Raynor HCA 2014-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/30/2014
A good war-date Union sailor's battle letter, 4pp. 4to., written by Ezra Greene, (former private 2nd Rhode Island Vols. who transferred to the Brown Water navy), "U. S. Gun Boat Louisville, Memphis, Tenn., June 12, 1862", in part: "…we had a glorious victory and the rebels are minus 7 gun boats, one got away. Our rams sunk 3. We brought up to Memphis those we captured [they] were the Gen. Bragg formerly a sea going steamer, 2nd the Sumpter, the one that sunk the Cincinnati at Fort Pillow, 3rd the little rebel, the flag ship of Commodore Montgomery. She mounted 2 guns. The Sumpter mounted 2 guns and the Bragg 2. They were all encased in rail road iron and bow as sharp and strong as iron…the Van Doren…was [the one] that escaped. [CSA General] Jeff Thompson…was on the bluff and witnessed the whole battle, then mounted his horse and left for parts unknown. The rebel flag was allowed to remain on the tall flag staff 3 hours after our troops took possession of the city…it came down with a crash for the rag was nailed to the mast and had to be cut down. This flag had two red stripes, 1 white between a blue field and 13 stars…I do not think any of our gun boats received a shot…the most splendid sight I saw was the blowing up of the rebel ammunition boat. She burned nearly to the waters edge. The fire caught her magazine and the burning fragments went into the air…200 feet…the explosion was heard in Cairo…after she blew up her armor of cotton bales came floating…down the river…those boats that we captured, the crews ran them ashore and left for the woods. Those that sank in deep water the crews used their life preservers and swam ashore. The life preservers could be seen all along the bank for 2 miles…about 150 of them were shot by our sharpshooters in the woods. They all started for the Arkansas shore during the action…I was 2nd shot man on No. 8 and had to go aft and get shell for the gun. The enemy's gunners were all exposed so their guns were kept clear by our sharpshooters. There was a slow match attached to one of the Sumpter's magazines but luckily for us it went out or she would have blown us out of the water…as she was being towed up the river…their fuse wasn't good. No one was injured on this boat…Memphis is a very nice city on a high bluff, mostly of brick. The stars and stripes float over the post office. There is 100,000 soldiers expected here…we took a large number of transports…". VG to near fine.
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.