Lamson of the Gettysburg: the Civil War Letters Lieutenant Roswell H
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LAMSON OF THE GETTYSBURG: THE CIVIL WAR LETTERS LIEUTENANT ROSWELL H. LAMSON, U.S. NAVY BY: GATLYN ETTER, EMMA CODY, AND DAYTEN MORRIS ABOUT THE AUTHOR • ROSWELL LAMSON WAS BORN ON MARCH 30TH, 1838 IN BURLINGTON, IOWA • LAMSON WAS APPOINTED TO THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY IN 1858. • HE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CAPTURE OF BATTERIES AT HILL’S POINT. • ON JANUARY 15TH, 1865 HE LED A LEADING PARTY OF SAILORS AND U.S. MARINES FROM THE GETTYSBURG IS AN ASSAULT ON FORT FISHER WHICH WAS TAKEN THAT DAY. LETTER 1 • ROSWELL TO AUNT POLLY • (MRS. E. G. LAMSON OF SHELBURNE FALLS, MASS.) • USS WABASH NEW YORK HARBOR MAY 26, 1861 • . WEDNESDAY WE CAST OFF FROM THE NAVY YARD WHARF AND HAULED OUT INTO THE STREAM WHERE WE ARE NOW LYING. WE HAVE OUR CREW PRETTY WELL ORGANIZED, OUR STORES, AMMUNITION AND ARMAMENTS ALL ON BOARD. WE SAIL TUESDAY MORNING. DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY WE TOOK ON BOARD 30 TONS OF POWDER FOR THE GREAT GUNS ALONE, BESIDES ABOUT 2000 LOADED SHELLS. THE OFFICERS ALL SAY THAT WE ARE GOING WHERE THE HARDEST WORK WILL BE DONE AND I ONLY HOPE IT WILL TURN OUT SO. I HAVE A ROUGH, TOUGH SET OF REAL "OLD SALTS" IN THE FORECASTLE WHO WILL GIVE A GOOD ACCOUNT OF THEMSELVES IF WE ONLY HAVE A CHANCE. WE HAVE OUR MESS ARRANGEMENTS GOING IN GOOD SHAPE NOW. WE HAVE A STEWARD, A PRETTY GOOD COOK, A BOY TO WAIT ON TABLE; AND A MAN EACH TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HAMMOCKS. QUESTIONS • WHAT WAS GOING ON LOCALLY WHEN THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN? 24 YEAR OLD ELMER EPHRAIM ELLSWORTH WAS THE FIRST OFFICER/SOLDIER TO BE KILLED IN CIVIL WAR ON MAY 24TH 1861. • WHAT WAS GOING ON NATIONALLY? DURING THIS TIME THE CIVIL WAR WAS STARTING TO CREATE AN IMPACTED ON THE UNITIED STATES. • DOES THIS LETTER HAVE A BIAS? THIS LETTER DOESN’T HAVE A BIAS, BECAUSE ITS STATING WHAT HE’S DOING TO GET READY TO GO FIGHT AND WHAT’S LOADED ON THE SHIP. • QUESTION 1; WHY DO YOU THINK HE WAS WRITING WHAT HE’S BEEN UP TO? • QUESTION 2; WHAT DO YOU THINK ROSWELL LAMSON MEANT WHEN HE QUOTED “I HAVE A ROUGH, TOUGH SET OF REAL OLD SALTS” • ROSWELL TO FLORA LETTER 2 • USS WABASH OFF CHARLESTON, S.C. JUNE 27, 1861 • . WE HAVE BEEN CRUISING ABOUT OFF THE HARBOR SINCE WE ARRIVED OCCASIONALLY RUNNIN G IN TO GET A SIGHT OF THE FORTS, BUT WE DRAW TOO MUCH WATER TO GET VERY NEAR. WHEN