This letter appears to have been written by a member of the 10th Connecticut who were transported aboard the Steamer New Brunswick when they made the assault onto Roanoke Island on 7 February 1862. The author signed his name Thomas but gave no further clues to his identity except to say that his company would be in the third of three detachments from the ship as they were transported ashore by the pilot boat (I have not yet learned which companies were in the third detachment). The other significant clue is the author’s mentioning “Merritt” and there was only one member of the entire regiment by that name—Merritt E. Doolittle of Co. A (b. 1842). Merritt had an older brother named Thomas Benjamin Doolittle (1839-1921) but I cannot see that he served in the 10th Connecticut. If the author was from Co. A, he may have been Thomas B. Fowler—a corporal from Guilford, or Thomas J. Stillman of Essex.
The letter contains a great account of the landing made by Burnside’s Expedition on Roanoke Island.
[Editor’s Note: This letter is from the private collection of Jim Doncaster and is published by express consent.]
TRANSCRIPTION
On board Steamer New Brunswick
Approaching Roanoke Island
[Thursday] February 6th 1862, 9 a. m.
Dear Sister,
You will see by the heading of this letter that we have made some progress lately. Yesterday morning at 8¼ o’clock, we started from the vicinity of Hatteras Inlet, the steamers taking the sail vessels in tow. We had the schooners E. W. Farrington and Recruit in tow. We got along at the rate of only three or four miles an hour. The number of vessels in our fleet is seventy-two. We left as many as that at the Inlet. Yesterday was a fine day, the wind being N. N. W. This morning at about 8 o’clock, we got under way again. I should have said that we anchored last night at 5½ o’clock with Roanoke Island just discernible. It is rainy this morning so that it may prevent our operations today, but I think it will not rain long. We expect to land in small boats, about two and a half companies at a time. All the regiments of our brigade will send their boats full at the same time.
Our morning reports show that we can send seven hundred and seventeen muskets ashore. You would not think to look in upon us that we expected soon to be in battle. We all are arranging things as though for an ordinary day’s work. Our company reports seventy-seven men for duty. Our regiment turns out very well as to numbers and I hope will do honor to our cause.
On Monday morning a small boat with seventeen slaves—men, women and children—came down to the Inlet from the mainland near Roanoke Island.
I am in good health and spirits. I saw Benjamin on the deck of the schooner this morning. He is a good deal better. Merritt is well, I guess.
I received letters from father, yourself, and Lucinda on the 1st. They came in a schooner from New York. I understood Merritt has one, written on the 24th.
My head is so full of everything else that I cannot write. Give my love to Father, Mother, brother, and sisters. I hope to do my duty on the field of battle and if called to die, I hope for salvation from eternal death by the Blood of Jesus. That God may bless you all is the prayer of your loving brother, — Thomas
February 7th [in pencil] We ran only a few miles yesterday. It rained by spells throughout the day quite hard. It was still and very like an April day in Connecticut. We anchored about 10 a. m. about 4 miles from the lighthouse on the mainland opposite the south end of the island. We are now, at 10 a. m., expecting to move. The Rebels have some gunboats up above us. We have about 20 gunboats. They are small steamers about the size of tow boats and 3 or 4 ferry boats. It is thought that we will have some severe fighting.
P. S. At 10 a. m. [on 7 February] the gunboats started to go through the channels. They got through safely and at 12 M the Rebels opened fire from their steamers. Our gunboats drove them off, I guess. Soon after our boats closed upon their battery on the island and at 3½ p. m. the fight is still going on severely. There is an extensive fire on the shore at the battery. We are about 1½ miles from our gunboats. I cannot see that they are disabled. It must be a strong position. Some of our boats have pushed by and there has been heavy firing up above with the Rebel boats. ¹
The Pilot Boy [boat?] is now loaded with troops to go on shore at the word and our small boats are fast to her with others. Our company waits till the third time.
It was a grand sight to see the fleet move through the channel. The decks and the riggings of the vessels were crowded with men looking at the fight.
We started to come in at 12 o’clock. This morn was cloudy and foggy. The middle of the day fine with the wind north. It is now cloudy. The Rebels are making a good fight of it. Our boys are in good spirits and mean to do things up right. I suppose you will have the result before this reaches you. My love to all. For the present, goodbye. — Thomas
At 4.20 p. m. The Pilot Boy landed her men to right of fort.
¹ In his diary, Lt. James H. Linsley of the 10th Connecticut wrote: “[February] 7th, active operations begin. The gunboats move through the narrow entrance in the sound begin in the fray with the rebel gunboats and the battery. The shells bursting in the air and others tilting on the battery are watched with the greatest interest. Sheets of flame and clouds of smoke roll up as their quarters take fire. We are landed and after spending the night on the ground, we wade a creek and enter the bloody fight. The line does not last long. The men fall quickly. Col. Russell is lost. The Zouaves charge the battery and it is won.”
Spared & Shared 22 