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.

Harlow, Charles D. (fl. 1861) to Asa Smith

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03742.03 Author/Creator: Harlow, Charles D. (fl. 1861) Place Written: Cambridge Port, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 10 November 1861 Pagination: 3 p. ; 18 x 11.6 cm. Order a Copy

Written by Harlow to his cousin Asa Smith in the Union Army. Harlow and Smith were not close before Smith joined the army, but Harlow hopes they will get to know each other through writing. Harlow claims he heard Smith was in good health through Homer. Says the family is well and that 2 regiments will soon leave the area for Washington. Reports that there are 800 soldiers at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor. Claims "They have come from most all parts of the Union; they are men of Secession principles, who have said and done to[o] much, but they are in safe quarters now." Says a severe storm last week and sunk a ship, drowning 24 people. The streets flooded and the trains were behind 7 or 8 hours. Wants him to send an update on Theodore Waters and find out if his brother is alright.

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