Letter from Ellison Capers to his wife Lottie, June 17, 1862
Title
Letter from Ellison Capers to his wife Lottie, June 17, 1862
Subject
Description
Capers describes an attack to gain the Secessionville peninsula by taking the Battery by storm. He includes a drawing of the action and refers to different positions on the map to describe the attack. Capers talks about the casualties suffered by both sides as well as makes observations about a few of the generals. He questions Lottie about her plans and tells her how much he misses her and their son. He writes again on Tuesday night about the appearance and behavior of the Yankee soldiers, the death of a Lieutenant Greer and to inform Lottie that one of the men wants to name their daughter after her.
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Source
A1961.1, Box 2, Folder 49
Publisher
The Citadel Archives & Museum
Date
Rights
Materials in The Citadel Archives & Museum Digital Collections are intended for educational and research use. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright. For more information contact The Citadel Archives & Museum, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, 29409.
Relation
Ellison Capers Collection
Format
application/pdf
Language
English
Type
Text
Identifier
https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/473
Date Valid
Audience
Text
[Page 1]
Camp of 24th S. C. V.
Tuesday June 17th, 1862
My own beloved wife
It is raining & dismal & the enemy are quiet. I have drawn an imperfect picture of the immediate scene of action on yesterday & send it to you. You can form an idea of it, if you will put the paper down so as to let the arrow head point North. The object of the attack was to gain the Secessionville peninsular by taking the Battery by storm, just before day, and you will see that if they were to have done so, their gun boats could run up the creek & shell the redoubts & lines, which would drive us away from this end, & in that way they would have successfully “turned our flank.” They moved up in two columns; one to the attack in front of the Battery, & the other crossed the causeway, marked “G” & by taking position in the bushes & trees marked “H” poured in such a heavy fire behind the Battery as to oblige our gunners to take to their rifles, & abandon the heavy guns. As soon as we got the alarm, Col. S. & I were at the Cross Roads & had our companies on picket duty on the various roads in front of the enemy’s pickets. We sent three of our companies down & Col. S. posted them in the wood marked “P” & from that position, assisted by some of Simonton’s companies, they killed many of the enemy, as they
[Page 2]
retreated from the position “H,” from which they were driven by the fire of my Battery “A” & the admirable fire of our brass howitzer of Boyce’s Battery posted by Cols. Hagood & Stevens at “L”. In the woods “P” we lost several men killed & wounded, & when four companies of the enemy charged the woods two of our men were taken prisoners. Here too Simonton lost his men, & among them Mr. Tavener, Rosa’s sweetheart, was mortally wounded. The paper this morning (alas! For the vain glorious men who write these accounts of themselves & their commands) speaks of the Eutaw Regt. charging the enemy back to rivers, & the skill of Simonton in handling them! Why, darling, he marched his regt. down the road & Cols. Hagood & Stevens posted him in the wood “P” with our companies & there they lay, until the enemy “charging” the wood they stood their ground & fired into him & by his return fire lost their men. Neither Stevens nor I will stoop to puff ourselves, & Clarence who always does everything carelessly, furnishes this morning's paper with an incorrect list of our casualties. Down the road “M” Hagood & Stevens directed everything, & yet because the Eutaw Battalion has one to write for it, they are not mentioned. All these things only show how purely wicked & selfish the human heart is, & teach
[Page 3]
us the necessity of looking to God for his support & aid. The main & hardest fighting was done at the Battery & along the margin of the creek from Gaillard’s camp to the Battery. I have drawn forms to indicate the place where I said on yesterday evening the most of the dead foe. Oh! It was a horrible sight. You see the three men behind the tree in front of the Secessionville Battery; well, they were sharp shooters, & I have no doubt did great execution in picking off our men, but they were killed. I left details of our men burying them on yesterday. My estimate of the enemy’s loss is now about 200 killed & 200 wounded & taken prisoners. This included the dead & wounded, which they carried off for in their final retreat, they carried off numbers. Their loss may be greater. I think we lost about 30 killed & 70 wounded; one hundred in all. You will wonder how I became detached & ordered to take charge of the Battery “A”. Well when we were posting our companies in the wood “P” we all saw the enemy at “H” in large numbers & pouring in a deadly fire on our men at the Battery “C” & we wondered why the Battery “A” did not pour in shot & shell on them. We had only 3 companies & companies & could not march up and attack them & we saw that their [illegible words] were driving our men from the guns at “C”. It
[Page 4]
