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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.

Jones, William B (fl. 1862) to John Reeser

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.43.02 Author/Creator: Jones, William B (fl. 1862) Place Written: Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 22 June 1862 Pagination: 4 p. : envelope ; 21.7 x 26.7 cm. Order a Copy

Jones writes from headquarters, Camp White House. Wishes Reeser well. Reports that he is within twenty miles of Richmond, Virginia and his company is fighting off Confederate guerrilla parties. Describes a skirmish in which the Confederates wounded twenty Union men, burned some hay and grain wagons, and stole mules. Jones's men took sixty Confederate prisoners. Describes confederate soldiers acting as "farmers and younian men untill we get out of thare site… we cant yet to do as we pleas or we wold not hav afarmer in Viriginey we wold kill them as fast as we cold find them… " Mentions stealing wheat and sending it to Baltimore, Maryland. Written on Washington stationary depicting "East Front Of The Capitol With The Extensions."

John Reeser enlisted as a Private on 16 July 1864. He was mustered into "B" Co. PA 197th Infantry. He was promoted to Corporal on 18 August 1864. He was mustered out on 11 November 1864 at Philadelphia, PA. Jones was part of Company B, 11th Cavalry.

Jones, William B., fl. 1862
Reeser, John, fl. 1862-1865

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