Raynors HCA 2017-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/7/2017
War-date Union soldier's battle letter, 4pp. 4to., written by Pvt. Daniel D. Barrows, Co. E, 9th Maine Vols., [later Signal Corps], Fort Walker, Camp Campbell, Hilton Head, Port Royal, S. C., Nov. 12, 1861, in part: "…I would take this chance, the company being all out on picket I having to stop back…on account of a severe bayonet wound on my leg. The bayonet having run entire through taking a piece of he shin bone and cutting the cord and artery…we arrived here after a boisterous passage of five days and for 48 hours the old Goatsacoalcas, a perfect wreck with 1200 men on board. You may judge of the confusion…I did not care a cuss whether she went down…it was provoking to see some of the d-d fools act every time she would ship a sea…I wish I was…tied to mother's apron strings but it was no use…Hilton Head is an island situated at the entrance of Port Royal inlet, the south side being about 40 miles in length…with a fort containing a battery of 28 heavy rifled cannon…on the north side was another battery…12 miles above lies Beaufort…things looked as though we were to have rather a tough job…the commodore sent in a flag of truce ordering them to surrender within twelve hours. We lay back watching their movements but could see no change in their position….time being up the old Wabash 64, the Susquehanah 42, three 22 gun sloops of war and 20 heavy gun boats moved up the Inlet and took posiion then commenced that good old tune called Yankee do it up quick. The bombardment was terrible…for two hours nothing was to be seen but the flash of guns and smoke. In four hours and ten minutes the bombardment ceased. We landed under cover of the gun boats. The rebels fleeing…leaving everything but what they carried on their backs, not even spiking a gun…the squadron next turned their attention to the north battery but they seeing the proneness of King Abraham's Bull Dogs blew up the fort and left leaving us cock of the roost. We…sent two gun boats up to Beaufort…they found the city deserted…knocking the Hatteras affair higher than a kite. Our loss was 23 considering the position of the enemy…the enemy's loss is estimated at between 6 and 7 hundred…it was hard looking to sight to see them cut up in all conceivable forms but they ought to have been fighting for a better cause. This affair has stopped all their communications between Savannah and Charleston…part of the division are already under marching orders…they are bound to shove the Maine regiment into Hell…they are bringing in any amount of contrabands and prisoners…it would be a rarity to see a white woman. Our patrols are bringing in any amount of cattle, poultry, sheep…we live on our own hook no thanks to the damned scoundrels called quartermasters…whiskey is rather scarce but we act on the principle…when we get hold of a barrel. We bury it in the sand and if an officer catches us diggin we tell him we are after land crabs…directions 9th Maine Regt. Vols., Sherman's Division, 3d Brigade acre of D. D. Thompkins…D. D. Barrows". VG
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