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 #: GLC03523.14.36 Author/Creator: Damuth, Dolphus (fl. 1839-1913) Place Written: Berwick City, Louisiana Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1 October 1863 Pagination: 4 p. : envelope ; 12.5 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

The soldiers have been setting up camp in Berwick, tearing down old buildings and establishing their own quarters. It rains all the time and the men are woken in the night with their tents flooded, but they make the best of it. Damuth writes that he is only homesick when the weather is beautiful. He has been asked to name one of the children born into his family during his absence and suggests "if you want to name him after as great & good a man as ever lived call him Old Abe if after the meanest one call him after any Copper head." Of the next orders for the regiment, Damuth writes: "some say we are going into texas to catch nigers to make soldiers of." Written from Berwick City, likely Louisiana.

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources