C. W. Love letter - April 1, 1862

Corinth Miss
April 1st A.D. 1862

Jas M & T.A. Loves:

Dear parents:
This leaves me in a still improving condition and a present with the boys from Limestone Co ... Sol Skruggs Wm & Jos Lynches and also Bulger Peoples Wm Perry and Mr Grant - Mr Thornton and in fact a good many of the Limestone boys with whom I had formerly had but little acquaintance I find that there are at this place a number possibly as many as thirty of Col Greggs Regmt - three of them are of my company - men who have been sick most of the Winter - they are Mr's Oliver, Steele, Cason - they and most of the others will get discharges today through Dr Alston []now a member of Genl Clarks staff - the Dr is in good health - these three of the boys will be at home very soon as soon possibly as this gets to or possibly sooner as I may send this to you by Mr Steele - Terry Wylie is here also and is in good health he was sick and at Clarksville when the fight took place at Donaldson. I have learned from Mr Cason that Uncle Andrew and several of the boys got away from Hopkinsville - Andrew died and cousin John was too sick to be moved I do not know where Uncle Andrew is and was unable to learn anything until I had got here - I was not well enough to leave the place from which I wrote you the last letter but I had to do that or be taken by the enemy who were in five miles of me and had been for eighteen hour before I learned they were there the consequence to me was a walk down the R.R. about twenty six or twenty eight miles which tired me so much that I have not got over it yet - I had to carry my knapsack weighing about twenty lbs - I had also to walk nearly the whole distance on the cross ties of the R.R. - I got here day before yesturday morning and as I was not able to do active service I felt very gloomy and bad at the prospect of being sent to any regmt regardless of the consequences to me but as good fortune had it I was but a little time in finding the boys with whom I am now staying - I have learned that John and Sam were in the Apothliohon fight but did not get hurt - but I am fearful they have suffered in the last fight down in Arkansas. but as I do not know that I could get an answer from you before I would have to leave here I suppose I must continue ignorant of the []and hope that it has been the will of the Almighty to protect them - God only knows how long this war will continue but as long as it does continue - separated as we are there but little chance for us to know much about each other. I have learned from men just from Texas that there are reported to be upwards of hundred of the enemys gun boats inside of the bar at the mouth of the Mississippi and that the troops on the other side of the river at N.O. had been immediately put over on this side - they bring also the news that all of the troops on our coast had been ordered to Missouri and that new troops were being raised to supply their places. I learn that there was some skirmishing between our troops and the enemy as our forces were falling back in Virginia in which we had the advantage - in one case about 300 of our forces whipped about 500 of the enemy six of our men were killed and upwards of one hundred wounded - 40 of the enemy were killed and 100 prisoners taken the enemys wounded were considerable but the number was not known - Our forces burned all the bridges on the R. Roads down to their present position which is said to be a much better one than formerly occupied. the bridges all along down from Nashville to the Cumberland Gap have also been burnt. There will no doubt be a tremendous fight near here in a few days the Texas Rangers were out on a scout day before yesturday and got back yesturday they saw some movements on the part of the enemy but do not know they were advancing this way but suppose they were they heard cannon firing all day yesturday which they thought were from the enemys gunboats - I myself heard a cannon two or three times yesturday evening about dark and took them to be cannon of a land battery if so the enemy are in a few miles of us or were when the cannon were fired - let all this be be as it may there is no doubt we are on the point of fighting a great battle - I have just heard that Col Mores Regiment from near Galveston got here this morning and passed to the East of town - Merchants all through this country are charging the most enormous prices for everything a 75 ct knife for $2.00[Sod] $1.00 per lbs mall letter paper such as sold for about .30cts in Texas $1.00 per Lr. Cotton Cards at $6.00 to $9.00 a pr - the people ought to remember as soon as the war is over.

Yours in filial Regard & etc

C.W. Love

N.B. written on my knees ---

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