Letter from M. L. Evans to His Wife, December 19, 1861

HEADQUARTERS TEXAS RANGERS,
CAMP TERRY, NEAR CAVE CITY,
December 19, 1861.

My Dear Wife:
At the earliest moment practicable I hasten to lay before you a short report of our late battle, fought on Tuesday, the 17th, near Woodsonville, on Green River. On last Sunday our entire regiment was engaged in attacking the enemy's pickets along Green River, on a front of at least thirty-five miles. We killed five or six and took a good many guns, mules and horses, and prisoners. On Tuesday last we started from here in advance of Gen. Hindman's Legion of Infantry, numbering two thousand, two hundred men, ninety cavalry from Mississippi, and our cavalry of Texas Rangers, numbering two hundred and eighty, for Green River.

The General brought a battery of four six-pounders. We reached Rowlett's Station, one mile from Green River, about 11 :30 A.M. Ice Jones and company were sent to the left to reconnoiter, and soon the firing was heard between these pickets and Jones's company, and in a few minutes Ice came galloping in and reported to Col. Terry that the enemy were coming up the bill on our left flank in force. Col. Terry sent him back to still keep watch of their movements and report from time to time.

By this time the firing got closer, and shot after shot was heard, and in a few minutes the shots appeared very close to us, and soon a shower of bullets came whistling over our heads, and the enemy came up in a hundred yards of us. Col. Terry raised his hat and waved it, and shouted: 'Charge, my brave boys, charge!' I was close to him when he gave the command, and we all started at a gallop, the Colonel leading everybody. The enemy were posted in a thick skirt of black-jack on our left, about four hundred strong, and only about one hundred and twenty of us charged them, and such a charge! The boys raised the yell, and every one dashed ahead upon the bright bayonets and right in the face of a hail of bullets. We routed them, shooting them down right and left and putting them to flight in every direction. We charged right over them, and I never saw men fall as they did. One tried to run his bayonet into me, but was shot by Mr. Thomas, of Capt. Wharton's company. All the enemy, we found, were of the Thirty-Second Indiana.

Col. Terry made a desperate charge upon about a dozen, and fell dead, having received a ball in the chin and coming out in the back of his head. His horse was shot from under him about the same instant. I have the honor to know that I shot the Dutchman's brains out that killed him. I emptied my six-shooters into the crowd, and saw several fall dead.

Poor Terry! He was a gallant colonel, and won the admiration of everybody by his manly courage and by his kind heart and noble disposition. I got down and took hold of him and tried to raise him up, but he was a corpse and very much disfigured. I called up four men to help carry him oft the field. His son Dave was perfectly thunderstruck when he came up and saw his dead father, and he fell upon him and screamed as if his heart would break. It was a heartrending sight to see the Colonel’s brains all shot out lying beside his dead horse, and others lying around, wounded and dead; and the enemy lying round, dead and wounded, and the wounded groaning and calling for water.

We routed them from their stronghold and were masters of the field. Capt. Ferrill fought them on the other side of the railroad and killed about thirty. We killed about twentyfive or thirty in our charge, and part of our men followed them up in the field and killed a good many. Our men were then called off and ordered to form again. The artillery was brought up and commenced playing on the enemy, and made lanes through their ranks. We threw shells at them, which did some execution. They threw three shells at us. One sung over my head and burst in the air in our rear. Two Arkansas companies of infantry engaged a part of their right flank and killed sixteen. Our killed were: Col. Terry, Corporal Dunn, of Company K, and Privates Beall and Lofton, of Company D. Lieut. Morris, Company K, was mortally wounded; severely wounded, John Jackson, Capt. Walker, Company K. Capt. Ferrell fought a gallant fight and lost two men and seven horses. Capt. Walker had two horses shot, while there was one horse shot in my company and Col. Terry's. It was a desperate and hard-fought battle, and lasted about one and three-quarters of an hour. I was in the thickest of the fight, and had a chance to know for once what it is to be in a battle and to smell the smoke of "the cannon's opening roar."

All our boys fought gallantly, and every one showed that he felt the reputation of Texas was at stake. That day added a bright page to the already wide fame of the Texas Rangers. But we have lost our Colonel, and many a sad heart and solemn face is in camp; and the whole army is awe-struck and grieved at our sad misfortune.

I was ordered by Gen. Hindman after the Colonel's death to take charge of the regiment, as I was the ranking officer in the field present, and I felt a heavy responsibility. But Maj. Harris has arrived from Bowling Green, and takes command today. Gen. Johnston is sending a large force up to this place, and bloody work may be expected if the enemy come on this side of the river. They are reported to be thirty thousand strong.

Write to me soon and give my love to my friends. I will try to get to see you and my darling children soon.

Your affectionate husband,
M. L. Evans

Confederate Veteran February, 1905, VoL. 13, No. 2, Pg. 61

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