WE HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO DO WE AMUSE OURSELVES FISHING, SHOOTING SHARKS, AND WATCHI NG THE SHELLS FROM THE FORTS BURST AND THROW UP THE WATER. OUR MESS IS NOTED THE M ERRIEST IN THE SHIP. I HAVE SOME GOOD FRIENDS HERE AMONG THE OLD FORECASTLEMEN. ROU GH BRAWNY WEATHERBEATEN OLD TARS, BUT HONEST AND BRAVE MEN WHO NEVER REQUIRE AN O RDER TO BE REPEATED; AND WITH HEARTS BIG ENOUGH TO BALLAST A SHIP OF THE LINE. I DO LIKE TH EM AND I THINK THEY LIKE ME, FOR THEY ALWAYS SEEM EAGER TO DO ANY LITTLE THING FOR ME THA T THEY CAN DO. BUT WITH THE GOOD WE HAVE GOT SOME OF THE MOST RASCALLY CUTTHROATS I EVER FELL IN WITH. THEY ARE GETTING STRAIGHTENED OUT THOUGH.1 LETTER 2 1 • THE USS CUMBERLAND WAS A 44- GUN SAILING FRIGATE LAUNCHED IN 1842; ON MARCH 8, 1862, IT WAS ONE OF THE TWO UNION WARSHIPS SUN K BY THE FAMOUS IRONCLAD CSS VIRGINIA (THE FORMER USS MERRIMACK). • 2 • GARRETT JESSE PENDERGAST ( 1802-62), A 49- YEAR NAVY VETERAN WHO WAS FLAG OFFICER OF THE HOME FLEET WITH HIS HEADQUARTERS ON THE USS CUMBE RLAND. • -19- MY HAMMOCK MAN SWINGS MY HAMMOCK TO A NICETY AND KEEPS IT ALWAYS SNOW WHITE. I WISH YOU C OULD SEE US SIT DOWN TO DINNER AND SEE SOME OF THE FUNNY DISHES WE HAVE. MY HEALTH IS EXCELLENT AND WE ARE IN GOOD SPIRITS, AND ONLY ANXIOUS FOR NEWS AND TO GET NEARER THE ENEMY. QUESTIONS • WHAT WAS GOING ON LOCALLY WHEN THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN? AUGUST 21ST WAS THE CLOSEST THAT WE COULD FIND ANYTHING, JHON B GRAYSON WAS ARMY ASSIGNED TO COMMAND OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MIDDLE AND EAST FLORDA • WHAT WAS GOING ON NATIONALLY WHEN THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN? - THE FIRST LAND BATTLE IN VIRGINIA TOOK PLACE AT BIG BETHEL BETWEEN FORCES LED BY BRIG. GEN EBENEZER PIERCE AND COL. JOHN B. MAGRUDER AND COL. D. H. HILL RESULTED IN A CONFEDERATE VICTORY. • IS THERE A BIAS IN THIS LETTER? YES BECAUSE HE WAS STATING THAT HE THINKS HIS FRINDS LIKE HIM. • QUESTION 1: DO YOU THINK THAT YOU WOULD BE DOING THE SAME THINGS THAT ROSWELL IS IF YOU WERE IN HIS SITUATION WHY OR WHY NOT? • QUESTION 2: WHY DO YOU THINK HE WROTE THIS LETTER? LETTER 3 • ROSWELL TO FLORA • USS WABASH HAMPTON ROADS AUG. 7, 1861 • . TWO OF OUR MIDSHIPMEN ARE GOING HOME SICK, WHICH GIVES THE REST OF US MORE TO DO. WE ARE COALING AND GETTING READY FOR SEA AS FAST AS POSSIBLE THOUGH IT IS UNCERTAIN WHERE WE WILL GO. • I TAKE YOUR "LECTURE" AS YOU CALL IT IN ALL THE KINDNESS IN WHICH IT WAS INTENDED. BUT MY DEAR