3 September 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes about the retreat from Fredericksburg and thanks his mother for the rubber coat she sent him. Writes more about Lieutenant Eaton's condition, which he says is deteriorating.

GLC03603.140

6 September 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes of the compliments that the 8th Regiment has received on their marching skills. Describes his uniform fading and the bright uniforms of the new enlistees. Writes, "The large bounties being paid to new Regts are killing the spirits of all the old troops."

GLC03603.141

10 September 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes, "We are after Jackson. Burnside commands us and we are strong." They have heard a rumor that Jackson is in Pennsylvania with 100,000 troops.

GLC03603.142

25 September 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Reports that they have been ordered to Harpers Ferry. Writes that he will be unable to take his furlough because of Lieutenant Eaton's and Lieutenant Shepard's injuries from battle. Requests that newspapers with stories about the battle be saved or mailed to him. Also mentions that the regiment may go to Washington, D.C. to recruit. Describes the Chaplain's heroic service to the regiment during the battle, saying that he was the last to walk off the field though slightly wounded. Also says that though the 8th regiment had many wounded and a few killed, that other regiments and companies had…

GLC03603.146

10 October 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Describes the views from the march from Antietam. Also predicts that Colonel Harland will soon be promoted to Brigadier, but is concerned that the Colonel will not ask men to be references in his favor. Writes about the other men he is sharing a tent with, Lieutenants Weed and Goodrich, and responds to news from home about his brother George's career choice. Also reflects on marching past the battlefield and seeing the dead bodies as either "losses" or "gains." Writes, "Live rebels, with theirs pointing towards me, I find is a much more horrid sight than heaps of them dead." Responds to a…

GLC03603.151

20 March 1863

Webb, William A., fl. 1863

Manuscript document signed

Title: [An agreement signed by Confederate officers and sailors]

Document guarantees the Union Navy that there will be no hostilities or political intrigue while the Confederates are confined to the Union ship. Has 18 signatures, including the Commander William A. Webb, William McBlair, etc. The "Atlanta," captured in June of 1863, was the first Confederate ironclad to surrender to the Union. Webb was roundly criticized for waging action against orders. He later commanded the CSS "Richmond."

GLC01007.01

23 June 1863

Lee, Samuel Phillips, 1812-1897

Manuscript document signed

Title: to Thomas H. Patterson

Written on letterhead of the U.S. Flag Ship "Minnesota." Written by Acting Rear Admiral Lee as Commander of the North Atlantic Blockade Squadron to Commander Patterson of the USS "James Adger." Lee says he has been instructed by telegraph that Major General John Dix will receive the captured crew of the CSS "Atlanta" that are currently on board the "James Adger." Tells him to proceed to Fortress Monroe, Virginia to drop them off. He is to drop off the officers of the "Atlanta" in New York at Fort Lafayette though. Lee suggested to the Department of the Navy that the "James Adger's" boilers…

GLC01007.02

20 June 1863

Reynolds, William, 1815-1879

Manuscript document signed

Title: to Thomas H. Patterson

From Commander Reynolds of the USS "Vermont" to Commander Patterson of the USS "James Adger." By order of Rear Admiral Samuel F. DuPont, Reynolds sends officers and crew of the captured CSS "Atlanta" to the "James Adger." Says a list is enclosed (see GLC01007.05). Reynolds adds a short note saying six of the wounded men as well as the ship's surgeon and hospital steward remain on the "Vermont" and that their names are not on the list. Written on blue paper. Reynolds was promoted to rear admiral in 1873.

GLC01007.03

25 June 1863

Mager, N., fl. 1863

Manuscript document signed

Title: [List of officers from captured CSS "Atlanta" transfered from the USS "James Adger" to the USS "Princeton"]

List of 18 officers from the captured CSS ironclad "Atlanta" transferred from the USS "James Adger" to the USS "Princeton." First name is of the commander, William A. Webb. Signed at the bottom by "N Mager" the Commanding Officer and Officer on Deck of the "Princeton."

