Robert Edward Hill to Mary Scott Hill - December 22, 1861

Dear Sister
It has been so long since I wrote that I had almost concluded that I was entirely out of practice. The last letter I wrote was to Cousin Nish21 whilst I was down at our other encampment, near Bowling Green. We were ordered out here to this place which was the advance post, 10 or 12 miles in advance of any of the troops. On last Monday was two weeks ago. We were ordered to have 7 days provisions prepared and we started on a trip toward the Yankees. we went on untill we got to Green River at a place called Woodsonvill [Woodsonville] or Mumfordsvill [Mumfordsville] there are two places one on each side of the river, only the river between them The Yankees are encamped at Mumfordsvill we saw their tents and could see them walking about their camps. There were more on this side of the river. We found out that they were making boats and bridges to cross on this side we came back and camped about 10 miles from this river on the sunday following we went up there again and found some on this side of the river we shot two of them and took one prisoner. On last tuesday we went up there with some infantry troops to tear up the railroad track. when we arived at the place where we had fought them on sunday we could see them moving in large bodies they came out to meet us and Col. Terry ordered a charge when our boys raised a shout that for a while drowned the reports of the guns - they dashed right into them and began shooting and the Yankees began to run. Our brave Col. was killed while leading his men on. we had 2 killed in our company. One named Frank Loftin and W. W. Bell [Beall].53 Cousin Nish knows both of them well. you can tell Cousin Nish that Gov. Bell was shot twice once almost right through the region of the heart and the other shot in the leg which almost cut it off. I did not get to see Bell I was busy with some of the boys that was wounded trying to get them off and get their wounds dressed Bell & Loftin were killed & two men by the name of Giles [L. B. Giles & L. L. Giles] and one by the name of John Henry were wounded in Our Comp. Capt. Walker lost one man and had 3 wounded - Sam Fredberger [Friedberger] had his horse killed and in the fall Sam had his collar bone broken. we then came back to where our camp was and ever since then we have been on the alert hardly sleeping or eating Our horses have been sadaled more than half the time and the men prepared to spring into the sadal at a moments warning

Nearly their whole army are dutch that have been here only a few years every one that we have taken prisoner is dutch and they say they have joined to keep their faimilies from suffering that they could not get anything to do and they could not let their fraus - starve to death we captured several letters the other day with the knapsacks and they were from dutch women living in Cincinatti all begging their husbands to send them some money that what they could get there did not pay the rents and they would be turned out of doors if they did not pay up - it is perfectly outrageous that we have to fight such material whilst those vile abolitionists that have brought & urged this war on should be securely left at home.

Our Comp has had a great deal of sickness and some deaths John Morgan died at Nashvill [Nashville] sometime ago I could not get down to see him Brother John, Cap & Bob & myself are all up Dr. Royston & Dick23 are both sick & I reckon will both go down to Missipii [Mississippi] or come home if they stay here they will both die

My paper is out Good Bye -

Tell Cousin Nish that Ben Toliver that lived in Mississippi is captain in an Arkansas Company and sends his love to all the relations that live in Texas. he has two Brothers and one Uncle in Genl Hindmans Brigade Our Regiment is attached to the same Brigade they are all from Arkansas and are the keenest men for a fight I nearly ever saw

Tell Uncle Tom24 that I would have writen to him again but I have been eating and sleeping almost constantly in the saddle for the last 17. days and would now be up where our Comp is but Dr Royston is sick and not able to attend the sick and I had to come down and take charge of them. I will write oftener if I remain here and keep you all posted with what is going on in this part of Kentucky which is to be emphatically the Dark & bloody ground.

We heard the other day that Galveston was burned to the ground and you can have no idea of my feelings I thought that my own loved state was to be invaded and I here in Kentucky fighting those confounded dutch

Say to Cousin Nish that John Hunt had his papers all fixed up for a discharge from service and when I started on our last trip expected that he would be able to start right straight home but through negligence on the part of those who were in command they were mislaid and John did not get hold of them I expect to make out new ones for him and thus he will be able to get off in a few days. His health is improving slowly he is here with me now.

Give my love to all enquiring friends and tell Mother that I never lay down at night without asking the good lord to bless me and keep me untill we all meet at Home around our fireside as we left I do hope that she may get well and that it may not be long untill we will be all together again

I think that I have written enough to night so goodby untill you hear from me again

Your Brother Bob

P.S if you see Miss Mid25 shortly give her my love and say to her that I often remember her

Your Brother Bob

Footnotes:
21. Cousin Nish was Dionysius Oliver, who was a brother of Mrs. T. B. J. Hill. He lived in Bastrop.
53. W. W. Bell was from Bastrop County.
23. Dick Roiston was a brother of Dr. Roiston, who has been mentioned. They lived in Hill's Prairie.
24. Uncle Tom was Thomas Baytop Hill, a brother of Middleton Hill. He was a founder of Hill's Prairie.
25. Miss Mid was Miss Middie Hart from Fayette County. Her parents lived in Winchester, Texas.

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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