Civil War Union Letters
Civil War Letter to General Phelps On A Drunken Officer
August 8, 1862, Union Soldier's Letter, Written at New Orleans, Louisiana, Regarding the consequences of a Drunken Officer in the unit, Choice Very Fine.
This great content, 4 page, anonymous letter is addressed to General John W. Phelps, being a complaint about an Officer's drunken behavior and the trouble it is causing. This letter reads, as follows (punctuation added):
New Orleans, La. - August 8th 1862 - Gen. Phelps - Sir - The lines I address this morning will naturally obviously cause to arise in your mind, the question why the information and complaint therein contained was not brought to you verbally and in person instead of in this manner. The reasons are simply these - I dislike to feel myself duty bound to enter any complaint against anyone and do this out of no prejudice or retaliation. For the Officer involved in the case has ever been kind to me as have all the rest, but the general good requires an investigation, I certainly think. I thought being a private you would perhaps not put much weight upon what I might say to you, and besides I thought I would wait and see if some commissioned Officer would not take the matter at hand.
Now the information and complaint (which you perhaps have before now learned) is that Capt. P.E. Holcomb of 2nd [Regiment] H Battery, immediately after his return from the late expedition he was in, about Lake Pontchartrain, a week ago commenced indulging in the use of intoxicating beverages to such excess that he became entirely unfit to attend to the duties resting upon him, and disgracing his command and the Noble Green Mountain State of which you and I are equally proud. One day he was so bad off that he was brought from some part of Camp to his quarters and again he could not possibly write his name. I am Clerk of the Battery and know this and also his general conduct during the time of his intoxication. He threatened whipping the men etc etc and took one in confinement (a turbulent character to be sure, but who had been that day perfectly quiet) by the hair of his head, drew back to strike him, but did not, threatened repeatedly to 'cut' his throat and that he would 'kill' him.
I might go further in details but it is unnecessary and I leave it to you. I would refer you in this case to the only Commissioned Officers then on the ground, Leuts. B.N. Dyer and John A. Luily(?), and it would be worth while for you to see the surgeon now having charge of the sick in the Batteries belonging to your command. He has known him for some years, just ask him about the case of Capt. Holcomb in California.
It will be easy enough for you to ascertain who writes these lines after you have seen either of the Leuts. alluded to. My heart is enlisted, and all I have or am in this just and terrific struggle for the Right. In very great haste - I remain very respectfully yours, - A Member of the 2nd H Battery."
In July General John W. Phelps began recruiting 3 regiments of Negro troops, but his superior, General Benjamin Butler, refused to arm them. Friction between the two let to Phelps' resignation on August 21st. The following day, Butler himself began enrolling Black in a special unit of Home Guards within the Louisiana Militia. Three days later, the War Department authorized the recruiting of Black troops.
John Wolcott Phelps (1813-1885), a native of Vermont, was a General in the Union Army during the Civil War, an ardent abolitionist and a Presidential candidate. During the 1830's and 1840's, he served in the Seminole Wars in Florida and the Mexican War. He resigned his commission in 1859, but on May 2, 1861, Phelps was appointed Colonel of the 1st Vermont Infantry and was mustered into U.S. service on May 8. He was promoted to Brigadier General on August 9, 1861. While in garrison at Camp Parapet, Louisiana, in 1862, he organized a unit of Negro troops, but was ordered by the government to dismantle the unit. As a result, he resigned his commission on August 21. When colored troops were eventually authorized, he was offered a major general's commission, but declined. He returned to Vermont and did not participate in the remainder of the war. In 1880 he ran as the American Party candidate for President.
Civil War Letter to General Phelps On A Drunken Officer
August 8, 1862, Union Soldier's Letter, Written at New Orleans, Louisiana, Regarding the consequences of a Drunken Officer in the unit, Choice Very Fine.
This great content, 4 page, anonymous letter is addressed to General John W. Phelps, being a complaint about an Officer's drunken behavior and the trouble it is causing. This letter reads, as follows (punctuation added):
New Orleans, La. - August 8th 1862 - Gen. Phelps - Sir - The lines I address this morning will naturally obviously cause to arise in your mind, the question why the information and complaint therein contained was not brought to you verbally and in person instead of in this manner. The reasons are simply these - I dislike to feel myself duty bound to enter any complaint against anyone and do this out of no prejudice or retaliation. For the Officer involved in the case has ever been kind to me as have all the rest, but the general good requires an investigation, I certainly think. I thought being a private you would perhaps not put much weight upon what I might say to you, and besides I thought I would wait and see if some commissioned Officer would not take the matter at hand.
Now the information and complaint (which you perhaps have before now learned) is that Capt. P.E. Holcomb of 2nd [Regiment] H Battery, immediately after his return from the late expedition he was in, about Lake Pontchartrain, a week ago commenced indulging in the use of intoxicating beverages to such excess that he became entirely unfit to attend to the duties resting upon him, and disgracing his command and the Noble Green Mountain State of which you and I are equally proud. One day he was so bad off that he was brought from some part of Camp to his quarters and again he could not possibly write his name. I am Clerk of the Battery and know this and also his general conduct during the time of his intoxication. He threatened whipping the men etc etc and took one in confinement (a turbulent character to be sure, but who had been that day perfectly quiet) by the hair of his head, drew back to strike him, but did not, threatened repeatedly to 'cut' his throat and that he would 'kill' him.
I might go further in details but it is unnecessary and I leave it to you. I would refer you in this case to the only Commissioned Officers then on the ground, Leuts. B.N. Dyer and John A. Luily(?), and it would be worth while for you to see the surgeon now having charge of the sick in the Batteries belonging to your command. He has known him for some years, just ask him about the case of Capt. Holcomb in California.
It will be easy enough for you to ascertain who writes these lines after you have seen either of the Leuts. alluded to. My heart is enlisted, and all I have or am in this just and terrific struggle for the Right. In very great haste - I remain very respectfully yours, - A Member of the 2nd H Battery."
In July General John W. Phelps began recruiting 3 regiments of Negro troops, but his superior, General Benjamin Butler, refused to arm them. Friction between the two let to Phelps' resignation on August 21st. The following day, Butler himself began enrolling Black in a special unit of Home Guards within the Louisiana Militia. Three days later, the War Department authorized the recruiting of Black troops.
John Wolcott Phelps (1813-1885), a native of Vermont, was a General in the Union Army during the Civil War, an ardent abolitionist and a Presidential candidate. During the 1830's and 1840's, he served in the Seminole Wars in Florida and the Mexican War. He resigned his commission in 1859, but on May 2, 1861, Phelps was appointed Colonel of the 1st Vermont Infantry and was mustered into U.S. service on May 8. He was promoted to Brigadier General on August 9, 1861. While in garrison at Camp Parapet, Louisiana, in 1862, he organized a unit of Negro troops, but was ordered by the government to dismantle the unit. As a result, he resigned his commission on August 21. When colored troops were eventually authorized, he was offered a major general's commission, but declined. He returned to Vermont and did not participate in the remainder of the war. In 1880 he ran as the American Party candidate for President.
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Autographs-Coins-Currency-Americana
9:00 AM PT - Feb 16th, 2008
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Early American
P.O. Box 3507
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
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