“...At 10am one in six were killed, wounded or missing on average...”

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/7/2017

War-date Union soldier’s Autograph Letter Signed by John G. Rowley, 7th Connecticut Infantry, 6pp. octavo, James Island, South Carolina, June 17, 1862, and reads in part: “...At 10am one in six were killed, wounded or missing on average. Says nothing of the 8th Mich. Regt. which I think lost more than the 7th C.V. These two Regiments suffered more than others being in advance of the Brigade (Col) acting Brigadier General Fenton...It appears that on the strength of some of the officers and aids about the rank of Lieut. and Captain that went up near the Rebel battery on a reconnoitering expedition on Sunday and were allowed to go very near without being fired upon by the pickets that the rebels were almost harmless an that to take their battery would require but little exertion. Accordingly Monday morning at 1 o’clock Fenton’s & Stevens Brigades were ordered to march and at 2 1/2 moved forward....At daylight we drove in the Rebel pickets...They killed and wounded three or four of our men. We marched on through a cornfield (all silked out) and into an open field where their battery was immediately forming in battle line, were ordered not to fire, made a charge. Their rifle pits were filled with Rebels that fired and mowed down our men like sheep. Immediately they shot grape & cannister during still greater execution from their battery. Regiment after regt of the two Brigades came up and were mowed down by grape and cannister. The shells bursting all about us at the same time. It was time of peril....We were all broke up and formed again on the colors in good order. Soon Wright’s Genl. Brigade assisted by Hamilton’s Battery marched to help us but to no avail. They came up only to be slaughtered for it was a well contrived plan. They were strongly entrenched and had other batteries to fire into that one if we succeeded in taking it...Friday morning shots were exchanged during the day and night until 12 o’c when the rebels ceased to fire. The next day (Sunday) our battery fired all day Parrot & James projectiles...Capt Palmer won great credit for his coolness and bravery. Lieut Dempsey was wounded the first thing, shot through the shoulder...Chas Gilbert of Norfolk had his leg shot off...This regiment lost killed 11, wounded 75, missing 4, total 90...” Fine condition.

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