was all important, therefore to open the heavy battery “A” on the enemy at “H” & Col. Hagood, the senior of Col. S., ordered me to gallop around & order the fire of the Battery to be directed at “H” (on this run I lost my haversack). When I got to the Battery, I found a Lt. & 10 or 15 men & in reply to my question why he had not fired on just over the creek, he said he did not know & that he was exhausted of fire & that he & his men were green [illegible] very little about it. I loaded and pointed the gun, fired it, & ordered him to continue while I galloped up to Clark’s place to tell Genls. Evans & Smith of the condition of things. They ordered me at once to the Battery & there I went & fought the fight through. The enemy fired only an occasional shell at me from their light Battery. Genl. Evans has paid me a high compliment & later he & Smith have thanked me personally. I believe, my darling, that they say correctly that my fire contributed mainly to the repulse of the enemy at “H” & [illegible words] Stevens & Simontons men gave them a reverse fire. Their defeat was total; thank God. The wounded & found prisoners are from the 79th N. Y. 8th Michigan, 28th Mass. 7th Conn., 2nd R. I. & a Penn. Regiment. Our great deficiency is in Generals, Pemberton is no General, but I do not believe one word of the reckless report
[Page 5 – written over page 4]
of his being untrue. Genl. Evans is a coward with a reputation for bravery which he earned by sending his men and officers where he never dreams of going. He keeps himself “out of range” and gets away from fire whenever by chance he gets in it. He is reckless, without any judgement, & terribly pompous & drinks to excess. Genl. Smith is a gentleman, & I have not heard him use profane language, but he is no general, though he is no coward. Genl. Gist is cool, has a good head & I have great confidence in him, but he is the junior and obeys orders only, without originating them. We are to be organized into Brigades and the 24th goes with Gist, to the Fort Pemberton side of the lines. I do not know where, but I will inform you D.V. My opinion is that this repulse of the enemy will teach him that he can do nothing by attacking us on an equal footing, & his next effort will be with his heavy guns from his boats & against our other flank, at Fort Pemberton. If our men there will stand to their guns, it will be all well. You must not repeat what I have said about our Genls. & in every I say use your good judgement. How long will you stay at Miss Amelia’s? And when will you go back to Mrs. Rogers? In regard to the Irish Moss, darling, I think you will find it at the depot at Orangeburg. I am sorry that I have not yet sent Mr. Bowe’s gloves, but, my angel, with all that I have to do, & the great demands upon my agts: who go to the city it must be excused by you & him. As soon as I get the number again I will send them God willing & Oh! My darling how I would like to see our dear little boy & walking--and you too, my angel, with your soft sweet eyes & your luscious self! I
[Page 6 – written over page 3]
would be happy once more in your arms. You must not grow weary, my angel, but you must pray on & keep a cheerful spirit & hope soon that we will gain our freedom. Our rescue must come from God. To his power & goodness & mercy we must look. Goodbye, my angel till tonight, when your Ellie will write you again. May God bless you. Ellie
Tuesday Night--How are you my own dear Lottie, this dark raining night? Nothing of importance has transpired today except the reports of our pickets that numbers of the enemy are dead beyond the battlefield & on the road of their retreat. It was a glorious success for us and a terrible whipping for the Yankees. But don’t you believe the Mercury’s story about the character of the dead & the prisoners. They are for the most part fine looking splendidly equipped soldiers & throughout the fight behaved, officers and men, with great gallantry. But enough of the Yankees. I have directed this envelope to St. Matthews and you will not therefore get it before Thursday. You must write to me, my loved one, as often as you can, if it is only a line. Kiss my boy and remember me with much respect to your friends. I forgot to ask you how far from Orangeburg it was to Miss Anna Reve’s. Good night. Lottie dear, & may God our father bless you, & preserve you for Jesus sake. Your devoted Ellie
P. S. One of Simontons Lieutenants was killed. It was Lieut Greer, from whom you will recollect, you and I bought some envelopes & my pocket book. He was engaged to a young lady who was sent to the city, behaved well. He asked me [illegible] to write Rosa, & said he was ready to die, if it pleased God. We hear tonight, that hopes are entertained of his recovery. God bless you my angel wife. Ellie
[Page 7]
Drawing
[Page 8]
I open my letter to tell you that one of the men from Capt. Hill’s Company (the Anderson Company) came to me just now and asked what your name was. He said that he had just heard that his wife had a daughter and he wanted to name it for my wife. If it had been a boy, he said, he would have named it for me. How shall he name it? Send me a bill for your [illegible]. The [illegible words] man is Studdard. Ellie
Wednesday morning – 18th June I am well this morning, my darling, except a slight travel complaint. The enemy are quiet. We will move over [illegible words] of the lines either today or tomorrow, D. V. Direct as before, my loved one. Ellie
Camp of 24th S. C. V.
