FULL 1863 Civil War Letter UNION SOLDIER - NEW ORLEANS - SHIP Essex - Vicksburg

Description

ORIGINAL - FULL THREE PAGE 1863 Civil War Letter UNION SOLDIER - NEW ORLEANS - SHIP Essex - Vicksburg.
This a SPLENDID three page letter that I currently have protected in easily removed acid free sleeving. (So photos may show some reflection from the sleeves).
Written by Union Army Private Erastus H. Kingsbury of the 47 th Massachusetts Infantry. He is writing a friend of his ...US ARMY MAJOR HENRY BROOKS (30th Massachusetts). Letter dated March 5, 1863. He is writing from New Orleans - ***at this time this was a heavily Pro Confederate city that was now officially occupied by the United States Union armed forces. At the time he wrote this letter - Private Kingsbury was a Union Army Guard posted at New Orleans St. James Hospital.
The printed header on the first page says
REFINED COTTON SEED OIL AND OIL CAKE MANUFACTURER - OFFICE CORNER NEW LEVEE AND NOTRE DAME STS. - NEW ORLEANS....Above that header is a handwritten note that says...
" This paper was confiscated..."
Lots of detail in the letter. Long ago I did a large xerox copy of the letter that makes it alot easier to read without always handling the original letter. I also will send to winner a typed out transcription I did of whole letter .
If this letter was ever confiscated by censors he would have been in SO MUCH TROUBLE. I'll  just cover some highlights. He describes a few specific soldiers as to updates on their health etc...he mentions a few costs of specific foods or meals (etc) in New Orleans - vs what costs were back home in Concord, Massachusetts. Those sort of things obviously safe for him to discuss. Like one of the soldiers he mentions was a George P. How (47th Massachusetts Infantry)....He also mentions four soldiers of the 26th Massachusetts Infantry by name of WHEELER (Being Addison B. - Everett - Lincoln E. - Mason). Addison and Everett were of Acton and the last two lived in Concord. I found out all four WHEELERs were privates and all four survived the War.
Various costs and wages discussed briefly.  He says the US NAVY men from the ship USS ESSEX are really rough and rowdy guys - who hed love to see get in fights with the locals... Talks of the strong rebel " Sesech" (secessionist) attitude that is thick among New Orleans population, causing much tension with the US GOVERNMENT occupation forces...
Ok now into details that would not have thrilled the US ARMY CENSORS....
He says that Us General Banks is not well liked here - and is not as good as General Butler was.
He talks of an occasion getting drunk and almost falling into the deep ditches - references " seeing the (pink) elephant " and ..." killed the pig" regarding his drunk stupor. (Conduct perhaps not so becoming of a Us army soldier/ guard.)
He mentions walking to see the Union Navy ironclad battleship USS ESSEX - a ship commanded by William " Dirty Bill" Porter. Kingsbury talks of it being a really ugly ship.
Kingsbury ALSO mentions a friend (by name) who is a guard at the local US ARMY sugar supply - and who encouraged the letter writer (Kingsbury) to come under cover of nightfall - and he can give him some of the sugar ! And then Kingsbury says in his letter that he thinks he'll  take his friend up on the offer...
This three page letter is stunning in content!!! Yes it indeed has several folds and a couple small to mid sized tears....but content is great and touches on so many different things....Size UNFOLDED of letter is apx 10 x 15 /2 inches.
****PLEASE SEE MY THREE OTHER RELATED CIVIL WAR AUCTIONS THAT ALL END THIS SUNDAY.
They are getting listed in thirty minute gaps between each other - so if you are among first to see this listing - it is possible that other listings may still be several minutes from being listed...😀
When I first got this letter decsdes ago - I had begun collecting a few things I thought Id one day frame with this letter to create a great presentation....they are all original cdvs
1. They include ORIGINAL 1861-1865 cdv  photographs of GENs. Banks and Butler (being sold as one auction lot).
2. Another cdv photo auction will consist of ship commander WILLIAM PORTER of the Uss Essex.
3. The third other auction is an EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL July 1862 CDV PHOTO OF THE USS ESSEX battleship coaling up at Baton Rouge, Louisiana ....thanks for looking!
Due to my work and helping care for elderly parents - I ONLY GET TO POST OFFICE EVERY 6-10 BUSINESS DAYS. **Customers within USA - I will ship this free to you by priority mail at my cost.