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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.

Confederate States of America. Congress. House of Representatives A bill (No. 49) to be entitled an act to amend an act entitled an act to increase the efficiency of the army, by the employment of free negroes and slaves in certain capacities, approved February 17th, 1864, and to repeal an act for the enlistment of cooks in the army, approved April 21st, 1862.

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC08420 Author/Creator: Confederate States of America. Congress. House of Representatives Place Written: s.l. Type: Printed document Date: 6 May 1864 Pagination: 2 p. ; 24.6 x 15 cm. Order a Copy

States "it shall be the duty of the Secretary of War to have employed one hundred thousand slaves, as provided in said act, if so many should be necessary, to work upon fortifications, or government works, for the production or preparation of material of war ... " Reports that slaves shall receive rations and clothing while employed, and that their owners will be compensated six dollars per month for each slave. States that cooks employed should not exceed one for every ten privates. Repeals an act approved 21 April 1862 for the enlistment of cooks in the army. States "By Mr. Orr" (possibly James Lawrence Orr, Confederate Senator). Includes a Rebel Archives stamp. Possibly created in Richmond, Virginia.

Confederate States of America, 1860-1870
Orr, J. L. (James Lawrence), 1822-1873

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