May 6, 1863, Galveston Weekly News
Camp near Franklin, Murey [sic] Co., Tenn. }
March 3, 1863 }
Dear News:–Some time have now elapsed since I have written to you; the inclination was good, but such has been the hurry and bustle attending our march from Oakland, Miss., to this place, that I have scarcely had time to eat a breakfast, when blessed with such a luxury. Not long after writing my last, we were ordered to Columbia, Tennessee, a distance of near three hundred miles. The weather being very disagreeable (rain snow or sleet falling nearly every day) and being entirely without tents, we suffered not a little for several days, I assure you. Very often the ground was frozen so hard, where it was previously cut up from constant rains, that our horses could hardly travel at all. But we were ordered and must go. After getting to Okolona, we rested a little while, waiting for the remainder of the cavalry to get ready, during which time we refreshed ourselves with a “good scrubbing,” and enjoyed the luxury of a “clean shirt.” Ah! you may laugh at this, but it is indeed quite a treat to us even to get leave to scrub up and change clothes, such is often the rapidity of our movements. The portion of Mississippi and north Alabama over which we passed after leaving Okolona, is very broken and poor, and seems adapted to nothing, save the seemingly spontaneous growth of white headed children and manufacture of a species of ardent spirits called “sing lings.”
In the neighborhood of Florence and Titus counties, the face of the country changes materially, and forcibly reminded me of some of our fine Texas lands. That portion of Alabama has been overrun and almost ruined by the foul depredations of the accursed Yankees. Nearly all of the negroes were stolen before the corps were gathered, the horses, cattle and hogs stolen, and houses pillaged. The base villains would even strip the ladies’ wardrobes of their contents, and search their persons for hidden coin or jewelry. Oh! now Southern blood boils at the indignities heaped upon the fair daughters of our land, by the foul hands of the base demons who invade our soil. But the day of retribution is coming, yea, even now on the bloody field, the husband, father and brother, remember the loved ones in peril at home, and nerve their arms for revenge.
The many hard fought battles where the enemy outnumbered us four to one attest the strength of those arms when nerved by such thoughts. Many farmers near where we crossed the Tennessee river, have lost over one hundred negroes each; some have been stripped of every dollar they possessed–one day wealthy the next beggars. When I think of the origin of this war, and my thoughts wander back to its first inception, when our wives, mothers and daughters trembled at the thoughts of it, I am more fully convinced of woman’s fortitude and holy devotion to kindred and country, and to-day, I boldly assert that the fair daughters of the South, though called weak and frail, possess fortitude in times of danger, far superior to that of man, and indeed she has done scarcely less for our glorious cause. Man boasts of his superiority before danger comes, and tender loving woman shrinks from it, but let it come upon us, encompass us all around, and then it is that the noblest qualities of the female develop themselves.
She is no longer weak and frail–proudly upright, she holds her head; her calmly beaming eye seems to shine with the light of divinity itself. She can with wisdom direct the actions of those who call themselves her superiors. The noble patriotic women of the South have won the highest laurels in this war. Go ask the sick care-worn soldier, who nursed him when among strangers? Seek him who fell wounded and mangled on the battle field, and ask how he came to survive–all, all will say with grateful tears and smiles, than an Angel in female form did it.
How often has the very existence of portions of our army been saved by female daring, in notifying them of coming danger? How often, too, have our spies and scouts been piloted through the enemy’s line by heroic women, and thus been enabled to gain information that led to some brilliant achievement by our army? The annals of this war will answer all this more fully in a coming day.
Everywhere we go we are greeted by the warm hearted ladies whose patriotic devotion has caused the war worn soldier’s pathway to be strewn with flowers. Then, too, who but the soldier can tell the emotions of his bosom, the deep welling of his heart, when he reads these tender affectionate letters from home breathing such a pure holy devotion for the absent soldiers and patriotism for country. That nation never existed that can furnish a parallel to the patriotic devotion of Southern women to their country. Our hated enemy even accord this to us, and say if it was not for the secesh women the war would have ended long ago. God bless the ladies, the part they have acted in this war will never be forgotten, and that part is no little. Their fair hands have clothed our army, have woven the fabric that warmed the soldiers frozen form, as he laid down to sleep at night in the cold winters blast, and have administered to the wants of the sick and wounded; they have breathed words of consolation to the sick and afflicted; and by their spirited address, have nerved men on to deeds of daring. But I am digressing.–On getting into Tennessee, although it was the poorest portion of Giles county, we found a difference in the people, and more to eat. Middle Tennesseans are both patriotic and generous, and not so indifferent to the suffering of soldiers some I know in other States.
We passed near Tuscumbia and Florence, Alabama, and in sight of Lagrange. I was surprised at the size of Pulaski, Tennessee, on getting to it. It is a beautiful town on the Tennessee and Alabama railroad, has a large factory where I saw great levies of girls whose tender hands were weaving cloth for the soldiers. It seems to be a central business point. Twenty six miles from here we rode into Columbia, Murray county, which is a most beautiful place, and much larger than Pulaski. Gen. Van Dorn’s head quarters are here. He is in command of all the cavalry here, including Morgan’s, Forrest’s and Wheeler’s. He brought a pretty good force with him; it would be indiscreet to say how much. One brigade, commanded by Col. John W. Whitfield, of Lavaca, Texas, is on Gen. Bragg’s left wing. Bragg’s army is at Tulahoma and Shelbyville. Our brigade is about forty miles from Shelbyville, and about thirty miles from Nashville, thirty miles from Brentwood, and ten miles from Franklin, there being a large force of the enemy at both those places, well fortified. We had a little frolic after their pickets yesterday, and run them from their post about five miles, over into Franklin, but could not draw them out to fight. It would not be proper to speak of the disposition of our armies here. Our brigade is not alone. Of one thing you may rest assured. Tennessee is ours, and Kentucky is in striking distance. Rosencranz will meet with a warm reception if he should advance–As for shipping us it cannot be done although he has been reinforced from Nashville. It is reported that they are coming from Murfreesboro to Franklin. It will be a long time before we fight here, if at all. Our brigade is in good fighting trim. Col. Whitfield having recovered from his wound received at Iuka, is with us again. He is one of the best cavalry officers in the service, and has a great influence here. His men all love him, and would follow him with a shout anywhere, such is the universal confidence in his bravery and skill as an officer. He loves his boys, and woe be unto him who trespasses on their rights, for he is as bold as a lion, and demands, and will have all that is due his men. He has a kind word for any of the boys he meets, and I have seen tears in his eyes as he spoke of the suffering of his men in sleet and rain without shelter or fire. Should this war last long, his name will be known and honored throughout the South. Texas truly has cause to be proud of her gallant sons. I have seen several Northern papers of late date, all of which are for peace. Northern Congressmen are advocating in Washington a peace on most any terms. Members from Indiana, Ohio and Illinois said they wanted the Union, but if it split they were going with the party who owned the Mississippi river. I will write again soon. The boys here gave three rousing cheers for Magruder and the gallant Texans under him.
Respectfully, A. B. J.