Item No. 4182285

In this October 1864 letter Colonel Alfred P. Rockwell of the 6th Connecticut Infantry writes to his uncle at home about personal business transactions as well as the Battle of Darbytown and New Market Roads. Born into a wealthy Connecticut family, Rockwell was studying coal geology in Europe at the outbreak of the Civil War. Quickly returning home he was commissioned captain of the 1st Connecticut Light Battery, which spent 1862 and 1863 engaged in the campaigns in coastal South Carolina. The battery was transferred to the Virginia front with the 10th Corps in early 1864 and in June Rockwell was appointed colonel of the 6th Connecticut Infantry.

By October Rockwell and his regiment were manning the trenches between Richmond and Petersburg, where on September 29 Union forces had captured an important point along the Confederate line called Fort Harrison. General Robert E. Lee launched a counter-attack to retake the works on September 30, but it was repulsed with heavy casualties. On October 7 Lee would try again, but instead of assaulting the work directly he would launch a flanking movement against the federal right flank along the Charles City Road and Darbytown Road. Rockwell writes:

We had another fight yesterday and I have cause again to be thankful that I am safe & sound. I had 2 killed, 8 wounded, and 3 missing. The enemy came down in force (2 Divisions—Hoke’s & Field’s of Longstreet’s Corps) upon our right, drove in Kautz’s Cavalry in utter confusion, and pushed on rapidly, expecting an easy victory.

Indeed the initial attacks made against Union General August Kautz’s cavalry were successful, but the 10th Corps division of General Alfred Terry refused the flank and waiting for the Confederate attack to come:

Genl. Terry threw our Division quickly out upon the right of the entrenchments into the woods, and when the enemy came on we poured into them such a fire that they were forced to fall back. They suffered severe loss and we less, but still considerable. Our lines advanced subsequently and the enemy fell back rapidly without further fighting, apparently satisfied that we were too strong for him. A Rebel Colonel & Major were killed & reports says a Genl, but that is doubtful. We had no officer above a Captain killed or wounded. It was a decided repulse of the enemy, but they captured some guns, &c., from the Cavalry, which I think behaved badly.

It most certainly was a “decided repulse,” as the Confederate infantry divisions failed to coordinate their attacks and were forced to withdraw and construct a new longer line of defense just a few hundred yards closer to Richmond. The rumor of a Confederate general being killed was true—General John Gregg of the Texas Brigade was shot through the neck and killed along the Charles City Road.

Near the close of the letter Rockwell inquires, “What did Col. Ely resign for?” Here he likely refers to Colonel William G. Ely of the 18th Connecticut, in whose regiment Rockwell’s brother Joseph served as a lieutenant.

Rockwell closes the letter with a request of his uncle, writing “I want the photographs as Capt. struck off for my old Battery, say 9 dozen.” These would have been CDV images to be shared with his old comrades in the artillery.

Earlier in the letter Rockwell discusses business opportunities in the coal market, but concludes to “hold on till after election and the end of this campaign and not invest largely and run any great risks.”

The letter was written on three pages of a 5” x 8” letter sheet. Briefly docketed on the fourth page. Light toning. Creased at the original mailing folds. The full transcript follows:

North of James River

Oct 8th 1864

Dear John,
Just received your letter of the 3d inst. and send off a line by the orderly waiting. I am too much occupied at the moment to give much thought to coal, but am glad to hear often and regularly & fully on the subject from you. If the valuation is too high, as I really think it is, particularly when gold is tumbling down at the rate it did a short time since, then it is best to reduce it and start the concern with less capital, but with enough to carry it through. My own feeling is rather to hold on till after election and the end of this campaign and not invest largely and run any great risks. As to the price to be paid, Uncle, I am not prepared at the moment to give an opinion. $30,000 seems a high figure and more than I am inclined to sink in land, when we have so little cash to maneuver with.

We had another fight yesterday and I have cause again to be thankful that I am safe & sound. I had 2 killed, 8 wounded, and 3 missing. The enemy came down in force (2 Divisions—Hoke’s & Field’s of Longstreet’s Corps) upon our right, drove in Kautz’s Cavalry in utter confusion, and pushed on rapidly, expecting an easy victory. But Genl. Terry threw our Division quickly out upon the right of the entrenchments into the woods, and when the enemy came on we poured into them such a fire that they were forced to fall back. They suffered severe loss and we less, but still considerable. Our lines advanced subsequently and the enemy fell back rapidly without further fighting, apparently satisfied that we were too strong for him. A Rebel Colonel & Major were killed & reports says a Genl, but that is doubtful. We had no officer above a Captain killed or wounded. It was a decided repulse of the enemy, but they captured some guns, &c., from the Cavalry, which I think behaved badly.

We at night fall returned to our lines where we are this morning as I now write—a perfect Autumnal day, clear & cool.

What did Col. Ely resign for?

Yes, I want the photographs as Capt. struck off, for my old Battery, say 9 dozen. Love to mother.
In haste
Your affect.
Alfred P. Rockwell