March 25, 1863, Galveston Weekly News
The undersigned having been creditably informed that our Texas soldiers in Arkansas have suffered, and are yet suffering from sickness and disease, incident to an unhealthy country, and that hundreds (we may say thousands) have died, mostly for the want of necessary and proper attention, respectfully recommend to the ladies of this State the great necessity of giving entertainments and taking up subscriptions for our suffering troops in Arkansas. For the purpose of assisting in this object of mercy, a grand entertainment will be given at this place on Friday and Saturday evenings the 24th and 25th of April; also subscriptions will be received by either of the undersigned.
It is hoped that our patriotic citizens who have been so liberal in donating to the hospitals of our Texas soldiers in Virginia and Tennessee, will be equally as liberal towards those in Arkansas, who have suffered more from sickness than any other troops in the Confederacy. At Arkansas Post, one of the most sickly places West of the Mississippi, the deaths averaged from four to six per day, and the condition of the hospital was such that many of our brave volunteers preferred to linger and die in their tents than to be taken there. We have more Texas soldiers in Arkansas than in any other State, and we regret to say less has been done for them, notwithstanding death has thinned their ranks by disease and sickness more than among any of our troops in other states. Such being the facts, shall we turn a deaf ear to the cries of our suffering fathers, husbands, sons and brothers? For ourselves, and in the name of our young, noble and chivalric State we say–No, never!
Committee.
Mrs. Eva Lancaster,
Mrs. Mary Lockett,
Mrs. James Heard,
Mrs. B. F. Rucker,
Mrs. Cartmell,
Mrs. Burkhead,
Miss Myra Johnson,
Miss Bessie Spann,
Washington, Texas, March 18, 1862.