Gen. McLaws on the Private Soldier

Confederate Veteran
Volume 10, Number 4, Page 170-171
April 1902

The following extracts are from a letter of Gen. Lafayette McLaws to H. W. Graber, of Dallas, Tex., showing his appreciation of the services of his company, the Texas Rangers, while on duty with him from Savannah, Ga., to Bentonville, and his estimate of the regard due a private Confederate soldier. It was dated at Savannah, Ga., April 9, 1897, and says:

Your letter of the 5th reached me yesterday evening, and it gave me great pleasure to receive it, for I have very often spoken of the Texas company which formed my escort for a great deal of the time during this campaign, and always in praise of its daring spirit and its devotion to our cause, and there is no one in the company whose name I have mentioned more often than yours, for I saw more of you personally than of most of them, as you were for some time connected with my scouting party.

Of the things done in those days there are many that I would like very much to hear related by those who were participants. The conduct of the enemy was so exasperating that there was no treatment too harsh as a punishment for their misdeeds, and I have always regretted that there had not been more scouting parties organized to follow in the wake of Sherman's army and on his flanks.

Your company, acting as scouts as well as escort, in small parties, encouraging individual daring and enterprise, was equally as efficient as a much larger body moving in compact body under one head.

I shall always remember with pleasure the duties you performed while acting as my escort, and also the pleasure I had in my personal intercourse with you individually. I always kept in my mind that the private soldier was entitled to be treated with respect due to a gentleman, if his behavior warranted it this in our Southern army.

You will oblige me by assuring all of Company B of my high regard and respect for them individually as brave and honorable men, and collectively as an organized company, for I gave them a chance to show their character in both ways and was sorry to part with you all.