Robert Edward Hill to Mary Scott Hill - December 8, 1862

Head Quarters Texas Rangers
Camp Near Nolensvill
Decb. the 8th/62

My Dear Sister.

I wrote a few days ago to Uncle Tom by Mr. N. J. Allen and now I begin this to you & I know not whether it will ever get to its destination or not. Still it is a pleasure for me to write when ever I have an opportunity—We are still near Nashville and I judge before this reaches you a severe battle will have been fought near or at Nashville We have an army here that is anxious to meet the Yanks & I would not be surprised at any time to hear the beginning of a big fight how it will end remains the future—We hear the booming of the cannon every day even now & has been ever since my letter to Uncle Tom they the Yanks come out and shell our pickets One half of our Regt is on picket at a time as we have several roads to watch. Our company is out now, and will stand two days—None of our boys have been hurt since I last wrote & all are well—Brother Tom started yesterday across the mountain to bring me some horses that were left over near Knoxville he will be about some two weks I suppose if not longer. Jim Mcguire was detailed a few days ago to go with a scouting party and has not yet returend. The boys are all wel and in very good spirits We have had a very cold spell for the last four days and even now the ground is covered with snow and everything is perfectly white. it is still very cold this morning but the sun is shining very bright and bids fair to be beautiful weather. I fear we are going to have a very cold winter and if we do unless our army goes into Winter Quarters there will be a great deal of suffering among the infantry as boots & blankets are very scarce & hard to get.

Genrl. Joseph E. Johnston has arived at Murfresuro to take command of the army that is here & the Army are moving on towards Nashvill in three columns I cant tell whether we will attack Nashvill or whether the Yanks will give us a fight this side the Yanks have a force about 6 miles this side of Nashvill Our pickets fight nearly every day.

We are getting plenty to eat and plenty for our horses—the people are anxious for our Troops to get all the surplus food of every kind as they fear that we may have to leave here again like we did last winter when the waters got up & they know that the Yanks will take everything that they have leaving them little or nothing The Yanks are burning up all the vacant houses whereever they go.

From the Yankee papers that we get here I think that the army will go into Winter Quarters in Va. and the fighting if any is done will be done here in the west

The French Minister is urging upon the Minister of England & Russia the necessity of making a proposition for an armistice of 6 months in which hostilities of every kind shall cease on land and sea I hope it may be made and that a cesation of hostilities may be brought about and then there would be some chance for peace.

And Now I would like to say a few words to say to the negroes While I was with the Yanks in Kytucky I saw them selling the negro children from their Mothers for a Qt of whisky and negro boys 16, 18 & 20 years old for $10. to $25.00 & these were negroes that they had persuaded to leave their homes to be made free & that was the way they would treat them. I saw 3 or 4 men quarreling about a likely negro boy about 16 years old and they could not agree as to who had the best right to him and to end the dispute they shot the negro and killed him The Negroes that they have taken from here are anxious to get back once more & they say they have seen enough of Yankee freedom—Crockett has seen some negroes who had been with Yankees and who had left them and come back home and he is afraid almost to go out of camp and says that he never intends tht they shall get him. that he wants to get back home again. Although he is very well satisfied in camp and does not want to go home untill we all go back together. There is a general impression pervading the people here that the War will cease with teh Winter or at least with next springs campaigns God Grant that it may last no longer than this winter—and that next spring may see us all at home together.

I tried very hard to get Brother Tom a furlough to come home on but it was no good. None but sick & wounded men are furloughed now. N. J. Allen got his furlough on acct. of family sickness.

