26 March 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriet Moore

References her letter of 14 March 1864. Says her opinion that he is "decidedly blue" is correct. Says it is depressing to have spent 3 years as he has at the age of 35. Speaks positively of the "change of feeling that has been wrought in public opinion as regards the colored troops." Before they were "looked upon with utter contempt and the idea that they would stand fire was thought ridiculous." Says they are now thought of as equal to white troops. References the bravery of the 54th Massachusetts compared to the disloyalty of the New Yorkers who rioted in July 1863. Says that the black…

GLC03836.63

23 April 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 as they could, towards them and the cavalry commenced cutting and slashing away at them with their sabres." The gunboats fired a cannon and stopped the slaughter, taking in 70 blacks of both sexes and all ages. Describes a run-in with an ex-Congressman named Griswold and reports that "I dont think much of the intellect of South Carolinians, the…

GLC03836.64

24 April 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriet Moore

References her previous letter. A playful letter in response to Harriet's account of a fair at home. Says their boring existence continues and that the only distraction is going fishing 7 or 8 miles outside of Charleston. Says that "The white troops are all leaving this department and their places are being filled with the black regiments. I only hope if Charleston is ever taken that a black Massachusetts regiment may be the first one to march in and take possession." Says he has been hearing news of an impending battle in Virginia. Tells the story of a man who the Union Army allowed to…

GLC03836.65

28 April 1864

Rowan, Stephen Clegg, 1805-1890

Document signed

Title: 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 Commander of the Naval Depot at Port Royal, South Carolina, to arrange passage to St. Catherine's, Florida where the "Fernandina" is stationed. Docket signed by three officers. Top signature is illegible, but the other two are by Rowan and Reynolds. Written while aboard the USS "New Ironsides"

GLC03836.66

29 May 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 see very few ships. Says "The bark [his ship] lies at the north end of St. Catherine's Island, on which there is a colony of old superannuated negroes and young children. They belonged to the owner of the island and were left here to shift for themselves when he fled the old ones because they were too old and helpless to work, and the young who…

GLC03836.67

8 June 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 "Waterwitch," which was just captured. He made chase of the ship and tells the story in detail. Map was drawn to help his mother understand his story. A daring commando-style raid by small Confederate boats captured the "Waterwitch" and its crew of 68 commanded by Lieutenant Pendergrast on June 3, 1864. Written while aboard the USS "Fernandina".

GLC03836.68

10 July 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 "Alabama," as they might be trying to run the blockade. Hopes to be home by the end of the summer. Written while aboard the USS "Fernandina".

GLC03836.69

18 July 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 to Semmes's abilities. Says the British are afraid of Union Navy's Dahlgren guns. Says "If we were to go to war with England tomorrow it would be 1812 all over again as far as wooden ships are concerned." Says their latest executive officer was detached and granted a leave of absence. Likes his new officer who is young. Questions why the Union…

GLC03836.70

19 August 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 there are so many new steamers in the fleet. Says the ship is in disrepair. Says he will probably remain idle and not get home for some time. Says he wrote to the admiral about the poor condition of the ship and the response he got said "With reference to the security of the 'Fernandina' in heavy weather, you must use your judgment." Wonders if it is…

GLC03836.71

5 September 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 saying "The old sea dog has again shown that 'iron hearts in wooden ships' are as good as iron-clads." Says he has little to do, but is happy with his smart crew. Says he has improved the discipline and management of the ship. Says they land at a plantation to get water and says "the old darkies [are] flourishing." Lists some books he wants. Includes…

GLC03836.72

7 September 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 Abe.' He is not exactly the man I would choose, but he is an honest and patriotic man and the most decent of all of them ... Fremont I am afraid is nothing but a scheming politician, and as for McClellan I would rather go for Jeff Davis himself." Landing recently he "found things pretty much as we left them[.] The old darkies are flourishing and…

GLC03836.73

19 September 1864

Dahlgren, John Adolphus Bernard, 1809-1870

Letter signed

Title: 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, Georgia. Will send a small steamer to verify the channel and help buoy it. Written while abraod the USS "Philadelphia".

