Autograph letter signed by James A. Gifford (1843-1903), to his parents. U.S. Bark Release, 13 December 1863. 2 pages, folio, 7 3/4 x 12 1/2 in. With original envelope, New Bedford stamp to verso, postage stamp removed.

An interesting letter written by a sailor revealing much about Civil War naval crews. From 1863, James A. Gifford served aboard the USS Release, a bark-rigged sailing vessel which was stationed at an ordnance storeship at Beaufort, North Carolina for ships blockading the southern coast. A collection of 38 letters by Gifford is held at the Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The collection summary notes that he "was apparently working as an assistant to the ship's doctor, who was according to Gifford, a very unpopular character among the ship's crew." In this letter, the sentiment is reaffirmed: "I am now chief cook and bottle washer since the doctor has one. I say it is good riddance to bad rubbish and the longer he stays away, the better I will like it."

Of particular note, Gifford includes a retelling of a raucous night which got out-of-hand. His narrative reveals much about the diverse but often times contentious racial makeup of the crew: "Night before last we had quite an exciting time on board of the vessel. Some of the crew got drunk and made some disturbance. We had a regular n----r riot. My darkey got rapped over the head once or twice with a belaying pin and he came on deck yelling. Another n----r got kicked about some and his clothes hove overboard. They (our officers) proceeded to put some of the men in irons which some resisted in having on and they had quite a scrape with them for a few minutes. The officers armed themselves with revolvers and drove the men into the forecastle by pointing the pistols at the mens heads which they put the irons on. We have had three men in double irons ever since and feed them on bread and water. The most laughable part of it was that the doctor was pretty scared and bucked on his sword to defend himself with."

Condition: some toning along old folds. Postage stamp removed from envelope.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate, Navy, Naval History, Blockade, Manuscripts, Letters, Documents, Ephemera]