Siege of Charleston letter, 10th CT, Benjamin Wright | Aug 1863

Description

Siege of Charleston letter, 10th CT, Benjamin Wright | Aug 1863
An important historical letter. Subjects of interest in the letter will help support in these areas:
South Carolina in 1863 | 10th CT Vols | Siege of Charleston in 1863 | Firing on Sumter | Charleston fortifications | Heavy artillery | Fort Wagner
The Harper's Weekly image is for illustrative purposes only.
[17 August 1863]
"on the morning of the 17th August 1863 the siege of Charleston commenced. Our batteries opened at daylight. Apparently the Reb’s all the later part of the night had made up their minds something was up. Forts Johnson & Gregg fired as though they were mad. Our siege opened in fine shape fairly making things howl around [Forts] Wagner & Gregg and occasionally giving [Fort] Sumter rather a hard knock. About 8 o’clock the gun boats moved up and opened fire [ed.
the monitors Passaic and Patapsco].
Their fire was mostly directed to Wagner which did everlastingly take it. She and Gregg fired whenever they got a chance. Sumter did not reply at all until near noon when she fired a few shots at the gun boats. Most of their firing was from Johnson and vicinity and from some new batteries they opened on James Island. They did us but little damage however part of their guns would not reach across the marsh to the siege. If I were the Rebs before I unmasked any more batteries I would try my guns and see if they throw far enough to do us any damage. I think our loss through the day must have been very small. I have heard of casualties on the land. One had occurred on the monitor, Capt. Rogers killed by a bolt in the pilot house. Our on & two hundred pounders did well on Fort Sumter. At night we could see plainly the effect on the fort, the back part of the Fort begins to look pretty rugged. Today’s work has demonstrated the fact that Fort Sumter can be battered down and that it will be done if it takes a month to do it, but I have no idea that it will take anything like that time. I think that by Saturday night if the firing is kept up through the week the old thing will come down. Tonight we are to mount a 300 lb. Parrot which I think will give them some. The shots it fires are about 30 inches long. The Rebs will think we are throwing light artillery. It is the first one that has been cast its weight is 27,030 pretty heavy piece of metal. About noon the firing about ceased until about night when it was commenced again. A good part of the day I lay out by the bridge where I could see the whole performance. We are just where we wanted to be.
[18 August 1863]
18th: Very quiet through the night, the Rebs firing but very little. Did not get the 300 lbr. up last night, but mounted 3- 100 lbrs. One man killed this morning by a piece of shell from [Fort] Johnson. Not as much firing through the day as yesterday, most of the firing [is] heavy guns at [Fort] Sumter which looks ragged tonight- the battery in the marsh was finished last night for mounting the gun which will probably be mounted tonight. The Rebs have tried to shell the battery today from one of their James Island batteries, but they have done it no hurt- just about as all their shelling has been. Yesterday we cut the ______ to the flag on Sumter and let the old flag down twice. Today we did it again. Won't there be a cheer when it is hauled down and a white flag run up in its place. The prospect is fine for rain tonight which is good for our works although rather unpleasant for us who have to be out.”
I have been purchasing Benjamin T. Wright (10th CT) letters off the market for the past several years. This is my second one offered with the expectation that I will list several more related letters in the near future.
Lieutenant Benjamin T. Wright, was a resident of Greenwich, Conn., when he enlisted on September 13, 1861, as a sergeant, and was mustered into Co. I, 10th Connecticut Infantry. He was promoted to 2nd lieutenant, January 8, 1863; 1st lieutenant, June 6, 1864; and mustered out of the service on October 17, 1864.
The previous owner, from whom I acquired this letter provided this accurate description.
"
This letter is not signed, and is obviously incomplete as it has no typical place of origin written at the top of the first page. However, based on the opening line, the content, and the second date written, I can easily ascertain that it was written on August 17th and 18th, 1863, during the Union siege of Charleston, South Carolina and it has details of the second assault on Fort Wagner, and the action against Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor. I guarantee that it was written by Lieutenant Benjamin Wright in his very distinctive handwriting style. It came out of a large group of his war date personal correspondence that I bought many years ago."
I agree with the previous owner.  It is quite easy to discern Wright's personal handwriting and this one is unmistakable. The content itself is conclusive that it was written by Benjamin Wright.
4 pages, 5 x 8, in pencil, written by Lieutenant Benjamin Wright, to his wife.
Excellent 1863 Siege of Charleston, South Carolina campaign content.
Bid with Confidence from a seller/collector with over 20 years experience.