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Marine Corps Civil War Archive of Letters by Daniel S. Boyer. ...
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Description
Marine Corps Civil War Archive of Letters by Daniel S. Boyer. Approximately 37 letters dated from January 13, 1861 to September 5, 1862. The letters are all written in ink on a variety of stationery and range from two to eight pages in length. The first few letters are written from the Marine Barracks in Washington D.C. but the majority are from aboard the USS frigate Lawrence, the ship to which Boyer was assigned to service after being promoted to corporal in August 1861.The letters are addressed to various members of his family, although the majority are to his sister Hattie. Boyer is well educated and insightful. His letters cover a variety of topics such as the dynamics that existed between the men serving as Marines and the sailors over which they policed, accounts of capturing English blockade runners, eyewitness accounts of events occurring around him (the Lawrence being fired upon during the Battle of Hampton Roads), and the raging Yellow Fever that would eventually take his life in September 1862.
Prior to being assigned to the Lawrence, Boyer took part in the burning and destruction of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in order to prevent ships, guns, and ammunition from falling into Confederate hands after the secession of Virginia. In a four-page letter to Hattie written aboard the sloop of war Pawnee on April 20, 1861, he describes the unfolding of events: "... The secessionists haven sunk vessels laden with stone to Blockade the river but we arrive safely and I went through one of the most trying nights I ever experienced... A guard was detailed to go ashore and I was one of those detailed we went ashore and stood Guard on No. 1 Gate they were about 2000 secessionists outside and... they called us all sorts of names Attempted to force the gate. But word was sent to the ship and about 50 sailors armed to the teeth and dragging with them a pair of Howitzers came to our rescue... then commenced one of the most sublime and terrible sights I ever witnessed 2 large ship Houses in one of which the Line of Battleship New York was on the stocks and everything appertained to one of the largest Navy Yards in the United States was fired in a hundred different places. Besides the ship of line Pennsylvania one of the largest vessels in the service of the Frigate Merrimac sloop of war Germantown and 2 other vessels Amunition Balls ad everything in the yard were thrown over board. About 1000 cannon of the largest calibre were spiked and everything in the yard was totally destroyed to keep them out of the hands of the seccesionists. The scene was perfectly awful the flames reach out to a height of about 500 feet while the guns on the Pennsylvania which were double shotted and pointed at the yard they became heated going off all combined to render the scene one of the most horrible I ever witnessed..."
Writing aboard the Lawrence on March 23, 1862, Boyer describes being fired upon at Hamptons Roads: "Soon after that small affair at Newport News this ship by orders of Captain Fox the assist secretary of the navy, started for Philadelphia it having conclusively proven at least to his satisfaction that Wooden walls were rather too old Fogeyish for this advancing age especially when they had nothing but sail to depend upon, The Iron Monster 'Merrimac' could have sunk all the sailing vessels brought to bear against her. She well deserves the name our old Captain gave her when he called 'All Hands to Muster' the day after the fight says he. 'The iron clad shit devil was too much for us but we done all we could to sink her.'" The Lawrence had been attacked by the CSS Virginia during the Battle at Hampton Roads on March 8. The Lawrence was towed toward the fight by a gun boat but ran aground and was fired upon by the Virginia. Fortunately, at dusk the Virginia withdrew and the Lawrence, now afloat, was able to withdraw to safety at Fort Monroe.
Less than a month later, Boyer describes the Lawrence being assigned to patrol the Potomac against a possible passage of the CSS Virginia: "Potomac River April 13th 1862... We are lying on the Potomac River opposite a place known as 'Blackstone Island Light' about thirty miles above the mouth of the river. Rumour says (though the ancient dame tells man an untruth) that we are to go still further up to where the channel is the narrowest, anchor there, and in case that Iron Clad shit devil (that's what the Captain calls her) 'Merrimac' runs the blockade at Hampton Roads, and attempts to come to Washington we will fight her as long as we can and if we cannot keep her off we will 'out all boats' go ashore and sink the ship in the channel which will effectually stop her progress..."
