West, Lewis H., 1829-? 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 of the crews from the ships to take part in the assault on the fort. Says he heard about Lee's defeat at Gettysburg and the fall of Vicksburg and that she "must have celebrated the fourth of July with somewhat different feelings from those of last year." Wants to know who General Meade is and goes on to say "he seems to be the right man for the army of the Potomac at last." Continues letter on 16 July. Says no attack has been on Fort Wagner yet, but that the gunboats have kept up a continuous fire on it. Says the use of the ships crews for an assault on the fort has been abandoned. Says the men were ready to go and that almost all of his crew stepped forward to volunteer. Says deserters come into the Union lines every night and that a Captain Green reported to him that one Confederate solider said "it was a rich man's war and a poor man's fight." Continues letter on 17 July. Says no attack has occurred because of heavy rains. Continues letter on 18 and 19 July and describes the bombardment and the ground attack on the fort. Describing the assault that the 54th Massachusetts probably was involved with, West says "the troops undertook to storm it and after three attempts were repulsed with a loss of 800 killed, wounded, & missing." Five days after this letter, July 18 Fort Wagner was attacked by the 54th Massachusetts, the first black regiment in the Union army, commanded by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. Although they acquitted themselves well their casualty count was heavy. Written while aboard the USS "Ladona"