27th Mass. soldier writes of the 55th Mass. and hanging guerillas

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/18/2020

Autograph Letter Signed, "L.G. Erwin" 27th Massachusetts Infantry, 4p. octavo, Norfolk, Virginia, January 3, 1864, with cover addressed to a soldier-friend in Massachusetts, Thomas Morgan, it reads in most part: "…I am well & tough as ever. We are now stationed in Norfolk doing guard duty. Have been here little more than three weeks. Like the place very much it being a very large and lively place & the time flies away very fast. The guard duty is not as hard here as it was in Newbern. But I tell you Norfolk is a rank Secesh hole and they hate Mass soldiers the worst kind. We are the first Mass Regt that ever guarded their city & the citizens sent in a petition to Gen. Butler to have us removed. When his reply was that we were recommended to him by Gen. Foster as being the right Regt for this place & that they killed two or three men while guarding Newbern & he could furnish them powder and balls here if they needed. Which answer I read in Norfolk paper. His answer was regular old Butler style short & decisive. He is the right man in the right place. He was here Friday (New Years day) seeing a Negro Brigade perform who were having a grand time on the occasion. A detachment of the 55th Mass. were among them. Also the 2nd N.C. which were being raised before you left there. Gen. Wilds with a portion of his brigade made quite a successful raid to Elizabeth City week before last & I tell you those darkies felt 'big' when they came in with their prisoners and spoils. Of which there was quite a quantity. They hung some guerrillas in their own houses and burned them over them with their wives & children looking on. That is the way to do it. There is quite a naval expedition fitting out of very large gunboats & some think they are going up the James River…I hear the Brimfield has filled her quota of 16 men. Bully for her. That is more than many towns can say. There has ten Brimfield boys reenlisted in this company…" Fine.Lucian J. Erwin enlisted on October 9, 1861, WIA & taken POW at Drewry's Bluff, Virginia, on May 16, 1864 and exchanged March 27, 1865.

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