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, Joseph (1790-1877) to Andrew Hull Foote

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05060 Author/Creator: Smith, Joseph (1790-1877) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 11 July 1862 Pagination: 3 p. ; 19 x 24.7 cm. Order a Copy

Rear Admiral Smith writes to Admiral Foote. Discusses Naval affairs, noting "Congress has got the Navy Laws in a complete labyrinth." Also comments, "The Govt. is in a quandry about Army affairs. I hope they will come out well. The everlasting nigger is chief component of the difficulties." Marked "Private" at the top and again in post script. Also in post script, notes that Foote is " a model man of the times."

Smith, Joseph, 1790-1877
Foote, Andrew H. (Andrew Hull), 1806-1863

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