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 | GLC03836.52 |
| 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 the situation at Fort Wagner, enquiring about General Meade, and stating that deserters come to them every night |
| Date | 13 July 1863 |
| Author | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) |
| Recipient | West, R |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | Says he arrived at Charleston on 11 July and that the attack on the city started on the 10th. Reports Union forces have taken all of Morris Island except Fort Wagner. Describes the situation around Fort Wagner. Says the navy might have to land some of the crews from the ships to take part in the assault on the fort. Says he heard about Lee's defeat at Gettysburg and the fall of Vicksburg and that she "must have celebrated the fourth of July with somewhat different feelings from those of last year." Wants to know who General Meade is and goes on to say "he seems to be the right man for the army of the Potomac at last." Continues letter on 16 July. Says no attack has been on Fort Wagner yet, but that the gunboats have kept up a continuous fire on it. Says the use of the ships crews for an assault on the fort has been abandoned. Says the men were ready to go and that almost all of his crew stepped forward to volunteer. Says deserters come into the Union lines every night and that a Captain Green reported to him that one Confederate solider said "it was a rich man's war and a poor man's fight." Continues letter on 17 July. Says no attack has occurred because of heavy rains. Continues letter on 18 and 19 July and describes the bombardment and the ground attack on the fort. Describing the assault that the 54th Massachusetts probably was involved with, West says "the troops undertook to storm it and after three attempts were repulsed with a loss of 800 killed, wounded, & missing." Five days after this letter, July 18 Fort Wagner was attacked by the 54th Massachusetts, the first black regiment in the Union army, commanded by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. Although they acquitted themselves well their casualty count was heavy. |
| Subjects | Civil War Military History Navy Union Forces Union Soldier's Letter Soldier's Letter Blockade Battle Fortification African American Troops African American History Confederate General or Leader Confederate States of America Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Vicksburg Fourth of July Holidays and Celebrations Union General Army of the Potomac Desertion Artillery Death Injury or Wound |
| People | West, Lewis H. (b. 1829) |
| Place written | Aboard USS "Ladona" 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 "Ladona" |