.MzkxMw.NjM2OA
[First Letter]
[Pg1]
Hatteras Inlet March 20th 1862
Dear Father
We arrived here the 10th, and a tedious time we’ve had of it. I did not go out in that westerly wind, that come out the day I got out the river and the vesall is satasfactory too me, although I,ve no doubt some of our wiseacres passed premature judgement on it. the schooner J Frambes came out the day I come out the river, and he got down too Hattaras, and took the sound too the Eastwardy and hauled off shore, and blowed his sails away, when the wind came out to the W, away he went across the stream, and he fell in with another schr. and borrowed a Mainsail, and
[here ]
then he got just 14 hours ahead of us, I come out the Capes with [Con?] & Sam [Marts?] and I run the land down and they run straight from Chincoteague. I run out of the wind at Cape Charles and they run
[Pg2]
out of it at Body Island. I took the wind S.E. and went in too Fortress Monroe, and that is why we are behind them. I left Old Point [Paddy?] day at sunrise and the next morning at 7 o clock was off the bar our lay days are up too day, we come over the [ ] yesterday too wait orders. I cant tell anything about when or where we will discharge.
I saw the Battle at Fort Monroe between the Merrimack and our little Infernal machine, )for she is nearer that than any thing men ever contrived before) talk about excitement. I rather guess there was some. I got underway to go up and see the fun but the flag ship ordered us out again. I was a long side the Monitor with the boat and all the injury see sustained that could be seen was several places where shot and shells had scaled the paint off the gun, the Capt of a french Man of War, was aboard of her, and said she would sink the combined
[Pg3]
navies of the world, and cannot be taken herself. her armament is 2 11 inch Rifled Dalgren guns, that throws steel pointed shells. I see them fire a shell out of the Union Gun that weighed 520 lbs and 50 lbs, of powder to frive it, she weaghs 52,005 lbs and 15 inch bore and is 3 fet in diameter at the breech, nice little pocket pistol, is it not.
See the papers say the Minnesotta was well pepered, that is all humbug. I sailed all around her and could only see where she was struck 3 times, a shell through her Ensign flying Jibboon shot away, and one shot under her counter, that much I have seeng and 2 or 3 shells entered
what
her portts and that is newpapers correspondants called riddled and disabled, but I want you to undersand it was no place for nervous gentlemen, during the battle, it was a perfect Thunder Storm of shot and shells, and it would have done you good too have heard 10,000 throats cheering
[Pg4]
when the Merrimack turned tail too, it was comical (as well as terrible) too see the little Monitor, sculling around the huge Monster, just like a little wiffet around a bull. I cant give you all the particulars now but will when I get home. I am well as is all hands, I,ve plenty of company and plenty too eat and nothing too do, but cant get a paper. Send me the Press if possible and I,ll pay the expenses give my love to Call, Mother and all the Children and keep some for your self So no more present but still Remain In F L T E. Cobb
P S Direct thus
Edwin Cobb Schr C.W. Holmes Hatteras Inlet N.C. care of Capt Barnes write soon as you get this and let me know how to direct to Will.
Hurrah for Uncle Samuel I,m for the Union Right or Wrong, keep me square in the Lodge, by all means.
[Note: Transcript belongs to letter in file: Mss.98C63_20130613_004.pdf
Transcript for this letter is in file: Mss.98C63_20130613_004.pdf]
[Second Letter]
[Pg1]
Camp in Verginia some whares out of Latitude and Longitude May 22nd 1862
Der Father
I recieved your letter yasterday and was glad to here from you and all of the rest of the folks at home the reason why I write with a pencil is because there is no ink to be found to write with, you may think that the heading of this letter is queer one but it is as good as the place in wich I am a writeing it allthough it is a vary nice Country down here but there is no toun short of Williamsburg and that is a bout 45 miles East of us and Richmond is about 30 miles they say but I dont think it is for, wee are within 8 miles of the outer works at Richmond, Some say that Genrl Hooker has bin trying to get us on the advance agane but Genrl McLellen told him that wee had prooved our selves and he wanted some of the rest to do the same. I saw some of the papers that had the account of our late fight and it did not give us the credit that we diserved General Hooker says that wee shall have it at aney
[Pg2]
rate I believe wee will get it. it was reported that Sumner done so much I will tell you what they done they charged on a battery that had bin left by the Rebels the guns was spiked and that is what they got there prais from if wee had bin Pennsyla boys they would never have stoped telling a bout our galiant victory, wee weent in to the field at 8 Ock in the morning and after beeing there about an hour wee (our Companey and Companey A) was sent to support a battery. it was one of the Regular U.States Battery and after wee had bin there a bout 2 hours the Rebiles come pretty sharp on to us and wee had some funn you may guess. well I suppose you know how Regulars gets the prias as a general thing well when the rebels come on to us so sharp the regulars left there guns and run and left us volunteers to take care of ,,it,, wich wee did you may believe wee brought it out all right. I saw the Major of the Battery cut down four or five of his men for leaving there guns. I guess I will stop writeing at presant give this to Ed when you get done reading it I will write soon a gain, I recieved Eds letter give my love to mother Call and in fact to all hands, Direct as be for nomore write soon from your most Dutifull son Wm. T. Cobb
[Third letter]
[Picture depicting the Battle of Seven Pines and Fair Oakes.]
