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to R. West

Signed twice by West. Says his destination has been changed from Key West to Bull's Bay, 12 miles north of Charleston. Says the damage to the "Weehawken" did not occur from the stormy voyage, but from "treachery at home." Mechanics took her machinery...

GLC03836.43

to Weir

References Weir's poor health. Says "The only difference between the blockade here now, and last year is, that if possible it is more inefficient than it was. It seems to me that the slowest ships and the thickest headed commanding officers are...

GLC03836.44

to R. West

Says nothing has occurred since his last letter. Reports that the Confederates are improving their defenses to the harbor. Says "By the time they have completed their last battery, I presume there will be no longer any reasonable excuse for delaying...

GLC03836.45

to R. West

Might be an incomplete letter. Says the recent attack on Charleston was unsuccessful. Describes the battle in detail. Says "The result of this action is mortifying, but as I never felt very sanguine of it's success I can't say I am disheartened."

GLC03836.46

to Mary West

Writes to his sister. Says nothing has occurred since the battle at Charleston except their capture of a schooner at Bull's Bay. In frustration says "I have now given up all hope of the Ladona ever doing anything. She is now so covered with grass and...

GLC03836.47

to R. West

Says he has not written because he has been busy with the absence of Mr. Carr and the discharge of their master at arms, both of whose duties he has to see to. Says the blockade is as bad as it has usually been, with ships running it every day. Says...

GLC03836.48

to Lewis H. West

Document written in secretarial hand and signed by Captain Rowan of the USS "New Ironsides" to West as the commander of the USS "Ladona," ordering him to proceed at once to Port Royal, South Carolina to tow one of the ironsides to Charleston. Also...

GLC03836.49

to Lewis H. West

Document in secretarial hand and signed by Reynolds (the signature is sloppy and the spelling might be different) as "Commander & Senior Officer," possibly of a squadron of ships at Port Royal, written to Acting Master West as commander of the USS...

GLC03836.50

to R. West

Signed twice by West. Was given command of the "Ladona" 3 or 4 days previously, as Captain Calhoun was told to take command of the "Weehawken" very suddenly. Was happy for his captain's new opportunity, but sorry to see him leave the "Ladona." Says...

GLC03836.51

to R. West

Says he arrived at Charleston on 11 July and that the attack on the city started on the 10th. Reports Union forces have taken all of Morris Island except Fort Wagner. Describes the situation around Fort Wagner. Says the navy might have to land some...

GLC03836.52

to Mary West [incomplete]

Written by Lewis to his sister Mary. References receiving her and Weir's joint letter. Says he will "not be altogether satisfied" if Lee is allowed to escape across the Potomac. Wants to know who General Meade is. Hopes to add Charleston to the...

GLC03836.53

to Weir

Mentions that Weir had gout. Weir had sent West a letter relaying a gloomy political scene in the North, and West responds saying "having passed the largest part of my life afloat, I am not much of a judge of the political feelings of people at home...

GLC03836.54

to Weir

References Weir's letter of 24 July. Says he just arrived in Charleston from Bull's Bay and that he is going to Edisto to coal. His one month of command has ended as Acting Lieutenant Broadhead has taken over. He likes Broadhead, saying he is young...

GLC03836.55

to R. West

References his mother's letter of 1 March 1864. Was the pilot for a group of ships that landed 300 soldiers at Bull's Island, South Carolina. The troops disembarked the same day without encountering any Confederate troops. Says that she is right that...

GLC03836.62

to unknown

Possibly an incomplete letter. Describes a fight that three gunboats had in Stono Inlet. Says the boats saw "a large party of contrabands whom a troop of cavalry were endeavoring to drive off. As the gunboats approached the slaves waded out as deep...

GLC03836.64

to Lewis H. West

Written in secretarial hand and signed by Commodore Rowan as commander of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Orders Acting Master West from the USS "New Ironsides" to the USS "Fernandina." Tells him to report to Commander William Reynolds, the...

GLC03836.66

to Harriet Moore

References her letter of 11 May 1864. Says he has heard of the hard fighting by Grant in Virginia. Laments his status as an "Acting Master," saying the government uses the rank to fill a variety of roles at lesser pay. Says they are very isolated and...

GLC03836.67

to R. West

Page 8 of this letter has a hand drawn map of the St. Catherine's Island area off the coast of Georgia. References receiving her latest letter. Says they came across a contraband signalling from the shore who told them he belonged to the USS...

