Union Private Writes Brother About Port Royal Aboard U.S. Steamer Dawn

Item Details

Very good.

The capture of Port Royal Sound in November 1861 was a key Union victory that significantly strengthened the Union blockade of Confederate ports during the Civil War. It provided the Union Navy with a vital base for resupply and repairs, allowing them to move effectively patrolling and controlling the Atlantic coastline. The Union maintained control of the port throughout the war.

4 pp, 4 1/2 x 7 1/2, ALONZO D. FINCH, ALS, to his brother, writing from blockade duty at Port Royal, while serving aboard the U.S. Steamer Dawn, October 12, 1862. Finch is listed as having mustered into A Co. New York 148th Infantry.

The USS Dawn served in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, while the USS Port Royal was a double-ended gunboat involved in operations around Hampton Roads and the James River.

He writes, in small part, “...the last time I wrote I think we were in Ossabow Sound. We have been here one week...Our new battery is far superior to our old one. We have got a 100 pound rifle amidships, 27 lb rifles on the forecastle, 2 heavy 32s... We are fitting out to get back to Ossabow Sound...So far we have been very lucky. We have had but very little fighting.”

Folds, toning. Written in rich brown ink with some bleed through.  Finch’s writing is challenging.  One fold reinforced with archival tape.

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