Letter From The Rangers

The Tri-Weekly Telegraph
October 27, 1862

Near Nashville, Tenn.
September 29th, 1862

E. H. Cushing, Esq.-Dear Sir: -
When the Texas Rangers last left East Tennesee for this region, your correspondent was detained by a fever. So soon as strength permitted, I came to Chattanooga. The cars were not yet running on the C. & N. R. R., and this caused a few days delay at that point. The soldiers were generally gone in different directions. General Maxey's brigade coming up from Bridgeport, where he had held Buell's army in check for weeks, and finally drove the last division away, by a skillful and daring attack, was sent on to Knoxville, thence via Cumberland Gap into Kentucky. They had previously carried two engines and some cars across the Tennessee river. On Monday morning I started, and before sundown, reached Tullahoma. At Bridgeport, just opposite the town, if it can be called thus, there is an island half a mile broad. Here both bridges were entirely destroyed by fire. One was a costly and magnificent structure. This caused delay in crossing on boats. The contractor has ninety days for completing this work. Until finished it will greatly impede travel and freight. At Tullahoma the passengers all fortunately secured wagons which had brought in freight, and in the morning we set out for Murfreesboro', forty-five miles distant. Although a rough mode of traveling, yet it was rendered pleasant by the company, some being soldiers and others refugees returning home after months of absence. At Murfreesboro' we found everything quiet, the citizens gradually resuming their business. Gov. Harris had established his head-quarters temporarily here. We saw but little evidence of the Yankees having possessed the country until reaching Stevenson. Then commenced the fortifications and stockades. The former were frequent, but at every encampment, and they were all along the road; the latter were built with loop holes for shooting out. In case of an attack they could run into these and be secure from any attack except artillery.

They seemed to have feared their own shadows. Every step was secured by a defence. The windows in the depots were planked up by heavy cedar puncheons and loop-holed. After we struck the roads along which they had passed, their foot-steps were marked by desolation and destruction. Frequently houses were burned, and fences everywhere. The crops were greatly injured or destroyed. Stock was killed or driven off. The most likely servants, male and female, were stolen. The people were literally eaten out. Household and kitchen furniture was carried off. They will steal everything animate and inanimate, that a Southern man possesses, and they make no distinction between friend and foe. In following their track, seeing their defences, and hearing from the lips of the suffering people their insults and robbery, one cannot but feel that they are the basest and most infamous set of thieving cowards that ever disgraced a nation. But now their race is about run in this region. Nashville is still held by them. It is supposed that their force does not exceed from five to eight thousand. Every day they are bringing down the iron rule upon the people. Provisions are getting scarce, and it is thought they will evacuate soon, although they are digging rifle-pits and throwing up fortifications all through the city. Every street is barricaded with cotton bales, leaving only a temporary opening for passing by day. In some portions of the city they are drilling holes through the walls of the houses, through which the soldiers may shoot in an attack. There may yet be a bloody battle, before it is evacuated. Yesterday morning's paper contained an order they any man found in the city hunting a runaway negro should be shot. They also forbid any one coming in or going out from the city. So closely are they invested by our guerrillas and cavalry that they dare not venture their pickets over two miles from the city. Almost every day they are attacked on some of the pikes. Every wagon train they send out for forage is captured and prisoners taken. Their situation is becoming desperate. It is rumored that Gen. Price is advancing upon the city. If so, their fate will soon be sealed. Gov. Andy Johnson is still in the city. He is generally drunk, and breathes out destruction upon the people. He wishes to destroy the city, and in its ruins to bury the inhabitants. It was on the destruction of the place that he and Gen. Rousseau had a quarrel, when the latter slapped his jaws publicly. It is rumored this morning that 2,500 cavalry are around the city. May the day of their delivery soon come.