Tuesday June 17th, 1862
My own beloved wife
It is raining & dismal & the enemy are quiet. I have drawn an imperfect picture of the immediate scene of action on yesterday & send it to you. You can form an idea of it, if you will put the paper down so as to let the arrow head point North. The object of the attack was to gain the Secessionville peninsular by taking the Battery by storm, just before day, and you will see that if they were to have done so, their gun boats could run up the creek & shell the redoubts & lines, which would drive us away from this end, & in that way they would have successfully “turned our flank.” They moved up in two columns; one to the attack in front of the Battery, & the other crossed the causeway, marked “G” & by taking position in the bushes & trees marked “H” poured in such a heavy fire behind the Battery as to oblige our gunners to take to their rifles, & abandon the heavy guns. As soon as we got the alarm, Col. S. & I were at the Cross Roads & had our companies on picket duty on the various roads in front of the enemy’s pickets. We sent three of our companies down & Col. S. posted them in the wood marked “P” & from that position, assisted by some of Simonton’s companies, they killed many of the enemy, as they
[Page 2]
retreated from the position “H,” from which they were driven by the fire of my Battery “A” & the admirable fire of our brass howitzer of Boyce’s Battery posted by Cols. Hagood & Stevens at “L”. In the woods “P” we lost several men killed & wounded, & when four companies of the enemy charged the woods two of our men were taken prisoners. Here too Simonton lost his men, & among them Mr. Tavener, Rosa’s sweetheart, was mortally wounded. The paper this morning (alas! For the vain glorious men who write these accounts of themselves & their commands) speaks of the Eutaw Regt. charging the enemy back to rivers, & the skill of Simonton in handling them! Why, darling, he marched his regt. down the road & Cols. Hagood & Stevens posted him in the wood “P” with our companies & there they lay, until the enemy “charging” the wood they stood their ground & fired into him & by his return fire lost their men. Neither Stevens nor I will stoop to puff ourselves, & Clarence who always does everything carelessly, furnishes this morning's paper with an incorrect list of our casualties. Down the road “M” Hagood & Stevens directed everything, & yet because the Eutaw Battalion has one to write for it, they are not mentioned. All these things only show how purely wicked & selfish the human heart is, & teach
[Page 3]
us the necessity of looking to God for his support & aid. The main & hardest fighting was done at the Battery & along the margin of the creek from Gaillard’s camp to the Battery. I have drawn forms to indicate the place where I said on yesterday evening the most of the dead foe. Oh! It was a horrible sight. You see the three men behind the tree in front of the Secessionville Battery; well, they were sharp shooters, & I have no doubt did great execution in picking off our men, but they were killed. I left details of our men burying them on yesterday. My estimate of the enemy’s loss is now about 200 killed & 200 wounded & taken prisoners. This included the dead & wounded, which they carried off for in their final retreat, they carried off numbers. Their loss may be greater. I think we lost about 30 killed & 70 wounded; one hundred in all. You will wonder how I became detached & ordered to take charge of the Battery “A”. Well when we were posting our companies in the wood “P” we all saw the enemy at “H” in large numbers & pouring in a deadly fire on our men at the Battery “C” & we wondered why the Battery “A” did not pour in shot & shell on them. We had only 3 companies & companies & could not march up and attack them & we saw that their [illegible words] were driving our men from the guns at “C”. It
[Page 4]
was all important, therefore to open the heavy battery “A” on the enemy at “H” & Col. Hagood, the senior of Col. S., ordered me to gallop around & order the fire of the Battery to be directed at “H” (on this run I lost my haversack). When I got to the Battery, I found a Lt. & 10 or 15 men & in reply to my question why he had not fired on just over the creek, he said he did not know & that he was exhausted of fire & that he & his men were green [illegible] very little about it. I loaded and pointed the gun, fired it, & ordered him to continue while I galloped up to Clark’s place to tell Genls. Evans & Smith of the condition of things. They ordered me at once to the Battery & there I went & fought the fight through. The enemy fired only an occasional shell at me from their light Battery. Genl. Evans has paid me a high compliment & later he & Smith have thanked me personally. I believe, my darling, that they say correctly that my fire contributed mainly to the repulse of the enemy at “H” & [illegible words] Stevens & Simontons men gave them a reverse fire. Their defeat was total; thank God. The wounded & found prisoners are from the 79th N. Y. 8th Michigan, 28th Mass. 7th Conn., 2nd R. I. & a Penn. Regiment. Our great deficiency is in Generals, Pemberton is no General, but I do not believe one word of the reckless report
