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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.

Fuller, James W. (fl. 1863-1864) to his uncle

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.42.52 Author/Creator: Fuller, James W. (fl. 1863-1864) Place Written: Baldwinsville, New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 22 August 1864 Pagination: 3 p. : envelope ; 20.5 x 26.1 cm. Order a Copy

Writes that his family is doing well and apologizes for not writing for such a long time. States that his father is so busy he has not had time to have his picture taken. He did go down to the picture gallery and have his photograph taken. The picture did not "suit" his mother and father. Wishes that he could be with his uncle as he thinks he would like the sound of the artillery. His father is running a grocery store where he works as a clerk. Writes that he has kept the domino and rebel script his uncle gave him. Writes that because his family moved around during the summer he was unable to write to his uncle more often. Then school began and he had to walk two miles to and from school every day. Writes that the baby is learning to walk and that she can even speak a few words.

Franklin W. Fuller from Howard, Illinois enlisted on 14 August 1862 as a Sergeant. He mustered into the I Company of the Illinois 74th Infantry on 4 September 1862. He was mustered out on 10 June 1865 in Nashville, Tennessee.

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