Raynors HCA 2014-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2014
A good war-date Union soldier's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. Nathaniel L. Willard, Co. F, 3rd New Hampshire Vols. Morris Island, S. C., December, 1863. Addressed to a friend in New Hampshire, Willard recounts the December 6th sinking of the USS Weehawken in Charleston Harbor which killed over two dozen officers and crewmen and of the execution of substitute John Kendell who was shot on December 17th for desertion. Born in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Kendell was 21 years old when he was mustered as a substitute in Co. G, 3rd New Hampshire on October 8, 1863. On Nov. 28, he deserted while on Morris Island (where he expected to go is anyone's guess) and was tried, found guilty and executed on December 17, 1863. This letter reads, in part: "…the sand blows most of the time. It drifts…as bad as the snow…have only eight months longer to serve…how we could then grasp the hand of our friend[s] and shake it with a will knowing we should not have to part on such curst experdistion again…I shall volunteer my serves to fite for our country until the Rebellion is wiped from our land [not so he mustered out in August 1864 and would not return]…this model city called Charleston…will be [a] hard one to take. It is…nearly surrounded by water…[they] have bomb proof that is safe to stay in, shot and shell cannot hurt them…our troops keep up a heavy cannonading on both sides day and night. [We] can see the shells streaming through the air at all times. It is very seldom [that] one of our folks gets hurt…had a little skirmish with our friend[s the] Rebs at Stono Inlet [on the] 25th…took two pieces of artillery [two 8-inch sea coast howitzers taken by Lt. Com. Meade of the USS Marblehead] and 20 prisoners. [The Marblehead was severely damaged during this fight.] Our lost 2 killed, 5 wounded…one of our Monitors [the USS Weehawken was] sunk last week [the] crew drowned. In happened in the harbor close to our camp about 3 oak. P. M. She run onto a[n] old sunken wreck and went down very quick. No assistance could be rendered. Most of the bodied has washed ashore and has been buried. Poor fellows to die such a death in the presence of thousand [who] could not save them another…man was publicly shot…[he was] one of our five hundred dollar subs[itutes. He] deserted was picked up by our outside picket guard. He then tried to palm himself off as a Rebel [but] could not make it work [as there] was too many that knew him [and who] came on the same boat with him from New York. He had to stand a court martial and receive his sentence which was to be publicly shot which was a just sentence to…all that desert from the Stars & Stripes…the reason he wanted to leave was to get back to New York to sell himself again. Such is a sample of the Suns we get in our Regt…". Willard's colorful spelling and grammar has been cleaned up for ease of reading. The original stamped transmittal cover is included. Overall VG to near fine.
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