Edward H. Ross to his parents - October 27, 1861

Dear Father and Mother

it is with pleasure that I am able to drop you a lines this Sabboth morning to let
you know wear I am and how I am geting a long
I am at Bowling gree [Bowling Green] Kentucky at the seat of war in this state
there is from the best information that I can get there is som 50 or 60 thousand
troops on boath sids
times is very exciting and we hear a great may things hear in camps
there has been but one little skirmish fight and that tuck place yesterday
killed and tuck 16 prions
there was a fight tuck place at lees birg in Virginia
our loss 200 there loss 1600
Kentucky is mostly devided north and south thoe right round Bowling gree there
is but fiew union men
the first regement that got hear shot a union flag off of the otp of the ingion
hous so you may see that there has been a change hear
our rules are very strict
we are not aloud to go out of camp with out a lawful excuse
we thought when we were coming hear that we would have been in a battle before this
time
we were tranfered hear in a hurey but I cant tell aney thing about it know
everything is kept dark from the soulder
the last devision of our regement has not recieved there arms yet so I gurss we
will not go in to battle till we get them at least
I understand from the Colonel this morning that we would leave at least in 2 weeks
we landed hear 8 dayes ago after a fateging travel of 5 dayes and nights from
new orleans
there was such a rush of troops to this place that it was a dificult matter to get
cars for transpotation except open cars
3 nights we rode on cars that were open and very cold and drizling of rane
we all caught bad colds and all not over it yet
since comenced writing it was announced that there was a preeching in camps
I left off waiting and went to preeching and heard a good old fashion sermant
after returning I go to writing
we are fairing well as yet in Kentuck [Kentucky]
the goverment furnishes us with meat and bred shougher and coffee rice some molasses
gineraly pike pork and bacon pickle beef and some fresh beef and then they hall
in every day all kinds of vegitables that we can by at the lowest price to wit aples
50 cts per bushel turnups 25 per bush cabage at 1 1/2 to 5 cents per head beets and
every thing els that a man would want or could wish
I will i know give you a sketch of my travels from home to to New Orleans
I went from home strait to houston
there we stayed a week
on Monday week after I left home we started for Virginey travled 1 day on cares all
day travling 85 miles
night found us at boumont a little town on the Naches in which we stayed all
night
nest morning we set sale for Newibery [New Ibery] in Louisana [Louisiana] which place we reached late in
the eveng a distance of 90 or 100 miles
in this dayes travel we passed thew the sabeen lake which was a butiful lake
one side I could not see land on the other side we run close to land
we stayed at New Ibery all night and next day till late in the evening
we got all of our wagons gured up and loded
we started for Newibery
N B it was Niblins bluf [Niblett's Bluff?] that we landed at and know we started for the town above
menchend
on this route we travled 12 dayes afoot
there was 3 compenys
we had 8 wagons 2 wagons to the compeny and 2 to hall the sick
8 day I got sick and I had to bee hawled to the balance of the way threw and I have
not been intirely wel since tho\e I feel more like getting well to day then I have
felt in som time thoe I have ben able to go about all the while but to the rout
that we had to travel over
it was a low flat marshey coutery at least half under water
wagons would bog sometimes every 100 yds
we travled 3 dayes and let the mexicans work there one way
some times they would have 50 mules to one wagon
the 4 day each Capt tuck his men and fowlered his waon and it would mire down
they would push it out and so they managed on threw
boots and shoos fared but medlng
when there feet would get sore they would cut them then the next thing you see them
throwed away and them going barfootted and a great maney wore out there boots
and then wore out there feet
the water was from half leg to half thigh dep and we wasant dry from morning till
night
thoese are some of teh dificulties had in getting to New Ibery
there we tuck water on a splendid boat
our Capt got the cabin for his compeny and a bunk for all of his sick men and I was
one of that number and I dant think I slept 2 hours the hole night not being accustom
to sleeping where there was any racket in fact I dont think for the first 3 weeks
that I averaged 3 hours a night from the rattle and bustel of things that was a
round me
the next morning found us at Brashear City 84 miles from Neworleans [New Orleans]
there we got abord of the cares and started for that great place Neworeans
and night found us there and hear we stayed 2 dayes and nights
I never was so mistken in a place in my life
I can go to Common and by things cheaper than I can in New Orleans thoe I recon
that things is quite diferent now to what it was afiew years a go
I guess you will yet see harder times in Texas than you havever seen for this reson
every where I have been dry goods is scarse and very high
mutch more so than in Texas and I guess that they will be higher there than they
are now
the weather is tolerable cold hear now
we have had post
doubtless you have heard what compty I went in however I will tell you when I got
to Kings his comptny had broak up partly owing Colonel Carters regement being
fill threin so King had made the rangment to go in Capt Harris Camp from Waco
who was already at Houston who was going in Colonel Terrys regement as Texas
Rangers so that is where I am and the regement that we belong to and we were to go
to Virgina and when we got to Neworleans the orders was conter manded and we were
cent to Ketuck
it is thought that the great battle will bee faught hear in this contery
we can get the news hear from Richam [Richmond] in 12 hours
they tellegraft hear eveday from therr so I will able to give you as you
can get it any other sorse
I want you to write to my just as soon as you get these lines
direct your letter to Bowling green Ketucky Capt King Compt Terrys regement
Texas Rangers and it will becertan to go right
the post masters will bee instructed forde them to us where ever we may bee
I want you to write to me and let me know whether I have any connections in Kentucky
or not and if so where there are and who they are
I want you to remember Ann and the children
I want you to cend this to Laughlin and Jmaes [James] Server and tell them that I will cend
them a letter soon
pleas lok over my arcured and ramblin scateren blotched and scrabled up letter
for I have a bad pen bad paper and have to write on my nee and 12 men in my mess
and they all round me talking and laughin
I must bring my letter to a close
I want you and mother to remember me when it goes well
I wish to bee remembere dby all my friends
give my love and respets to all who may inquire after me
take care of Ann and the children

your afectionat son untill death

E H Ross

N B bee cearful about diretting you letters
E H Ross
Bowling green
Kentuck
Capt King Comptny
Terrys Regement Texas Rangers

Edward Hampton Ross Letters. Wharton County Historical Museum.