Letters from War: 1861 | A Pottsville surgeon walks the ruins of Fort Walker after the Battle of Port Royal Sound

Posted on by Jake Wynn

"My duties compelling me to remain below, I had little opportunity of observing the progress of the fight, and was... in a disagreeable state of suspense." Surgeon Robert Weber of Pottsville, PA experienced the Battle of Port Royal Sound on November 7, 1861 aboard the USS Unadilla. He described the battle and its aftermath in a letter to his parents in Schuylkill County. Read the full letter.

Letters from War: 1861 | Simon Bassler of the USS Susquehanna at the Battle of Port Royal Sound

Posted on by Jake Wynn

“On the 7th of this month we re-planted the glorious stars and stripes upon the soil of rebellious South Carolina, the very hot-bed of Secession..." US Marine Simon Bassler wrote home to the Miners' Journal to describe the Battle of Port Royal Sound on November 7, 1861. The young captain's clerk from Schuylkill Haven participated in the battle aboard the USS Susquehanna. Read the full letter.

Letters from War: 1861 | An account of the first US Army/US Navy joint operation at Hatteras Inlet on North Carolina’s Outer Banks

Posted on by Jake Wynn

"Now commenced the really grand spectacle." In a letter to a friend in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Sgt. Louis Roth described the Battle of Hatteras Inlet on North Carolina's Outer Banks in August 1861. He described the fighting, the Union victory, and the terrible conditions as follows. Roth also writes a great passage about his regiment's consumption of lager beer, a favorite among the German regiments. Read the full letter.

A sailor from Pottsville, Pennsylvania describes the racism he faced in the US Navy during World War II

Posted on by Jake Wynn

In 1943, Charles H. King left Pottsville to fight for democracy. Instead, he found segregation, humiliation, and hard truths about race in the U.S. Navy. His memoir captures the moment he realized who he was in a divided America, and why that awakening shaped his life. Read the full story.

A sailor at the Battle of Fort Fisher | A fascinating Civil War letter from 1865

Posted on by Jake Wynn

In January 1865, Welsh immigrant and Scranton resident Henry F. Evans wrote home after fighting ashore at Fort Fisher with the U.S. Navy. His letter captures the chaos, fear, and brutality of sailors turned infantry in one of the Civil War’s decisive battles. Read the full story.

Photograph shows the fueling of a US Navy ironclad during the Civil War

Posted on by Jake Wynn
USS Canonicus fueling with anthracite during the Civil War

In this 1864 photo, the USS Canonicus ironclad refuels with anthracite coal, the almost-smokeless fuel from Pennsylvania’s Coal Region that powered the Union blockade during the Civil War. Discover how this vital resource helped shape naval strategy and fueled dramatic changes across Northeastern Pennsylvania. Read the full story.

Coal Region connections to the famed USS Monitor at the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, VA

Posted on by Jake Wynn
Jake Wynn Public Historian Civil War Pennsylvania Coal Region at the USS Monitor

I recently stopped at The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, VA to see the USS Monitor—and found Coal Region threads. The ironclad burned Northeastern Pennsylvania anthracite, carried 80 tons to sea, and divers even recovered century-old coal from her wreck. Read the full story.

Thanksgiving Day in Schuylkill County | 1864

Posted on by Jake Wynn

Discover how Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, observed Thanksgiving Day in 1864 during the Civil War. This historical piece explores local sermons, community events, and the patriotic spirit following Union victories, offering unique insights into 19th-century American life and culture during a pivotal era. Read the full story.