C.W. Love to his Parents, December 18, 1861

Dear Father & Mother:
I am now writing on a soap box across my lap by candle light. Since I last wrote I have been improving in health and may say that I am entirely well with the exception of bad cold which appears to act on me as on all the balance of the Regmt: it seems to take hold of the Lungs more than I have ever noticed before.

I weighed myself this evening and weighed 140 lbs having fallen off in flesh in the course of 3 or 4 weeks to this weight from 145 lbs. There is at this time not so much sickness in the Regmt as has been but what has been has produced serious inroads on the numbers of the Regmt upwards of 40 have died since we left Texas and ten of that number have been from our company -- Those that have died are the following: M.J. Clough, Alex. Strain, Peyton Murray, John W. David, Young Petty. 8 at this place and Lieut Oliver Burleson and Mr. Oliver at Clarksville and I consider 3 or 4 more in a dangerous condition I shall not call the names of any particular persons except in a case like this in which I will say that I do not wish you to mention names so they will be heard of from their relatives at least until I write again. I heard from Clarksville a day or two ago.

Young Mr Anderson formerly an editor of the Pioneer was at Clarksville and brought information that Uncle A.C.: A.C. jr and Robt. High were in good health or improving Uncle Andrew wrote here about a week ago that he was in a very good temporary position in the Hospital at Clarksville and I understand from those who have come from there at various times since the establishment of the Hospital that he has pretty nearly exhausted his powers of endurance by his constant attention to the sick -- Robt. Murray is still at Clarksville -- he has applied for a discharge and I think will get it as the Physicians there have certified to his being disqualified for service by the effect of Measles on his lungs -- several cases of Measles have caused death in the same way by affecting the lungs

I have still had but one letter from any of you The news here is dull generally -- there is however some fighting going on around here --there was a fight a day or two ago up in Western Virginia in which our forces 1200 strong are said to have whipped 5000 of the enemy -- there is a report here that a skirmishing fight took place near Boling Green in which we are said to have whipped them capturing 300 of their cavalry the first fight is published being official the latter was telegraphed to this place last night -- There is a report also that Jim Jackson intends taking his Christmas dinner at this place he may attempt to do so. but if he succeeds it will be after he finds himself in charge of Confederate troops he does not know possibly that there are enough Confederate forces here to whip any thing he can bring against us -- it appears that from 6000 to 10,000 were in about 50 miles of us a night or two ago but I do not know whether to believe it or not -- don't care if its so

I write here by the light of a green Red Oak fire the fire part way having been very necessary and comfortable for these many nights past. We are now in a new camp on the Nashville Road about a mile and a half nearly South from Town -- We were formerly about a half mile West of Town they have very nice streams of water in this section of countrythe whole understrata here seems to be lime and marble and Sink Holes and caves are numerous foxes seem to be plenty as I would judge from hearing dogs run them now and then At Princeton there is a fine branch running through the earth and only two places at which it is accessible as far as learned one of them in the edge of town the other some 300 or 400 yds from that where it empties into a large creek.

I stated in my other letter that cousin John was getting on very well but of late he does not seem to improve but rather to decline he has been afflicted with Neurlgia of the face and in the last day or two his bowels have been running off he is now talking of going to Clarksville and I think he would do well to go for a while The clothing for our company has not yet got to hand but we are looking for it every day Mr Davis went from here to Boling Green. A Mr. Lenard who was in camp a few days ago says that from 75 to 100 of Terrys Regmt had died there are as far as I can learn at least 50000 men in and about Boling

We have here plenty of good beef. Flour bread and genuine coffee the latter not mixt with either rie [?] or cornmeal Barley or chocolate -- Beef at 12 1/2 cts per lb now and then once a week we have bacon -- once or twice since we have been here a leetle pork and sassengers [!] -- this is a land of porkers (Bacon from 25 cts to 30 cts per lb pork 10 ctsgross)

Two or three of the men of our Regmt have been found asleep on their posts -- Genl Clark had the different Regmts of Infantry 5 in Number in general review day before yesterday at eh end of review he said on account of the men not having been informed fully as to their duties he would spare them but that after that time the man who went to sleep on post should certainly be Shot (I hope he has scared those fully who are inclined to sleep) he said also that he expected us to have a fight in a few days with forces of the enemy fully equal in numbers to ours if we should I feel fully confident - we will by the favor of the Almighty (whose favor is not with the many or the few but with the just cause) give them more than they bargain for I am inclined to think Lincolns Message and the appearance of things in the present Federal Congress will turn many a union man in both Kentucky and Tennessee in fact the last papers state that in one of the Strongest Union counties in East Tenn the unionists are now raising a Regmt for the Confederate Sevice Nothing more now -- except that Burgess Modrell is doing very well personally but has no more pleasure in outside affairs than I have

Hoping the Almighty will bless all your family at home and elsewhere
I remain yours in filial regard

C.W. Love

Love Family Correspondence. Special Collections, Burnett Library, Texas Christian University. Fort Worth, TX. (TCU Box 298400)

 

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