Civil War Soldier's Letters (2) with Fighting Content Prior to and After the Battle of Secessionville by Charles A. Wood of th... (Total: 2 Items)

Description

Civil War Soldier's Letters (2) with Fighting Content Prior to and After the Battle of Secessionville by Charles A. Wood of the 7th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. Two letters totaling ten pages of bifolia, 5.25" x 8.5", written in pencil to Maria Dean. Both letters are written in pencil and are accompanied by the original transmittal covers. Wood's first letter is six pages and is written from James Island on June 12, 1862, just days before the Battle of Secessionville on June 16. Wood writes describing the skirmishing and shelling they incurred prior to the main battle. He writes: "...we are placed here in very peculiar circumstances the Enemy are liable to attack us at any time. They throw Shells at us every day but most of them fall short therefore they do us no harm. Our Regiment has been ordered out every day since it came here. We were ordered out this morning and got ready for action but it proved to be a fals sic] alarm. We stacked Arms and went to our quarters again. We have been skirmishing 3 or 4 times since we came here the first time we went out we had 2 man wounded and one taken Prisoner. I tell you the Balls come thick & fast for a short time but most of them went over our heads. The next day the 46 N.Y. went out with us they lost 3 kiled [sic] 7 wounded. We lost one that day we drove the Rebels & then returned to our quarters. We expect to bring on a Battle in a few days. Then we intend to drive them off the Island. Gen. Wright had a fight with them yesterday. He had 2 regt. with him he drove them killing quite a number of them. He buried 20 of there boddys [sic] to day. How many more Rebels lost no one knows but themselves. I think there is about 10,000 or 12,000 Troops on the Island. I mean Union Troops. The Rebel Cavalry has just come down and drove in our Pickets the 46th N.Y. has gon [sic] up to drive the Rebels back all the Regiments are ordered to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moments notice. I have just formed the Co. in line had them Stack arms ready to go any moment. We are resting for orders... I can here [sic] the Pickets fire quite often now. An Officer just came down says he thinks they will not make an attack to day on us..."

Control of James Island was deemed critical in the Union's attempts to capture Charleston. Confederate forces would defeat the Union at Secessionville, and Brigadier General Henry Benham was court martialed for trying to take James Island against the orders he was given. Wood's second letter is four pages and is written from Edisto Island on July 10, 1862, sending news of the battle and of some of the wounded. He writes: "David C... a member of our Co. has had his Arm Amputated in consequence of a wound received at the late Battle. Poor fellow I am sorry for him, all the wounded are doing well some have been sent home... We left James Island on the 7th & arrived at Edisto Island the same night. All safe with the exception of one death on board the Steamer. Captain Palmer of Co. E who has been sick ever since the Battle died in the afternoon... he was a brave & good man. Only 23 years old. First Captain Hickock now Capt. Palmer. What a loss to lose such brave men. They both acted nobly in the Battle... I see the New York Papers don't give the 7th much credit in the Battle. Except the World of the 28th which gives the best account I have read. I gess [sic] if some of the N.Y. Editors were obliged to face the music they could give a better account of Battles than they do... There is about 15,000 Slaves on this Island, most of the Plantations have Government Agt. appointed to take charge of them & the Slaves. There is hundreds of acres planted with Cotton & Corn and it is growing... the Negroes do all the work. It is fun to see them work. They are so comical the Soldiers have a good deal of fun with them. Some of the soldiers use the darkies rather rough but they are punished if they are found out..."

Condition: All pages have light toning with foxing around the very edges of the paper. Both covers have been torn open along the right side with a bit of paper loss.

More Information: Charles A. Wood was born in Poughkeepsie, New York and later moved to Willimantic, Connecticut, where he worked as a clerk before the Civil War. He enlisted in the 7th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment on September 5, 1861 in New Haven as a first sergeant. He reached the rank of 1st Lieutenant. On May 28, 1863, Wood married Maria Dean of Willimantic, Connecticut. Wood died on May 15, 1864 from his wound received at Drewry's Bluff on May 14.

The 7th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry was organized at New Haven, Connecticut, on September 13, 1861. In October and November 1863, the regiment's status changed. It was equipped as a "boat infantry" for the specific purpose of leading an amphibious night assault on Fort Sumter, South Carolina. Although the 7th trained at Folly Island, South Carolina, the project was ultimately ended because it was deemed impractical. The regiment participated in several engagements, including the Battle of Olustee, the Siege of Fort Pulaski, the Battle of James Island, the capture of Fort Wagner, Drewry's Bluff, and the Siege of Petersburg. It mustered out on July 20, 1865, and discharged at New Haven, Connecticut, on August 11, 1865.