Amazing 5 page letter from Arthur Sidney (“Sid”) Nesmith (1833-1877) of Franklin, New Hampshire. Arthur enlisted as a private in Company G, 1st New Hampshire Regiment on 31 May 1861 and mustered out on 9 Aug 1861 at Concord, Merrimack, New Hampshire. Arthur was then Commissioned an officer in Co. S, 3rd New Hampshire Regiment on 26 Aug 1861. and mustered out on 15 Nov 1862. He was promoted to Full Captain on 22 Jul 1863 and Commissioned an officer in the United States Volunteers Quartermaster’s Department Infantry Regiment on 22 Jul 1863. Arthur finally mustered out on 6 Jul 1865. -----
Sid Nesmith was known to have served on Submarine #12 and #13 as they salvaged and removed wrecks from the western waters in 1866 and 1867. These submarines were actually surface vessels from which someone in a diving bell could drop to the river floor in a diving bell. ---- NICE LETTER & ENVELOPE, FROM CAPTAIN ARTHUR SIDNEY NESMITH, SIGNED YOUR BRO SID, SENT TO SISTER MRS MISS ANNIE NESMITH IN FRANKLIN NH (SEE HIS BELOW), POSTMARKED YAZOO CITY MISS, LETTER HEAD LINED "STR SUBMARINE No 12 NEAR YAZOO CITY NOV 20," DATED 1866 ON BACK IN PENCIL, LETTER MENTIONS MET OLD CAPT WYLEY WHO WAS OUR PILOT UP THE RIVER LAST SPRING, HE WAS GOING TO VICKSBURG, I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD LOOK IN THIS OFFICE AT V- (VICKSBURG) & SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING FOR US ....,WENT TO THE BOAT & ENQUIRED OF THE CLERK & SAID HE REMEMBERED THERE BEING A LETTER FOR ME BUT COULD NOT FIND IT & SAID IT MUST HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE POST OFFICE AT YAZOO CITY ...,MADE SOME ACQUAINTANCES IN YAZOO CITY, NEWTON CAME BACK YESTERDAY, HE WAS ABSENT FOR A WEEK, HE IS GOOD CO BUT IS AWFUL RADICAL SAYS THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE NO BUSINESS TO INHABIT THIS ? ANY MORE THAN THE INDIANS IN THE WEST, WE ARE ABOUT FINISHING THE WRECK OF THE US GUNBOAT PETROL ONE OF COM DD PORTER'S FLEET SHE WAS SENT UP TO RECOVER .. AND WAS FIRED ON 3 MILES ABOVE YAZOO CITY ....... THEN FIRED HER HULL IS MUCH BROKEN AND NOT WORTH RAISING, BOILER AND MACHINERY IS NOW SAVED, WE SHALL LOOK FOR A NEW BOAT THAT THE CO IS NOW COMPLETING AT ST LOUIS IN ABOUT 2 WEEKS, CAPT NELSON WILL HAVE CHARGE OF HER, EVERYTHING IS DOWN ON BOARD THIS BOAT TO MAKE ME COMFORTABLE ......., THERE ARE ONE TWO OR THREE IRISHMEN ON BOARD & WHERE THEY ARE THERE IS MORE OR LESS FINE, COTTON IS DROPPING DOWN, MERCHANTS LOSING MONEY, MASTER WAS WRECKED ABOVE HERE 2 WEEKS AGO & CAPT O HAS TAKEN THE CONTRACT TO RAISE HERE WHEN HE GOES UP THERE, CORN, ADDRESS ME TO THE BOAT, ETC.
SEE PHOTOS !!! NO RESERVE, SHIPPING AND HANDLING IS $4.00 IN USA, OR $15.00 FOREIGN. I COMBINE SHIPPING COSTS ON MULTIPLE ITEM TO SAVE YOU MONEY. CHECK MY VERY HIGH FEEDBACK !!!!! -- Capt Arthur Sidney Nesmith -
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