Civil War Soldier's Letter by William Milliken of the 22nd United States Colored Infantry Regiment, Describing Trench Warfare....

Description

Civil War Soldier's Letter by William Milliken of the 22nd United States Colored Infantry Regiment, Describing Trench Warfare.

Four pages of a bifolium, 7 7/8 x 12 3/8 inches, "In the field near Bermuda Hundred," [Virginia]; August 17, 1864. A letter by William D. Milliken, a white officer of the 22nd United States Colored Infantry Regiment, recounting trench warfare during the Siege of Petersburg.

The letter reads, in part: "...Three nights ago we '(our brigade)' to the trenches. How long we shall stay there cannot tell. Very few troops are here now. being in the 'trenches' here of before Petersburg is just as different as you can well imagine. at Petersburg, a man did not show his head, scarcely, above the first line of works, much less on the skirmish line + there could only relieve the skirmish line at night & then great caution was required. But here 'no firing at all is done. The skirmish line is relieved in broad daylight. Troops march out as though they were going on Parade. The Rebs are in plain sight their mine line is as near to ours as Uncle Maines house is to your & then the two skirmish line are between & of course everything hourly/ I do not think much of this style of fighting..."

Later in the letter, Milliken gives his opinion of the performance of the 23rd USCT at the Battle of the Crater: "...I have told you all about the affairs of July 30th. The 23d USCT did lose a great many officers. The 'Colored Troops' of the 9th Corps are very much blamed for their conduct on that day. But the blame is not with them they done as well as the white troops who had seen a score or less of battles. In the first place such green troops as they were 'white or black' should never in my humble judgment be given such an important duty to perform none but the old & tried veterans should have been sent there. But its useless to talk..." Signed, "W. Delville Milliken."

Condition: Very slight toning, with smoothed folds, as expected. Some foxing throughout, with minor wear at the creases along the top margin.

More Information: Milliken, a native of Albion, NY, began his military service in August 1862 as a private in the 4th New York Heavy Artillery, an all-white regiment. By December 1863, he had been promoted to lieutenant and joined the 22nd United States Colored Troops, a unit primarily made up of Black soldiers from New Jersey.