Raynor HCA 2014-04
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/1/2014
War-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 4to., written by Pvt. Robert H. Crist (1829-1912), Co. F, 21st Indiana Vols., [later captain 1st Ind. Hvy. Artillery], "Ship Island, Miss., C. S. A. April 12-25, 1862", in part: "…we are still on this sand bar and still above the tide…for past two days the wind has blown a gale from the south…tents or board roof afforded a poor protect, tents blew down…the waves came near washing over the south bank of the island…in the 31st Regt. New Hampshire…there was 3 men killed by lightening and 2 more has since died. They were in the guard house…the sentinel's gun was struck and the breech shivered to pieces. He was not killed. It also struck the pole of the tent and killed 3 men…one man had hand cuffs on, it tore them off, but did not kill him…many of the oyes threw their guns out of the tents. Our Qr. M. Sergt…covered up his camp candle stick. It is a piece of cast iron…there was a crowd of men…bathing and the tide carried them outré beyond their depth…and the went under. There are from 1 to 4 funerals per day…out of 15 or 18,000 men…the Great Republic was aground…but they worked her off with but little damage…the New Yorker, a Federal gunboat…takes 3 or 4 prizes per week…the Secesh call her the Black Devil. Two days ago she took a schooner loaded with sugar & molasses. She took a schooner loaded with cotton …we hear Fremont is on command again. I am glad to hear it. We had all lost confidence in George B. Mc-doing such a big thing…we have heard a great deal of firing here. The New London gets after some boats…she occasionally comes across some secesh boats…they are flat boats and run into shallow water…she with one or two more cleaned out Boloxi, Miss…we could see the smoke and hear the guns…there are quite a number of prisoners here, some women. They have taken quite a number of contrabands…[April 25]…we heard yesterday that Fort Jackson was taken…we can hear cannon very distinct from the direction of Fort jackson. It is some 55 or 65 miles across. They have been firing every 15 or 20 minutes for 2 or 3 hours and now they are firing 3 or 5 times a minute…". VG
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