[Envelope stamp and postmark cut out]]
Battle of Fair Oaks
June 9; 1862
Mr Samuel Cobb Mauricetown Cumberland Co. N.J.
[Letter Pg1]
Camp near fair Oaks or on the battle field of Fair oaks June 9th 1862
Dear Father
You must excuse me for not writeing befor for I have not had aney chance, I have not bin vary well for two or three days but I feel a little better now, I do duty and so you can judge a bout how bad I am, well I suppose you would like to know something about our late Battle well I will begin in these wise, on Saturday after= noon a bout 2 o ck wee was ordered out under light marching orders wee fell in line as soon as practical and was marched quick time a bout 5 miles when wee stoped in a piece of wood,s wee lay there untill Sunday morning about 8 Ock when we herd the Ball open (this term is used among soldiers) when an ingagement commences
[Pg2]
no sooner did wee here the Roring of the guns than wee fell in as soon as could bee and then our companey was ordered out as skirmishers to go 100 pases on a head of the Regiment wich wee did in double quick time, wee could here the fireing all of the time w[l][crossed out]ell wee crost over a large Oat field and then entered a woods wee had not gon in the woods maney pases befor wee was saluted with a pleainty of Buck and Ball whizing a round us the first shot that they fired they woonded our Captain and our Adj General but that did not stop us for wee returned the fire as fast as wee could load and fire wee kept it up for 2 hours in this maner in wich time they woonded 10 of our Companey not includeing our Captn but wee did not loos a a man after wee was out there about 2 hours wee was releaved as skirmishers and
[Pg3]
and wee went to our Regiment wich was to the right of us, wee then went in to it again and was in a bout 2 hours more when wee was releaved by other Regiments wee was in the fight about 4 hours in wich time we drove the Rebels acrost a strip of woods about as wide as our (lot or [Farn?]) is long wee drove them that distance in 4 hours inwich time several sesesh fell befor the Jersey boys Rifles, Father I will not enter in to aney details conserning the horrors of a battle field 3 days after a heavy fight, I will give you a slight Ideal of one but will not give a full discription at presant wee fought over there ded and wooned all of that day and that was no small quanity of them, on Monday wee mooved up on to the Battle field there they lay in piles I saw in one place a bout a rod squair there was 27 ded Sesesh and [the][corssed out] other
[Pg4]
places under simler sircum stances and the fields woods raveens and bushes [are][written over] all covard with ded
most
Sesesh it is the ^ horrible sight that I ever saw and then the smell it is awfull we have buried 600 of them all rady and there is plainty nore to bury yet Detail after is sent out to Bury them for the smell is a getting wors I believe up to this wee have bin engaged in this buisiness but thank fortune it is done now but wee do not know how soon it will be to do a gain for wee have not had our equipments since the fight and we dont know what minute wee will bee into it a gain wee are within a mile of the Rebels now and would like to get another Chaunce at them assoon as wee get rested a little wee are all most worn out for wee have had some pretty hard work to do and wee Jersey Boys did it to
[Pg5]
I will give you a history when I get hom about the fights that I have bin in provideing Providance spares me to get home, General McLellen give us a speech after wee come out of the fight he appeared to be vary well pleased with the Jersey Boys and he give us a grate deal of prais he doted on our fightig and said that wee could not bee beat, wee expect to get Paid off in a few days and I am a going to send all the money that I can spair I will send home, I did not Recieve a cratch in the fight but I got stung pretty hard a ball skiped acrst my back as I was laying behin[g][written over]d a tree it struck me hard enoug[h] to make a litle blister as
[Pg6]
it skiped by me it felt like some pins a sticking in my back I felt it whens it hit me but it did not go through me nor through my coat and the harm that it don was small, give my love to mother and Ed Call and all the rest of the Cobb family your self included write soon as you get this and if Ed is at home tell him to write to me Direct as befor nomore at presant from your most obediant Son Wm.T. Cobb
5 miles to Richmond from here
[Fourth Letter]
[Stamped envelope]
7-12-62
[postmark] Old Point Comfort Va Jul [14?]
