I. D. Affleck Letter to Parents

New Iberia
Wednesday April 9th

We are here at last, all well. We left Nibletts Bluff Sunday evening on the stage. Harris has not arrived yet, but [I] expect him very soon. We are stoping at the Confederate Hotel—

We had a rough time coming through to this place, there was ten in the stage and we were very much crowded, nine in side and one out side with the drivers—All were soldiers one of whom was an Irishman, who made himself very troublesome, by taking up more than his share of a seat, and by leaning on persons; he tride it on me, but I very soon stoped that, by giving his head a hard push, and by other means gave him to understand that, I had very little respect for his breed—once I was leaning over on the front seat trying to go to sleep when he put his head on my back. I could not stand that after the way he had been going on before, so I jumped up and knocked his head against the seat and it made him mad and [he] wanted to fight me. I let him know I was not afraid of him, and pretended that I was anxious for a fight, so he quieted down. This same fellow tryed the same thing on Dr. Gulick but he fixed [i.e., displayed?] his gun so that he would have to lay on [i.e. consider?] that, he had no respect for any one—We only had to tell him to move [and] he gave us plenty of room, which he did very quick, and before that he made himself unpleasant to every one, but he kept very quit afterwards—

Dr. Gulick left his knife in the stage, and I dont think we will be able to recover it, he says that I lost it, that I ought to have gone and see if any thing was left. I told him that I took care of my things and he ought to take care of his, and all to gather he is a poor traveling companion, he is all the time wanting Perry to do something for him, and he never gives Perry a cent, nor help to defray his expenses, if he did, it would be different and I would not object.

We have just received news of a glorious victory, but you will get the papers before you get this. A Telegraphic dispatch is just received stating that ten thousand of the enemy were killed, and a great many prisoners taken, and eighteen batteries and a great many arms, the Ten. river is too low for them to go down the river with their gun boats, and it is thought that we will capture them. I regret that I was not there, but will push on as fast as possible—. Harris has not yet arrived, and if he does not arrive this evening, we will not get off as we expected. I think I can sell him [the horse] for twenty or thirty dollars to a man here—I dont think we will be able to get six Shooters unless we get them from Gen. Lovel in New Orleans [as] it is said that he has bought them all. I will try and get a letter of introduction from some one to him. The bells are ringing and flags flying in honor of the victory we have gained over the Yankies.

Thursday Morning—

I did not get off last night, but it was my own fault. I wen to my room and went to sleep, and did not wake up untill after the boat had gone—Dr. Gulick[,] Harris & Metcalfe got off and took Perry and all the baggage with them. I am going down [on] a freight boat which leaves this morning[.] Harris got here yesterday evening about five o'clock, and sold the horse for twenty dollars and could have sold if I had waited two minutes longer for five Dollars more. I will get to New Orleans to morrow evening about four o'clock. I dont know whether Dr. Gulick will wait for me or not, and do not cair much so he leaves Perry and my bagage at some place where I can get them—

The other day some one told us we could not get good horses in the regiment, so I told Dr. Gulick I was going up the river, and thought I would stop and see some of my relatives, and get them to make me a present of a horse, but he sayed that I could not go that way but must go with him, unless I could get a horse for him too. We have just received another dispatch, and I believe they are having it printed[;] if they are I will send it to you.

I will get off to night on the boat, and will try and not go to sleep again—I will try to write again in New Orleans or will write going up the river. . . .

[I. D. Affleck]

Affleck, Isaac D., "With Terry's Texas Rangers: The Letters of Dunbar Affleck," ed. by Robert W. Williams and Ralph A. Wooster, Civil War History, Vol. 9, Sept. 1963, pp. 299-319.