Southern Planters Argue The Merits of Slavery With USS Wissahickon Officer

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008

Union naval officer's letter, 3pp. 8vo., written in ink by Edward Potter, USS Wissahickon, above Vicksburg, July 4, 1862. In part: "...I very much fear this war will…end with the year and…after that there will be much skirmishing. I had a long talk yesterday with a couple of planters living 60 miles above here who are good Rebels. They were very pleasant gentlemen but as the great topic [slavery] was the most touched on…we couldn't agree much on that...If we should go to Memphis I think I should almost be tempted to send for Hattie but I hardly expect we will go any other way than down. The total casualties in the fleet were 15 killed and 45 wounded. The Glorious 4th is passing very quietly in Secessia...I have the paper of the 28th ulto. and a steamer which reached here yesterday from Memphis reports that (by rumor) McClellan and 50,000 men have been captured...". VG.

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