The Civil War Letters of J. W. Rabb

Knoxville, Tenn., Oct 27th 1862

Mrs. Mary Rabb

Dear Mother,

I am at the above named place. Our regiment got here only a few days ago from where we have been for the last month. I have been in some right tough places since I last rote to you which we were up in Ky. We were within ten miles of Louisville. We had three fights in Ky. Two of them were cavelry fights on both sides. We whipped the Yankey cavelry boath times. One time we routed them compleetly. The next fight we had cavelry & Infantry on boath side. It was a big fight lasting all day. The Yank were forsed to leave the field to us at night. We killed & wounded four thousand of the Yanks. They killed and wounded twenty five hundred of us. I was over the battle fieald the next day. It was covered with the wounded & dead. Auful looking sight I assure you. I suffered no ingury my selfe but my noble little horse, (Nipper that I drew at Bowlingreen and who has been with me all through,) was shot in the four leg and brook just as we was going in to a charge. He came near falling with me but he caught on the other leg. I jumped off ove him and pulled the saddle of ove him and that was the last I saw of him. He was a nice made trim made little sorrel and very spirited and he run like the wind. He was the favorite horse in the company. All the boys petted him. I did hate to lose him. This battle is called the Battle of Perryville. After the fight the Yanks brought up an over whelming force. It is sayed two hundred thousand men, so Gen. Bragg had to leave Ky., which he did without any more fighting except our cavelry fighting the Yanks advance. Our army had a pretty smart fight in Ky. when we first got there. That fight was at Munferdsville. We took five thousand head of Yanks. When we were coming out of Ky. I was not with the Reg., but I was along with the waggons as gard. One day we were comming through a very poore mountainous country where all the people are Linkonites and where they get up on the mountains and shoot at us as we get along the road. Well, one day I was the head man of the lay out going along the road, very lesury. Three fellows from off the side of the mountains about one hundred & fifty yards off cut loos at me. The first one missed me altogether, but the bullet whiz pretty clost. The next two hit my horse, the one in the sholder & the other in his neck. I had my six shhoter in my hand at the time, looking out for the Bushwhackers, as we called them fellows that way lay others. I jumped down off the horse and got behind him and fired at them some four times. They then turned and went over the ridge, and as they went they did not fire aney more at me, but they told me to come on God d--- you. The Bushwhackers fired in to our train two different times that day but did no other dammage but kill a horse that was tied behind a waggon and shot a negro in the heal. I have no news to rite you from Va. aney more than I here that Stone Wall Jackson has fallen back out of Mayerland to Manassus plains. We herd some time ago that Gen. Price had been whiped down about Corrinth, and again we here that Price has whipped the Yanks. This is all rumer. I do not know the truth of it. Well, I do not know what this army of Bragg's is going to do, but I think it is going down to Nashville and start the Yanks from there. Well, the weather is pretty cold here now. Yesterday was Sunday. It commensed snowing yesterday, and you or to see the boys riging shelter out ove brush and powls and blankets. Today we drew some tents and also put a requisition for cloths which I think we will draw in a few days. I am in very good health now and tolerable spearits. Give my respects to my Father & Mother in law. Tell Lissy to tell Sallie that I think I will be back after while. Give my respects to all enquiring friends. Well, Bet, Dave is in very good health, but he wants the war to close very bad. I want to see my ma so bad.

John W. Rabb  

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.

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