Oliver or Robert Shipp to Miss Scottie Hill - February 18, 1863

Headquarters Texas Rangers near Louisberg, Tenn.
Feb 18th/63

Miss Scottie Hill.

Dear Miss:—

Your welcomed letter reach me yesterday of Dec. 13th. I was highly pleased to learn that you all were well although I must acknowledge that I was disappointed in the length of your letter, I expected a long letter from you, your first, has not come to hand yet. When you write you ought to Remember the Golden Rule "Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you." That is to say, write long letters and if I fail to do the same, then shock my memory. We have a great deal to write about sometimes, but have not pen, ink, or paper. If we could get those things, we would write oftener We are not situated, like you all, when we write, we have to write on a Book or a place of barrel head. You all write on a table, which is decided advantage to one, so far as comfort. Enough on that subject.

Now for the news. On the 28th. of Jan. we left Shelbyville on a big scout, the morning before we left Shelbyville it snowed until the snow was three or four inches on the ground. We left on the 28th in the morning, and travelled that day 18 or 20 miles, and camped in the snow, some of us got hay, and others got fodder to make our beds down upon in that way we rested very comfortably that night, our company was on Picket that night we far very well. At day light the next morning, 29th we were on the line of march, we knew not where we were bound for we travelled all that day and until about 3 o'clock, we reached Franklin, there we camped until 12 o'clock the next day. At 12 o'clock left Franklin, for Sharlotsville we did not go to Sharlotsville that day, we camped this side of it. The next day we reached Sharlotsville, and stoped there a while on some business from there we had to go twenty miles, to camp on account of forage the next morning we were as usual on our march. We travelled until 3 o'clock, and built up fires to warm by, while we were standing by the fires, we heard two cannons at Fort Donnelson after which we were ordered to mount our horses (all this time, we did not know where we was going to, some though Fort Donelson, and others to different points). We had not gone far, before some of the boys enquired, how far it was to Fort Donelson, and to our surprise we were in three miles of F. D. Our gaits keeping faster and faster until we got to the fort. Our Regiment, was very near the rear, as soon as we got in sight of the Fort the Brigade was halted, and the Ranger's ordered to the front. I thought we had to go into the fight, in the advance, as we always have done before, but to my surprise the Rangers were ordered on the road leading from F. D. to Fort Henry. That was on the extreme left wing of our line of Battle. We had about five thousand cavalrymen, no, Infanry about fifteen pieces of artillery. Gen. Wheeler, was in command, there was Gens. Forrests & Wharton's Brigades of Cavalry. We fought them three hours, driving them from breastworks to breastworks, finally into the fort, in the fight we lost a great many, they had the advantage of us in position. Our batteries in fight killed very near all of their horses, in their batteries. they dismounted one cannon, & the 2nd Georgia Regiment was dismounted and fought as Infantry, they fought bravely, they captured a cannon and brought it out. they disserve a great deal of credit for bravery on that occation. We fought until dark, when we fell back, under the cover of the trees. our boy's had not been there before, four Gunboats came to the rescue of the Fort. They brought with them, several transports with re-inforcements, we did not wait to see how for the gunboats commenced shelling us as soon as they got there. We fell back two miles, and camped that night, next morning we took up a line of march to this place both going and coming, we were in snow all the time. Our feet while riding, would freeze to our stirrip's, we had to get down off our horses, and walk, to keep from freezing. A good many of the boy's had their toes frost bitten, in the long run I think we will loose more than we gained. We captured about fifty prisoners, with them we got forty negroes. Our Regiment did no fighting that day, consequently we did'nt loose, as single man. After the fight we marched in snow all the way back, until we got to Columbia. there we camped two or three and then came to this place, where we are at present in mud, up to our knees. We would have taken the F. D. but our amunition gave out, both for the small arms and artillery, and we had to fall back, some of our Regiments did'nt have a round in there cartrage-boxe's. There was several other little occurences, too numerous to mention. We are now at the wagons we will, I expect go on another wildgoose chase before. I have no late new's to mention this writing. The news papers are filled with good news, if it can only be so. In the Winchester paper's, the late telegraphic news, is the Louis Napoleon has offered mediation, bothe to North & South, and Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky, is to meet (I mean their commissioners) in Frankfort to-day, to form a Western Confedracy. and also to send commissioners to Richmond Va. to bring about Peace! Their papers are asking for Peace, the main Abolition leaders in the North are calling for Peac. & They can't—

[Oliver Shipp]

Goldman, Pauline S., ed., Letters from three Members of Terry's Texas Rangers, 1861-1865, Unpublished MA Thesis, University of Texas, 1930.