Catahoula-Ouachita County Louisiana Archives Military Records.....Scott, Captain Samuel Charles July 10, 1862
Civilwar - Letters Co. C 25th. Reg. La. Vol.
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Julia Scott julscott@windstream.net June 21, 2009, 3:26 pm

Battle At Corinth, Ms.
Camp near Tupelo, Miss 
July 10, 1862
Dear Madam, 
Your favor of the 20th. of June, wherein you ask relative to the death of your 
brother, John F. Gibson has just come to hand, in answer would state that he 
died on the 21st. of May in the Camp Hospital, near to his own Company 
Quarters, but the Company was absent on Out Post duty at the time. Mr. Tenison 
was in Camp and attended to his burial, he lies in the Solders grave yard in 
Corinth, a board at his head with the initials of his name, the letter of his 
Company, and number of his Regiment marks his grave. I would, Madam if I could 
do so with truth, console you with the assurance that your brother was well 
attended during his last illness, but as you truly remark, he met the usual 
fate of the soldier in our army, the poverty of our Government, the scarcity 
of the proper medicines, and the want of nurses, has been the cause of the 
death of many of our Gallant Men. Our Regiment three months since numbered 950 
men, now we can only turn out for duty 180 men, and can you wonder at the 
disease and mortality, when you learn that out of 28 days we were on Out Post 
duty 24 under fire of the Enemy, most of that time, without cover at night, 
even without blankets, spending night after night in the cold dew, with but 
small intervals of rest or sleep, nor is our Regiment or my Company an 
exception as to health.  A Regiment near us the 41st. Miss. Volunteers in two 
months service, has reduced from 1400 men to 400 men.
On the day previous to the evacuation of Corinth I was compelled to send my 
Brother in Law to the Rail Road Depot, he stayed on the platform that whole 
day and night, he with many others of the sick were thus left, many of them 
died from the exposure and I regret to say he also died from the same cause, 
he was my Wife's only surviving brother and my "best friend". You will 
naturally ask why I was not with him to aid and assist him, my answer is, 
every well man of my Company as well as myself were on Out Post duty covering 
the retreat of our Army from Corinth, those at home can never know one tithe 
of the suffering of those in the field in this unhappy war.
At the battle of Farmington I had seven of my men wounded by my side, some of 
them slightly, but still one of them died and four of the balance are still 
unfit for duty. You must not think that the privates are the only men who 
suffer, far from it. Except in the higher grades, we are all on the same 
level. You will excuse this long letter, but I am aware that the relatives of 
soldiers in the field, sometimes think that Company Commanders could do more 
for the health of their Command than they do, but I assure you that in this 
Army we are powerless - The health of the Army is now improving and we will 
soon again meet the Enemy in the field, when I trust we will avenge the deaths 
of our Brothers who fell in battle or were poisoned by the filthy water and 
corrupt atmosphere of that foul place called Corinth.
In the meantime the friends and relatives of those who have fallen must look 
to that Power above who alone, in these trying times watches the last hour of 
the dying soldier, for consolation.
Mr. Tenison will be found at Dr. Mays on Black River, and will give you any 
information concerning the last hours of your brother.
I Remain Madam 
Yours respectfully 
Samuel C. Scott 
Co. C 25th. Reg. La. Vol.
To. Mrs. Mary Cotton 
Trinity, La


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