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Civil War Soldier's Letters (5) by Seneca Cowles of the 10th New York Heavy Artillery with Fall of Petersburg Content....
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Description
Civil War Soldier's Letters (5) by Seneca Cowles of the 10th New York Heavy Artillery with Fall of Petersburg Content. Five letters totaling sixteen pages, written between April 3 and June 8, 1865. Addressed to his wife, these letters provide vivid firsthand accounts of the final days of the war, the fall of Petersburg, and the early occupation of the city under Union control.Cowles's first letter, dated April 3, 1865, was written from the field near Petersburg and offers a beat-by-beat description of the city's collapse as a Confederate stronghold: "...the army of the Potomac was fighting all day Saturday and gained some advantage of the enemy on the left. Gen Grant telegraphed to our Genl that he must find out whether the enemy in our front were still here...when the signal from the Gnl came for us to fall back, for go any further we could not without being entirely destroyed...Out of the number that went into the fight nearly one in every four was either killed wounded or taken prisoner...This morning about 3 O.C...a tremendous explosion took place at Petersburg at that time there came the blowing up of their Iron clads in the River above us, and so it went on untill about noon today. It was explosion after explosion. Richmond is ours Petersburg is ours and the whole line of works...Richmond was occupied this morning by Gen Witezel [Weitzel], and he telegraphs that he found it on fire in several places, and the citizens plundering in every direction like perfect mobs."
Following the city's capture, Cowles was appointed Provost Marshal of Petersburg. His next letter, dated April 16, was written from his office the day after Lincoln's assassination. He reflects on the army's reaction and the sentiments of Confederate citizens: "The news of Mr Lincoln Death has reached you undoubtedly ere this, and I presume you feel the blow to be one of terable disaster. But you cannot for one moment realize the loss as we of the army do, there is a general feeling of despondency and at the same time hatred and desire for revenge amongst the men of the army...From what Confed Officers and citizens have told me today...many have said to me they would rather have had anything else have happened than the death of Mr Lincoln, and well they might, for they all admit that Mr Lincoln was the best friend they had...One judge Gaines came to the office notwithstanding it is Sunday, and told me he wanted to take the oath of allegiance for he could not rest untill he had expressed his disapprobation of the act..."
Cowles's letter of May 4 captures the atmosphere of the newly occupied city and its Black population: "Tell John Wright to come to Petersburg and see me, I will show him all the sights I can, there is nothing to hinder him from coming now, and he never will have so good a time again. I can show him more n*****s than he ever saw before in all his life, and that in one day, and what is more I can show him a better dressed lot of negroes that walk the streets of Petersburg than the whites of our county. You can have no idea how the n*****s dress silk is as common amongst the wenches as anything else, and if I judge correctly the negroes in this city will in ten years be much worse off than they were when they were slaves."
In his May 12 letter, Cowles writes with a sense of pride in his new role: "As you must know I am a privelaged personage. My authority in this City is next to General Ferrero, I go where I please and when I please no man or woman can close their door on me. If I go to a house and desire to go in...I have only to order my guards to open the doors and I walk in. No charges to any place of amusement is made to me. I haven't bought a cigar or drink in this city since I came here...My decision on any subject is the highest law in this city...in fact I am the sole and only law giver in this city, and what is more the people are entirely satisfied with my rule over them...I have administered near 6,000 Oaths of Allegiances since we came to this city, and paroled I don't know how many prisoners, but a very large number."
His final letter, dated June 8, describes the grim task of recovering the dead from the battlefield: "Gen Ord recommended that a detail of men be made for the purpose of burring the bones around Petersburg and that Capt Vanderburg [John S. Vanderburgh, 10th NY Heavy Artillery] be put in charge of it as he was not fit for anything else..."
Condition: All letters lightly toned with scattered staining or soiling. Smoothed folds, with occasional separations thereat, some touching text but not affecting legibility.
Auction Info
2026 February 26 Historical Manuscripts & Texana Signature® Auction #6328 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
February, 2026
26th
Thursday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 3
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 117
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25% of the successful bid per lot.
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