The five filters at the top of the menu should make your search more efficient. Probably the most useful is the "By Topic" selection. Here you can choose between Civil War, Slavery, Colonial, Historical, and Genealogical. While the first three are self explanatory, the visitor should note that letters deemed "genealogical" are generally of interest to people searching for ancestors and have otherwise little historical significance. The designation "historical" is reserved for all letters not falling within the first four categories; this would include those written about notable historical events or by notable historical figures.