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.

Semmes, Paul Jones (1815-1863) to wife re: McClellan, McDowell, Butler's New Orleans Proclamation

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC07224 Author/Creator: Semmes, Paul Jones (1815-1863) Place Written: Richmond, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1862/05/29 Pagination: 8 p. 30.9 x 19.5 cm Order a Copy

"Oh that some hearty hand will plant a dagger deep in his...black heart"; "Both the army & people have confidence in our ability to whip the Yankees off & save Richmond...I would rather die, if die I must, on the battlefield, fighting for the liberties of my country and disunion with the Yankees"

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