run into the Negro as strongly drafting every Negro in the North and then let those Ultra abolitionists go with them as officers see what they can do."

Joseph Maitland enlisted on 8 August 1862 as a Private. He was mustered into "G" Co. OH 95th Infantry. He was mustered out 31 May 1865 at Memphis, Tennessee.

Maitland, Joseph M., 1839-1918
Maitland, James M., 1815-1864
Van Cleve, Horatio Phillips, 1809-1891

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