John W. Hill to J. S. Powell - December 10, 1862

Camp near Knoalinsvill Tenn
Dec 10th 1862

Mr. J. S. Powell 54

Dear Sir. I have thought Sevral times that I would write to you and Itasca 55 But as there was so many here from old Fayette and as I have had so many others to correspond withe I have put off wrighting till the present. Do not think hard of me for not wrighting to you sooner for I can asure you that there is no one for hoom I have higher Regards than for you and yours. And often do reflect and bring back the many hapy hours spent withe you as the hapiest of my life We that is the Regment is now picketing & Scouting all the time in the direction of Nashville there is hardley a day passes but we exchange shots withe them without mutch damage being done to either side Eavry indication is that we will have a fight here very soon. General Joseph Johnson is at Murfresboro and is comand of all the forces of this department Genl Hardee is on this pike from Shelbinvill to Nashvill. Kirby Smithe is at Manchester and is coming in on the Lebanon pike. Generals Breckinridge Cheatom & Withers are on the pike from Murfreesboro to Nashville. Brigd Genl John H. Morgan had a fight at Huntsville a few dayes ago and killed some five hundred. took eighteen hundred or two thousand prisoners about sixty waggons and four pieces of artillery a considerable amt of armes & amunition Genal Rosencranz is in comand of the federal forces at Nashville. Genl Buell has ben removed and was brought into Nashvill under gard He was brought there to stand his trial before a Court-Marshal for treason. We get Nashvill & Louisvill papers eavry few dayes There is sevral ladies from this contrey that go into Nashvill eavry few dayes. And one Lady a few dayes sinse wore out three over shirts sevral prs Boots Hats &c what a great thing Hoops are. Some of them have brought out sevral Blankets Six Shooters and sevral suits of Confedrate Grey all under them Well I wont say what. We have a paper here containing Old Abs Mesage He urges his emancipation policy. I will send you a copy of the paper iff I can get one. I see from Northern papers that they are fiting up and Expadition under Genl Banks to send to Texas Some of the Northern Papers are oposed to his being sent to Texas and say that he ought to be atached to Burnsides to march upon Richmond They the Yanks are making Grand preparations to march upon us as soon as the Rivers git up so as there Iron Clad Boats can move But by the hel pof God and Miny Balls we met them and turned their corse once and I hope and believe that we will do it again. But withe all of our sucess when we look at our desimated ranks and think of this Regt. when it left Texas with over one thousand noble Spirits and now in it we only have some Four or five hundred And think of the noble felows that have fallen Some upon the blodey field some by disease it makes our hearts sad. We have no late news from Virginia the last was that Burnsides had demanded the surender of Fredratsburg and that Lee had refused to give it up. Major Harison is now Col of this Regt Capt S C Ferill is Lt. Col & Capt Rubon is Major. Capt Jormon is on the sick list he has ben quite unwell for some time but has ben up going about till within the last few dayes. The Berit & Dick Jormon were paroled whilest we were in Ky and have not ben exchanged as yet. Major Thornton and Drisdal that were wounded at the Stockade fight las Augst. have got well and returned to there Company. All the boyes of Capt Jormons Company are well Nat is in fine health And went withe his company this morning on picket We had two men caught and paroled out of our Company whilest we were in Ky A T Logan & Charley Pelham they are bothe from Travis Co and I do not know that you know them. Dr. T. J. Potts 56 of our Company was apointed Surgon of the Regt by Col Whorton whilest we were at Corinthe He went up to Mufreysburo a few days ago to stand his Examination before the Medical Board and failed. they wrote him a note stating that his Examination was not satisfactory and that his resignation would be received He came back and fixed up his tricks and left for parts unknown without saying a word to but one or two about it He met our Company in the road as He was leaving and never said a word to them. Bro Tom has gone over the Mountains to Kingston after some Horses that We left over there to recruit up and will bee gone for some tenn or fifteen dayes Bro Bob is in fine healthe so is Cap & Bob Hill in fact all the boyes of your acquaintance You must Remember me to all my old friends around La Grange My love to Cousin Lizzie and Itasca 57 and axcept the same for yourselfe.

Excuse all mistakes and wrote soon and a long letter

Yours Truly
Jno. W. Hill
O. Sgt Comapny D 8th Texas Cavalry

I got Lt Decherd to back this as he was using the pen & ink and he has franked it and put it Old Jno. Hill and I will let it go as I have no stamp

Footnotes:
54. Mr. J. S. Powell was from La Grange. He owned a mercantile store where John Hill was clerking when the Civil War began.
55. Itasca was the wife of Mr. Powell. She was the niece of T. B. J. Hill, and was reared by "Aunty and Uncle.".
56. T. J. Potts was born in England, but his home at this time was in Bastrop County.
57. Cousin Lizzie was Lizzie Yates, and Itasca was Itasca Powell. They were reared by Mrs. T. B. J. Hill.

Goldman, Pauline S., ed., Letters from three Members of Terry's Texas Rangers, 1861-1865, Unpublished MA Thesis, University of Texas, 1930.

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