Private David W. Sharpe, 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery, Civil War Archive

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• Lot Description

  Lot of 24 war-date letters, May 1861-May 1865; 1862 CSA almanac found at Yorktown; and cabinet card of Private David W. Sharpe, Co. B, 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery.

  David W. Sharpe enlisted in the army with ambitions of becoming a captain. Even though he served throughout the war, from May 22, 1861 until September 25, 1865, he never received a single promotion. The same day he enlisted for the army, he mustered into the 1^st Connecticut Heavy Artillery, Co. B, and stayed with the regiment for his two terms of service. The first year was very quiet despite traveling often and intensely training for the battles that would eventually come. Before his first chance to experience action, Sharpe wrote home to his family:

  I believe I have not told you about our Siege Train. We are the first volunteer siege train ever got up in the United States...We are within a mile and a half of the rebel entrenchments. We shall…siege Yorktown in a few days. I suppose the people north are wondering why we do not attack Yorktown but if they could see the work we have to do to get ready they would not wonder at it. We have twenty mortars (ten of them ten-inch mortars), twelve thirty-two pounder rifled siege guns, two howitzers, five one hundred pounder rifled siege guns and more guns and mortars to come. Our company (B) has the five one hundred pdrs…the rifled guns throw shells as well as shot. Some of the officers have been firing one thirty-two pdr this afternoon. It easily threw a shot across the river, a distance of two or three miles from here (Camp Engalls, near Yorktown, VA, April 19, 1862).

  Despite throwing some shells towards the enemy, there was not much more action that day. Finally, a few weeks later, Sharpe and his men met their enemy on the field. He described the Siege of Yorktown to his family:

  We had the first brush with the rebels yesterday…the engineers commenced to throw up a breastwork on the right of the battery for another two-hundred pounder (in plain sight of the rebels). They commenced to throw shells at us…their shells all went over us but few of them burst. They had fired but a few times when we had orders to prepare for action…we had those guns loaded in least time imaginable. We threw shot and shells into Yorktown and in their batteries and solid shot from our two-hundred pounder at their shipping in the harbor. One of our shots carried away the end of the dock and another struck a schooner and damaged it so much that it had to be towed away…we fired thirty five rounds during the afternoon and the rebels between twenty and thirty. None of us was hurt and it is not known how many of the rebels were killed…the war will be ended soon after we take Yorktown…[May 3rd]…Hurrah for the war!... You would laugh to see us drop on our breast when we see a shell coming. We like…dodging the shells but we gave them fun…( No. 1 Battery near Yorktown, VA, May 1st, 3rd and 7th, 1862).

  Fighting continued into June. His regiment averted disaster thanks to the warning of two African-American men:  There were two regiments of infantry and one masked battery lying in ambush for us…the n*****s met us when we got within a mile of them and told the colonel…the next time we went out…with General Porter's Division and drove the rebels back beyond the Richmond and Harrisburg Railroad [Virginia Central RR] and took over 500 prisoners. Our regiment was on the field but were held in reserve. There were 250 of our men killed, wounded and taken prisoner. We are now in General Sykes Brigade which is the reserve…the attack on Richmond will commence in a day or two…(Camp ten miles before Richmond, VA, June 2, 1862).

  Sharpe wrote home again about the action throughout the Seven Days Battle Campaign and the Battle of Malvern Hill. In one of the letters he wrote:

  I did not have time to write half what I wanted in the last letter…in my last I spoke about Andrew Bodge being wounded in the leg…he was seriously wounded but it is only a flesh wound. He was wounded [by friendly fire at Malvern Hill] in the last fight we were in. We had our batteries planted on a high hill and were shelling the woods about a half mile in front of us. Then gunboats were also shelling the woods. Another gunboat coming up the river saw us firing and mistook us for the Rebels and fired a shell plumb into company "F" battery, wounding four of which Andrew was one. Those four were the only ones wounded that day. We have had only one man wounded or killed in our company that was Corporal Thos. Hyland who was killed in the fight in Smith's Division on…the 27th…(Battery B, [City Point Landing, VA], July 8, 1862).

  Frustrated from the lack of recognition his regiment received for their efforts in the battle, Sharpe wrote:

  The papers speak about the bravery of the batteries that were on the right and left of us…and do not speak of us at all. We (our battery) stood to our guns as well and did as much…as any of them…that lying old hypocrite Greely of the Tribune says we have lost nearly all of the siege guns. He is a liar and I wish we had him here to set up as a target to shoot at. We would show him whether we have lost…or not (Battery B, [City Point Landing, VA], July 8, 1862).