GLC03836.74

25 September 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 St. Catherine's. Lauds Farragut's tactics at Mobile. Says most of his crew will be out of the service in several weeks and assumes he will be getting a new batch of "greenhorns." Says he will be in the war until it ends. Asks her to send coffee. Written while aboard the USS "Fernandina".

GLC03836.75

22 October 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Harriet Moore [incomplete]

References receiving her letter of 22 September. Talks about the latest accounts of the elections. Says he is sorry to hear Pennsylvania has probably gone copperhead and that "If she goes for McClellan all I have to say is that I hope the rebels may desolate the state from end to end." Claims that "The men who vote in favor of slavery after the experience of the last few years, are only fit to be slaves themselves, and the sooner they become so, the better." Says New York is the only state to make provisions for sailors to vote and that they received their blank ballots recently. Says 7 on…

GLC03836.76

7 November 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 from. They confirmed the reports of "barbarous treatment" at Andersonville. Says "They saw the place of confinement ... where thousands of men were confined in an open field with no shelter from the weather and lying in mud knee deep." Says such things should make men who say "peace at any price" rethink their ideas. Says the Union is lucky to have…

GLC03836.77

17 November 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary West

References her letter of 17 October. Says he is taking an interest in the election and says "In fact it is the only election that I ever did take any interest in ... since I have turned my attention to politics I am amazed that I was ever anything but a radical abolitionist and it is astonishing how anybody can be anything else, after the charming results of having persisted in sacrificing the right to the expedient for the last 30 years, on the slavery question." Says New York is the only state to give ballots for sailors and that he heard McClellan has a 10 or 11 more votes than Lincoln…

GLC03836.78

25 November 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 won. Writes, "Wasn't it a glorious result! and Pennsylvania redeemed herself too! ... What will become of 'Little Mac' now I wonder? He must feel considerably 'littler' than he ever did before." Declares that the administration has made blunders, but that they have been vindicated for removing "such wretched trash" as McClellan, Buell, and Fitz-…

GLC03836.79

December 1, 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 Savannah. Says the admiral wants to send sailors on shore to help the army but goes on to say "I dont believe that any amount of drilling will ever make soldiers out of sailors, so as to make them useful in military operations." Says 22 of his 80 men are about to leave as their time in the service is up. Written while aboard the USS "Fernandina".

GLC03836.80

December 9, 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 Sherman to appear on the coast. Hears that the Charleston-Savannah railroad has been cut and that he is 40 miles from Savannah. Says he sent a scout boat up the Midway River and discovered there were no pickets on it as is usual. Believes most of the troops are being redirected to Savannah. Says "The sky was lit up brilliantly last night by a very…

GLC03836.81

15 December 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 reported to him that "The country in their rear is like a desert. On starting, the order was given to 'live on the enemy' and it was carried out to the letter." Goes to describe Sherman's situation in detail. Written while aboard the USS "Fernandina".

GLC03836.82

January 11, 1865

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 continues. Says he knows little of what goes on at home because he has not been there very often the past 4 years. Reports that the 10 bales of cotton on the sloop he was previously searching for have made it past the blockade. Praises Sherman as "the general of the war." Has heard of the defeat at Wilmington. Written while aboard the USS "…

GLC03836.83

January 13, 1865

Dahlgren, John Adolphus Bernard, 1809-1870

Letter signed

Title: 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 pillaged, and prevent a repetition of the act."

GLC03836.84

January 26, 1865

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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?" Says the only present he gave this year was "a calico dress to the old darky woman who washes for me and the result is that she wants to send a barrel of peanuts to my mother, in return." Assumes that Sherman is in South Carolina by now. Recommends that her father read "Army & Navy Journal," a weekly journal based in New York, as it is better…

GLC03836.85

February 24, 1865

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 cavalry on the main land are hunting the negroes to drive up the country and have shot some of them. I carried off from the main, the other day a party of eighty of all ages and both sexes. There were some infants a week or two old and some very old people among them." Says he put them on a plantation on St. Catherine's Island and made a raid to…

GLC03836.86

30 March 1865

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Letter

Title: to A. J. Smith

Copy of a letter written by Acting Master West to Smith as 4th Auditor of the Treasury. Wants to know where he can apply to settle his accounts now that his resignation has been accepted.

GLC03836.87