GLC01007.04

January 29, 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Written on board the ship "H. J. Brookman," in Hatteras Inlet. Writes a quick note to enclose with his other letters saying that a steamer will take the mail to Fortress Monroe.

GLC03603.071

January 31, 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Responds to three letters he has received from his family all at once. Reports that he has been transferred to another ship where the field staff shares a cabin.

GLC03603.072

February 1, 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Written on board the ship "the Sentinal." Complains about the captain and of the Brookman's price gouging and tells of Colonel Harland's response. Writes of a missing soldier who is assumed to have fallen overboard during the night.

GLC03603.073

February 3, 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Written on board the ship "the Sentinal." Believes that the 8th regiment and other regiments in the brigade will sail tomorrow. Gives details of life on the ship including the poor quality of the food, water and sanitation. Also mentions five rebel deserters who had captured a small ship and interacted with the soldiers onboard the Sentinel. Reports that the rebels told the soldiers of the "strong Union feeling" among many of the rebel troops.

GLC03603.074

February 4, 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Written on board the ship "the Sentinal." Provides more information about ship-board conditions including "bed bugs…large enough to carry knapsacks." Adds that his family should not speak about the poor conditions he describes as it might hurt enlistment.

GLC03603.075

5-8 February 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

The first part of this letter (5 February) is written while still onboard the Sentinel while the second part (8 February) is written after the Battle of Roanoke. Reports that the 8th Regiment sustained no loses. Coit was not very engaged in this fight and writes only of musket balls being fired over the heads of his regiment after going ashore. Discusses the color guard's flag being flown over the conquered rebel fort. A note at the end says "Oh if I could see you all to night I can now assure you that there is no fun in fighting…"

GLC03603.076

9 February 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Written on board the ship "the Sentinal." Declares that his family need no longer fear for him as his regiment will be staying on Roanoke Island while other regiments move on.

GLC03603.077

10 February 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Written on board the ship "the Sentinal." Comments that there are so many rumors about the battle that he would be glad to receive General Burnside's report when it appears in the newspaper. Gives more details about the battle and says "it was rather exciting stepping on hostile shores for the first time." Writes that there are 2000 rebel soldiers taken prisoner and that the Union now has control over the whole island.

GLC03603.078

20 February 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Describes the regiment setting up camp on the island. Also mentions becoming ill and staying with a family.

GLC03603.079

28 February 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Responds to 5 letters he has received from his family and reacts to news about his Uncle George's illness. Writes about taking a soldier from another company as his orderly until he is fully recovered. Mentions promotions within the regiment and again requests newspaper accounts of the battle of Roanoke. Written from Joshua Johnson's house on Roanoke Island.

GLC03603.080

3 March 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Responds to a letter received from home inquiring about his housing situation and the layout of the island. Also discredits accounts of the battle that his family has picked up, such as the rumor that Colonel Russell, one of the men killed in the battle, was shot while on horseback.

GLC03603.081

4 March 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Provides more details about the battle in an effort to answer some of his family's questions. Writes that the regiment is preparing to leave Roanoke Island and that the Governor survived the passage by ship and the battle.

GLC03603.082

4 March 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes about new orders to leave Roanoke Island completely in the morning. While Coit is unsure of where they are headed, he has heard that they will not be fighting soon.

GLC03603.083

9 March 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Mentions the boredom of being on the ship again. Describes a passing ship giving news of Burnside being promoted to Major General and that Nashville has been taken as well as 8,000 prisoners. Written on board the ship "the Sentinal," at Roanoke, Croatoan Sound.

GLC03603.084

9 March 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Describes the other officers aboard the Sentinal. Considers the possibility of the regiment going to Beaufort or Newbern. Written on board the ship "the Sentinal."

GLC03603.085

15 March 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Opens by declaring, "I can now write with truth that I have been in a battle and really under fire." Writes in great detail about the battle and the 8th Regiment taking over an abandoned rebel fort. Discusses the "plunder" he finds and of files of letters left behind by the rebel soldiers that indicate that there is "a union sentiment in N. Carolina." Coit believes this is the reason for their poor fighting spirit.

GLC03603.086