An Old Confederate Soldier, John McBride Miller, Coosa, AL http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/newspapers/jmiller.txt ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB PROJECT ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb Project archivist with proof of this consent. ALGenWeb Archive File Manager - Carolyn Golowka April 1999 An Old Confederate Soldier Bennington, Oklahoma, Jan. 27, R. F. D. 1. To my old friends and comrades in dear old Coosa, will try and tell them through the Chronicle, where I am at, where I have been, and what I have seen. I left Coosa with my daughter, we went to Texas, and lived with her at Garman, Texas until July in the same year. That is a sandy country, and very little cotton is grown. The boll weevil has taken that country, but the oil helped them out. In an field I saw derrick every where. The oil was gushing steady, when a pipe bursted(1) and caught on fire, it sure did burn. While I was there, I went to Hill county to see my sister, Mattie Sharburt, and sure did enjoy my visit there. Hill, himself, was living then , but died the next year In July, my baby boy came to see me. I went home with him and am still with him. This is a pretty level country with scruby trees, such as blackjacks, post oak, honeylakes, and god knows how many thorn trees. There are but a few squirrels and rabbits, no wild turkeys at all. We hear something that makes a funny noise, they say it is wolves but I haven’t seen any yet. The wind blows so hard that it almost blows me down. Everything seems peculiar to me here. You can pull green fodder in the field and make shoe strings out of it. Well I wish I could see all of you in Alabama. I could tell all about this country. They find stills every few seeks, but I can’t find any cats as they call here. Well I have found 2 old soldiels(2) out here. One of then was a reble(3) and the other a yankee(4) . We have lots of fun talking about the war. Well it snowed last night for the first time this winter. The snow is about 2 inches deep. Must close and go see if I can track a rabbit. I am sending this to the Chronicle, and if I see this in print may write again. J. M. C. Miller(5) (1) Spelled this way in article. (2) Spelled this way in article. (3) Spelled this way in article. (4) Spelled this way in article. (5) "An Old Confederate Soldier," The Rockford Chronicle, 1 Feb. 1923, p. 1. Located in the Alabama Archives and History, Montgomery, AL. Note: John McBride Miller (b. 11 Jan 1841 in Henry Co., GA & d. 6 Nov 1927 in Coosa Co., AL) married Martha Ann Logan (b. 3 Oct 1835 in Coosa Co., AL & d. 18 Apr 1910 in Coosa Co., AL) on 11 Sep 1868 in Coosa Co., AL. They are both buried in Poplar Springs Baptist Church Cemetery, Coosa County, AL.