Tennessee has felt the power of the oppressor, and she has bled at every pore. She is now intensely "Secesh." Gen. Buell, now the best General they have left, has most of his troops en route to the Ohio river. We do not know where he is, but it is very certain that he will be captured. Then he, too, will be honored by some inferior position. It is supposed that Gens. Bragg and Kirby Smith have formed a junction and marched on Louisville, which may now be in our possession. Then unitedly they will attack Cincinnati. Here we know but little of the movements of our army. On the way up at Manchester I found a wounded Ranger, and he told me of an attack which Gen. Forrest had made upon a stockade some eight or nine miles this side of McMinville [McMinneville]. In the evening he had been informed that one side was open. But the enemy had worked all night, and by 12 o'clock next day it was completed. AT 1 P.M. he made the attack. He ordered every second man to dismount, and leaving the men and horses in charge of the lieutenants, the captains were ordered to advance. Approaching the stockade, a terrific fire met them and they were compelled to fall down in the weeds and grass. In this position they fired two rounds, when a retreat was ordered; but now before we had lost about twenty men, killed and wounded. Among these, I regret to say, was Capt. W. Y. Houston of Co. G. He fell within a few yards of the stockade, whilst gallantly leading his men in the charge. A ball entered his upper lip, and passing through the head caused instant death. In his loss, the regiment has been deprived of one of its most competent officers. He has always been with his company throughout the campaign, and was an efficient, skillful and gallant officer. But his work is done; his life has been sacrificed in the cause which enlisted the energies and generous, noble impulses of his manly heart. In the evening his brother, Dr. David Houston, came in under a flag of truce and had him interred in an adjoining grave-yard.

The following Rangers were also wounded, although not dangerously:

Company C.- J. E Thornton
Co. E.- C. E. Littlefield
Co. F.- Wm. Thornton and Tutwiller
Co. G.- Hugh Talley, slightly.

One other of Co. F., whose name I could not learn, was slightly wounded. Dr. Houston was left in charge of the wounded, and all were doing well.

When coming in this direction, and near Woodbury, the advance was fired on by the enemy, who had been advised of the route by which our forces were moving to the attack, and here, D. Rugeley, of company B, had his leg almost cut off below the knee by a cannon ball, from the effect of which he died in a short time.

Sam Ashe, of company B, and R. C. Pullin, of company I, were both wounded, but are fast convalescing.

When at Murfreesboro', I met a Ranger who had left the Regiment on the 9th, on the other side of "Green River," baggage train and all, en route for Louisville. Ere this they are in that vicinity, perhaps in the city. It is now very difficult to join them on account of the enemy, who are scattered along the route, and the Union bush-whackers of Kentucky. I left in Murfreesboro' a number of the Rangers. Among them was Capt. Rayburn, of company E. whom who omitted in your list of the wounded at Shiloh. His right arm was there seriously shattered by a Minnie ball, and although yet almost useless, still he is anxious to join his company and share their fortunes. Of those left wounded there on the 13th of July, only two have died, viz: Sam Mims, company B, 17th of July, and N. Monks, company B, 6th September. The others are still there and doing well, all are able to walk about, viz: L. J. A. Collins, Sol Carter, John Farmer, company K; McCann, company B; G. B. Kennedy, company C.

They have been paroled. The citizens of Murfreesboro' have lavished upon our wounded every attention that could add to their comfort and recovery. Indeed I should not be surprised to hear that some of them would return after the war and claim a wife among her beautiful daughters. The Rangers are the favorites, because to them they attribute the glorious victory on that memorable day. Whilst there I visited the village graveyard at the O. S. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, where the soldiers of both armies were buried.

There quietly sleep the twenty-four who fell in Forrest's command on the 13th of July. In one place our own killed lay side by side, and on the right the two who have since died. Sad and mournful were the thoughts which crowded upon me, as I read, one by one those familiar names.

Here was the young man, the dew of youth fresh upon his brow, the pride and joy and hope of his father's house; here, the man of middle age, in all his stregth, the stay and comfort of the absent and loved; here, the father and husband far separated form the weeping, heart-broken wife and the desolate, bereft little ones. But, they all rest well. They sleep quietly and gently as though they were in companionship with the departed, whose dust slumbers far away in their sunny home, where the tear of affection would often bedew the green grave, and the hand of love would plan the sweet, delicate flower to bloom over those sacred remains. Although with other of our noble and brave comrades, who have fallen here and there by the hand of disease, or from the ball of the enemy-

They sleep far away not a loved one may tread,
So softly around their low, narrow bed;
They sleep far away, no kind had to trace
A rose tree to mark their last resting place.

Yet, whenever that hallowed spot is visited by the citizens of Murfreesboro', though they may be strangers and they read those names, their hearts bounding with gratitude to God, and their eyes flowing with tears, they will say "These are the gallant men who fell in rescuing our homes and our altars from the invader, and delivered our city from the oppressive rule of our cruel and heartless enemy. Come, let us wreathe bright flowers, and hang festoons around their tomb."

To our fallen comrades, I would say, peace to their ashes. Let their memory ever be enshrined in our hearts.

R. F. B.

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