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.

Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) to Daniel Butterfield re: asking for news, battle of Chancellorsville

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05977 Author/Creator: Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) Place Written: Washington City Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 3 May 1863 Pagination: 1 p. 6.3 x 18.8 cm Order a Copy

Written on what is now a slip of paper, with printed "Washington City" at top, probably for telegraph transmission. The ink quality is uneven. "Where is General Hooker? Where is Sedgewick? Where is Stoneman? A. Lincoln." (In full) Authenticator Joe Nichols believes this letter was written on military stationery and then trimmed to its current size at a later time.

Notes: Printed in Basler 6:196.

Washington City.
May 3. 1863
Major Butterfield.
Where is Gen Hooker? Where is Sedgwick? Where is Stoneman?
A. Lincoln

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