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Regiment: 8th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Hilton Head, South Carolina
Nov. 11th, 1861
Dear Sister,
I am now in the (land of cotton) & perhaps (fear I’ll stay till I am cotton). I cannot
tell but the prospects of my staying that long is rather slim just now. I am not very well
and have not been since I had the measles. I am troubled with a pain in my bowels,
which has made me very weak, but we have got on land once more and I begin to feel
better. Although this is but the fourth day we have been on shore. I was not along for
the biggest part of the regt. and those that were well too when they came onboard were
Vanderbilt 20 days and you had better believe the boys were mighty glad.
Perhaps ere this time you have heard of the mighty victory our arms have
achieved here in the old seed of rebellion. Yes by hep here we are right among um. Old
Jeff says he will give us just 10 days to crawl out of this, but we will give him just 10
years to crawl in here (that is if he do loose his sin cussed old scalp before that time). I
will give you a description of the bombardment as I saw it. In the first place you want to
know exactly where the place is and hot it lives if you will take your map and look at
the coast of South Carolina, you will find a channel called Port Royal entrance and right
at the mouth of two islands right opposite each other (they are the largest in the group I
think) and the channel that separates them is about five or six miles wide on both
islands were heavy batteries and the northern point of the southernmost is where we
are situated there are about 6 Regts. on this island and perhaps the same on the other.
It is about supper time and I guess I will finish my letter tomorrow, Good night.
Well tomorrow has come and now I will finish my letter. November 6th our
fleet (all that stayed about the water) drove into Port Royal entrance, our gun boats
joined around as much as they could and about 5 P.M. they presented their draw sides to
the rebel batteries and in a few minutes our boats said how do you do to them in rather
a noisy way and instantly they returned the compliment in a no less boisterous way. At
sundown they quit firing without much damage done on either side. The next day the
water was so rough that could do anything and so they kept at a respectable distance.
The next day which was the 7th, the sun rose clear and the sea was still as a duck pond.
There were 6 rebel steamers in regt. 10 minutes before 10 A.M. our Gun boats drove up
boldly before the rebel steamers and right between their batteries and the smoke began
to pour from all sides. Their boat soon backed down and then our boats had but two
ways to shoot. If you have ever seen the picture of a bombardment you can tell
something how it looks, but you cannot tell half so well as you could if you could see the
smoke roll up into the air and hear the mighty roar of the cannon. They kept up the
firing on both till about 2 P.M. when our boats moved off a little and ceased firing. They
done it to cool their guns & at 4 P.M. they moved right up as close as they could get and
stopped. The Commodore ordered the Old Wabash anchored fare oft and swore that he
would whip them or they would simple him where he was. He then took his glass and
looked and looked again and not a man could be seen in the fort. He instantly took a
boat and went ashore under a flag of truce and in twenty minutes from the time he
anchored his boat, the sever spot was down and the strips & stars waving over the fort
on this side, Two officers on our boat were eating when the stars were hoisted but the
way they hustled up on deck was sin. Troops commenced landing at once & we were
soon all on shore. The guns on the other side soon closed up and our troops now occupy
both points. We took a mass amount of property. Guns on this side & 22 on the other.
There were 2 rifled cannon on this side and I don’t know how many on the other. There
were 8 killed on outside and a few wounded. No one knows the No. killed on the other
side. They buried all they could and the rest they left some in the fort and some along
the road where they fled. Fragments of men were left scattered all over the fort and all
around the fort yard they never took a thing away nor even stopped to spike the cannon.
The trouble with them was they had their guns ranged to high. Our Commodore said if
had been in there place with his men all the fleets in American could not have taken him.
The foraging parties bring in lots of plunder everyday but I stop writing about the battle
and tell you something about the country. Its about as warm here now as it is there in
Harvest. Oh Celtia how I would like to have you here to see some of the beauties of the
south. The Palmetto tree looks quite different from what I thought it did and so does the
palm and the fig tree. There are plenty of oranges on the island. It would be quite a
sight for you to see a cotton plantation. The Niggers huts looks just like they do in
pictures. You have seen everything about their buildings, looks, reckless and dreary. If
this was only in the hand of northern men what a garden it might be made. I have not
received a letter from home since I enlisted. I don’t know whether it is because you don’t
or because they don’t come straight there is a screw loose somewhere but never mind I
shall get a file of them after awhile. They have got the small pox in the army and we all
shall have to take a turn at it. I hope not if it goes as hard as the measles. I have been
vaccinated but it did not work. John is well and rugged and perfectly contented but he is
like every man in the army he don’t care how soon the war closes. I will write no more
at present. Give my love to all my friends some in particulars among whom are and
Care yourself first – Jo Wellman, Andrew, Sarah, and a good many others I cannot think
of & write, write. Emmet Cole
You will have to pay the postage for we cannot get a stamp here.
Come to think I guess I will write a little more. I will send you a sample of Secesh
wood & some of the cotton that grows on the land. There are hundreds of acres of cotton
& corn on the island all ready to harvest & no one to harvest it except soldiers & the
Niggers that were left. There are a great many homes left. They took their chance to
leave the Niggers say that – Massa go ebnady to de fort & come home at night but dat day
Massa come home on de run & say hurry Nigga de Yanks come day kill you come quick,
but they say des tink Massa lie and so des got de little house between them and de big
home & den heeler for de woods. (we can hear heavy cannonading in the direction of
Savannah today)
I should like to know if that Brick school house is finished yet & if it was should
like to give a lesson or two in it I could as well as not. You must not look this letter as a
specimen of teaching for you know I can do better if I try. Ask Oda if she knows where I
am now & tell Elmore & Marty I will come back & see them by & by. Direct to Emmet
Cole, Co. F, 8th Regt. Mich. in Hilton Head, S.C. Via N.Y,.
I have not had a letter from home since I enlisted. Direct your letters very plain.
