Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
A great war-date Union soldier's battle letter, 4pp. (6pp. if you count his cross-hatching) 8vo., written, on red, white and blue "Gen. Banks" patriotic stationery, by Musician John W. Warren, 9th Maine Vols., Hilton Head, S. C., Nov. 11, 1861, in part: "…we left Fortress Monroe on the 29th…until the afternoon of Nov. 1 when a violent…gale arose…threatened us with shipwreck…we found it necessary to put the vessel to the wind to save us from going on shore…we were heavily loaded forward. She went bow under a large part of the time…the men were driven out of the 3d tier berths…the doors were burst in by the waves…with every lurch she made…all hands made up their minds she could not live through the night…her engine stood staunchly to its work…after day break she began to leaked and the water gained on us…2 p. m. we sighted the Wabash & Jas. Adgers…the latter was instructed to keep us in sight and we ran for the land and made anchor about 10 p. m. Nov. 2…during these gale six of our steamers went down…had not our officers & crew proved the right men in the right place. We must have gone down…during those 24 hour…the men of the Regiment almost without exception behaved with great calmness & coolness…on Sunday night we arrived off Port Royal Bay…this bay is one of the seaward approaches to Savannah and is defended by 2 forts, one on each side of its channel…we saw 7 Rebel gunboats which had come down from Savannah to dispute our progress. All day Monday we lay outside waiting for our fleet…until 3 p. m. we commenced passing the bar, proceeded by 6 of our gunboats…these gun boats opened fire on us. Ours chased them & taken position to defend us…next morning a few shots were exchanged…on Thursday Nov. 7 at 10 a. m. the dance of death began. Our fleet…formed in line of battle and…engaged the frost…delivering their fire as each passed, they turned & came down the bay on the S. W. side & engaged Fort Walker on Hilton Head. Finding this to be the strongest place. They went at it…for 2 1/2 hours…it seemed…as though the fires of hell itself were opened…they could no stand the press & ran. Fort Walker mounts 30 guns of the very best description. They did not spike them but left leaving everything, great quantities of ammunition, stores, etc…at 2:51 p. m. our flag was raised over it and the landing of troops at once commended…the next morning they evacuated the fort [Beauregard] on the opposite side of the bay & our victory was compete. This one had 7 guns. Since then the whole division has been landed…the country for miles around Beaufort is deserted. The Rebels reporting that 100,000 Yankees are after them. We have pretty much scoured this island & have captured a few prisoners. Yesterday our pickets brought in 2 brass cannon which they took from us at Bull Run…we learn from our prisoners that the fort was defended by…3000 to 4500 men. There were large numbers of gentry & ladies to witness the destruction of our fleet, but all ran to the opposite side of the island as though the devil was after them. Letters picked up state that the damned Yankees had come up twice to take them but let them come. They could not do it…Rebel beef, sweet potatoes etc is plenty. This most important capture gives us…a landing on S. C. and threatens Savannah & Charleston…at any moment we choose to move…our loss in this engagement was 8 sailors killed and a few wounded. I don't know the exact number. The dead are buried near by our encampment. Not a soldier lost…". Near fine
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