The Civil War Letters of J. W. Rabb

New Iberia, Louisiana September 19th/61

Mr V. S. Rabb

Dear Brother,

We got to this place on yesterday. We started from Niblets Bluff some eight days ago. We started to walk the 130 miles, but we found to to much like work. Several of the boys bought horses and some of them pressed on there own hook. So the Captain concluded that he would press for the hole company. So we went out and drove in horses for the hole company and then we came in a hoop. It rained on us all day yesterday and the day before. We all got as wet as water could make us both days. After I got me a horse, me and Huchins went ahead and went to pressing. We soon had us a fare caberis and girt & spurs, & we would press any thing for our mess such as bread & honey and milk and potatoes. The people of this place are very clever and abl. They gave us our dinner and supper yesterday after we got in for the first two dayes. When we were walking we saw sights through water & mud half-leg deep. Brown got a horse, and he got away from him, and it maid him so mad that he would not have a horse but walked all the way through. We take the boat this evening for Berwicks Bay. We will be in Orleans tomorrow evening. Croft & Smith White are well, and all our mess are in pretty good spirits now we have got across the pass. Right to me at Richmond, Va. when you get this. I am pretty good health at this time. Send this letter to Ma Ma if there is nothing in it that is rong. Tell Gum to take care of him selfe, that I can't be with him alwayes. My respects to my friends Barker & Pearson and all enquiring friends.

Fourth Corporal
John W. Rabb
Rite to me at Nashville

Rabb, J. W., "We are Stern and Resolved: The Civil War Letters of John Wesley Rabb", ed. by Thomas W. Cutrer, The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, 1987, pp. 185-226.