Mr Samuel Cobb Mauricetown Cumberland Co N.J.
[Letter Pg1]
Camp near Harrison Landing July 12th
1862
Dear Father
As I have a few moments to spare I use them in writeing to you, I recieved Eds letter of the 6th and was much pleased to here from home once more I thought as I had time I would write you a few lines, wee are encamped in the woods and it is as handsome a place as I ever saw the trees ar vary large ones and make a good shade for us and under foot the ground is covard with evergreen it is a splended piece of Country here whare wee are there is a large mill not far from our Camp and wee can go in the pond two or three times a day to bathe, it is rumered
[Pg2]
that we will stay here untill September and I hope it is so for wee are all worn out with fatugue and wee want some rest befor wee go aney further wee have seen pretty hard service for a bout two weeks past wee have a new line of battle formed since wee come down here wee have batteries and rifle pits throwen up alrady wee are fixed now so that the whole of the South might come and they would not bee to us no more than a flee bite for our rifle pits are fixed so that our mens heds will be out of dainger and the rebles cant see us and wee can see them as they come over the fallen timber in front of our works if they tackkle on to us they may calcu- late on skeydaddleing out or the will get the worst of it that
[Pg3]
is sertain, wee have not seen aney Rebels for a week or more and if wee do stay here it is likely that wee will not fore some time, Father I wish you would send me that little red Bible that I had when I was down south I beleve Grand Father give it to you you could send it by mail by leaving one end open so it could be seen and I would like for you to send me a litle money if you could spair it, it is vary nigh pay day and I would not ask it of you but I am not vay well at presant and if I had a little money I could buy something to eat our grub here is vary poor for a sick man if you send aney money to me send it as soon as you can, if you pleas, when you
[Pg4]
recieve that 20$ that I sent to you write and let me know, when you write give me all of the news about home I wish you would sent me the Pioner every week if you can for I want to know the news about home the mail leaves now and I must close give my love to mother and all of the Children Ed & Call and your self included nomore at presant write soon from your most dutiful Son Wm. T. Cobb
[Fifth Letter]
[Stamped envelope]
7-20-62
[postmark] Old Point Comfort, Va Aug 1
Mr Samuel Cobb Maruiecetown Cumberland Co= N.J.
[Letter Pg1]
Camp new Harrison Landing
July 20th 62
Der Father
I have a few more moments to spare and I occupy them in writeing a few lines to you, it has not bin but a few days since I wrote to you but as I have the oppertunty I will use it, I here that the state autharities is a Draughting men to come out here and help us if that be the case I would like to get a Commition in one of the new Regimensts and if you can get some influent[i] =al person to enter ceed for me I would bee vary glad if you would I wish you would go to work at once and if you can get it through I will pay wyou well for it
[Pg2]
if you under take to get one for me you can give the Govinor a small account of my soldiery conduct and about my beeing the only volunteer from Mauricetown and vacinity, and perhaps I could get some men to gowith me from our Township if I could get a commission I think I could rais thrity or Forty men and if I could I would bee all right, I wish you to go or get somebody to work for me as soon as possible if it [sosts?] money and you think that there is aney [site?] for me let it go and I will pay you all back that it costs you wee are doing pretty well at presant I am getting better that I was if wee stay here much longer I think that wee will get so lazey that wee can hardly get out of our
[Pg3]
tents to get our grub but wee dont know how long it will last, wee are a going on picket to morrow morning wee start at 7 Ock and stay out 24 hours there is nothing of note at presant in the armey of the Potomac all is still and most exceedingly quiet the Rebs is not within 10 or 12 miles of us at presant I must close pretty soon for the Drums is beeting for tattoo and I must stop writeing at presant, give my love to mother Ed Call George [Linn?] Anna Fremont Clint and in fact to all in quire= =ing friends write soon and let me know what you think of the preposition no more at presant from you most Obediant Son William. T. Cobb
[Sixth Letter]
[Sketch of Gun Positions – Harrison’s Landing]
[Pg1]
[Note: Comments along left side of sketch]
West end four
Rifle pits
Redoubt No 1 Road Ditch
James River
13 miles strate [co...?]
Upper landing Harrisons Landing
Middle landing Lower Landing James River You will find that the works is not propotioned with the River. the reason is that I wanted to show the [?]
East end of our Rifle pits
[Note: Comments in center left area of sketch]
field woods back
Ditch 32 Pounders
Open space for men to work in in time of action
Union camps in standing tim ber
STANDING TIMBER
[Note: Comments in center area of sketch]
field wood back
F. TIMBER Ditch Ditch No. 2
4 32 Pounders
enterance to redoubt
Camps
[Note: Comments in left area of sketch]
F. TIMBER
No 3
Entrance
4 32 pounders
camp of 8 N.J.V.
