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.

Damuth, Dolphus (fl. 1839-1913) to Maria Damuth

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.14.08 Author/Creator: Damuth, Dolphus (fl. 1839-1913) Place Written: Friars Point, Mississippi Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 8 January 1863 Pagination: 5 p. ; 12.5 x 20.5 cm. Order a Copy

Gives an account of his health. Despite recent illness, Damuth weighs 144 lbs, "more than I ever weighed in my life." He is in charge of rations for the company and encloses a slip of paper with a list of five days rations. The camp has a black servant who cooks for the men and washes their clothing. Discusses more camp health issues and assures his sister that although she might think "the Hospital is a dredful [sic] thing…it is not so here." Colonel Gill is under arrest after an incident in town. Six buildings, including a hotel and a store room of cotton, were set on fire and the 29th Wisconsin Regiment has been blamed. Damuth is certain Gill is innocent, though he admits that his colonel "has ordered a few buildings burned but onely [sic] whear thear has been shots fired at our pickets."

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources