Here’s an Autograph Letter Signed by Civil War “Swamp Angel” US Army Cannon Engineer

CHARLES BALDWIN PARSONS

(1835 – 1916)

CIVIL WAR BVT MAJOR and CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE 1st NEW YORK ENGINEERS "SERRELL'S ENGINEERS,"

DESIGNED and PLACED THE FAMOUS “SWAMP ANGEL” IN CHARLESTON HARBOR, SOUTH CAROLINA – A UNION 200-POUNDER CANNON USED ON AUG. 22-23, 1863 AT MORRIS ISLAND TO SHELL NEARBY CHARLESTON DURING THE SIEGE,

5-TERM COMMANDER OF THE ARROWSMITH GAR POST AT RED BANK, NEW JERSEY

~&~

POST-WAR SHIP CAPTAIN and SHIP INSURANCE BROKER.

Parsons served on the staff of Major-General Terry as Inspector, on the staff of Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler as Engineer, and as Chief Engineer of the Twenty-fifth Army Corps on the staff of Maj. Gen. Weitzel, participating in the battles around Charleston, South Carolina and Petersburg, Virginia.

In all, Major Parsons fought in the Civil War battles of Port Royal Ferry, 
with Commander Tatnall's flotilla, Battery Vulcan, SC, Fort Pulaski, Ga. 
(its flag being the first to float over that fortress), James Island, Secessionville, 
Coosawhatchie River, Caston's and Frampton's plantations, Morris Island, 
siege of Fort Wagner, bombardment of Fort Sumter, Seabrook, John's island, Olustee, 
Florida, Morris island, and the final assault on Petersburg on April 2, 1865.

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HERE’S AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY PARSONS ON A 1 CENT US POSTAL CARD, DATED MARCH 8, 1901, INDICATING THAT HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE (CHURCH) TRUSTEE MEETING, and MENTIONING THE BILL FOR THE CHAIN FOR THE PARTITION DOORS WAS SENT BY MR. WILSON and ASKING THAT IT BE PASSED.  WRITTEN TO HIS DEAR FRIEND and LAWYER

JOHN STILLWELL APPLEGATE

(1837-1916)

CIVIL WAR MEMBER OF THE GOVERNOR'S LIGHT GUARD OF NEW JERSEY- AIDING IN RECRUITING NJ TROOPS AND IN THE VIGOROUS PROSECUTION OF THE WAR.

NEW JERSEY REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR FROM MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ,

CIVIL WAR BIOGRAPHICAL AUTHOR OF HIS CLOSE FRIEND COLONEL GEORGE ARROWSMITH, KIA AT THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG,

ELECTED 1st PRESIDENT (MAYOR) OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF RED BANK, NJ AFTER ITS INCORPORATION IN 1871

&

INFLUENTIAL RED BANK, NJ LAWYER, ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS RAILROAD PRESIDENT and FOUNDER & PRESIDENT OF THE 2nd NATIONAL BANK OF RED BANK!

NOTE: This letter came out of the John S. Applegate Red Bank, NJ Estate.  John Applegate was a prominent State Senator and notable 19th century lawyer who did much legal work in connection with the Railroads and telegraph Companies.  He worked with Civil War notables including General T. T. Eckert in railroad/telegraph company litigation.  He also wrote a rare book about his friend Colonel Arrowsmith who was killed in action at Gettysburg in 1893 Titled: “REMINISCENCES AND LETTERS OF GEORGE ARROWSMITH OF NEW JERSEY, LATE LIEUTENANT-COLONEL OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT, NEW YORK STATE VOLUNTEERS”


The document measures 5” x 3” and is in very fine condition.

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BIOGRAPHY OF C. B. PARSONS

Charles Baldwin Parsons, born Monmouth, N. J., July 3, 1835; 
married, Jan. 20, 1868, Elizabeth M. Bergen, born Oct. 3, 1848. 
Enlisted November, 1861, in First New York Engineers and served 
with distinction till close of the rebellion, July, 1865, on staff of 
Major-General Terry as Inspector, on that of General B. F. Butler as 
Engineer, and as Chief Engineer Twenty-fifth Army Corps, on staff
of Major-General Weitzel, participating in the battles about Charleston,
S. C, and Petersburg, Va. Retired with the rank of Captain and Brevet Major.

