Letter from Robert D. Minor,

March 18, 1862.

This letter, of six pages, dated March 18, 1862, was sent by Robert D. Minor to Julia Blanche (Munroe) Kell. It is part of the John McIntosh Kell collection of letters, held by the Rare Book, Manuscript and Special Collections Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, and is used with their kind permission.

Minor has included some excellent action content, relating to the engagement at Hampton Roads on March 8, 1862, and even includes the names of several officers, including those who were aboard the CSS Virginia at the time. Some of the officers mentioned have been identified by surname only, and these are shown with their full names in brackets, for ease of identification

Minor and Kell had been firm friends from their early years, and their friendship continued for many years, after the war. The letter was used in Kell's autobiography.

Naval Hospital,

Norfolk, Virginia, March 18, 1862.

My dear friend,

The Yankees have laid me up for a while with a ball through my side - but with the blessing of God, and the aid of a strong constitution, I hope to up and at work again before very long.

The papers have no doubt told you all about our terrible conflict and subsequent victory and I can add but little to that you already know - save to tell you that we went into battle to do our best, trusting to Almighty God to guard and protect us - and most signally has his merciful providence been extended over us, for which in my heart I try to be thankful - but I fear that I am not sufficiently so - nor can I ever be for sparing me to meet again those so inestimably dear to me. Kell's old friend Captain Franklin Buchanan of the Susquehanna of East India celebrity was our Flag Officer and most bravely, most nobly did he take us into action right up to the enemy and exposing himself entirely too much for his own safety and the ultimate good of our country. He did me the honor to appoint me Flag Lieut. of his squadron consisting of all the vessels in the waters of Virginia; and as you would no doubt like to know who the other officers were, I annex a list of them, among whom you will find some of your acquaintances -

Franklin Buchanan - Flag Officer.

Catesby Ap. R. Jones - 1st Lieut.

Charles C. Simms - 2nd Lieut.

Robert D. Minor - Flag Lieut.

Hunter Davidson - 3rd Lieut.

John R. Eggleston - 5th Lieut.

John Taylor Wood - 4th Lieut.

Walter R. Butt - 6th Lieut.

James Semple - Paymaster.

D.B. Phillips - Surgeon.

Algernon S. Garnett - Asst. Surgeon.

[William] Par[r]ish - Sailing [Acting] Master.

Reuben Thom - Capt. of Marines.

[Henry Ashton] Ramsay - [Acting] Chief Engineer.

[Hardin Beverly] Littlepage - Midshipman.

[Robert Chester] Foute - Midshipman.

[Henry H.] Marmaduke - Midshipman.

L.M. Rootes - Midshipman.

[James Crosby] Long - Midshipman.

[William J.] Craig - Midshipman.

Arthur Sinclair, jr. - Commodore's Clerk.

D.A. Forrest - Commander's Secretary

and several engineers among whom I found one, originally from the vicinity of Macon, a young Mr. [Elsberry Valentine] White, who told me that he knew your father very well. He did his duty well and stood fire like a true Georgian.

The crash into the Cumberland was terrific in its results, for in 30 minutes after the action commenced the ship was at the bottom with I fear, hundreds carried down in her. [William] Radford was her Capt. but was absent [Radford happened to be attending a naval court of enquiry aboard the USS Roanoke at the time of the engagement, and attempted, unsuccessfully, to return to his vessel, on hearing of the attack] - Geo. Morris & Stribling [actually, Lieutenant Thomas O. Selfridge] are said to be her Lieuts - and have probably perished. Our 'cleaver' fairly opened her side and down she went - though fighting as long as she could. Her masts, inclined at an angle of forty five degrees now mark the remains of this once gallant ship, and she will never burn another Navy Yard on southern soil. The Congress engaged us for awhile but soon knocked under and Billy Parker, commanding the C.S. Gunboat Beaufort was sent with orders to let "her crew go ashore - her officers to be brought on board, and to burn the frigate," then hard aground near the Point - while endeavouring to execute these directions of the Flag Officer the enemy opened on him from the shore so hotly that he was forced to retire, but the Commodore, nor myself not knowing this and seeing that the Congress was not in flames, the old gentleman became very anxious to destroy her, which he could not do while she had the white flag flying and though he had once declined my volunteered offer to burn her he accepted it when I made a second offer and for this purpose I took some eight or ten men in our only remaining boat and pulled towards her while the fight was going on between the James River Squadron & the Minnesota. The Flag Officer ordered Lieutenant [William A.] Webb in the Teazer to protect me in my little boat for as I drew near the Congress the soldiers on shore opened on me with artillery and musketry and very soon two of my men and myself were knocked down but I was only down for a second or two and steering my crippled boat for the Teazer. Webb took us to the Virginia where it had already been reported that they were firing upon me, and the Flag Officer seeing it - deliberately backed our dear old craft up close astern of the Congress and poured gun after gun, hot shot and incendiary shells into her, when the smoke began to arise from her, and her fierce flames exploding her magazines a little after midnight, with a shock so terrible that it shook the windows of houses miles away from the Point.

