Letter From B. F. Burke to His Parents - April 23, 1863

Dear Father & Mother:

I have just receied your favor this morning dated Jan. 25. Although it is old it contained news to me for it is the first line I have received from in five or six months. I have written you several letters ut have not received any answers. Anything I can hear from home is quite news to me.

I will have to write you a short letter this time as I have to leave this place in a few minutes. I have been with the wagon train for the last week on account of my horse not being able for duty. Our wagons has been stationed near Shelbyvill until a few days ago they were ordered to this place. When I left the command the orders were for all horses that was not able for five days hard scouting to be sent back to the wagon train to recruit, but after comeing down to this country and finding no corn to feed upon we had an order last night to move back to our command where we can probably find more for our horses to eat.

Our command are somewhere near Alexandria about forty miles from this place. We are now on the right wing of our army. Gen. Wharton, Wheeler, & Morgan cavalry are here. Gen. Vandorn and Forrest are on the right wing of the army. Our cavalry have been fighting with the enemy considerably lately. A part of our reg't under Col. Ferrel and a detachment of men from the brigade succeeded in destroying two railroad trains about a week ago. They captured one between Murfreesboro & Nashvill & within eight miles of Nashvill they took about one hundred prisoners and recaptured about thirty of our own men. The other car was knocked off the track by shooting across the Cumberland river with canon. That war was loaded with beef cattle and horses. It was across the river in consequence our men could not get across to take any of the property. The Yankees about five thousand strong made a dash on McMinvill day before yesterday and run all of our men out of town and captured some thirty or forty of our men. Gen. Morgan was in town and come very near being captured. I understand one Yankee got up close enough to halt him and instead of Morgan halting he turned and shot the Yankee. The Yankees took them on surprise completely this time as this is a reserve camp and we had out no picketts and no force here of any consequence except men on broken down horses.

It seems as if our army is on a dead standstill. No appearances of an advance on either side. The Yankees are very well fortified at Murfreesboro and we are also well fortified at Tullahoma. We have very pretty spring weather now, the trees are commencing to get green and people are busy planting corn. The spring here has been very backward, wheat crops look well. Evry thing is very scarce here, thre is hardly enough corn for bread, but evrything is favorable for a good crop this year.

You must write me often and whether there is very hard times in Texas. You asked me to try and get a discharge and come home. Even if I wished to get a discharge it would be impossible for me to do so as long as I am in good health. I don't wish to get any discharge until the war is over unless I am unable for duty. It is tue I would like to go home and see you all but I don't think it becomes any good Southern soldier to want to get a discharge and qauit the service in this critical time. Now is the time forevry one to stick close to his duty and our independence will be gained. Please never say anything more about me getting discharge. It will make me think you are turning against the South.

Please excuse this bad and hurriedly written letter. Write soon and direct your letters to Shelbyvill, Tenn., Company F, Texas Rangers, Wharton's brigade. Give my best love to all the members of the family and reserve some for yourselves.

Your most affectionate 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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