2005-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/31/2005
Group of fourteen Autograph Letters Signed by James W. Foley, 97th Pennsyvlania, each multipage quarto & octavo, dated from April 24, 1862 to January 1865, with one dated 1868 from Texas, most with covers, they read in small part: “...[4/24/1862] we started for North Edesto 50 miles from Port Royal and 9 miles from Charleston. The Rebels are thick all round us but none on the island. Rocksburg is just across the river from us, the rebels are thick there...we could see the Rebels on top of the church steple looking over at us...[5/13/62] we have good guns that is in service...I saw peaches getting red the dew berries was ripe in April. The Negroes are bringing them in to camp every day. The Rebels had 2 old flat boats in the river the other day and had 3 cannons and some boom shells aboard. They intended to shell us off the island but one of our gun boats saw them and just put a shell in them...[7/20/62]I was at James Island...but we evacuated it on the 7th of July and went to Edisto...we also evacuated it we did not leave it because we could not hold it only because it was of no great value to the Government....There is English vessels in the harbor. The Revenue flag is waving over the land and the flag of the Union is waving over fort [?] where the flag of d___m nation was waving one year ago. I was out to see the African regiment yesterday, they are encamped about a mile from where we are. It looked a little odd to see them dress up in the uniform of the American soldier. I can not say but I think it ain’t quite right all the officers is white but the corporals and sergeants they are armed with Belgian rifles. They have the best water that I have drunk in the South and beautiful Camp Port Royal is improving very fast...[8/18/62] The Black soldiers is all discharged. I think it is a fine thing for they were getting pretty saucy....General Wright and his staff is gone from here to Washington, General Hunter and Williams is still here...[9/6/62] I was out at Greyhams Plantation on picket...it was a place like most all other Southern plantations surrounded by all the luxuries of Southern life. Oranges in abondance...Greyham was a young man he came in posession of the plantation about 4 years ago by marriage. He built a new house and did not enjoy it long. I suppose he was hot headed like all other Southerners and I hope now see the folly when it is most too late. Some of the old slaves still enhabit the houses which still seams like home to them....General Hunter left here last night for Washington and the well known General Butler took his place...tell all you see to come at once and let us drive the Rebels out of the country. Don’t be discouraged if our forces has fallen back...if the Rebels had got discouraged at defeat tehy would have sunk so low by this time Jeff Davis would have screached mercy before his day came....if you see any young man that wants to get in a good Regiment tell him to go to Chesnut Street Philadelphia and enlist in the 97 Penn. for my part I like soldiering so well by this time I have a great mind to join the Regular Army in Sherman’s battery of flying artillery for the period of 5 years...[10/1/62]there is no Dutch tobacco on the island...we are out at Stoney’s plantation doing picket duty on the far end of the island...there is a great many sick in the Regiment...[4/15/63] we got onboard the Expounder formerly the Daniel Webster...we run into the harbor with the rest of the fleet. I found that there was about 9,000 troops landed, 5,000 of them on James Island and 4,000 of them on Folly Island...the Moniters commenced bombarding in Charleston Harbor but I can not yet tell you the true result of the affair...got orders to go on shore on Folly Island. The 4 companies of the right wing got on when General Hunter came along side and gave orders for gave orders to cease disembarking...bout 4 oclock PM we got on board and the next day went to the Head...[5/17/63] We are still on Seabrook Isle. We are cutting all the timber down next to the picket and throwing up battery. The next time we try Charleston we will gain something or lose a good bit. There is a good deal of talk in the New York papers about the 10 Army Corps being less active than others. It must be remembered that we could not muster a force of more than 12,000 men last summer and with that force we went nearer to Charleston than McClellan went to Richmond with over 100,000. Send us the right kind of officers and the soldiers will do their part...[9/26/64] There is some large betting here about the election. I intend to bet some myself. There is a good many McClellan men in teh barracks. I am in one of them...[11/28/64]Well the election is over and old abe is placed on the chair for four years more. I think it is the best thing that ever happened. The copperheads is very mum since the Election. They never mention McClellan any more...[12/21/64] I intended to come up on Christmas but Gen. Caldwallader has stopped passed out of the city...Our Captain is going to give us a turkey dinner that day. There is more glorious news from Thomas this morning also from several others. I think if they keep on with victory after victory as they have been for some time the war will be over before long...[1/29/65] There was 4 men died with the spotted fever on Thursday night...they were recruits going to their regiments...[Camp Hatch Texas 1/8/1868] Since writing my last letter, we have marched from Fort Chadburne, 50 miles southward, and are now stationed at Camp Hatch on the Rio concho in site of the new post about to be erected which will be known when built as Fort Griffin...Buffalo is not so plenty here now as they were in the fall but we have wild turkey by the thousand...Sergt. J.W. Foley, Company ‘D’ 4th U.S.C...Direct to Camp Hatch, Texas, a Post office is a thing unknown in this country....” Most Fine.
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