February 2017 Auction Ends Thursday, February 23rd, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2017
Large 53 lot of Civil War letters by William H. and Charles E. Winslow of the 8th Massachusetts Infantry, Co. C. William also served with the 4th MA Heavy Artillery and 23rd MA Infantry, where he fought at the Battle of Roanoke Island, where the Union slogged through swamps believed to be unpassable, thereby trapping the Confederate forces. In his letter dated 1 March 1862 William writes, ''...I am anchous to see another fight, certinely not like the last one. The other we had to swim allmost. We looked like drounded rats wen we came out of the swamp. It puseld those rebols to think we got through such a place. They were sure no one could get through to flank them. There batry was flanked on both sides with swamps...flanked in the rear with a large thick mireey swamp. They like Indians in woods. Sum of them were up in the tops of trees. I made one get down rather quick. I hapend to look up about as fair as the factory is from our hous. I up rifol and fired. He came down head first and biting the ground like a mad dog...''
Both men also write about turmoil in camp and in Washington DC in the aftermath of the Baltimore Riot. One day after the riot on 20 April 1861, the 8th MA was ferried to Annapolis under the command of General Benjamin Butler. Despite objections by the MD Governor and Mayor, Butler bullied his way into landing, and a portion of the 8th was sent to secure the area around Baltimore. Shortly thereafter, martial law was declared. Writing from Camp Essex, just outside Baltimore on 31 May, Charles writes about a conflict with Captain Devereux, who would ultimately be promoted to General, and Colonel Edward F. Jones, who famously led soldiers through Baltimore, instigating the Baltimore Riot. Letter reads in part, ''...Night before last our Capt [Knott V. Martin] and Capt Devoix of the Salem...took half of our company and half of the Salem company and some of the other company to go out on a scouting party. There was in all about 90 all together. They went about 25 miles (what do you think about that for a march) They arrived back about 11 o'clock yesterday morning after they had arrived back our Capt and Capt Deverix was just under arrest by Col. Jones of the regiment and was made to give up there swords! After that our company and the Salem company marched up to the colonel's quarters with there arms reverse and give up there muskets. They put them all in a heap in front of his tents. The company then marched back to quarters and we done just as we were a mind to. Now I will tell you were the other half of the company went. They went out on picket guard, out on the Harper's Ferry Rail Road. They went about 6 miles in the course of the night. They saw a train of cars coming a long (they had orders to stop all trains) and they waved a lantern three times and the engenerr would not stop and about twelve or fourtenn fired into the train...after they had stoped, they went into the cars to serch and see if they was anything for them to take there was nothing. The boys said when they went into the cars that the women were on there weare praying and taking on as if there hart would break. The men were scared almost to death. They said they were for the Union and pled hard to let them go. They said they thought they were seceionest troops. But after they told them they were United States troops, they felt evry one of the shots graised by the engineer chin and I guess that is what brought him to. The reason that they stoped the train is that Col Jones has let about all the trains go through with out searching them. He is as mean as dirt. I don't believe but what he is a regular seceionest for he don't care what pases throught to Harper's Ferry. All his Reg are down on him and so is all the 8 Reg...And now I will tell you what the Salem Louses were doing. Last night they mad an efergy of Col. Jones and they put into his head some powder for brains and hung him up in a tree in front of the encampment. Then they built a fire in front of there tents and there you could se Old Jones hang there with his head on one side and his hands spread out and they took him down and set him on fire. When the fire reached his head it blowed right square off...''
William also writes from Camp on 31 May, giving more detail regarding the expedition that caused the conflict, ''...Capt Martin and Devroe had clue of a lod of ammunishon that was goin over the road to Harpors Ferrey. They took forty of thir best men and twenty from two others company and started fore the five roads...two liberty and the ferry roads we had to march a round about way to get ther, for this reasons, Jones is agenst our goin...'' He then talks about a wagon passing, which they thought held the ammunition, but was ''...nothing but a market wagon with milk and strawbers. There was a little girl in with him, but she was so cold she could not be frittened...'' He continues about what happened when he got back to camp, ''...Capt. Martin and Capt. Deveroe was arested as soon as we got back. They boys felt so mad they they carred there muskets to hard quarters and left them all in a pile. The hole regment was in confushion. I did not leive mine. I took it up with the rest but capt spok to me saing Winslow if you have enny respect fore me don't lay that muskit down there. I did not altho cries were lay it down, but I took it at armes, rvurse and march to quarters with sum of the crouds chears...''
Other content from the brothers includes early in the war, from 1 May 1861 in Washington, DC: ''...There was a man shot by the gard. It was a New York ruf Sunday. There was another stuck with a bayonet about three inches. It mad him come back very soon. Two of them is goin to hun or shot, I don't know wich. There is so meny reports a boutit. One of there one men told me that they probely shot or hare them the very worst devels in the city...'' Also from Washington on 9 May, Charles writes, ''...Ther was a great fire up in the city. It was Willard's Hotel. It is the largest hotel in the city...Last night one of the city troops was in front of the National Hotel after hours and he was arrested by one of the police and he got away from him, but while he was runing the police shot him through the head and kiled him. The excitement was very great and they wanted to shoot the police on the spot...''
On 10 May Charles writes, ''...there has been 4 fires in the city. One was Willard's Hotel and the other they tell me was Georgetown Bridge...While I am writing our company is out drilling a new drill. It is call the harctic drill and the Salem Louaves are teaching them. It is a fine drill. The Salem Louaves can load and fire (there is 100 of them) 1000 shots in a minute. They load very fast...''
In May 1861 Charles writes about the death of Colonel Ellsworth in nearby Alexandria, ''...While I was writing we had orders to fall in and we fell in and Capt told us to hold ourselves in readyness. At three o'clock with all our equipments on for he said that Col. Ellworth of the New York Fire Louves had been shot at Alexander and his body was in Washington and we think of going there...Well he was shot out there by a secessionist and his men the New York Louves are revenged his death. They are going right straight into them, they don't care for anything. I have seen them when we were at the capatol. They look like a hard set of men. They look as tho they would fight like tigers...'' Charles also writes about in-fighting within a regiment, ''...the Baltimore troops that was quarterd about a mile from us had a fun one of them attacted an officer that belonged to another company and they went in about one hundred of them, they had clubs and pistols and dirks and they had a free fight, all with them selves. While they were fighting an officer came over to our Colonel and asked him to send some of his men to stop them. The Colonel came and told our Capt to take his company. He went and told the Salem Capt and told the Gloshester Capt in all there was about 100 men, they went over on the double quick...'' All letters are in very good plus condition, very legible, and run 2-4pp., many on 8'' x 10'' stationery. Accompanied by partial transcriptions. Very interesting content from one of the first regiments to enter the war, when anarchy ruled the day.
Large 53 Letter Lot by Brothers in the Minute Men Regiment, 8th MA Infantry -- With Post-Baltimore Riot Content & Battle of Roanoke Island: ''...they wanted to shoot the police on the spot...''
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