2009-04
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/31/2009
Charles L. Hewitt enlisted 9/7/1861 into "E" Co. CT 7th Infantry and was mustered out on 9/12/1864. The letter archive opens in Connecticut, reading, in part: "…[10/6/1861, Camp Buckingham]…they do not allow much stealing here. One man ... stole a pair of shoes. They fined him $2.50 and 10 days hard labor - 4 days of it was to stand on a barrelhead in front of the guard tent 4 hours each day…[2/27/1862, On board gunboat Western World]…within 6 miles of Savannah. We have two batteries on land and 2 gunboats on the water here….[3/30/1862]…as for sending my nephew Charles a contraband, I had rather not for I don't want to see one of the little cusses around…[4/29/1862, Fort Pulaskie]…the boys here expect to spend the 4th of July in Conn. and I hope we do…[7/21/1862, Hilton Head]…have you not received a letter with $20 in it from me…[8/21/1862, Hilton Head]…we have to drill 3/4 hour company drill and one and a half hour battalion...[8/28/1862, Grahams Plantation Hilton Head Island]…at present we are five miles from the Head doing our post duty. We do not have much to do but guard duty…[9/17/1862, Hilton Head]...Gen Hunter has gone North and Gen. Mitchell is here in command of the army of the South which takes in the troops in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida…[nd, Hilton Head]...the troops all like Mitchell our Gen. We are the 2 brigade of the 10 army corp commanded by Gen. Terry...[10/13/1862, Hilton Head]…The men...like Mitchell better than did Hunter - he ain't so much of a negro-man as Hunter was. He is agoing to put them in a village by themselves ... He says he ain't a going to have them stuck under his nose...[1/3/1863, Beaufort SC]…we have been out on picket for the last 10 or 12 days. We could see the rebel picket and talk to them...[1/13/1863, Hilton Head]…we left Beaufort Saturday and arrived here the same night ... we received orders to pack up...we start this afternoon for Fernandina in Florida ...[10/15/1863]... we are going to St. Helena Island to drill. I hope not though for I want to help bombard Sullivan's and (????) Island ...[10/21/1863, St. Helena Island]…we are turned into boat infantry now. The boats go with paddles instead of oars. I don't know how I shall like it yet. It is going to be rather wet work getting in and out of the boats…[11/8/1863, St. Helena Island]…I dont know why they are keeping us there unless they want all the force that they have during the bombardment. They are bombing Sumter, James Island, and Sullivan Island more or less everyday…[12/3/1863, St. Helena Island]…at present we are stuck on this island drilling a little and waiting for our new rifles...we had some good news from Chattanooga today. Old Grant is giving them fits there...We had a pretty good time Thanksgiving but the darkie didn't bring the old pig...[12/11/1863, St. Helena]…a few more victories like General Grant and it will close this war... the rebs cant stand many such repulses ... I guess Meade is getting a little nearer Richmond ... old Lee wants have him as Jeff Davis, either...[12/28/1863, St. Helena]...have had one addition to the Island... the 7th New Hampshire regt....all armed with Spencer Revolving Rifles. They will be a formable Brigade…[1/12/1864, St. Helena Island]…there is no news down this way. We are all lying on our oars... a good many of the troops have enlisted and are going home on furlough...I guess I will wait a little longer and come home for good…[1/20/1864, St. Helena]…about 30 of our boys in this company enlisted and gone home…[1/30/1864, St. Helena Island]…I write you a few lines and send them by Lieut. Coe ... he is discharged from the regt.... He is one of the best officers in the regt…[5/2/1864, Gloucester Point Va.]...have been very busy scouting the country round here for deserters. We catched some of them...They intend to take Richmond, for they are getting a large number of men in Virginia...[5/17/1864, Bermuda Hundredth]…we have been within 8 miles of Richmond ...some pretty brisk fighting. We drove them at every point until yesterday morning when old Lee had to send a force to stop us...I hope Gen Grant improved the opportunity to give them a worse dressing than they gave us…[5/28/1864, Bermuda Hundredth]…the report here is that the rebs have not got much force in front of us ...A flag of truce went out...and it was agreed that the pickets were not to fire at each other. Old Grant is giving them fits and I guess the rebs in Richmond are trembling in their shoes, if they have any…[6/10/1864, Bermuda Hundredth]…we went on a raid yesterday to within 3 miles of Petersburg. We went to support the Cavalry and give them a chance to get out and cut the railroads…[8/21/1864, Bermuda Hundredth]... arrived ... from a raid in deep run. Our brigade was in one pretty severe fight in that time...skirmishing ..every day. The regiment loss was 31 wounded, 7 killed and 4 missing...[nd, np]…I send you a few things from sesech .. 2 sesech buttons ... a wine glass ...stencil plates...2 Cutlery...". Also included in the lot is Hewitt's war-date account book, 2-3/4" x 4," leather wraps, 21 manuscript pages where Hewitt notes the fate of nearly 120 of his comrades including the regiment's KIAs, the wounded, those who deserted, and those who were promoted, such as "Capt. Charles Palmer, Died July 7, 1864 at James Island," "2nd Lt Robert R. Dempsey Killed at Olustee Fla, Feb. 20'64," Lt. William A. Johnson wounded June 1st, 1864," "Private George Davis, in Guard House, Charges preferred," and "Garret Reinders, taken pris. at Durea Bluff…". Much more interesting content. A rare Connecticut soldier's correspondence. Overall VG.
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