Onboard the USS Itasca in Mobile Bay, 1864

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2004

A very rare war-date Union sailor’s 3pp. large folio, letter written by Sailor Esbon C. Lambert Mobile Bay, Jan. 24, 1864 to a female friend concerning life aboard a Federal steamer months before the capture of Mobile Harbor, in part: “…this…is Sunday morning. We have just had service…last Monday Admiral Farragut arrived here from New York in…[the] “Hartford”. Tuesday he took command of the ‘Octorora” and signaled us to follow him to the rebel fort…we got underweigh and steamed up to within very short distance of [Fort] Morgan…all was silent as death…our guns were trained to rake the rebel battery…every…morning when the sea is perfectly calm…the Rebel Rams comes down the bay…how cautiously the “Animals”…steam around inside of the obstructions. They take great care to keep out of range of our “Eleven inch pills”…most every day this week we have had a sail to chase…all prizes taken are sold and the proceeds equally divided among the fleet. There had…been two captured…one of the lookouts was carelessly handling his rifle. It…discharged. The ball shattering his right hand and grazing his temple…I…get up about six o’clock, have breakfast at seven, then wash and take a good walk up and down the deck. The doctor comes about nine and if there is any sick examines them…[?] Dubois and I sees that it is properly taken…a young man…from Ireland…whenever he…sees a chance…bothers us while we were writing…and asked for some salts. Which we gave him, [but] at the same time slipped a few drops of “Croton oil” in his cup and…has not troubled us since…I have succeeded in getting the job of writing the ship’s log…pays ten dollars…extra per month…”. A great look at life onboard a Union vessel by a veteran who began his military career as a musician in the 3rd New Jersey Vols. in 1861. Usual folds, else very good.

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