Co A 28 Texas Calvary CSA
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The following was published in an unknown newspaper. The original letter was lost in a house fire. He wrote this letter about 6 weeks before his 19th birthday.
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Letter of San Augustine Soldier in Confederate Army Recounts Texas' Part in Bloody War Between States
Camp Near Mansfield, La.
April 12, 1864
Dear Father and Mother:
I take the present opportunity to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines come to hand it will find you well and doing well.
I was in a fight on the 8th and 9th of April. On the 8th, in the first fight, it was a hard fight; we were on one side of a field and the Federals on the other. The field was about a mile and a half wide. They would not come across so we thought we would go to them. We ran across as hard as we could and charged them for five miles, and then they took a stand in a peach orchard. A great many of our boys were killed and a great deal more of the Federals were killed. The general report we killed about ten or fifteen of the Feds to one of us, but I can hardly believe that but there were a great deal more. We captured about 225 wagons and ambulances which was all the train the Federals had; and about 25 pieces of artillery. We got all they had but one piece. We attacked them the first day about four-fourty o'clock in the evening and fought until night. We camped on the edge of the battle field that night.
When morning came we started on after them, fifteen miles up to Pleasant Hill. There we attacked them again about half past three o'clock then we fought them again until night. Then we went back about nine miles that night and camped. The Federals went on back towards Alexandria, and the report is they burned all their infantry train so we could not get it. The report is we took 5,000 prisoners. We got more guns and ammunition then we knew what to do with.
I went back on the battlefield the next day to bury the dead. The like of dead men I never saw before in my life. Some had their heads shot off; some had their arms and legs shot off; but not one of our company was killed, but Buck, Runels and Rushing was badly wounded and Henry Smith slightly wounded in the face.
Pa, I am so glad that I escaped so well I can hardly be still. I know the Lord was with us or everyone of us would have been killed. The balls fell around us as thick as hail. Thos. Olive was wounded in the ankle and the Feds took him prisoner, but I heard last night our men got him back again from Alexandria to Mansfield. The Yankees took everything and destroyed it as they went.
It was hard to see the poor women and children standing around crying over their losses. They had nothing to eat and nothing to sleep on and nothing to wear.
I want you all to pray for me that I may live to get home safe and sound. I have been through many a hard tussel and dangerous place since I saw you last. It does seem impossible for any body to live where we have been, because it did not seem that the bombs could miss us.
I must close my letter. I want you to write soon. Give my best love and respects to all inquiring friends and reserve a portion for yourselves.
Your son,
W. F. Mills
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The following was published in an unknown newspaper. The original letter was lost in a house fire. He wrote this letter about 6 weeks before his 19th birthday.
**********************
Letter of San Augustine Soldier in Confederate Army Recounts Texas' Part in Bloody War Between States
Camp Near Mansfield, La.
April 12, 1864
Dear Father and Mother:
I take the present opportunity to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines come to hand it will find you well and doing well.
I was in a fight on the 8th and 9th of April. On the 8th, in the first fight, it was a hard fight; we were on one side of a field and the Federals on the other. The field was about a mile and a half wide. They would not come across so we thought we would go to them. We ran across as hard as we could and charged them for five miles, and then they took a stand in a peach orchard. A great many of our boys were killed and a great deal more of the Federals were killed. The general report we killed about ten or fifteen of the Feds to one of us, but I can hardly believe that but there were a great deal more. We captured about 225 wagons and ambulances which was all the train the Federals had; and about 25 pieces of artillery. We got all they had but one piece. We attacked them the first day about four-fourty o'clock in the evening and fought until night. We camped on the edge of the battle field that night.
When morning came we started on after them, fifteen miles up to Pleasant Hill. There we attacked them again about half past three o'clock then we fought them again until night. Then we went back about nine miles that night and camped. The Federals went on back towards Alexandria, and the report is they burned all their infantry train so we could not get it. The report is we took 5,000 prisoners. We got more guns and ammunition then we knew what to do with.
I went back on the battlefield the next day to bury the dead. The like of dead men I never saw before in my life. Some had their heads shot off; some had their arms and legs shot off; but not one of our company was killed, but Buck, Runels and Rushing was badly wounded and Henry Smith slightly wounded in the face.
Pa, I am so glad that I escaped so well I can hardly be still. I know the Lord was with us or everyone of us would have been killed. The balls fell around us as thick as hail. Thos. Olive was wounded in the ankle and the Feds took him prisoner, but I heard last night our men got him back again from Alexandria to Mansfield. The Yankees took everything and destroyed it as they went.
It was hard to see the poor women and children standing around crying over their losses. They had nothing to eat and nothing to sleep on and nothing to wear.
I want you all to pray for me that I may live to get home safe and sound. I have been through many a hard tussel and dangerous place since I saw you last. It does seem impossible for any body to live where we have been, because it did not seem that the bombs could miss us.
I must close my letter. I want you to write soon. Give my best love and respects to all inquiring friends and reserve a portion for yourselves.
