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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC03836.62 |
| 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 in low spirits due to a lack of excitement and only being an acting officer |
| Date | 14 March 1864 |
| Author | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) |
| Recipient | West, R |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | References his mother's letter of 1 March 1864. Was the pilot for a group of ships that landed 300 soldiers at Bull's Island, South Carolina. The troops disembarked the same day without encountering any Confederate troops. Says that she is right that he seems in low spirits, "the fearful monotony of life on board a vessel of this kind, so much worse than even the outside blockading is a sufficient cause in itself." Is frustrated with being an "acting" officer. Says many of the regular officers are younger than him and that being under them is "not pleasant." Says he can resign at any time, but that he cannot get the proper paperwork to see it through. Says they have a report that Admiral Farragut captured one of the forts around Mobile. Says they do nothing exciting like that; they only watch out for rebel torpedoes. |
| Subjects | Civil War Military History Navy Union Forces Union Soldier's Letter Soldier's Letter Confederate States of America Blockade Fortification Union General |
| People | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) West, R. (fl. 1860-1865) |
| Place written | Aboard USS "New Ironsides" off Charleston, South Carolina |
| 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 "New Ironsides" |