Letter to Morris Island Descriptive Summary Repository: Georgia Historical Society Creator: N.S. Title: Letter to Morris Island Dates: 1863 Extent: 0.05 cubic feet (1 folder) Identification: MS 0019 Biographical/Historical Note Morris Island, off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina, served as a Civil War battleground in 1863. In July of that year, the island’s Confederate troops withstood and were victorious over Union attacks. One of these attacks was led by the Massachusetts 54th Regiment, consisting entirely of black soldiers. The 54th Regiment’s captain, Robert Gould Shaw, died in this attack. After months of constant bombardment, the Confederate army evacuated Morris Island in September of 1863. The island remained under Union occupation for the remainder of the war. In 1864, Confederate prisoners of war were kept under extreme conditions on Morris Island, and came to be known as the "Immortal 600." Scope and Content Note This collection contains a letter written to "Friends on Morris Island," South Carolina, in November 1863, by assumedly a Federal spy (it is initialed "N.S."). The letter tells of the loss of a Confederate submarine, defenses at Fort Sumter, and a visit by Jefferson Davis to Charleston, S.C. Included is a transcription of the letter. Index Terms Charleston (S.C.) Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889. Fort Sumter (Charleston, S.C.) H. L. Hunley (Submarine) Letters (correspondence) Morris Island (S.C.) Spies--South Carolina--Charleston. United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Naval operations--submarine. United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Secret service. Administrative Information Custodial History This letter was found in a bottle in the Charleston Harbor, November 1863, by Captain M.P. Usina. He presented the letter to the Georgia Historical Society at the May meeting, 1885. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Letter to Morris Island, MS 19, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia. Acquisition Information Gift of Captain M.P. Usina, 1885. Restrictions Access Restrictions Collection is open for research. Publication Rights Copyright has not been assigned to the Georgia Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Division of Library and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Georgia Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher. Container List Item 1: Letter to Morris Island, 1863 View online..