American Historical Ephemera and Photography

[CIVIL WAR]. Letter written by Capt. Sampson J. Whiteman, 1st United States Colored Cavalry, describing the disastrous Battle of the Crater. 3 August 1864.

6 1/2 pages (including cross-writing), 7 3/4 x 9 3/4 in., extremely brittle with manifold losses and separations, some "repaired" with tape, nearly fully separated in many places. Accompanied by postally used envelope addressed to Miss A. J. Noland of Marion, Grant County, Indiana.

In this incredible letter including both war and very personal content, Captain Whiteman opens by poking fun at his cousin's recent or impending marriage, and then moves to his own experiences at war. He writes:

"Since my last we have had some stirring times [loss] small skirmishes and one sharp battle of which you have ere this been informed of the Blowing up of the Rebbel [sic] works and capturing the works and playing smush generally. Now I will give you a little of my experience on that day as I was in the Battle [fiel]d almost all day."

He goes into a description of events on 30 July, the day of what would be called the Battle of the Crater:

"The days work commenced very favorably to us by the blowing up of the Reb fort and the Charge of the negroe Brigade with was done in good style and had they been supported properly it would have ended well for us. But as it was the support did not come until the darks were routed and in full retreat and a great support it was for it turned and ran too and soon all was a muss[loss] confusion and [loss] the Johnny as usual took advantage of it and poured in a mass munitions fire that just slaughtered our troops in this operation the rebs regained almost all the ground they had lost in the first onset. The fighting was kept up almost all day..."

Whiteman then describes the carnage: "...you could plainly see our wounded and dead lying almost in heaps but cold do nothing for them. it is dreadful to think of the suffering of the porr [sic] fellows as they lay in the Broiling Sun the dead bodies all around they laid thare [sic] until the most of them died..."

Reflecting on what he saw, Whiteman laments, "Oh what misery has the war caued when wil [sic] the bitter end come. I do verily believe that bouth [sic] north and south wil be desolated before the end is attained."

Though the latter part of his letter deals with Whiteman's hopes to find a wife and the sentiment that he has put in his time in the war, he is sure of the cause of the war and believes that every northerner capable should do his part to serve. He writes, "I hope something wil be done that the north may realize the true situation of things...every man in the north able to bear arms should become a soldier at once...they should be organized and ready to go at a moments notice and determined to fite [sic] the invading foe."

Sampson J. Louis Whiteman (d. 1921) enlisted as a private on 18 September 1861, mustering into Company L of the 3rd New York Cavalry that same day. He was promoted up the non-commissioned ranks in that regiment many times through January of 1863, and achieved the rank of captain that December, being discharged for promotion and commissioned into Company K of the 1st Cavalry, United States Colored Troops. He was finally discharged in January of 1866.