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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.

Barber, Francis (1750-1783) to Elias Dayton

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03662.03 Author/Creator: Barber, Francis (1750-1783) Place Written: Pompton, New Jersey Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 10 February 1781 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; 30.5 x 18.8 cm. Order a Copy

Written by Lieutenant Colonel Barber of the 3rd New Jersey regiment to Colonel Dayton, Barber's brigade commander. Encloses a letter from George Washington for Dayton, who is coalescing from illness. Also sending letters from Washington to Colonels Caldwell and Friling and New Jersey Governor William Livingston that he wants Dayton to pass along (these three letters are not included here). Has been ordered to march to Morristown and will send along baggage by sleds. Mentions personnel issues in the brigade they belong to. Barber says that headquarters had put him in charge of the brigade until Dayton's health allows him to rejoin his men.

Dayton was named Brigadier General on 7 January 1783. Barber was selected by Washington in 1781 for the delicate duty of quelling the mutiny of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania troops. In Lafayette's Virginia campaign of 1781 he performed effective service at the head of a battalion of light infantry. He was present at the battle of Yorktown, and was killed at the close of the war by a falling tree.

Barber, Francis, 1750-1783

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