The full content of this document is only available to subscribing institutions. More information can be found via www.amdigital.co.uk
If you believe you should have access to this document, click here to Login.
| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC03836.17 |
| 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 Weir relating how he ended up in Alexandria following the Battle of Bull Run |
| Date | 18 August 1861 |
| Author | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) |
| Recipient | Weir |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | Says he has little to tell him. Relates to him how he ended up in Alexandria in the aftermath of Bull Run. Says "I could not help thinking that if I was an inhabitant, I should prefer having an enemy to a friend to do the protecting; however as obedience to orders is a great military virtue, the men, doubtless with the utmost philanthropy towards the people, proceeded to select their targets among the various church steeples, buildings &c." Says half his crew of his brig is on shore manning guns. Says that the ship is not sent to sea because the commander does not like the vessel and "instead of doing his duty, by accepting the charge and working to the utmost to make her a smart vessel, passes time in writing to a secretary to be transfererd to a more "efficient' vessel." Goes on to praise the brig as a good ship. Says he will be happy when the Union Army has a victory and tell him in the meantime "Why dont you relieve yourself in New York, by choking a few editors, the Daily News, Daybook, and Journal of Commerce for example." Says there are rumors of an impending attack on Alexandria. Despairs about recruitment and says "I begin to think that the South was right in styling us a 'nation of shopkeepers.'" |
| Subjects | Civil War Military History Navy Union Forces Union Soldier's Letter Soldier's Letter Blockade Wartime Pillaging and Destruction Journalism Confederate States of America Recruitment Merchants and Trade Commerce |
| People | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) |
| Place written | Alexandria, Virginia |
| 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: Theater of War | Main Eastern Theater |
| Civil War: Unit | USS "Perry" |