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.

Washington, George (1732-1799) to Captain Caleb Gibbs

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC08341 Author/Creator: Washington, George (1732-1799) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 21 April 1777 Pagination: Order a Copy

Headquartered at Morristown after a brutal winter, reorganizes his personal, offical and family possessions for residence in Philadelphia as he re-builds the Army to answer Cornwallis's New Jersey campaign: "Bring...my sword, my gun etc.. can had also better be brought unless they could be put into the hands of some gentleman in Philadelphia that would take particular care of them...My papers at New Town, take with you to Philadelphia, and have them well recieved in a good trunk or strong box and lodged with the Publick Papers of Congress." Also requested were "table linens and "mattress" and a course carpet of the same size to keep the Damps from me." (Very Faded)

Signer of the U.S. Constitution.

Washington, George, 1732-1799
Gibbs, Caleb, fl. 1748-1818

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