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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.

Currier & Ives Terrific combat between the "Monitor" 2 guns & "Merrimac" 10 guns

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02881.16 Author/Creator: Currier & Ives Place Written: New York, New York Type: Print Date: circa 1862 Pagination: 1 lithograph : col. ; 25.3 x 35.1 cm. Order a Copy

Hand colored lithograph published by Currier & Ives at 152 Nassau Street, New York. Print is mounted. Title continues: "in Hampton Roads, March 9th 1862. In which the little "Monitor" whipped the "Merrimac" and the whole "School" of Rebel Steamers." Caption above the title reads: "The first fight between iron clad ships of war." Depicts the two ironclads almost touching. The "Merrimac" is firing a broadside at the low-lying "Monitor." Smoke from the cannon blasts dominates the image. In the background can be seen the USS "Minnesota" and 2 rebel steamers, labeled below image.

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