On May 7, 1862, the Lawrence is again at Hampton Roads, and Boyer comments on "a great commotion ashore" resulting from a visit from Abraham Lincoln and his going aboard various ships. He describes the many salutes fired and mentions the long range capable by Dahlgren's patented "new rifled guns." The next day (May 8) he writes that he is awaiting orders for the Lawrence to join the naval engagements that were part of McClellan's Peninsular Campaign and gives an account of the activity: "... early this morning a cloud of smoke was seen over Pigs Point on the James river about ten miles from here. On enquiry, it as found out that the 'Merrimac' and some other rebel steamers had run up the James river in the storm last night and our Iron Clad vessels the 'Galena' 'Monitor' a new Iron Clad vessel called the 'Port Royal' and Steven battery 'Naugatuck' have gone up there are now engaged with the 'Merrimac' and are also shelling the 'secesh' Batteries at Pigs Poit. Our other vessels the 'Susquahana' 'Mohican' 'San Jacinto' 'Octorora' and some other guns boats are shelling Sewall's Point. The scene is glorious. The shells are exploding beautifully over the devoted heads of the 'secesh' at that place..."
A few weeks later, the Lawrence is ordered to Key West, Florida where it served as flagship for the East Gulf blockading squadron. While on duty there, he writes several letters about the capturing of English boats attempting to run the blockades. Writing on July 16, 1862 he describes the heroics of the Susquehanna in firing into Fort Morgan after chasing an English steamer there. He then writes that the Quaker City had captured the English steamer Adela. In the same letter, he describes his health and suffering from scurvy and the good medical care the crew is receiving.
In a letter dated August 9, 1862 to Hattie, Boyer shares the death of a fellow Marine and gives details of being at his bedside in his final moments. A cause of death is not given, but two weeks later, Boyer writes about the Yellow Fever that is devastating Key West and its effects on the crew. "[August 22, 1862]... For the last two months there has been nothing but sickness and death aboard this ship. The first case was that of a poor contraband, he died very suddenly, as was supposed from typhoid fever. At least such was the opinion of the ships Company. But the doctors looked and talked very strangely... The next case was that of a young man named Kearcher, a Sergeant of the Marine Guard. He also died very suddenly, as was supposed from Typhoid fever. The doctors in the ship by this time became somewhat more alarmed and any one could see that some things worse than typhoid fever was the cause of his death... Suddenly more are taken in the morning and die in the evening with a disease that could not be mistaken. One was a case of yellow fever, and the other of the same type but a more malignant form, black vomit... over forty of the Flag ships crew were taken down (The San Jacinto's) she was immediately sent North... still another died suddenly and several were taken down with it. A number of the worst cases were sent ashore..."
Boyer's last few remaining letters focus greatly on the Yellow Fever, giving counts of those who had fallen ill and died. His last letter is dated September 5, 1862 and includes a long poem (one of four in the archive). He writes about a shipmate who had jumped into the sea in the midst of illness and terror. The man was saved by another sailor, and Baylor describes being woken from sleep by the man's "wild agonizing cries resounding with terrible distinctness through the decks. I hasten to his bed, one wild yell of agony and fear... I pray that may never again be called to witness such a scene..."
Boyer would be dead less than two weeks later. A letter from shipmate Charles R. Foster dated September 18, 1862 informs Hattie of her brother's death. He writes, "I write to inform of the death of your esteemed brother Daniel, which took place this morning at about half past ten o'clock of Yellow Fever. Some five days ago he contracted the disease which is now raging furiously in this place but the next day he was supposed to be recovering..."
The following month, Foster writes Boyer's father about his death. He lets him know where he is buried and provides details of what was done with his personal effects. The archive includes three additional letters dating from the years 1863 to 1865 written by Boyer's siblings.
Approximately 4000 Marines served in the Union forces during the Civil War, accounting for less than 1% of the number of all troops. Hence, letter archives by Marines are exceptionally scarce. This is the first such group we have offered.
Condition: Overall, the letters are in very good condition with a few having minor separations at the folds. The September 16, 1862 letter has long separations and two small areas of paper loss affecting a few words where the folds intersect. A few letters exhibit foxing, but overall toning is light and even.
Auction Info
2024 April 5 Historical Manuscripts Signature® Auction #6285 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
April, 2024
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