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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.

Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) to his family

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03603.255 Author/Creator: Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) Place Written: Portsmouth, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1 March 1864 Pagination: 2 p. Order a Copy

Writes of missing being able to stop in on his family in the evenings and how he will write letters again now that he is away. Notes that he is now with the 8th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry.

Camp of 8th Conn Vol Inf Near Portsmouth Mar 1 '64
Dear All, How long it is since I have headed a letter thus, but as I am again a dweller in tents I shall repeat it frequently. Its just about the hour that I have so long been accustomed to drop in upon your evenings and now that I am away again I wonder that I did not prize them more even than I did. I'm sure I give a good deal to sit over an hour with you all in that dear old third story room (it seems dear now) & I would not say a word about the labor of getting up stairs. If I could only run in & ask about mother's cold & see you all as usual. We had as comfortable a passage down as could be expected on an overcrowded transport & arrived at camp about 4 o'clock this afternoon. I am really settled in my tent again & I dont think I shall enjoy camp life any more because I have been living so much better for the past six months in old Connecticut. I think another six months would take all the soldier out of me. I have a nice open fire blazing in my tent & am well & very cozy & comfortable. Sam Foss has been in an hour or two & quite disturbed my writing so I shall wait until morning before finishing this. Its a stormy uncomfortable night but I believe my roof is tight. Good night dear all

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

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