Benjamin Franklin Burke to his father - March 29, 1862

Corinth, Miss.
March 29, 1862.

Dear Father:

After a long silence I once more have the opportunity of writing you a few lines. I received a letter from you a few days ago but it had been written some time, it was dated Jan. 29th. I would have written you oftener if it had been possible for me to do so, but we have been on a line of march off and on for six weeks. We arrived at this place (Corinth) day before yesterday. All or nearly all of Gen. Johnson's forces are concentrated at this place, something the rise of a hundred thousand men. The Federals are now in about 18 miles of this place. They are at Eastport on the Tennessee river in what numbers I do not know. We are expecting one of the largest battles that ever has been fought in this war to come off in a few days or soon at or near this place. We cannot hear any news now except what we see for we cannot get any papers, or at least that has been the case. All mail matters has been stoped in the section of the country that we have travaild through, and there has been no chance to get a letter or send one off, in fact no chance to get any news of any kind. I expect you no more of the late battles that has been fought than I do. None of our division of the army has had any fighting with the exception of a little colision between our batteries at Chickasaw Bluffs on Tennessee river and the Yankee gunboats in which we drove them back. It is reported that the Yankees are cutting them a road through from the river to this place.

I reckon you will be very much surprised when you hear of our long retreat and evacuation of Kentucky & Tennessee. It has astonished me very much that we should tkae such a move and even without having any fighting. When it is all sumed up the truth of it is we have been out generalled by the North. I don't know what Gen. Johnson's idea is for comeing down here but I guess it was the only resort. This is near the line or the corner of three state of Tenn., Ala., & Missippi.

Papa, it is no use for me to say anything about what we will do or going to do, for I have not the faintest idea and I don't think any of us do. Two months ago no one could have made me believe that I would be this fare down south unless it was on my way home and our independence declared. But a great revolution has taken place to what I expected. But, I don't think that we are whiped, no not at all. We have had a very wearisome march in our retreat our horses nearly broke down as well as ourselves. The distance we have traviled in all is about 350 miles over very bad road part of the way & very scant allowance to eat for ourselves and horses part of the time. I want you to write me what you think of our movements & how the people feel generally. I have not heard from brother William in some time. I got a letter from Bob Morrison the same time I got yours.

Heard, Jessie Burke, ed. Terry Ranger Writes Home: Letters of Pvt. Benjamin F. Burke Written While in Terry's Texas Rangers 1861-1864. No Place, No Publisher, 1965. (Available in the University of Houston Library.)