Parsons distinguished himself during the war by designing and placing the famous “Swamp Angel” in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina – a Union 200-pouder Parrott Gun used on Aug. 22-23, 1863 at Morris Island in Charleston Harbor to shell nearby Charleston, SC.

Before the war, Parsons was a member of the Middletown, NJ “Light Guards.”

Parsons children were: Walter B. Parsons, Colgate University, 1893; 
Jennie Parsons, born Nov. 2, 1874; died Dec. 2, 1874. 3. Lydia S., born May 7, 1838; 
married Sept. 26, 1866, Thomas B. Roberts, who served in the Cavalry, 1861 to 1864 
Has three children — Walter, Lucy and Raymond Parsons, the latter Colgate 
University, 1897. 
Sources: 
“Middletown Township,” Vol II, by Randall Gabrielan, 1995, pg. 87
Civil War Database

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History of the NEW YORK
FIRST ENGINEERS
(Three Years)

 

First Engineers.-Colonel, Edward W. Serrell, James F. Hall; Lieut.-

Cols., Edward W. Serrell, James F. Hall, James E. Place; Majs.,

James F. Hall, Richard Butts, Joseph Walker, James E. Place,

Alfred F. Sears, Frederick E. Greaf, Frederick H. Cruso.

 

This regiment, "Serrell's Engineers," recruited from the state at

large, rendezvoused at New York city and was there mustered into

the U. S. service from Oct. 11, 1861, to Feb 19, 1862, for three

years. 

 

The regiment left the state by detachments from Oct., 1861, to

Feb., 1862, proceeding to Port Royal, S. C., where it served in

the 10th corps, Department of the South, until 1864, and took

part in the following engagements:  Port Royal ferry, with Com.

Tatnall's flotilla, Battery Vulcan, S. C., Fort Pulaski, Ga. 

(its flag being the first to float over that fortress), James

island, Secessionville, Coosawhatchie river, Caston's and

Frampton's plantations, Morris island, siege of Fort Wagner,

bombardment of Fort Sumter, Seabrook, John's island, Olustee,

Fla., and Morris island.

 

Its heaviest casualties during this period were at Morris island,

where it lost 25 killed and wounded, and at the siege of Fort

Wagner where the loss was 21 killed and wounded.  From May, 1864,

Cos. B, D, E, F, H, K, L and M served with the Army of the James. 

In the operations against Petersburg and Richmond in May, 1864,

its services were particularly valuable at Bermuda Hundred, as

also during the siege of Petersburg, where the regiment sustained

a loss of 19 in killed and wounded.

 

During the year 1864, portions of the regiment took part in

engagements at Dutch gap and Chaffin's farm, Va., John's island,

Honey Hill, Deveaux's neck and Tillafinny Station, S. C.  The

last active service of the regiment was in the final assault on

Petersburg, April 2, 1865.

 

It was mustered out at Richmond, Va., June 30, 1865, under

command of Col. Hall.  It lost during its term of service 2

officers and 24 men killed and mortally wounded; 5 officers and

114 men by disease, accidents, in prison, etc., a total of 145

officers and men.

 

Source:  The Union Army, Vol. 2 p. 233

 

The Swamp Angel

The Swamp Angel, Cadwallader Park in Trenton, N.J.

More about the Swamp Angel

In the summer of 1863, Fort Sumter, after two years of being pummeled by federal artillery, still defiantly protected the city of Charleston, SC. Union Gen. Quincy A. Gillmore, stationed on Morris Island at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, wanted to locate a battery to fire on the city so that he could force its capitulation without having to capture the harbor forts. On August 2, Gen. Gillmore ordered the construction of a battery at a site 4.5 miles from the city.