COUSIN, I HARDLY DESERVE YOUR SENCURE [CENSURE] AS I STILL ADHERE TO MY OLD TEMPERANCE PRINCIPLES. YOU KNOW THINGS STRIKE PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING ON HABIT AND EDUCATION. I HAVE BEEN SO MUCH AMONG MEN WHO DRANK THAT HAD I NOT ALSO WITNESSED SOME AWFUL EFFECTS OF IT I SHOULD FORGET TO CONSIDER IT IN ANY DEGREE WRONG, BUT RATHER AS AN EVIDENCE OF GOOD- FELLOWSHIP. PERHAPS THE WAY IN WHICH I SPOKE OF IT MAY BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY THIS FACT. I HAVE OCCASIONALLY TASTED WHISKEY, BUT NEVER DRANK A GLASS IN MY LIFE. IT IS TOO COMMON ON BOARD A MAN OF WAR TO OFFER "SOMETHING TO DRINK" TO VISITORS WHO OF COURSE ARE AT PERFECT LIBERTY TO INDULGE OR NOT; IN FACT IT IS ALMOST A UNIVERSAL CUSTOM, THOUGH I AM GLAD TO SAY THERE ARE MANY OFFICERS WHO NEVER DRINK. THERE IS ANOTHER CUSTOM OF "KEEPING SATURDAY NIGHT," WHICH TENDS TO KEEP UP THE OLD HABIT OF THE SOLACE OF DRINKING. IT IS CUSTOMARY ON SATURDAY NIGHT FOR ALL THE OFFICERS TO MEET TOGETHER FOR A SOCIAL TIME--CONVERSATION, MUSIC, AND SONGS AND THE WINEGLASS ENLIVENS THE HOURS; FRIENDS ARE TALKED OF, AND THERE IS SUCH A STRANGE FACINATION ABOUT IT THAT MANY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO REFRAIN. THE LAST TOAST IS ALWAYS TO "WIVES AND SWEETHEARTS," AND IS ALWAYS DRUNK STANDING IN SILENCE. LETTER 3 • I HAVE NEVER SEEN MANY NAVAL OFFICERS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LIQUOR BUT I SAW AN INSTANCE A FEW DAYS AGO THAT I SHALL NEVER FORGET. ON THE NIGHT OF THE 3RD WE WERE STARTLED BY THAT MOST DREADFUL OF ALL SENSATIONS AT SEA THE SHOCK OF THE SHIP STRIKING ON A REEF. IT WAS MY WATCH ON DECK, AND AS I WENT CLOSE TO THE FIRST LIEUT. [ THOMAS C. CORBIN] TO • -27- • CAROLINA SOUNDS ALSO SERVED AS A HAVEN FOR PRIVATEERS THAT DASHED THROUGH THE INLETS TO CAPTURE UNWARY NORTHERN MERCHANT VESSELS. CONTROL OF THIS INLET AND THE SOUNDS BECAME THE GOAL OF A COMBINED ARMY-- NAVY TASK FORCE OF SEVEN WARSHIPS AND TWO TRANSPORT STEAMERS CARRYING 900 SOLDIERS. QEUSTIONS • WHO IS THE AUTHOR? ROSWELL • WHO IS THE INTENDED AUDIENCE? FLORA • WHAT WAS GOING ON LOCALLY? WABASH CAPTURED THE BRIGANTINE SARAH STARR OFF CHARLESTON, S.C., • WHAT WAS GOING ON NATIONALLY? ABRAHAM LINCOLN APPROVES A WIDE VARIETY OF BILLS PASSED DURING A SPECIAL SESSION OF CONGRESS INCLUDING A NEW ISSUE OF BONDS, TARIFF INCREASE AND THE FIRST DIRECT INCOME AND REAL ESTATE TAX. • IS THERE A BIAS IN THIS LETTER? NO • HOW DO YOU THINK ROSWELL FELT DURING THIS TIME? • HOW WOULD YOU FEEL? .