  Sharpe continued to write home as he fought through the war. He wrote his last letter home in May 1865, four months before he mustered out of service on September 25, 1865 in the nation’s capital. Refer to cowans.com for additional transcribed letters from the archive. 

  ________________________________________________________________________________ 

  Transcriptions of letters:

  Hartford, [CT], May 19, 1861, in part: …the Woodbury Company arrived in Hartford yesterday. Our Company was selected by our captain several days ago. I saw there was no chance for me to stay in the company as a private so I became captain's boy which I intend to be until there is a vacancy in this company when I will apply for the place. We expect to go into camp tomorrow but we do not know when we shall leave Hartford…direct your letter [in] care of Captain E. S. Kellog, [Elias S. Kellogg, KIA as Colonel 2nd Conn. Hvy. Art., Cold Harbor, Va., 6/01/64] Comp. B, 4th Regiment…David.

  Hartford, [CT], May 24, 1861, in part: …I have joined the company as a private…the companies have been increased so that they number 101 men including officers. Day before yesterday we were inspected and took then oath. Ransom Tomlinson [deserted a week after the battle of First Bull Run] is in this company. John Holcomb is in the Woodbury company which is in the 5th Regiment. We are expecting to go into camp today…after we had taken the oath we were paid $11.20 in bank bills…David.

  Hartford, [CT], May 30, 1861, on patriotic stationery , in part: …we came into camp Saturday afternoon and have been very busy since. When we first came into camp they did not give us enough to eat but we have all we want now…we are encamped two miles north of the State House. The day we came into camp some ladies presented us each with a pin cushion and today a lady brought us a basket of cakes. We have each received a pair of shoes, 1 pair of stockings and 1 shirt. We will…get our uniforms about the middle of next week. I shall get my picture taken then…perhaps I shall come home before we leave for Washington…David.

  Camp Nagley, Hagerstown, [Md.], June 23, 1861, on George Washington patriotic stationery, in part: …we are now encamped in Hagerstown, Maryland which is about eight miles from the Potomac river. We have not had any fighting yet. Monday night at one o'clock we received news that a regiment of Federal troops were surrounded at Williamsport by the rebels and we received orders to strike tents and march to their relief immediately. We got to Williamsport at about eight o'clock in the morning and found that it was a false alarm. We waited there until nearly night and then marched back here…we have rather hard fare here, mostly salt pork, hard bread and potatoes…direct to David W. Sharpe…Co. B, 4th Regiment Conn. Volunteers…

  Gen. Banks' Div., Camp Lyon, Sept. 13, 1861, in part: …we are now at General Banks Headquarters which is about 23 miles from Washington. We started from Frederick Saturday…our new colonel [Robert O. Tyler, major general 8/01/64] has not come yet. We have preaching in camp by the chaplain…David… With "Soldier's Letter" endorsement signed by Brevet Maj. Gen. HENRY WARNER BIRGE (1825-1888) clipped from the letter's original transmittal cover glued inside.

  Fort Scott, Mar. 27, 1862, on embossed Gen. McClellan stationery, in part: Hurrah for the war. We are going to move…we are going to Fortress Monroe …we are ti have a siege train and…the cannon are already on the way to Fortress Monroe…I shall send you one of the Confederate notes in this letter…the government has stopped all letters from the army in advance to their friends in the north…mother must not worry if she does not hear from me very soon again. I have got a lock of hair which I cut off the head of Henry Murphy after he was dead…I will send it in this letter and you can give it to Miss. Steele or throw it away…David.

  Camp Engalls, near Yorktown, Va., April 19, 1862, in part: …I believe I have not told you about our Siege Train. We are the first volunteer siege train ever got up in the United States. McClellan's headquarters is only a short distance from here. We are within a mile and a half of the rebel entrenchments. We shall…siege Yorktown in a few days. I suppose the people north are wondering why we do not attack Yorktown but if they could see the work we have to do to get ready they would not wonder at it. We have twenty mortars (ten of them ten-inch mortars), twelve thirty-two pounder rifled siege guns, two howitzers, five one hundred pounder rifled siege guns and more guns and mortars to come. Our company (B) has the five one hundred pdrs…the rifled guns throw shells as well as shot. Some of the officers have been firing one thirty-two pdr this afternoon. It easily threw a shot across the river, a distance of two or three miles from here…David.

