Letter From B. F. Burke to His Parents - January 16, 1863

Dear Father & Mother:

I once more seat myself to write you a few lines, though it is rather uncertain whether you will ever get it or not. Though I shall endeavor to send it by hand & by that means it may reach you. I received the letter you had John R. Crockett to write some time since.

Our army has fallen back since the battle of Murphreesboro about twenty five miles in the vicinity of Tullahoma & Shelbyvill. It is thought that Gen. Bragg don't intend retreating any further south. I don't know what he ever left Murfreesboro for. For he had them (the Yankees) badly whiped when he left there. The battle was one of as great as ever has been fought during the war. I was in it from the commencement until the end. The Yankees first advanced in two directions. Our cavalry was camped about 17 miles south of Nashvill on the Nolensvill & Triune pike. On Christmas Day they first commenced advancing on us out in that direction. On the 27th they came in such strong force that we were compelled to fall back, having nothing but a cavalry force to contend against their whole force containing infantry, artillery & cavalry. Although they had force enough to drive us, we contended every inch of ground with them as fare as they followed us which was about six miles from where we stood pickett.

At intervals the fireing would almost cease but would be renewed more vigorously. Our cavalry was not found idle during the day. They were busily engaged in chageing the flanks of the enemy & also in charging upon the wagon train of the enemy. Our reg't took one battery during the day. A part of the cavalry was engaged in taking charge of prisoners which was continually moving back to our rear and sent into Murfreesboro. During the fight on the 31st Gen. Wheeler's cavalry got in the rear of the enemy and captured about three hundred wagons, all of which he burnt. The day closed after our boys drove them about two or three miles on our left, leaving a great many dead on the field. The enemy loss was nearly ten to our one, the open corn fields was almost blue with dead Yankees. The next day was New Year's Day, there was not much fighting done that day nothing but skirmishing and canonading. That day Gens. Wheeler & Wharton's cavalry got together amounting to about 5000 strong. We all went around and got into the rear of the enemy about half way between Nashvill & Murfreesboro and run into their wagon train, captured about two hundred wagons and about that many prisoners, among the ballance a good many negroes & piece of canon. We burned most of the wagons but brought out the mules & horses and a few wagons. The wagon train was very long and all moving rapidly toward Nashvill like they might be on retreat A few miles from Triune we left the pike and travailed a dirt road from there to Murfreesboro. As it was raining and the roads was very mudy & bad they did not have much disposition to follow us. So they turned & took the main pike from Nashvill to Murfreesboro throwing all their force together and making a general forward movement on Murfreesboro.

We got to Murphreesboro on the 29th Dec. and on the 30th we were sent out in advance of our army to bring on the engagement. We went out several miles in advance of where our infantry were drawn up in line of battle & found the enemy advancing very slow & cautiously. We had several encounters with them that day principly with their cavalry as they were in the advance though their infantry was close behind them we succeeded in tolling them into our infantry lines and late in the eavening of 30th Dec. they run afoul of our infantry and had a right tight little fight for about two hours. The canonadeing was very heavy on both sides though this little fight was merely an introduction to the great battle.

So next morning the 31st our infantry made a bold advance on our left wing and charged upon the Yankees before they were well aware of it and routed them from their position, driving them before them, at the same time mowing down their ranks like grain. This state of affairs continued throughout the day. On the 2nd day of January our cavalry was ordered over on our right wing. We went over there and stood in line of battle nearly all day. Our infantry were skirmishing with the enemy not seeming to do any good on either side untill late in the eavening Breckenridge's command made a charge upon the Yankees & I never heard muskets roar faster in my life. The contest lasted until after dark, our boys succeeded in driving them back about a mile, though as dark came on they had to fall back to their same old position. That little fight was the hardest fought portion of the battle. The loss on both sides was very great, there must have been three or four thousand men killed in that little time. The next day there was not much done on either side, our men stood their ground & so did the enemy and on the fourth day to my great surprise I found that our army was all gone. The Yankees did not know anything of it for they were on the eave of retreating themselves. The reason Bragg gives for falling back is that our men had been fighting three or four days and were nearly all tired out & he understood the Yankees had received reinforcements. So he thought it was better to fall back a few miles & recruit his men. The Yankees are at Murfreesboro now though they have not advanced much yet, they stand pickett about seven miles this side of town. Our loss in this whole fight is estimated at five thousand and the enemy's loss fifteen thousand. That is killed, wounded, & taken prisoner. We took sixty pieces of canon. I don't know when we will have another fight here. We are having some very bad weather now, it commenced raining day before yesterday & rain untill yesterday about twelve o'clock and it has been snowing ever since that time.

I sliped out of camps and am staying at a house at this time. I will have to close on this side. If you have an opportunity send me a letter. I am quite well. The boys of your acquaintance are well. My best love to all.

So I remain,

your loving son,
B. F. Burke

 

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.)

 

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