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.

Davis, Jefferson (1808-1889) to John B. Weller

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04353.02 Author/Creator: Davis, Jefferson (1808-1889) Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Letter signed Date: 3 February 1857 Pagination: 2 p. ; 25 x 19.5 cm. Order a Copy

Secretary of War Davis responds to a letter from California Senator Weller sent on 12 January 1857, which included an enclosed document from Thomas Buckmaster. Reports that Buckmaster claimed Davis had underestimated the amount of money Congress owed individuals and companies for supplies purchased by Crosman, (possibly George Hampton Crosman), former Major in the Army. Davis replied that Crosman's successor, Major Babbitt (possibly Edwin Burr Babbitt) has investigated the matter and sent an estimate on 24 January 1857 to the Ways and Means Committee.

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889
Weller, John B., 1812-1875
Crosman, George Hampton, 1798-1882
Babbitt, Edwin Burr, 1803-1881
Buckmaster, Thomas, fl. 1857

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