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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC03836.03 |
| From Archive Folder | Correspondence of 90 letters and documents with 3 maps on the blockade of Port Royal, South Carolina |
| Title | Lewis H. West to R. West describing a hard passage where the sails froze to the mast and they encountered a hurricane |
| Date | 6 June 1860 |
| Author | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) |
| Recipient | West, R |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | References his mother's and Mary's letters. Says he is finally in Shanghai "after one of the hardest passages I ever made, to, or from, the Indies." Says their sails froze to the mast in January and they could barely get them set. Goes on to describe the bad weather of the voyage in detail, including running into a hurricane after rounding the Cape of Good Hope. Says the voyage to China took 142 days and said "It is a relief to find other people worse off than yourself, so I was exceedingly pleased to learn that the, Magenta, a rival clipper, which sailed 8 days before us, was not yet arrived." Does not know where he will go after Shanghai -- predicts either Hong Kong or Japan, as the French and English governments want to get horses from the latter. His friend Hildreth says "women are all alike, false, & fickle, & nuisances generally; making a special exception in favor of Jo. Moore, whom he advises me to marry as soon as we get home!" Hildreth's last engagement went sour, which has brought on the cynical tone, West reports. Says he has been constantly wet, but in great health. Wants her to continue sending letters in care of "Heard & Co." |
| Subjects | Asia Global History and Civics Travel Extreme Weather Caribbean Maritime Africa Government and Civics France Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Women's History Marriage Health and Medical Children and Family |
| People | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) West, R. (fl. 1860-1865) |
| Place written | Shanghai, China |
| Theme | The American Civil War; Naval & Maritime |
| Sub-collection | Papers and Images of the American Civil War |
| Additional Information | West was a Union naval officer in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, mostly serving off South Carolina and Georgia. This collection begins with three documents from West's service on a merchant marine ship off China. He served on the USS "Perry" April-August 1861, the USS "Wabash" August-October 1861, the USS "Alabama" October 1861-October 1862, the USS "Ladona" (also spelled Lodona) October 1862-August 1863, the USS "New Ironsides" October 1863-April 1864, and the USS "Fernandina" April 1864-March 1865. Had the rank of Masters Mate from April-August 1861 and then served the rest of the war as an Acting Master. Letters detail the tedium of life in the blockade, coming across runaway slaves and contrabands, as well as several run-ins with Confederate submarines. Three hand drawn maps are at .27, .68, and .89. Most of the letters are to his mother (her initials are RW and she resides at 1316 Walnut Street in Philadelphia - West addresses his letters to her as "Mrs. James West"), sister (Mary), and someone who appears to be West's brother-in-law (Weir). He begins to write a woman he seems to be romantically interested in named Harriet Moore in 1864. From a reference at .63, West was born in 1829. He might have been living in New York before the war, but he definitely resides there after the war. About half the letters have an envelope. |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945 |
| Civil War: Recipient Relationship | Mother |
| Civil War: Theater of War | Lower Seaboard Theater and Gulf Approach |
| Civil War: Unit | USS "Perry" |