Your son,
W. F. Mills
Co A 28 Texas Calvary CSA
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The following was published in an unknown newspaper. The original letter was lost in a house fire. He wrote this letter about 6 weeks before his 19th birthday.
**********************
Letter of San Augustine Soldier in Confederate Army Recounts Texas' Part in Bloody War Between States
Camp Near Mansfield, La.
April 12, 1864
Dear Father and Mother:
I take the present opportunity to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines come to hand it will find you well and doing well.
I was in a fight on the 8th and 9th of April. On the 8th, in the first fight, it was a hard fight; we were on one side of a field and the Federals on the other. The field was about a mile and a half wide. They would not come across so we thought we would go to them. We ran across as hard as we could and charged them for five miles, and then they took a stand in a peach orchard. A great many of our boys were killed and a great deal more of the Federals were killed. The general report we killed about ten or fifteen of the Feds to one of us, but I can hardly believe that but there were a great deal more. We captured about 225 wagons and ambulances which was all the train the Federals had; and about 25 pieces of artillery. We got all they had but one piece. We attacked them the first day about four-fourty o'clock in the evening and fought until night. We camped on the edge of the battle field that night.
When morning came we started on after them, fifteen miles up to Pleasant Hill. There we attacked them again about half past three o'clock then we fought them again until night. Then we went back about nine miles that night and camped. The Federals went on back towards Alexandria, and the report is they burned all their infantry train so we could not get it. The report is we took 5,000 prisoners. We got more guns and ammunition then we knew what to do with.
I went back on the battlefield the next day to bury the dead. The like of dead men I never saw before in my life. Some had their heads shot off; some had their arms and legs shot off; but not one of our company was killed, but Buck, Runels and Rushing was badly wounded and Henry Smith slightly wounded in the face.
Pa, I am so glad that I escaped so well I can hardly be still. I know the Lord was with us or everyone of us would have been killed. The balls fell around us as thick as hail. Thos. Olive was wounded in the ankle and the Feds took him prisoner, but I heard last night our men got him back again from Alexandria to Mansfield. The Yankees took everything and destroyed it as they went.
It was hard to see the poor women and children standing around crying over their losses. They had nothing to eat and nothing to sleep on and nothing to wear.
I want you all to pray for me that I may live to get home safe and sound. I have been through many a hard tussel and dangerous place since I saw you last. It does seem impossible for any body to live where we have been, because it did not seem that the bombs could miss us.
I must close my letter. I want you to write soon. Give my best love and respects to all inquiring friends and reserve a portion for yourselves.
Your son,
W. F. Mills
**********************
The following was published in an unknown newspaper. The original letter was lost in a house fire. He wrote this letter about 6 weeks before his 19th birthday.
**********************
Letter of San Augustine Soldier in Confederate Army Recounts Texas' Part in Bloody War Between States
Camp Near Mansfield, La.
April 12, 1864
Dear Father and Mother:
I take the present opportunity to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines come to hand it will find you well and doing well.
I was in a fight on the 8th and 9th of April. On the 8th, in the first fight, it was a hard fight; we were on one side of a field and the Federals on the other. The field was about a mile and a half wide. They would not come across so we thought we would go to them. We ran across as hard as we could and charged them for five miles, and then they took a stand in a peach orchard. A great many of our boys were killed and a great deal more of the Federals were killed. The general report we killed about ten or fifteen of the Feds to one of us, but I can hardly believe that but there were a great deal more. We captured about 225 wagons and ambulances which was all the train the Federals had; and about 25 pieces of artillery. We got all they had but one piece. We attacked them the first day about four-fourty o'clock in the evening and fought until night. We camped on the edge of the battle field that night.
When morning came we started on after them, fifteen miles up to Pleasant Hill. There we attacked them again about half past three o'clock then we fought them again until night. Then we went back about nine miles that night and camped. The Federals went on back towards Alexandria, and the report is they burned all their infantry train so we could not get it. The report is we took 5,000 prisoners. We got more guns and ammunition then we knew what to do with.
I went back on the battlefield the next day to bury the dead. The like of dead men I never saw before in my life. Some had their heads shot off; some had their arms and legs shot off; but not one of our company was killed, but Buck, Runels and Rushing was badly wounded and Henry Smith slightly wounded in the face.
Pa, I am so glad that I escaped so well I can hardly be still. I know the Lord was with us or everyone of us would have been killed. The balls fell around us as thick as hail. Thos. Olive was wounded in the ankle and the Feds took him prisoner, but I heard last night our men got him back again from Alexandria to Mansfield. The Yankees took everything and destroyed it as they went.
It was hard to see the poor women and children standing around crying over their losses. They had nothing to eat and nothing to sleep on and nothing to wear.
I want you all to pray for me that I may live to get home safe and sound. I have been through many a hard tussel and dangerous place since I saw you last. It does seem impossible for any body to live where we have been, because it did not seem that the bombs could miss us.
I must close my letter. I want you to write soon. Give my best love and respects to all inquiring friends and reserve a portion for yourselves.
Your son,
W. F. Mills
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