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.

Elliott, Jesse Duncan (1782-1845) to Isaac Mayo

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04604.20 Author/Creator: Elliott, Jesse Duncan (1782-1845) Place Written: Pensacola, Florida Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 12 July 1830 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 24.2 x 19.6 cm. Order a Copy

Written by Captain Elliott as commander of the West India Squadron to Lieutenant Commander Mayo as commander of the U.S.S. Grampus. Orders Mayo to remain with the Grampus until Lt. Wilson comes out with the prize. Mayo is to escort Wilson to the mouth of the Mississippi River. Tells him to secure all prisoners for the trip for New Orleans. When he returns to Pensacola, Elliott wants to be given a report. Written "in haste." Address and docket are on a sheet that is now separated from the letter.

The U.S.S. Grampus was involved in the Amistad incident in 1840. The ship was ordered by President Martin Van Buren to New Haven, Connecticut's harbor in January 1840 to smuggle the captive Africans back to the Spanish in Cuba. The ship did anchor in the harbor, but the plan was never implemented.

Mayo, Isaac, fl. 1823-1832

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