CIVIL WAR LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS
OF FREDERICK TOMLINSON PEET

In 1915, “RT”, the nephew of Frederick Tomlinson Peet, published his wartime correspondence. Lieutenant Peet’s military service spanned from April 1861 to August 1869; serving as private in the 7th New York State Militia, 2nd Lt. in Co. H 1st USSS, then as 2nd Lt. to 1st Lt. in the United States Marine Corps.

https://archive.org/details/civilwarlettersd00peet/page/168/mode/1up

On April 18, 1861, 20 year-old Frederick Peet mustered out with the 7th National Guard State of New York, then petitioned the War Department for a commission in the United States Marines; meeting personally with Sec. of War Simon Cameron, and Sec. of the Navy, Gideon Welles. Peet’s persistence paid off and on June 14, 1862 his second lieutenant commission in the Marines was issued. However, Peet was then 12 miles outside Richmond, serving as 2nd Lieutenant in Company H, 1st United States Sharp Shooters.

Before Peet could leave for Washington, newly appointed commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, Robert E. Lee, launched the Seven Days Campaign. At the Battle of Nelson’s Farm, Company H, attached to Col. Francis Barlow’s 61st NY infantry, fought in ranks instead of as skirmishers. Lt. Peet was struck in the shoulder, the ball coming to rest in his lung. Privates Martian Nichols and Edwin Carmick,brought him off the field to an aide station where the surgeon pronounced his wound as mortal. Remarkably, Peet not only recovered, (the ball remained in his lung the rest of his life), but because of his family’s Southern pre-war business/social connections, Peet was given daily passes from Libby Prison to walk freely about Richmond. Peet was exchanged with the first group of POW’s and resigned his commission from the Sharp Shooters. He returned to New York to his family, making a full recovery.

On December 8, 1862, Peet wrote: “being able to return to duty, I reported to Colonel Harris, Commandant United States Marines, at Washington, D.C. I remained there seven months. Our work consisted mostly in drill, guard, and officer of the day duty. While off duty we were the recipients of many social favors. As is often the case in wartime, when money is plenty, and officers of all grades in evidence, the social life was rather fervid. Balls and receptions was the order of the night and day, and our life became a round of gaiety.

In August, 1863, Peet wrote: was ordered to the Marine Battalion, bound for Charleston Harbor. It consisted of 500 or 600 men, commanded by Colonel Reynolds, one of the best officers of our corps. My Captain was Charles G. McCauley, and my First Lieutenant, Robert H. Mead, son of Captain Richard Mead, United States Navy, retired, and nephew of General Mead, of the Army of the Potomac. We left New York City on the steamer "Arago," August Ist.

Photo of the transport Arago: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Arago_(1855)

On September 8th, a combined Navy-Marine expedition was assembled to recapture Fort Sumter. Both lieutenants Mead and Peet volunteered to lead the Marine contingent. To settle the matter, they flipped a penny and Peet lost. At the last minute the attack force was changed, with a Navy landing party leading the assault while the Marines were to provide cover fire from long boats. Unknown to the sailors and Marines, Gen.PTG Beauregard suspected an attack and transported 320 infantrymen to the beleaguered fort. The nighttime assault devolved into an unmitigated disaster, among the losses was Lt. Mead, prisoner.

While on blockade duty, Peete learned of Robert Smalls, who with sixteen enslaved family and coworkers, made a daring escape on the side wheeler, Planter, that his master leased to the Confederate government as a transport. https://www.nps.gov/people/robert-smalls.htm

Peet recorded an amusing anecdote of newly appointed Captain Smalls training his novice crew of freedmen: “There was a side-wheel steamer called the "Pilot," I think, which had been run out of Charleston by a colored man, and for his pluck he was given command of her. I think she had no guns, but was engaged in general work for the Army and Navy. The Captain considered himself a Navy officer, and had a great idea of discipline on his ship. So one day as he was coming to anchor he shouted, "Focastle,dere!" "Aye, aye, sir," came the reply. "Let go de starboard anchor." The answer came, "Dere ain't no cable attached." "No matter, sir; fust thing to do is to obey orders. Let go de starboard anchor." And away it went.”

During the Navy’s bombardment of Battery Wagner, Peet described a bizarre incident that never made it into the movie Glory: “There was a man, and a brave man, too, who used to sit in a chair on the upper works of Wagner every day in the afternoon, apparently reading a paper, entirely careless of our fire. Day after day our gunners sought to knock him over, but he sat there apparently unconcerned; but at last a shell or shot hit him. It was while the General was on the lookout watching the bombardment, and he sent his congratulations to the gunner. But it seemed too bad to kill him, even if he did show his contempt of us by his actions.” Considering the long range the naval ships cannons had to fire, I think the “brave man” was actually a manikin, cleverly set up as a decoy to direct fire away from more vulnerable parts of the fortification. On September 6th, Lt. Peet and the Marines landed as part of the assault force. Waiting below the parapets for the signal to attack, a deserter arrived reporting the defenders had slipped away, the fort was empty. Peet was one of the first inside Battery Wagner.

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/defenses-fort-wagner?ms=googlepaid

In 1864, Lt. Peet and his complement of Marines were assigned to the USS Niagara to search European ports for the raiders CSS Alabama and CSS Stonewall http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/86/098600402.jpg

On March 28, 1865 the Niagara with USS Sacramento, arrived off Lisbon, Spain to find the Stonewall at anchor. However, international law prevented the Union warships from immediately sending the Stonewall to the bottom of the Bay.

The 1856 Paris Declaration established strict guidelines should two belligerents anchor in a neutral country’s harbor, they could not engage in combat; and when one belligerent sailed away, the other was required to wait 24 hours before pursuing. On March 29th, the CSS Stonewall weighed anchor and sailed away.

According to Lt. Peet, Captain Craven, ordered the Niagara to a more favorable anchorage” in the harbor. Suddenly the fortress of Tower Belen erupted with a storm of shells, “holing the smokestack and striking the beam”. Fortunately, no injuries or serious damage occurred. However, the fort’s irate commander ordered a second salvo at the Americans for “insulting the honor of Spain”.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/86/098620104.jpg

Fortunately an international incident was avoided, the Niagara immediately dropped anchor, while the fort’s commander and mayor were relieved of duty. The next morning, U.S.S. Niagara departed in pursuit of the Stonewall: https://emergingcivilwar.com/2024/01/17/when-portugal-bombarded-a-u-s-warship-to-protect-a-confederate-ironclad/

In August 1869, with the war over and his term of service complete, 1st Lt. Frederick Peete, USMC resigned his commission and stepped off the ship into civilian life. Peet became a farmer in Napa Valley, California before eventually returning to Brooklyn.

Frederick Tomlinson Peet is buried at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York; the final resting places of Lt. Col. Caspar Trepp and fellow USSS comrades.

Green-Woods Civil War Biographies is arranged in alphabetical order, Frederick Tomlinson Peet’s service appears halfway down the page. Here is the link: https://www.green-wood.com/2015/civil-war-biographies-pabst-perrin/

Hope you enjoy the letters by this remarkable young soldier/Marine. His 7th NYSM comrades, William W. Winthrop, George Hastings, Edward Weston and Lewis Paraniee would also join the ranks of the U.S. Sharp Shooters.

Bill Skillman
Michigan Companies
Berdan Sharpshooters Survivors Association