Building "The Swamp Angel"

Undoubtedly the most famous action taken by the 1st New York Engineers was the construction of the “Marsh Battery.” MG Gillmore requested that batteries be constructed that could take the fort and the city under fire. The first officer assigned the task declared it impossible, but Colonel Edward Serrell, commander of the 1st New York Engineers, would have none of it. He assumed personal responsibility and conducted a series of experiments to establish the capability of the soil (mud) to support weight. After careful consideration of the results of these trials Serrell believed the soil could be stabilized enough to receive the weight of a siege piece. A plan was presented to Gilmore for the construction of a battery on 2 August 1863. It was immediately accepted and several days were spent setting up support activities to supply lumber and other materials. Construction of the battery began on 10 August.

The construction began with a rectangular frame of sheet piling driven by a lever activated ram. The first measure to reinforce the soil was “a thick stratum of grass”. This was covered by two layers of tarpaulin followed by “15 inches of well rammed sand”. A platform of three layers of 3 inch pine planks topped off the position. The work was declared prepared to take an eight inch Parrott rifle on the 17th. The final tally of material used in the construction of this battery, all of which had to be transported by hand over a mile on a four foot gangway makes the seven day work a marvel. Materials included:

13,000 sandbags 123 pieces of 15-18” diameter pine logs (Piling) 5000 feet 1” boards 8 Tarpaulins 18X28 feet 9156 feet of 3” pine planks 300 pounds 4” spikes 300 pounds 7” spikes 600 pounds of assorted iron pieces 75 fathoms of 3” rope

This material list did not include the materials that were used to build the gangway. The battery was completed with a service road to the edge of the river. On August 17, the platform received its gun - a 16,700-pound Parrott rifle made at New York State's West Point Foundry. It was immediately christened with "Swamp Angel". With an 8-inch-diameter bore, 11-foot bore depth, and a 16-pound powder charge, it was capable of firing a 150-pound projectile the 8,000 yards to the heart of Charleston.

On August 21, Gillmore sent a message demanding that Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, commander at Charleston, immediately evacuate the Rebel posts on Morris Island and Fort Sumter or suffer the shelling of the city. Receiving no reply by midnight, Gillmore ordered the shelling to begin. The gun had been carefully sighted on the steeple of St. Michael's Church, and at 1:30am on August 22, the first shot was fired. Alarm bells and whistles were heard immediately. Fifteen more shots were fired before daylight, 12 of them filled with an incendiary fluid known as "Greek Fire".

The next night, August 23, 20 more shells were fired at the city. On this night a number of the shells exploded inside the gun, causing the breech reinforcing band to come loose on the sixth shot. The gun continued to be fired, with the crew of the gun taking cover outside the gun emplacement on each shot. On the last discharge, the Swamp Angel burst, the breech being blown out of its reinforcing band, and the gun thrown to the top of the parapet. Three men were injured in the explosion, but not seriously. No other guns were placed in the battery. The physical damage to Charleston was minimal, and its citizens remained defiant.

After the war, it is believed that the gun was sold as scrap iron. The citizens of Trenton, NJ., acquired it and have mounted it in Cadwallader Park. However, the reinforcing band has been lost since the gun exploded. Some researchers cast doubt on the identity of the Cadwallader Park Gun, it is well known that there are at least three other 8-inch Parrotts that exploded in similar manners. The markings on the gun are hard to read, so it was difficult to know if this gun is the actual "Swamp Angel". However, two well respected artillery researchers, Edwin Olmstead and Wayne Stark, removed enough paint to clearly read the Registry No. as "6," agreeing with Gillmore's description of the 8-in Parrott rifle in the Swamp Battery, so the identification may safely be regarded as conclusive.

The black & white photos below show the "Swamp Angel" in battery, and after it was thrown forward on it's parapet after bursting, these photos are from the Library of Congress. The color photos were taken by Michael & Ami Kendra in June of 2002 in Cadwallader Park, Trenton, NJ.

 

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