[Page 5 – written over page 4]
of his being untrue. Genl. Evans is a coward with a reputation for bravery which he earned by sending his men and officers where he never dreams of going. He keeps himself “out of range” and gets away from fire whenever by chance he gets in it. He is reckless, without any judgement, & terribly pompous & drinks to excess. Genl. Smith is a gentleman, & I have not heard him use profane language, but he is no general, though he is no coward. Genl. Gist is cool, has a good head & I have great confidence in him, but he is the junior and obeys orders only, without originating them. We are to be organized into Brigades and the 24th goes with Gist, to the Fort Pemberton side of the lines. I do not know where, but I will inform you D.V. My opinion is that this repulse of the enemy will teach him that he can do nothing by attacking us on an equal footing, & his next effort will be with his heavy guns from his boats & against our other flank, at Fort Pemberton. If our men there will stand to their guns, it will be all well. You must not repeat what I have said about our Genls. & in every I say use your good judgement. How long will you stay at Miss Amelia’s? And when will you go back to Mrs. Rogers? In regard to the Irish Moss, darling, I think you will find it at the depot at Orangeburg. I am sorry that I have not yet sent Mr. Bowe’s gloves, but, my angel, with all that I have to do, & the great demands upon my agts: who go to the city it must be excused by you & him. As soon as I get the number again I will send them God willing & Oh! My darling how I would like to see our dear little boy & walking--and you too, my angel, with your soft sweet eyes & your luscious self! I
[Page 6 – written over page 3]
would be happy once more in your arms. You must not grow weary, my angel, but you must pray on & keep a cheerful spirit & hope soon that we will gain our freedom. Our rescue must come from God. To his power & goodness & mercy we must look. Goodbye, my angel till tonight, when your Ellie will write you again. May God bless you. Ellie
Tuesday Night--How are you my own dear Lottie, this dark raining night? Nothing of importance has transpired today except the reports of our pickets that numbers of the enemy are dead beyond the battlefield & on the road of their retreat. It was a glorious success for us and a terrible whipping for the Yankees. But don’t you believe the Mercury’s story about the character of the dead & the prisoners. They are for the most part fine looking splendidly equipped soldiers & throughout the fight behaved, officers and men, with great gallantry. But enough of the Yankees. I have directed this envelope to St. Matthews and you will not therefore get it before Thursday. You must write to me, my loved one, as often as you can, if it is only a line. Kiss my boy and remember me with much respect to your friends. I forgot to ask you how far from Orangeburg it was to Miss Anna Reve’s. Good night. Lottie dear, & may God our father bless you, & preserve you for Jesus sake. Your devoted Ellie
P. S. One of Simontons Lieutenants was killed. It was Lieut Greer, from whom you will recollect, you and I bought some envelopes & my pocket book. He was engaged to a young lady who was sent to the city, behaved well. He asked me [illegible] to write Rosa, & said he was ready to die, if it pleased God. We hear tonight, that hopes are entertained of his recovery. God bless you my angel wife. Ellie
[Page 7]
Drawing
[Page 8]
I open my letter to tell you that one of the men from Capt. Hill’s Company (the Anderson Company) came to me just now and asked what your name was. He said that he had just heard that his wife had a daughter and he wanted to name it for my wife. If it had been a boy, he said, he would have named it for me. How shall he name it? Send me a bill for your [illegible]. The [illegible words] man is Studdard. Ellie
Wednesday morning – 18th June I am well this morning, my darling, except a slight travel complaint. The enemy are quiet. We will move over [illegible words] of the lines either today or tomorrow, D. V. Direct as before, my loved one. Ellie
Collection
Citation
Capers, Ellison, 1837-1908, “Letter from Ellison Capers to his wife Lottie, June 17, 1862,” The Citadel Archives Digital Collections, accessed April 26, 2024, https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/473.