Excellent Confederate Letter from the 26th Virginia Infantry – Lt. Alexander Frederick Fleet of Company I, stationed near Charleston, S.C. Writes of the Union Bombardment & Gives Great Description of Beauregard!
Having owned several of the Fred Fleet letters, here is one we kept for our private collection. It is a full 8-pages in length with Fred writing on blue stationery in nice dark ink to his father. The letter is dated November 1st, 1863. The content is great. Here are some of the highlights:
- “THE ENEMY HAS AGAIN COMMENCED THE BOMBARDMENT UPON FORT SUMTER AND UP TO YESTERDAY MORNING HAD STRUCK THE FORT ABOUT 1,900 TIMES.”
- “The old fort is pretty well battered down and about all that can be done has already been affected.”
- “IT IS FOUND BY EXPERIMENT THAT THE SAND BAGS ARE HARDER TO PENETRATE THAN ANY OTHER KIND OF FORTIFICATIONS, AND THE GARRISON IS SO WELL PROTECTED IN THE CASEMENTS THAT THE CASUALTIES HAVE UP TO THIS TIME BEEN TRIFLING.”
- “I HEAR GEN. BEAUREGARD SAYS THAT THE YANKEES ARE WASTING $50,000 EVERY DAY AND ARE DOING US NO DAMAGE OF ANY CONSEQUENCE. THEY HAVE THROWN A FEW SHOTS INTO THE CITY, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO LOSS OF LIFE RESULTING FROM IT YET.”
- “Yesterday there was very little firing from the Batteries on Morris Island, but considerable from the fleet. OUR FLEET REMAINS DRAWN UP IN LINE OF BATTLE NEAR FORT SUMTER BUT JUST IN REAR TO PREVENT ANY ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE FORT BY ASSAULT. IN CASE THEY SHOULD MAKE THE ATTEMPT, OUR BOATS WOULD POUR GRAPE AND CANISTER INTO THEM.”
- “Today they are still firing quite rapidly, and they have been at it so long that we hardly notice it at all.”
- “I HAVE JUST HEARD THAT ON FRIDAY NIGHT THE GARRISON AT SUMTER WAS OUT IN POSITION EXPECTING AN ASSAULT WOULD BE MADE WHEN A SHOT CAME ALONG AND KNOCKED DOWN A PART OF THE WALL, KILLING 14 MEN. WE ARE STILL VERY HOPEFUL AND DO NOT THINK THEY CAN EVER TAKE CHARLESTON.”
- “On Friday last, Gen. Beauregard, according to a previous appointment, came out and reviewed our Brigade.”
- “Gen. Wise riding by his side, and eight or ten aids and couriers following behind them. IN FRONT OF THE CENTER OF THE LINE AND ABOUT 150 YARDS IN ADVANCE, A COLOR (VIRGINIA FLAG) IS PLACED AND TO THIS POINT THE GENERALS & THEIR STAFFS RIDE.”
- “Col. Page who as Senior Colonel conducted the review, then gave the command to present arms & turns around to salute the reviewing officers. Gen B., acknowledges the salute with a graceful doffing of his cap, and rides to the center then right up to the right of the line.”
- “In the meantime, Col. Page has brought the Brigade to a shoulder and they remain thus while the reviewing officer rides slowly down the front of the line and returns up in the rear, closely noticing the men as he passes.”
- “He notices us as closely as he well could as we passed by him, and he complimented our Regiment on its good drill.”
- “After the review, Gen Wise insisted on his seeing us go through the Brigade drill. We went through a few maneuvers, and then were dismissed and returned to our quarters, pretty hungry as it was then about 2 ½ o’clock, over an hour after our usual dinner hour.”
- “I HAD NEVER SEEN GEN. B. BEFORE AND WAS MUCH PLEASED WITH HIS APPEARANCE. HE SEEMS TO BE ABOUT 5 FEET ’10 INCHES TALL, QUITE WELL MADE, HAS A FINE HEAD, AND HIS EYES ARE SMALL AND KEEN. HIS MUSTACHE IS GREY AND HIS BEARD ALMOST WHITE. All of the troops think a great deal of him, and I am very glad we are under a General of his acknowledgement ability and experience. “
- “The Citizens down here have the poorest option imaginable of Gen. Pemberton who was in command here last year. They say he gave up several of the Islands in Charleston harbor which the enemy never could have taken expect at great loss of life and money and so gave them an opportunity to get to Morris Island.”
- “I think from present prospects we will remain here during the winter and probably longer.”
- “Gen. Wise has been assigned to the command of the “Sixth Military” district of the Department of S.C, Ga, Fla. & Col. Page to the command of the Brigade.”
- “The Regiments will move this week and will begin to fix up for winter. I think we can make ourselves quite comfortable with good chimneys to our tents.”
Condition is fine. Here is a rare opportunity to own one of the best Fleet letters. Excerpts of this letter appear in the book, Green Mount, A Virginia Plantation Family During the Civil War. If interested, we have a nice copy of this hardbound book for $35.
#L11-1-63 VA – Price $650
