Raynors HCA 2015-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/3/2015
War dated Federal soldier’s letter “D(aniel) M. Spangler” 8 pages, Flagship Philadelphia, July 22, 1864, VG. In part, “On the 2nd inst. the Phila two Monitors, two gunboats & two Mortar vessels entered Stono River steamed up a couple of miles and commenced bombarding the rebel batteries ... at the same time we had 5000 land forces cooperating with us in our efforts to take James island-which is key to Charleston ... Although our land forces succeeded in getting a good foothold on the Island and drove the enemy from some of their earth works, but in the course of five or six days the rebels were so strongly reinforced and made such desperate charges on our lines (on shore) that we were obliged to evacuate on the 10th inst... Our troops were mostly "Negroes" and it is said fought with the most determined bravery, their battle cry was "Remember Fort Pillow," and I understand privately that they followed the example set them by the rebels at Fort Pillow, and the consequence was that a number of the enemy on James Island who bit the dust can be charged to the Fort Pillow account. lthough we had the best of the fight — as long as we occupied the Island —yet it was necessary for us to evacuate when we did, for the rebels were before us in greatly superior numbers, strongly fortified & daily increasing in strength. On the last night of our occupation they made two or three fierce assaults on our slender earth works & on the last charge succeeded in entering our works & the Blacks then fought them with clubbed muskets & drove them out again. Our loss in this last assault was stated at 200 & the Rebel loss 400. While we were thus operating on Stono River another part of our land & Naval forces attempted to capture "Fort Johnson" — the key of James Island & consequently of Charleston — and from what I can learn our forces gained temporary possession of the Fort; but through some misunderstanding in regard to orders, the small number of our men who had gained possession of the Fort were not reinforced in time & thus we lost it again. So saith rumors! But the affair is kept private around here at least. I neglected to say that our operation on Stono River were mainly intended to withdraw the attention of the Rebels from Fort Johnson. We succeeded admirably in deceiving them as to our real intentions. ....”
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.