You all must keep up a good heart at home and pray for our safety & success and our speedy return home—& I believe that Our Almighty Father will hear & answer your prayers—Such is my faith in Prayer I received a letter from Uncle Tom after I had returned from Ky. the first that I had received for 4 months Tell Sister Sallie that I received her letter and was very glad indeed to hear from her You can say to her that Brother Tom is in fine health and the next time she writes that she must date her letter so that we may know what time it takes to get here. Tell Cousin Nish that I have been expecting letters from him but have begun to think that he has forgotten how glad it makes a man feel in camp to get a letter from home—I am sure if I were at home that I would write every week to some of the boys here in camp If I could only that all were well or write who were sick grunting or complaining But a good warm Room & good fire to sit by and a good bed to sleep in are very different from having little of no fire & snow on the Ground 21 inches deep and one blanket to sleep on & about 2 to cover with Yet we must be satisfied & not grumble for we know that our young Confederacy has not grown to manhood in the way of furnishing half a million of man with every convenience. The ladies God bless them are knitting gloves & making socks for the soldiers all through this country and furnishing them with everything they can spare. Some of the Ladies in this section have been in the habit of going into Nashvill & bringing out such things as the boys needed one lady not longer than yesterday wore out 3 wollen over shirts under her dress & two pr. of boots & 3 hats & what a great institution hoops are.

Tell Uncle Tom & Aunt Scott that we expected to have the pleasure of Cousin Tom Anderson as a large part of Genl E. Kirby Smiths army are here but Cousin Tom was in Genl. Heaths Division and he has been left in command at Knoxvill wand Cumberland Gap and I suppose that Cousin Tom is still with him as we have heard nothing from him since. Cousin Tom was very anxious to come down here I know from what the boys all told me Brother John & Cap saw Cousin Tom several times in Ky and after they got to the gap Billy Sayers 50 has been made the Adgt. of our Regt and John Claiborn 51 is now Sgt. Maj. Old Steph Ferrill if he was here is Lt. Col. and Capt Raybon Major. Tell Cousin Nish that Harrison as Col. steps as short as ever and holds his head so straight that it leans over behind I believe that he is more unpopular than ever.

Our Regt is in high favor at Hd. Qt. and they are making us do hard duty, and keeping us on the outposts all the time We have had to rest in low these many days. We look to a grateful people at home for our reward in knowing that we have their sympathies while we are battling for all that makes life worth a cent. Our Texas troops are everywhere praised for their Gallant conduct and their deeds of personal daring. I saw & talked to Old United States Officers who could not be made to believe that our men were not all drunk so close did we fight them. Genl Polk issued a genal order to the army in praise of our Regt. Which I suppose you may have seen as several copies have been sent home & to the Editor of the Telegraph

Two of our Comp. were taken prisoners in Ky one of them. A. T. Logan 52 got back to camp last evening Charlie Pelham 53 is at the Parole camp at Chattanoga they will soon be exchanged and then come back to their comp They will have an acct to settle with the Yanks as they were treated very badly by them.

The yanks are insulting the women where ever they go & threatening to burn their houses down over their heads & taking everyting in the place that they can carry off or destroying it some way They are really devastating the country where ever they go

I do hope & pray that our loved land may never witness the scenes that are transpiring in this Country and in Kyntucky.

And now a few words of comfort to you all at home Let not your hearts be trouble because of us. We have plenty to eat and are all in good health and our hopes undimed of the future independence of Our Young Confederacy and we yet live in hopes of getting home again where we can talk over the scenes & trials through which we have passed.

Give Our love to all enquiring friends and persuade some of them to write if you can [???] each other when one gets a letter from home I know you would write oftener There is a mail communication now running clear through and it makes no difference where we are they will send the letters to the nearest point

Direct to "Texas Rangers" "Genl. Whartons Brigade"—and they will find us.

May next spring & summer find us all together around the family circle without the loss of one either at home or here is the constant wish & prayer of your Brother Bob

Goodby God bless & keep you as the apple of the eye.

Bob

Footnotes:
50. Billy Sayers was from Bastrop County, Texas. His family lived in Hill's Prairie.
51. John Claiborn was from Travis County.
52. A. T. Logan was from Travis County.
53. Charlie Pelham was from Travis County. He was killed near Cleveland, Tennessee, May 9, 1864.

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

---