3 32 pound rifle guns on a high hill Camp of 7th N.J.V North
S.TIMBER
camp of 6th N.J.V camp of 5th [N.J.V?]
to be large guns along here Ditch
F. TIMBER S.TIMBER
Ditch No. 4
[Remarks related to sketch]
From redoubt No 1 to No 4 is 2 miles around you may judge a little from that of our position [my?] paper beeing so small I had not room enough to show you the whole length of our lines that is as far as the Mill pond wich is a bout 1/2 mile from No 4 Redoubt. I will take a Diagram of it some other time, there is to be small 12 Pound guns mounted all a long the Rifle pits, we have some of the [Whitworth?] guns here with us
and wee allso have some new guns they are Rockett guns they ar a bout 14 feet long and when they fire them off there is no report from them Explinations the marks 10in H is for 10 inch Howitzers " " M is for magizines " " 32. 20. 6. 12. is for gun carying that weight shot
[Pg2]
[Sketch of Redoubt]
Brush with the prongs sharpened to prevend the rebels from taking the Battery by Charge
6 ft 8ft 6ft Ditch and Bank of Redoubt 6ft 8ft logs 7ft
Ditch Position of the guns when pointed outward on Redoubt
Ditch front port hole
write soon as you can
[Pg3]
The banks of the Redoubts is 6 ft wide on top and about 8 feet at the bottom, the Ditches is 8 and 10 ft wide and from 6 to 8 ft deep, on the side wich wee stand is logs placed on top of one another and dirt throwe against on the out side these Rifle pits is 4 ft 9in high and is 2 ft wide on top and 6 feet wide on the bottom.
[Letter]
Dear Father, I would like to have a box with some thing to eat in it if it would not cost to much trouble I find that boxes de Does come here and as our grub is vary poor and I am not vary well I would like to have some thing from home wee are looking for the pay master evry day. I just recieved you[r] letter and was glad to her from home I wrote to you the other day wich letter I presume you have recieved by this time. I am glad that you recieved that money, wee have pretty easey times here at presant and if you keep me in stamps I will try to give you what news I know give my love ot Mother and all the rest of the Cobb family nomore at presant from you most obidient Son William T Cobb.
[Seventh Letter]
[Pg1]
Camp near Harrison Landing July
29th 1862
Dear Father
I recieved your letters the one with the money in I recieved 3 days a go and was vary well pleased to get some money for if we have money wee can get a long pretty well but if wee have no money it goes pretty tough with us I will tell you how I dispossed of the money first I bought 5 papers of Smokeing tobacco for 50 cts, Second 15 cts for Rasons, third 12 cakes for 25 cts, 25 cts for paper and envelopes, 10 cts for a Philadlphia Inquirer, for buiscut 25 cts for 5 onions 15 cts for Rasons 15 cts, and the Remainder for small articals your last letter I recieved day before yasterday
[Pg2]
in wich you stated the deth of Emma Cobb I have nothing to say conserning her at presant but I hope that she is better off where she is than befor sher died, if you here the particulars of her deth write and let me know, you stated in your last letter that you whare a going to send me a box if you do I would like for you to send me some more money for I will have to pay the freight on it as soon as it gets here our quater master is at the Landing evry day to get all of the boxes that comes for our Regiment and I think that I will get it if you have not sent it yet you may direct it the
[Pg2]
same as you do the letters that you send me eith the additinoal
Va.
(to be Landed at Harrisons Landing ) and think I will get it at least I hope so, you said that I would recieve but two dollars from the State all other single men gets 4 dollars per month and why should I not get 4 as well as the rest per haps it wants some boddy to see to it and if it does I wish you would I would like for mother to draw my state pay if she can I wish you would write and let me know a bout it, I have bin permoted to a Sergent for my military knowledge and good be havour in battle I am Second Sergent now and I dont want to be 1st or Orderly Sergent
[Pg4]
aney more for I serveed 6 months at that and I dont like it I get 17 dollars per month now and no work to do of aney a mout and when I was Orderly I had too much and onley got 20 dollars per month, I see pretty easey times now, tell John that I would like to bee down home to go down the river to East point with him and show him some of the Lower part of Jersey, give my love to all hands aunt Mary, aunt Charlott, Almira and to both Johns, mother and Ed. Call and in fact to all in quireing friends, I dont know how soon pay day will bee a long but I think pretty soon, nothing exciteing going on at presant nomore at presant write soon from your most dutiful Son William. T. Cobb,
[Marginalia – top of page 4]
(I recieved the bible befor I recieved the first letter, I was vary well pleased with it,
[Marginalia left side Pg2]
send me some post stamps if you pleas for they are not be be had down here for love or money.
