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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.

Greene, Nathanael (1742-1786) to Thomas Nelson

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC07884.09 Author/Creator: Greene, Nathanael (1742-1786) Place Written: Headquarters, [S.C.] Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1781/12/27 Pagination: 4 p. 22.6 x 18.6 cm Order a Copy

Requesting assistance from Virginia, particularly more troop reinforcements as soon as possible. In part: "It is long since I informed your Excellency of our disagreeable situation, the unequal contest we were carrying on, and the hopeless prospect we had before us when the term of service of the Virginians expired, which takes place this month. I entreated you to forward us reinforecemtnts, as well to secure us afainst the enemy's present force, as to guard against any reinforcements the enemy might receive. But I have the mortification to hear no troops are coming from Virginia, & but few from the other States.. At the same time I have good intelligence that the enemy are in hourly expectation of receiving reinforcement of near five thousand men., which added to what they already have here, will form a force of upwards of eight thousand..."

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