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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC03836.28 |
| 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 regarding confederates slipping past the blockade and money he gave to a former slave |
| Date | 4 December 1861 |
| Author | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) |
| Recipient | West, R |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | References his mother's letter of 26 November. Says the Confederates are trying to avoid the blockade by stopping in Nassau and transferring their cargo to smaller ships to slip past the Union Navy. Says the Union controls the sea islands off South Carolina and that "the niggers being lords of the land. They have availed themselves of the opportunity to sell to the invaders large quantities of beer, mutton and vegetables, the ownership of which nobody troubles themselves to inquire about." Says he gave some money to one of the former slaves and he remarked that he would probably give it to his master, to which the slave said "Massu run away I dont think he come back." Says the navy is "disgusted" by the slow advance of the army. Goes on to describe the army outside of Charleston. Says "We call the navy here, the dry nurse of the army." Says the HMS "Immortalite" is lying near them and that they discussed the seizure of Slidell and Mason. Just finished coaling and expects to go to sea soon. Continues on 5 December. Says there has been a large fire burning up the country to the north. Says the lighthouse at Tybee was burned by the Confederates. |
| Subjects | Civil War Military History Navy Union Forces Union Soldier's Letter Soldier's Letter Global History and Civics Blockade Caribbean Merchants and Trade Commerce Confederate States of America Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Alcohol Wartime Pillaging and Destruction African American History Lighthouse Slavery Contrabands Diet and Nutrition Military Provisions Refugees Finance Trent Affair Diplomacy Children and Family |
| People | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) West, R. (fl. 1860-1865) |
| Place written | Port Royal, 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 "Alabama" |