May 30, 1863, Standard (Clarksville, Texas)
Camp Butler, Creek Nation, }
May 12th, 1863. }
Dear Standard:
I believe my last was from Fort Arbuckle, written on the night of the 30th April. On Saturday the second of May, under pressing orders, the Col. with three companies, moved toward this locality. One Co–B, had to be left to garrison the Post until Capt. Scanland should relieve it; another Co–I, had to be left at Elm Springs until relieved. Five companies had moved eastward from the Seminole Agency, under Maj. Carroll, three days before. Capt. Scanland arrived an hour after we left; his men came in the next morning and the next morning a detachment was started to Elm Springs to relieve Co. I. Co. B waited until Tuesday morning, and got here, by hard marching, yesterday, one day after our arrival and two days after the arrival of the five first companies. Co. I with the remainder of the hospital will be here in three days probably; and our detachments to Red River and Lamar for recruits in a day or two more. We shall have in a few days, about 800 men in the regiment, though some of these are on detached duty. Our men are mostly in good health. We had a most pleasant march from Arbuckle. The weather was not very warm except one day, and the evening of that day brought with it a heavy rain, lasting an hour or so. It has surprised me to see how long cool weather has held on in the Spring of the year, in a latitude not more than one degree higher than Clarksville, at Arbuckle–here about two degrees higher. We left Arbuckle at […..] past A. M. of the 2nd, and encamped that night at a pretty, rocky creek, 6 miles east, where was an abundance of rich grass. At night, Quarter master’s men, and ordnance Serg’t detained at the Fort, some hours after our departure, came in and brought news of Captain Scanland’s arrival. Next morning we started early, camped at Blue, 15 miles, early in the evening, and our horses faired sumptuously.–Our train mules which had had to feed the night or morning before starting, and were somewhat ragged the first night, recovered their tone, and came in without weariness on this day. Blue, at this locality; on the road from Arbuckle to North town, is a deep bed, but scarcely any water, perhaps by this time none. Mountains were perceptible on the far side of the stream from us, and were […..] morning, shortly after starting, we passed over a spur, from which we had a splendid landscape of mingled hill and dale before us, and then we descended immediately into a valley country. At the end of ten miles we found Cochran’s on Boggy, a considerable farm, with large stock of cattle, from the pens of 250 milch cows had just been let out, and came up the road meeting us.
In a few yards beyond Cochran’s house, we crossed one of the heads of Boggy, a rapidly running muddy stream, with full head of water, having a fall over rocks, at the crossing of about three feet. We passed during this day and the next, several branches of Boggy, all muddy, though close to their sources in the mountains. At midday, we rested and grazed five miles beyond Cochran’s, until our teams came up, and then pushed on to another Boggy, which we reached in a heavy rain. Found good grazing and water; the storm passed over after awhile, and the stars were bright. Turkeys and wolves numerous here, and our men killed some of the Turkeys. We had travelled 22 miles this day. All the next day we saw on our left, a low range of wooded mountains, and in the evening after a travel of 14 miles we halted near a small branch, on the far side of a Boggy, in a sweet little circular valley, at the base of a mountain. Up this I rode by a winding route, and got a splendid view of a beautiful. To the South I saw only successive ranges of hills, covered with timber. Immediately back, and north rose higher ranges of the same mountain on which, stood covered with timber, and cutting off a view in that direction. East and west, I saw the valley country traversed by the road–the loveliest little valleys imaginable, in which if seclusion afforded happiness, one might be content to live, with a few friends adjacent. The portion of the range upon which I stood; or rather sat on my horse, was bare of trees, for an area of perhaps ten acres, gently rounded, covered with wild flowers, and with soil enough upon it to admit of pleasant residence. The sides of the ascent were covered with rocks, many of them in slabs suitable for fire places. On the hill side and below, in the little valley the grass was good. When we left next morning we thought our road would lead over mountains, within a few miles, but they were on our left all day, and after travelling 21 miles, we camped on a high prairie; in the edge of timber, with a branch adjacent, 6 miles s. W. Perryville. It has been very windy, and cool all day, many of the men wearing their blankets. In the morning we passed through Perryville, a very small unattractive village. There was a hospital at Perryville, and a Quartermasters dept, Blacksmith shop etc. We camped 18 miles this side of Perryville, early in the afternoon, our mules weary, and an axle to make. We were beside a little branch in the prairie near the mountains, with good water and good grass. We stayed until the evening of the next day, because eight miles was as far as we could get, and find grass; unless we made a travel too great for our train. At this camp, we got information of the advanced companies, only a day and a half travel head. Their trip to North Folk town was 13 miles, and the nearest grass 21 miles, at the camp on our advance left that morning. We crossed the main Canadian next morning, a broad shallow stream, with wide sand banks in the bed, passed through North folk town three or four miles beyond–not much town–crossed the North Canadian, a pretty stream, broad, shallow, clear, and with little islets of grassy land in the bed, and at 1/4 before one p. m., reached the sought for camp ground, on a rocky branch. The camp fires of our men were burning, and directly after our arrival, fired the grass, which we found it necessary to extinguish. A small branch, very rocky, with holes of water, was continuous to the camp.–In one of these, the first water lillies I had seen for many a day, were in bud. We met at North Folk town, Lt. Hancock of Capt. Harmon’s company, and learned that the advance would only pass on to Elk Creek, and that we would over take them on Sunday.–We did so, finding them at this place, a mile or so beyond Elk Creek. The locality is a pleasant one; grass good, water tolerable. There are other troops here, whites and Indians.–We are within 14 miles of Fort Gibson, where the Federal Flag is waving on the opposite bank of the Arkansas. The river is high, but there is occasional shooting across, between the pickets. The Feds have a mixed force of whites, Indians, and negroes at Gibson, and their commander Col. Phillips has been scattering proclamations among the Creeks on this side, to induce them to abandon the Confederacy. Their success has not been flattering.–The Creeks allured a boat load of them nearly across the river a few days since, intending to capture or kill the party; but as the boat neared this bank, the prey looked so tempting they fired upon them prematurely, killed some, and causing others to leap overboard, and be drowned. The current setting to the opposite shore the boat drifted back, and the Creeks lost their prizes. I do not know whether the Feds will bark much on the Creeks, after that specimen of their allegiance.
Gen. D. H. Cooper is in command here.–The Feds have four stores near Gibson; sell Coffee at 25 cents per pound, and Calico at 25 cents per yard. Many of the Indians from this side have been over to trade with them.–They are said to be interesting. Our pickets are within two miles of Gibson. Yours,
A Soldier of the 29th.
P. S. We have been mining for coal to-day, for our Blacksmiths got a good bituminous coal, six feet under the surface; and about 6 miles from here.