J. W. Rabb Letter to his Mother, November 23, 1862

In Camp near Murfreesborrow, Tenn.
Nov. 23/62

My Dear Ma ma,

I am going to try to pen you a few lines by fier light to night, as a young man from our Regiment is going to start for Texas in the morning. Yesterday I got ten letters. I got three from Virge and one from Col. Moore two from Lissy and four from my little sweet Sister Bet. You better think I was glad to get them, although some of them had been long on the road. I should like to answer all of those letters, Bet's & Lissies, but they know That I can't rite so manie letters. I always try to send one letter home ever opportunity I have, and when I do rite, I must rite to my Ma ma, but I want Lissy & Bet to rite to me all the time. I am getting very oneasy about you all now I hear that the Yankeys are getting in to Texas. I am a fraid that they may come up to Austin.. If the Yanks come, maby you had better send the negros up in the mountains. I roat a letter to Gum some time ago. Virg's last letter was dated the 18th of Oct. He was near Little Rock. Virge spoke as though he would come and see me if he could get a ferlow. He wanted to send me some mony if I wanted it, but I have pleanty though. Boots and Blankets are hard to buy here, but I will make out. Virge wanted to know how many fights I had been in since he herd from me. If I was to count little & big, they would make about eight. I am in hope you all may get along tolerable well, though I tell you that the Yanks are very bad. If they come up to Austin they will take what ever they see that they want such as Bacon, corn, horses, waggons, beef, & negroes & any thing. You must do the best you can. Our Reg. wants to come to Texas, but they will not let us. They say that they can't do with out us. I told croft all was in those letters, and I gave him that litle note that was in Bet's letter. He said that he would rite as soon as he could. Croft is a very good boy, but he does hate to rite so bad. He is mity mad at John. I think he will rite soon. Tell Mrs. McCluskey that I could not find Col. Parish. There is so many trops. If she had sayed what stat his regiment was from, I might have found him. Our army is camped in & around Murfreesburow. The Yanks are camped in & around Nashville. It is likely that we may have a fight soon. I have not had aney horse since those two was killed for me up in Ky. (I did not give Gabe Penn leaf to take aney Cedar. Old Gabe had better be in the war.) Croft & me are in pretty good health.

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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