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, David V. M. (1823-1863) to Elizabeth Smith

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04189.13 Author/Creator: Smith, David V. M. (1823-1863) Place Written: Ellicott's Mills, Maryland Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1862/10/28 Pagination: 4 p. : envelope. Order a Copy

The blacksmith shop has been rented out. Mentions rumor that the army will move soon and General Wool has stopped issuing furloughs. Smith begs his wife not to mention his liquor consumption. He assures her that he is now a sober man and it hurts him to have her constantly mention his past drinking. Smith believes his wife does not want him to come home and hopefully suggests that they forget the past and work on their future.

Smith, David V.M., fl. 1862-1863
Smith, Elizabeth, fl. 1862-1863
Smith, Charles, fl. 1862-1863
Smith, John M., fl. 1862-1863

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