The Flag Officer was severely wounded while this cannonading was going on being struck in the left thigh by a minnie or musket ball, which so disabled him that he was taken below, and Catesby Jones, our brave and determined 1st Lieutenant fought the action out which on Saturday resulted in the sinking of the Cumberland, the burning of the Congress - the serious injury of the Minnesota, the defeat of the St. Lawrence - the retreat of the Roanoke (all first class heavy ships) and the destruction of a tug, and some schooners - a good day's work for the Virginia, ably assisted as she was by the Patrick Henry, commander [John Randolph] Tucker - Thomas Jefferson, Lieutenant commanding [Joseph Nicholson] Barney - Teazer, Lieutenant commanding [William A.] Webb - Beaufort, Lieutenant commanding [William Harwar] Parker and Raleigh, Lieutenant commanding [Joseph W.] Alexander.

Saturday night the battle ceased, the wounded among the crew being sent to this place, while the Flag Officer and I remained on board until Sunday morning - the action recommencing soon after we left - between the Virginia & and Minnesota, hard aground in such shoal water that our ship could not approach her closely - and the Monitor (your old acquaintance, John L. Worden, commanding) coming to her assistance, a hard fight took place between these two iron clad batteries which resulted in nothing but some little damage on both sides - and so the Monitor clearing out toward Old Point - our Squadron came up to Norfolk, and as soon as the Virginia is ready (by Saturday I hope) she will drive ahead at them again. Thus ended our first big naval fight and I thank our Merciful Father for giving us the victory over our enemies. Our total loss among all the ships was 9 killed (among whom were Lieutenant James Tayloe of Virginia and Midshipman [William C.] Hutter, also of Virginia) and about 15 or 18 wounded - one of whom has since died. The Flag Officer is here, and is doing quite well, though his wound is quite a severe one. The ball struck me in the side, glanced around and came out near the heart, and though not a serious, is a severe wound, one which the doctors say will keep me off duty for about two months. Dony [Minor's wife, Landonia Randolph] heard of it on Sunday and came at once to see me on Monday and has been with me ever since. God bless the women - what would the world be without them. Our children are in Richmond with my mother where we hope soon to rejoin them. And now I am done with self, except to ask you to pardon so ill looking a scrawl as I write in bed, and by "fits and starts" when I can get a chance to do so. An officer - Julian Myers - brother of Purser [Henry] Myers of the Sumter - told Parker and myself a few weeks since that the Sumter had destroyed 109 vessels - and Lieutenant [David Porter] McCorkle told me that she had $1,400,000 - most of which he supposed had been sent to England - but I am inclined to think by what I have heard by later and direct news from England that this latter item is a mistake for Captain [Robert B.] Pegram of the Nashville sent Captain Semmes some money at his (Capt. Semmes') request to Gibraltar! The Yankee vessels taken by the Sumter generally have not had much money on board and hence Semmes' request for funds. I do not believe the report that Semmes was arrested at Tangiers [in fact, it was Paymaster Henry Myers who was taken into custody, and handed over to United States officials] - but even if 'tis true, the Govt. would have in Kell, his successor, as brave and gallant a Captain for the far famed Sumter as ever trod a deck or struck a blow for his country's career. I hope most earnestly, my dear friend, that you had letters from him by the Nashville or the Economist, lately arrived at Charleston with Charles Fauntleroy, C.S. Navy on board. Dony and I think often and often (sic) of you both and deep would be our joy to see you united once more in safety, which I pray to God may soon be granted you. I pray for you my dear friend, for him and the children, and when this war is at an end - oh, how glad we will be to see you in Virginia, though now our beautiful country is given up and "Linden" - "Eastern View" and the "Grove" are between our lines and the enemy - and we know not what will be the result, though I think the President was right in withdrawing our army from Manassas.

How are the boys? and how is dear little "Banny" - kiss them all for me, and give Banny the violets enclosed with my best love - for the dear "little Sing" - Dony sends her best love - and with my regards to your Father & sisters - I am ever affectionately your friend,

[Signed:] R.D. Minor.

[The following additional notations were inscribed on two of the pages of the letters:]

Write to me at Richmond and tell me all you know of Kell - about his mother and sisters and about the children!

I have scrawled this in bed - so excuse it please. Write me a long letter on the "Natural History" of Ga.

Dr. [Charles F.] Fahs is on our side and on duty in Richmond.

Copied for "Life and Letters."

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January, 2002.