GLC03836.68

to Harriet Moore

References receiving her latest letter. Says they have a vegetable garden on St. Catherine's Island. Says he recently spirited off 10 contrabands and sent them north to Port Royal. Says he has received orders to look out for the "Florida" and...

GLC03836.69

to Mary West

References her letter of 4 July 1864. Says he collected money for a fair for the sailors in the squadron. Says he has collected 85 dollars thus far. Says he is glad that Confederate Captain Raphael Semmes was finally captured. Gives grudging respect...

GLC03836.70

to R. West

Says he has been occupied in organizing and drilling the crew. Says he has been lucky that every ship he has been on has had good crews. Says he is surprised that the Navy Department still sends seaman to a sailing ship like the "Fernandina" when...

GLC03836.71

to R. West

Has been busy surveying St. Catherine's bar, which has been little explored. Describes what he discovered while surveying. Says he discovered a channel into the harbor, so he can quickly secure his ship now. Praises Farragut's actions at Mobile...

GLC03836.72

to Harriet Moore

References her previous letter. Says he has been busy surveying St. Catherine's bar. Says he has found a channel. Praises Farragut's recent victories around Mobile. In reference to the 1864 presidential election says "I should certainly go for 'Old...

GLC03836.73

to Lewis West

Written in a secretarial hand and signed by Rear Admiral John Dahlgren as commander of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron to Acting Commander West. References West's letter of 12 September. Praises him for finding a channel at St. Catherine's...

GLC03836.74

to R. West

References her latest letter. Says he lives in the "usual humdrum manner." Says the ship stays close to shore and he hunts on the beach. Says he has also been fishing. Says he has been praised by Admiral Dahlgren for his discovery of the channel at...

GLC03836.75

to R. West

Says he received coffee, but no letter from her. Says the admiral is not accommodating to the mails, as they sit for weeks at Port Royal. Tells the story of three refugees who said they were from the North. Gave an account of Macon, where they came...

GLC03836.77

to Harriet Moore

Written aboard USS "Fernandina." References her letter of 5 November, noting that it was the first definite news of the election they received, and the first information from the North. Says he heard from two South Carolina deserters that Lincoln...

GLC03836.79

to R. West

Says the election turned out alright and that Pennsylvania redeemed herself. Says 2 deserters told him of a sloop with 10 bales of cotton that is trying to run the blockade. He has since been searching for her. Has heard Sherman is 20 miles from...

GLC03836.80

to Harriet Moore

Says there is a northeast gale blowing and that the ship is lying with both its anchors down and all their ordinary occupations suspended. Says it is "peculiarly comfortable and cosy" writing to her in a heavy gale. Says they are all excited for...

GLC03836.81

to R. West

Says Sherman has reached the coast. Says they have been expecting him and that they were ordered by the admiral to send boats up to the headwaters to get the latest news. Says he spoke to an officer who met up with some of Sherman troops. The officer...

GLC03836.82

to Harriet Moore

References her previous letter. Says there was excitement when the army first made it to the coast, but that things have gone back to normal since the capture of Savannah. Says the troops have been ordered against plundering in Savannah, but that it...

GLC03836.83

to Lewis West

Written by Rear Admiral Dahlgren as commander of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron to Acting Master West as commander of the USS "Fernandina." References West's communication of 2 January. Says "Endeavor to relieve the colored people who were...

GLC03836.84

to Harriet Moore

References receiving her letter of 5 January. Says his Christmas was subdued, but that he did manage to get a turkey for dinner. Says "By the way, was not Sherman's dispatch to the president presenting Savannah as a Christmas gift, a neat thing?"...

GLC03836.85

to Harriet Moore

References her letter of 28 January. Reports that he heard of the news of the fall of Charleston. Says that all the ports into the Confederacy are now closed and that Mexico is the only way to bring goods into the South now. Reports that "The rebel...

GLC03836.86

Fort Monroe, Virginia. Gunboat SANTIAGO DE CUBA off Fort Monroe

A print of a photograph of the USS Santiago de Cuba, a wooden, brigantine-rigged, side wheel steamer built in 1861 at Brooklyn, N.Y., was purchased by the Navy on 6 September 1861 at New York City; and was commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on...

GLC05111.01.0188

to Louise Walbridge

News concerning his trip to Beaufort, blockade runner tried to enter Union occupied Charleston Harbor and ran aground near Fort Moultrie.

