J. W. Rabb Letter to his Brother, November 7, 1862

Camp Lanora, Tenn.,Nov 7th/62

Mr. Z. M. P. Rabb

Dear Brother,

I beleave I have rote to you but onse since I came to the war, but that is once more than you have roat to me. You can set down aney time at a table and rite to me, and I have such a poore way to rite. I but that is something. I write home every time I have an opportunity, and I should like to here from you some time. Do rite me a letter or so. I rote to Mother a few days ago. I have not got a letter from home in a long, long time--three or four months. When I roat to Ma I gave her a little account of my history for the las month or so, how that the Yanks had shot one horse under me and the Bushwhackers another, but they have not totch this child yet, though, but they may do it one of these days. I tell you, Gum, these old minny ball & bums are the devil. I would like if you was here during one of our fights, to see how you would like it. But I suppose you will have something to do in Texas before long, as we here that the Yanks have taken Galveston and some other places in Texas. We here that the Yanks are comming to Texas in large forces to winter & kill beevs, & if they do come, you all must bush Whack them like all sin. We here it reported in the regiment that Col. Wharton is going to do his best to get this Regiment sent back to Texas because the Yanks have come there. The boys wanto go back very much. Since riting the above I have been called to attend dress parad. They red an order at the parade from Gen Pope complementing the Rangers very hily for there galantry in the cavelry fight at Bardstown Ky. Our Regiment cleaned out three Regiments of Yankey cavalry. The Yanks had got between us and the main army, and then came on us. We charged them and soon got them to running, and you ought to have been there to see the Yanks jumping over fences and falling off. It was very gay. The rangers are very popular here with the army except the balance of the cavelry. The other cavelry does not like us much. I am in pretty good health. Croft is laying down by the fier complaning some, a little Sick. He is talking to me now about you. He says that he wishes he was there. He says you had better hid away in some hole till the war is over. He sayes if you will come here he will give you a good Yankey Gum. Give my res to Ed Manton and the folks.

JWR

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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