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.

Smith, William Wallace( fl. 1861-1862) to Asa Smith

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03742.07 Author/Creator: Smith, William Wallace( fl. 1861-1862) Place Written: Camp Wilson near Halls Hill, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 19 February 1862 Pagination: 4 p. ; 19.8 x 12.5 cm. Order a Copy

Written by William to his brother Asa. References receiving Asa's letter. Hopes the mud is no deeper than it is where he is. Says he almost got stuck with a team of 6 horses at Arlington. Says "25 negroes went out beyond our camp to cut wood for the Government. Says his whole brigade was summoned to the parade ground to hear the news of the fall of Fort Donnelson and they "made the hill and wood ring with our shouts[.] Our band leader is under arrest for refusing to lead the band in the national airs at that time." Says there is an Englishman currier in camp who wants to know if Asa knows an Englishman named Richardson in Company B. William reports that Richardson might not be receiving the Englishman's letters. Embossed American eagle on the first page of the letter with the words "Union and Constitution" also embossed.

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