USS Malvern - NEW

Item NMC-11920

Description

Original Civil War sailor's letter. 4 pages, written in period ink.


U.S.S. Malvern
Beaufort, North Carolina
 
September 6^th 1864
 
Aunt Mary,
 
I received yours of the 28th today and answer immediately. Previous to receiving your letter, I had not received anything from home for over two weeks, and I began to think you had all gone to war or somewhere else.
 
So, Frank has gone to war after all, and I hope he will have good luck. I have written to him today and directed the letter to Marblehead.
 
Tell Father to forward it to him as quick as possible. You seem to think that Father and Nahum will go to war, but I hardly think they will. The Army of the Potomac is not a very inviting place, but nevertheless, it must be filled with good men.
 
The rebels are about played out and soon will cave. The news of the capture of Atlanta reached us today.
 
Mobile will soon knock under, and Grant has got possession of the Weldon Railroad, one of the main things towards the capture of Richmond. And all he wants is 100,000 more men to whip the whole rebel army, and I hope they will give it to him.
 
Now is the time to strike. They are on the brink of despair, and one good shove will finish them up and put them on their knees.
 
I wish we had the luck to capture the CSS Tallahassee, but the consequences would have been bad for us, for we are not able to cope with her. We have nothing heavier than a 20-pound rifled Dahlgren, and they are of no account with her battery. She ran into Wilmington a few days ago through the whole of the blockading fleet.
 
Give my best respects to Lawrence and tell him he had better enlist, or they will have him on the Home Guard. I am tired of the blockade, for there is nothing to do, and I sleep 16 hours out of the 24. The other eight, I loaf on deck.
 
Last Monday night, the rebels fired on us from Forts Fisher and Caswell, but did no damage. Their shell falling about 20 feet off.
 
We are going from this place to New Bern and up the sound. I expect we shall leave tomorrow.
 
We have had splendid weather the past month, but now it's beginning to look fallish. I want to shift quarters now and go up on the James. Not having any more news to write, I will close, hoping you are all enjoying good health, and that next spring the war will be ended.
 
The next time you write, fill the sheet out and don't get off on the plea of sleepiness. 
 
From your nephew, 
 
Theo Stone
 
Direct as usual.