  Battle of Yorktown Letter. (with 1862 CSA almanac)

  No. 1 Battery near Yorktown, Va., May 1st, 3rd and 7th, 1862, on McClellan and American Eagle patriotic stationery, in part: …we had the first brush with the rebels yesterday…the engineers commenced to throw up a breastwork on the right of the battery for another two-hundred pounder (in plain sight of the rebels). They commenced to throw shells at us…their shells all went over us but few of them burst. They had fired but a few times when we had orders to prepare for action…we had those guns loaded in least time imaginable. We threw shot and shells into Yorktown and in their batteries and solid shot from our two-hundred pounder at their shipping in the harbor. One of our shots carried away the end of the dock and another struck a schooner and damaged it so much that it had to be towed away…we fired thirty five rounds during the afternoon and the rebels between twenty and thirty. None of us was hurt and it is not known how many of the rebels were killed…the war will be ended soon after we take Yorktown…[May 3rd]…Hurrah for the war! Yesterday we had another brush with the rebels and the only gun they got that can bear upon us burst…they threw twenty-three shells at us, ten of which burst. Only two struck very near us-one in the ditch front of the battery and the other two or three rods in the rear. The rest struck about five hundreds yards in the rear of the battery. You would laugh to see us drop on our breast when we see a shell coming. We like…dodging the shells but we gave them fun…one of our shells struck and burst in a crowd of beseech soldiers who were at work on the dock…they have got a steamboat load of troops lying off in the river but dare not land them…every time they go to the wharf we fire at them…[Saturday evening]…we have been firing at the rebels this afternoon and have silenced a water battery…[May 7th]…the rebels evacuated Yorktown saturday night. McClellan with the army is following them up…he has already taken ten thousand prisoners…[at Yorktown} they left a great quantity of commissary stores, a good many of their cannon and ammunition. I went into several magazines and there were great quantities of solid shot, shells, powder and musket cartridges. The cannon they loaded and spiked before they left. They also placed torpedoes in the ground which burst as soon as they are stepped on. Two men have been killed by…them. I picked up a secesh almanac for 1862 over there which I shall send to you in this letter…David…

  Battle of Hanover Court House Letter

  Camp ten miles before Richmond, Va., June 2, 1862, on American Eagle patriotic stationery, in part: …we have been marching nearly every day…we have to have our knapsacks packed, guns loaded and sixty rounds of cartridges in our boxes all the time. While…at Old Church we went out scouting nearly every day. The second time…we went out we (with part of the Fifth New York Zoauves) were sent to destroy a turnpike bridge, 200 feet long [and] a half a mile inside of the rebel pickets. We went there, tore down the bridge and took one of them prisoner. The third time we went out we would all have been killed or taken prisoner but for the warning of two niggers. There were two regiments of infantry and one masked battery lying in ambush for us…the niggers met us when we got within a mile of them and told the colonel…the next time we went out…with General Porter's Division and drove the rebels back beyond the Richmond and Harrisburg Railroad [Virginia Central RR] and took over 500 prisoners. Our regiment was on the field but were held in reserve. There were 250 of our men killed, wounded and taken prisoner. We are now in General Sykes Brigade which is the reserve…the attack on Richmond will commence in a day or two…David…

  The Seven Days Campaign Letter

  City Point Landing, [Va.], July 4, 1862, in part: …I suppose you are celebrating Fourth of July in great style. we have been fighting nearly every day for two weeks. The hardest fight we have been in was in General Smith's division on the 27th. We have had only one man killed in our company-that was [Corp.] Thomas Hyland [at Golding's Farm]. Andrew Bodge was wounded in the leg by a shot from one of our gunboats fired at us by mistake…[wounded during the battle of Malvern Hill and also captured there only to be soon exchanged]…David.

