2006-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/31/2006
Over sixty letters by John H. Smith, 75th New York Infantry, who enlisted on September 20, 1861, was wounded in action at Port Hudson May 27, 1863, and discharged for disability on November 22, 1864 from the 75th, though he would then enlist in the 20th Veteran Reserves. These letters are mostly multipaged, and dated from December 1861 through April 1865. Some with fantastic content covering the spectrum of events and sights of a soldier in the Federal Army. They read in very small part: “... [2/27/1862] I hope England will get awfully wiped out if she does dip in this fight. She must appear small in the eyes of nations when she has been for years cursing this country for her slavery. A nation who has spent so much time, lives & money to catch the slaves & yet she is now so mean as to not only use the products of slave labor, but is so purse bound & money loving that she would sacrifice all human principals & assist a people whoes works & devices are...admanable as hell itself...[3/18/62]Capt Fuller & others had another drunk night before last on Capt. Frolishe’s Whiskey but did not get caught at it. If Col Dodge had known it he would have court martialed him....[4/13/62]Our commissioned officers are a couple of poor drunken Devils totally unfit to lean so brave & determined set of ‘Boys’ into Battle. We have not a spark of confidence in them & all of us consider them Shot just as soon as the fight commences for no doubt the Capt & Fuller would be so drunk that they would rush right into the midst of the ranks & fall to rise no more...[5/6/62]One of Wilsons men is under sentence of death for being found a sleep on his post for the third time, he is now confined in the dungeon at the Fort & will be publicly shot just as soon as the papers arrive from Head Quarters at Washington...it causes great excitement at Camp Seward & great many talk of going over to Wilsons camp to witness the death of the poor unfortunate man...[5/16/62 Pensacola City] The night of the 10th of May Camp Seward was alarmed (at 11 oclock) by an immense conflagration all along the western shore of the Bay. The Rebels burned almost every house for two or three miles back of the Bay & today there is not a building belonging to the U.S. left all is a sad & mournful ruin. Even the property of Rebels was burned & indeed the conflagration was grand but awfully sublime. Even in this charming city they have destroyed a great many buildings...on last Sunday mornign while we were going onbaord the Steamer Hattie Lane (of the Fort Sumpter noterity) ...our Splendid band was palying the Star Spangled Banner they gave three hearty cheers for the flag of our common country & the marines gave cheers for the success of our arms & the triumph of freedom...[6/1/62]After marching through the wild forest ...we were brought to a sudden halt by our advanced guard being fired into by the Rebel picket. Our Boys returned with dispatch killing one cavalry man & wounding three more. All have since died we were informed by contrabands not one of our boys were hurt...as our skirmishers were fired upon they rallied upon their center group & fired upon the cowardly Devils at the same time our 2d platoon rushed up to assist the first platoon when Co. G fired through mistake (they were in rear of Co. B 2 platoon) the balls passing among us like hail stones. The 2d platoon draped upon the ground (Culbert & myself were side by side in the 2d platoon) & saved our lives for Co. G’s second fire would have killed many of us...the first platoon scattered one side as they would have received the effects of Co. G’s fire. At sun rise we found the wounded rebels & three horses & one doubled barrel shot gun loaded with buck shot...the cavalry about 80 storng came down upon us but when they came within about 80 yards of us we fired both of our cannon loaded with grape & canister & they wheeled about & left double quick...[8/3/62]Did you ever read of such a wicked war! really it does seem as if our Gov was blind to be led to battle & do battle for freedom when such a man as Secy Stanton a black hearted, rotton head, miseralbe abolitionist who would not send our brave young General McClellan reinforcements when our troops were before Richmond. Dog that he is I hope Stantons term will be of short duration for unless the Cabinet as purged out & sorted over before long i would not give a five cent piece for North or South. Why? the Abolitionist will not allow this war to stop as long as the eternal Nigger is in bondage, they will ruin their own homes & sink our beloved country beneath the stormy sea of Rebellion and all for what!...[9/19/62 New Orleans] The Levee looks desolate enough & the city wears the appearnce of a sabbath day, as nearly all the business houses are closed & grass is growing in many of the principal streets. The old cotton Press is closed up & all the rear sheds burned down it looks awful, oh what a sad change in two short years. My friends of gone to Cuba...[10/5/62] Baton Rouge is evacuated by our troops & the principal part of the city is burned to the ground our troop brought away ‘Washington;s Monument’ (or statue) & sent it to New York. Vicksburg is in the hands of the Rebels yet but ere the fulling of another moon the city will be in our possession or burned to the ground by our victorious Fleet...