GLC04663.32

to [Philip Mazzei] re: Virginia loan in Europe & British blockade of Charleston

Written as Gov. of Virginia. Jefferson alludes at the end to his hopes that Gen. Benjamin Lincoln would hold Charleston, but his hopes were dashed in the event.

GLC03735

to Asa Smith

There are four separate notes from various family members to Asa Smith updating him on family and home life. One is from his sister "Maria," one from his sister "Carrie," another from his sister "Mary," and the last is from his mother. Maria's note...

GLC03742.02

Diary of Lt. Commander Edward Simpson

Diary of captaincy of the "Submarine Battery 'Passaic'". Details attacks upon Charleston, Fort Moultrie and Battery Gregg; inner workings of a Monitor and intraservice rivalries. Quarter calf, marbled boards, pencil loops.

The USS Passaic, one of...

GLC05911.04

Letters U.S.S. Passaic S. Atlantic squadron from July 20, 1863 to May 13, 1864 and U.S.S. Isonomia N. Atlantic and Gulf squadron from Augt 17th 1864 to October 11th 1864

Majority of letters written and signed by Simpson, though several are clerically written and signed. Battle action of the Passaic off Charleston and battle reports of the steamer frigate U.S.S. Isonomia off Alabama and Western Florida. Also...

GLC05911.05

Journal of a cruise in the U.S.S. Isonomia no. 1

No. I and II cover the record of the blockade ship Isonomia from the beginning of its service off Wilmington SC in August 1864 to 25 December 1864 when Simpson released command of the vessel. Calf covers.

[30 August] "At daylight, Flag Pond...

GLC05911.06.01

Journal of a cruise in the U.S.S. Isonomia, no. II

No. I and II cover the record of the blockade ship Isonomia from the beginning of its service off Wilmington SC in August 1864 to 25 December 1864 when Simpson released command of the vessel. Calf covers.

[24 November] "…a seaman by the name of...

GLC05911.06.02

Letterbook of U.S.S. Isonomia East Gulf squadron from Oct 12th 1864 to Dec. 24th 1864 and U.S.S. Mohican N. Pacific squadron from Augt 14th 1866 to June 1st 1867

Majority of letters written and signed by Simpson, though several are clerically written and signed. Attacks on Fort Sumter, engagements with blockade runners and attacks on various gun batteries. Includes two letters regarding deserters of the U.S...

GLC05911.07

Daily federal union. [Vol. 4, no. 24 (December 5, 1861)]

Gen. Bragg's congratulatory order. This issue reports the results of the electoral college electing Jefferson Davis and Alexander H. Stephens as president and vice president of the Confederacy. Various reports describe the state of war events at...

GLC05959.01.04

Southern confederacy. [Vol. 2, no. 244 (November 29, 1862)]

"Effects of the Blockade" reports that blockading the South actually helped in the "development of domestic industry and diversifying [their] pursuits." An article entitled "Butler Sequestering Property in Western Louisiana" refers to events in the...

GLC05959.09.102

Southern Confederacy. [Vol. 3, no. 4 (February 15, 1863)]

This newspaper is from the Southern Confederacy and includes main articles on the Confederate Treasury, the Blockade at Charleston, Bragg & His Generals, and Running the Blockade from Mexico. The first page is torn nearly fully across the middle of...

GLC05959.09.139

Southern Confederacy. [Vol. 3, no. 22 (March 8, 1863)]

This newspaper is from the Southern Confederacy and includes main articles on "Grand Jury Presentments", an Evaluation of General Green's Plan of Finance, Impressment, Military Movements in Northern Virginia, and The Blockade Question.

GLC05959.09.151

Daily picayune. [Vol. 26, no. 272 (December 9, 1862)]

Articles about the Confederate Blockade Runner, Appointment of James Seddon as Secretary of War, Message of President Lincoln Concerning the Acts of General Butler at New Orleans, Fitting Out the Alabama in England. Speculation around foreign...

GLC05959.16.02

Semi-weekly standard. [Vol. 11, no. 44 (May 4, 1861)]

Maryland Must be Secured. An article discusses the importance of securing Maryland for the Confederacy. Speech excerpts by ex-president Franklin Pierce include insight on the secession crisis. Minutes from the South Carolina Legislature are printed...

GLC05959.23.06

Semi-weekly standard. [Vol. 14, no. 47 (August 19, 1864)]

Official Report by Mosby, Shelling of Atlanta, Latest News from Richmond.
Missing front and back page. War news includes reports from various battle fronts. An editorial examines the local conservative paper in terms of recent election results and...

GLC05959.23.14