  The Seven Day's Campaign & The Battle of Malvern Hill Letter

  Battery B, [City Point Landing, Va.], July 8, 1862, in part: I did not have time to write half what I wanted in the last letter…in my last I spoke about Andrew Bodge being wounded in the leg…he was seriously wounded but it is only a flesh wound. He was wounded [by friendly fire at Malvern Hill] in the last fight we were in. We had our batteries planted on a high hill and were shelling the woods about a half mile in front of us. Then gunboats were also shelling the woods. Another gunboats coming up the river saw us firing and mistook us for the Rebels and fired a shell plumb into company "F" battery, wounding four of which Andrew was one. Those four were the only ones wounded that day. We have had only one man wounded or killed in our company that was Corporal Thos. Hyland who was killed in the fight in Smith's Division on…the 27th…the papers speak about the bravery of the batteries that were on the right and left of us…and do not speak of us at all. We (our battery) stood to our guns as well and did as much…as any of them…that lying old hypocrite Greely of the Tribune says we have lost nearly all of the siege guns. He is a liar and I wish we had him here to set up as a target to shoot at. We would show him whether we have lost…or not. One of the howitzers manned by Co. "K" broke down on the road from Fairfax and had to be left…[we] cut the carriage to pieces and spiked the howitzer. That is the only gun that has been lost. We are now camped about two miles from the landing. Co "F" battery [is] a [little] ways from us and the rest of the regiment down near the landing. It is about a week since we have been in a fight and we are quitted rested and ready for another…David.

  Camp near Harrison's Landing, [Va.], Aug. 7, 1862, in part: …we marched our battery into the entrenchments. We are about a mile from the Landing. Last Friday the rebels opened [fire] on the shipping and the camps opposite Harrison's Landing. The rest of our regiments that are camped near the Landing had their batteries placed on the bank of the river and when the rebels opened, they fell in and marched to their guns and immediately commenced to return their fire. They soon silenced them. One of our boys (Thomas Bussing) who was on detached service in one of the light batteries…was taken prisoner [but] got back to the company yesterday. He was exchanged as a prisoner of war…there is a call for six hundred thousand more troops and that there will be a draft for the last three hundred thousand. If you have any thought of enlisting I wish you would enlist for this regiment. If there is no recruiting officer…in New Haven you can come on here on the government boat, paying your own passage, which will be paid back…on pay day…anyway, if you enlist, come and enlist in this company…David.

  On board the Canonicus, Aug. 21-25, 1862, in part: We are now lying at anchor off the mouth of Acquia Creek…the infantry are coming in on the transports every little while. We have just had orders to leave here…we are going to Alexandria. The reason that we do not land here is that they cannot spare us time nor room at the dock to land our siege train…[Alexandria, Aug. 25]…we are now encamped just outside of Alexandria. The siege train is being slowly unloaded…I hope that we will join Pope's army for I have not seen fighting enough yet. I have heard that George [A.] Smith of the 5th Ct. V. is killed [Co. E, actually POW Cedar Mountain, Va. 8/9/62] and his brother Anson [Co. E, conic deserter having deserted twice that we know of] is wounded…Andrew Bodge [WIA Malvern Hill, Va., 7/1/62] got back to the regiment day before yesterday…I was surprised that James Hendryx [20th Conn. Vols. KIA Chancellorsville, Va., 5/3/63] and Albert [W. Lounsbury Co. H 20th Conn. Vols. POW Chancellorsville, 5/3/63] had enlisted. What does Maria say about Albert's enlisting?…I suppose he will not have to leave the state…Dave…

  Reserve Artillery, [near Fredericksburg, Va.], May 16, 1863, in part: …we have been so busy since the late move that I have not had time to answer…I suppose you have heard all about the fight there has been here. We were not allowed to fire a shot during the whole engagement but were all the while traveling from one ford to another…there will be another move in about three weeks. There is one one-hundred pounder Parrott gun at the Falmouth Station…there are seven more coming which are to be manned by two companies of our regt. With those siege guns an these we have already here we could siege them out of those heights in half a day…our infantry could cross the river without opposition…has Governor Buckingham got that bill throng the legislature…giving old soldiers fifty dollars bounty…David...

  Fort Drewry, [James River, Va.], May 10, 1865, in part: …we are now at Fort Drewry (generally Fort Darling), gathering up captured cannon and ammunition…sending it to Washington. The guns in the fort are going to be left here. There are six ten-inch Columbiads, five 8-inch and four thirty-two pounder howitzers. I have not been up to Richmond yet but intend to go before we leave here. This regiment will probably be kept two or three months longer. Some of the men are getting furloughs…Sherman's army went by here today on their way to Washington…I will send with this letter a genuine Rebel postage stamp which I got at Fort Fisher. David.

  Condition

  Typical folds of the letters with some toning of the paper and light soiling. Some minor brittleness at some of the folds. 
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