Unfortunately the man who penned this brief letter did not sign his name and the companion envelope that might have aided in his identity has long been separated or lost, but it’s pretty clear that the author was a member of the Coast Division which was an amphibious division created by Major General George B. McClellan after the debacle of Bull Run. “In laying his plan before Secretary of War Cameron, McClellan suggested that the Coast Division consist of two brigades, each made up of five regiments of ‘New England men, for the general service, but particularly adapted to coast service, the officers and men to be sufficiently conversant with boat service to manage steamers, sailing vessels, launches, barges, surf-boats, floating batteries, etc.'” [Source: “The 53rd New York: A Zoo-Zoo Tale” by Gerald E. Wheeler and A. Stuart Pitt]

This letter was datelined on 1 February 1862, before the Coast Division had even approached Roanoke Island, let alone attempted to take New Bern, North Carolina. Whether the author was a soldier or a crew member of the supply ship Marcia Greenleaf (pictured) is unclear. There is some evidence that the 24th Massachusetts had men on the ship at some point during the expedition but I can’t place them on the ship at the time this letter was written.

Transcription

Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina
February 1st 1862

Dear Friends,

You must excuse me for not writing you ‘ere this. The fact is there has not been any chance to send a letter till today. Probably ‘ere you get this, we shall have had a brush with the enemy as we sail up the sound to Newburg [New Bern] to which is quite a city. It is supposed that there is 15 thousand rebels here if there is more. I think we shall be good for them. It is said they are armed with all kind of weapons—even with pitchforks. Perhaps they will find a hard lot of hay to pitch. At least I think it will not be another Bulls Run.

There is no news to write nor will there be until we have a fight. But they are hollering for the letters so I must close in order to send it by this mail. Write soon. Direct [to] Coast Division, Store Ship Marcia Greenleaf