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 Crafts J. Wright re: vehement denial of claims that Davis started the war

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06784 Author/Creator: Davis, Jefferson (1808-1889) Place Written: Memphis, Tennesee Type: Autograph letter Date: 1876/02/12 Pagination: 8 p. 25.1 x 20.1 cm Order a Copy

Signature removed. Davis denies that he "instigated and precipitated" the Civil War, and that he "left the U.S. Govt. to be made Presdt. of the Confederate Govt." Davis also addresses the questions of "Negro" Troops and exchange of "Negro" prisoners. With asterisked noted written upside down at top of p. 7.

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