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Civil War Soldier's Letters by Richard Fisk, 21st Massachusetts Infantry, with Battle of Roanoke Content. ...
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Description
Civil War Soldier's Letters by Richard Fisk, 21st Massachusetts Infantry, with Battle of Roanoke Content. Seven wartime letters dated November 28, 1861 to September 7, 1863 with two original transmittal covers. The documents are written in ink and measure from 4.62" x 2.5" to 9.93" x 7.25". Fisk mustered into Company E of the 21st Massachusetts Infantry on August 23, 1861. He was wounded during the Knoxville Campaign on November 24, 1863 and died three days later on November 27.During Fisk's time with the 21st Massachusetts, the regiment participated in almost nonstop battle. After completing duty for the first four months after their organization, soldiers formed part of Burnside's Expedition to Hatteras Inlet in January 1862. From there, they fought in the Battle of Roanoke Island on February 7 and 8, 1862. After Union forces successfully took the island, the regiment continued on to join the battles of New Berne, South Mills, Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia, Manassas, Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, and the Knoxville Campaign.
Fisk provides a detailed description of the difficult conditions that plagued soldiers in the lead-up to the Battle of Roanoke. In a letter only dated "February," Fisk wrote, "Two days we ran till midnight and then stoped [sic] the fog was so thick the next day we went to the fort we got their [sic] Friday night about five o'clock and Saturday night at half past eleven o clock we started for hatrios [Hatteras]. We got in site [sic] of the light house just at dark and the wind blew hard a not [sic] our boat cracked and snaped [sic] and we had to turn and go back abot [sic] one mile and anker [sic]. Then we went to hatrios [Hatteras] and stayed..the wind blew all the time and it was sandy botom [sic] and the ankers would drag. We had our boat run into and one side all smashed in and some of the boats run on shore. If their [sic] is any hell I think Hatrios [Hatteras] is the place. We had shard [sic] time we was on the boat five weeks. Two of our reg. died on the boat and they had a watery grave. I saw one boat run on to a sand bar and all smashed."
Once the battle began, Fisk described the action candidly and colorfully. He wrote on February 7, 1862, "Friday the gun boats began to fire at half past eleven o clock and then we started up I saw the battle strike all round our boats in the water. Then we landed and was on guard all night it rained. We had not been on the land more than twenty minutes before Henry Howard was shot through both cheeks of his ass he is doing well. The next day we went to fight the twenty fifth went in before we did and when we got their [sic] they were retreating and the rebels thought they were giving us hell but when the 21st reg got their [sic] they did not kill any of us we killed some of them and the Lieut col came up with a flag of truce and surendered [sic] to Co E of about forty men. I have herd [sic] that one Rebel could whip five of us but I think they got mistaken that time."
He continued in an incomplete addition to his February 7 account, writing that "the regulars had come and the dept soon they was behind a batery [sic] and we was in a swamp up to our waste in water and mud...men was shot both sides of me Seth Pain and Jon Littlefield was shot but are dowing [sic] well. The rebels did not kill so many of our men as the cavalries did for they fired two voleys [sic] in to us they thought we was the rebels. After we took the battery [sic] Co E went out as skirmishers and found 7 or 8 hundred rebls [sic] ..."
An easy Union victory, the Battle of Roanoke took place on February 7 and 8, 1862, although Federal troops had been preparing for the incursion for months prior to landing on the island. In January 1862, General Ambrose Burnside ordered a fleet to sail to Hatteras Inlet to prepare to take Roanoke. However, in doing so, he lost several ships to sandbars and an unfortunately timed nor'easter, forcing the general to leave three regiments behind. In spite of this, sixty ships and 13,000 men landed on the island on February 6, 1862. Burnside was aided by local slaves who offered important information on Confederate numbers and movements. Only 3,000 men, a small "Mosquito Fleet," and a three-gun battery measuring thirty-five yards wide with water-filled ditch protected the area. Burnside captured Roanoke on February 8 with minimal casualties.
Exactly one year later, Fisk reminisced on the intense action he witnessed throughout 1862. On February 8, 1863, he wrote from Emory Hospital in Washington D.C., "I think often of old times when you and I was at home but them times is all gone and I have seen some hard times since. I have had long marches and ben [sic] in battles but never have been hit I will name the battles Ronoke [sic] one Newburn 2 Camden 3 Bulls run 4 here I was struck on the foot but not hurt. Chantilee [sic] 5 South Mounin [sic] 6 Antedam [sic] 7 Freddricksburg [sic] 8. Roanoke one man was shot in front of me Newburn one at my side Camden one on both sides and I soped [sic] to help one of then [sic] out three rebels came up and you better belive [sic] if my legs ever done their duty it was then that was in the woods and then we went in to the corn fields and their six the regiment left me behind and two more rebs thought they had me and called out for you damed [sic] yankey son of a bich [sic] to lay down your gun and I though [sic] I would but just then they looked another way and I made my legs play the second time but they made two balls whisle [sic] damed [sic] close to my ass. South mountain we was laying down and a ball pased [sic] over me and hit one of the boys in the nee [sic] antedam bridge one other corprel [sic] hit at my side and after we crosed [sic] the Bridg [sic] brock was hit in front of me and their [sic] was three or four in a row. Fredrick R the boy was shot all round me. The one I was sent here with is a sargent [sic] he had both arms taken off."
The specific conflict that landed Fisk in the hospital is not stated. However, nine months later, Fisk joined the Knoxville Campaign, again led by General Burnside. From September to December 1863, Union forces sought to retake Knoxville and Eastern Tennessee. On November 24, 1863, Fisk fought at the Battle of Kingston where he received a fatal wound and died three days later on November 27.
Condition: Covers toned. Creasing at folds of all documents. Letter dated February 8, 1863 has stains at left margin and at center folds, affecting text. November 28, 1863 letter has staining at left margin and center, including integral page, affecting text. Letter dated September 7, 1863 has staining at right edge, including integral page, affecting text. Minor stains to remaining letters. Undated letter has irregular right and bottom margins.
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2023 September 21 Historical Manuscripts Signature® Auction #6272 (go to Auction Home page)
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