[12/25/1862] what do you think of Lincoln’s Contraband Proclamation don’t you consider this a war to free the Negro Slave! When I enlisted I come up to the help of my country with a heart full of Patriotism & would willingly die fighting for the land of the free & the home of the brave, but alas what are the Union soldiers fighting for is it for love of country & the sacred rights of a great & free people! did we leave the comforts of civil life to endure terrible privations of military life for the Negro Slave, echo answers Negro & this day I blush for our nations shame that 700,000 brave men are waging war brother against brother father against son, & all for what to true alas only to gratify the African Propensities of Henry Ward Beecher...Horace Greely...& Fred Douglas...[12/29/62]I would rather see the entire country south of 31’30” from ocean to ocean ceeded to Slavery forever & forever then that one white man should be murdered in this wicked strife for the freedom of the slaves for shame to our countries name that the white race should suffer. You die for such an illbegotten heathenish race as the blacks...[1/18/1863 Camp Stevens]We left the East Side of the Bay the 13th & engaged the enemy on the 14th three miles west of Pattersonville on Bayou Teche, where we found the Rebel iron plated gun boat ‘Cotton’ which we chased into law water & the enemy burnt her. We fought manfully for 12 long & dreadful hours driving the enemy by inches & every foot of ground was gained by the hardest skirmish fighting ever don in the Department. The Enemy could not stand before the Sharp Shooters of the 75th & as the 75th was the right of the advance we have immortalized our name by the daring bravery of the 75th....Sharp Shooters. Albert never flinched & marched steadily forward under a terrible fire of grape...[5/9/63 Alexandria] the 75th NY ...opened one of our splendid vollies into him & of all howling among the devils I ever heard come fomr these poor devils the 75th took the enemy by surprise as the swamp is a deep entangled jungle & when the enemy was close upon the 75th our whole battalion let fly the leaden messengers & 65 fell dead & 200 wounded lay here & there all through the swamp for a space of half a mile & the remainder of the cowardly scamps fled in the miost wild confusion...[8/18/63]you cannot imagine how thankful we are that God our Heavenly Father has brought us both through the many dreadful conflicts at Port Hudson & we are spared to acknowledge God our protector...when we were in the midst of the great battle field & the dead were laying in heaps & comrads we loved fell dead by our side, I felt as if my time had not yet come to die...[11/23/63]My health is improving finely & I have the honor of being cheif Sergt. of University Hospital Guard...[12/31/63]a just God will turn them over to the devils of the Confederate Hell, yes indeed God will punish all who have lifted the arms of Rebellion ...[2/11/1864]a Splendid banner was presented to the 4th Mass Cavl by ‘Miss Banks’ (Daughter of the Genl. she is about 14 years old & she made a very pretty speech & the occasion was improved by Gilmore’s celebrated Band & the crowd was immense...[6/5/64]Banks made a perfect bull on the Red River Expedition & the Northern people know nothing about the shameful disaster....[7/19/64]I would sooner die than reenlist especially in that Regt where they make officers of boot Blacks & Stage drivers, Oh no....[9/7/64]A chaplain (white man) addressed de population of color & in his speech he made the remark that the only thing he regretted was that he was not born a person of color, did you ever hear of such a disgraceful remark from a man! No, nor any one else. I believe that the Chaplain must certainly be an Albino for no white man could blaspheme his maker worse than to regret that he was not born a nigger, he came very near being mobbed by the citizens...[10/4/64]McClellan said in his letter that his nomination was unsought by himself that is false for it has been proved that he corresponded with many Copperheads at Buffaol & even at the Falls...if Lincoln is reelected an honorable peace will speedily dawn for certainly the Rebels will give up their last hope which is even now so slight...[11/6/64] Since Genl. Canby assumed command, Forts Jackson, St. Phillips, Jefferson & Pickens are full of Rebel citizens. Canby is a second Butler & any man or woman who speaks Rebellious sentiments are forthwith shipped to the above named ‘watering places.’...[11/29/64]Our success in Electing Mr. Lincoln will prove to the whole world that we are a determined & united people North who are all powerful to crush this infamous Rebellion in the Southern States. Our national credit will rise as high as the heavens...[3/25/65 from a friend] Johnny I wish taht you and me was in N.O. we would go up to 511 Camp Street. I think that we would have fun for a spell. I wonder how the old womans hens gets along now do you remember how damned sick I was that night you and me was there...Old joe is dead is she well the old cuss will not fuck any more will she...” As well as about thirty letters by friends and comrades to Smith while in the service. All are about VG to Fine. A nice large grouping of war-date soldier letters.
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