Civil War Letter from Ezekiel Washington Houston; Jackson Par., Louisiana

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives
by:Sherri Schrat <slschrat@hotmail.com
August, 2006

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Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives
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Letter from Ezekiel Washington Houston to his father, Edward "Ned" Houston, dated August 28,
1861 from [Confederate] Camp 1, Union City, Obion County, Tennessee -   The letter is written
on stationery known as the Southerner's Banner, which was provided to the Confederate Soldiers.
Also notice he borrowed ink from several different ink wells - some blue, some black.
Ezekiel turned 19 July 5, 1861 at Camp Moore. He died a paroled prisoner June 16, 1864 of
Typhoid Fever at a Hospital in West Point, Georgia. His final resting place is unknown.
=====

Ezekiel W Houston
Letter to his father from Camp Brown (Union City) Tennessee

Transcription and Interpretive Notes by R Hugh Simmons

August 28th, 1861 (Wednesday) State of Tennessee
Dear Father
I seat myself this eavening (evening) to drop you a fiew (few) lines to let you no (know) that I am well
at this time hoping that these fiew (few) lines may reach you enjoying the same blessing.  I have nothing
of importance to rite (write) only we are here and are giting (getting) xxx xxx xxx.  Jasper Holland
(Jasper J Holland) is taking the measles and Fillingham (Benjamin Fillingjam) and several of the boys but
none of them is bad off.  Jay (unknown) is getting well of them.
We have a fine place here and I am better setisfied (satisfied) than I was at camp Moar (Camp Moore) if
James T (James T Houston) was with me. I miss him verry (very) much.  We left him in camp Moar (Camp Moore)
with John glose (John E Gloer), John Mask (John T Mask) and several of the boy (who treated) him and me
kindly and John Tilor (John T Tyler).  We stayed in camp Moar (Camp Moore) 4 weaks (weeks) to a day.  We
left there Saturday morning (August 24, 1861) and landed here Monday morning (August 26, 1861). We didn't
have much to eat on the way but when we got here we got some corn meal and had some of the best bread I
ever eat (ate).  We had cornbread and butter for diner (dinner) today.  It was the best meal that I have
eat (eaten) since I left home.  This is a fine place her (here).  The popler (poplar trees) is from 3 to 5
and 6 feet through.
We are going to have catierages (cartridgese) to nite (tonight) for the first time. I am in sort of a hurry
that I can't rite (write) no more.  We must go on drill now.  You must rite (write) to me so that I may no
(know) how you are gitting (getting) along.  I haven't hered (heard) from (Jimtam) since I left him but he
told me to take cear (care) of myself and if I get sick he would come to me.
Tell the boys to rite (write) to me.  I will send our sentiments in print and it will not take up so mutch
(much) room.
So nothing more at present.
I remain your effecianate (affectionate) son.
Ezekiel W Houston to E. Houston
Direct your letter to Union sitty (City), Camp Brown
cear (care) of Captain Standifer, Obine (Obion) County


RHS Notes:
Captain Thomas C Standifer recruited a company volunteers self styled the arcadia Invincibles from communities in Bienville
Parish, Louisiana in July 1861.  Arcadia was, and still is, the parish seat.  These volunteers traveled down the Red and
Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans, and then north by rail to Camp Moore in Tangipahoa Parish near the Mississippi state
line arriving July 24th according to Ezekiel's letter.  Thomas C Standifer was officially commissioned Captain in the
state militia on July 29, 1861.  The company wa transferred from state volunteer service into Confederate service on
August 13, 1861 at Camp Moore to be part of the 12th Regiment Louisiana Volunteers (12th Louisiana Infantry).  The
regimental organization was completed on August 18th with the addition of three more companies bringing the total number to
ten.  Thomas M Scott of Claiborne Parish was elected Colonel of the regiment.

The regiment was ordered north to Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk's Confederate Department No. 2 defending the upper
reaches of the Mississippi River.  They began departing Camp Moore by company on August 24th traveling by rail to Union
City,
Tennessee with the last of the regiment arriving on August 28th.

Union City is in Obion County, Tennessee.  The Mobile & Ohil Railroad passed through the town connecting Columbus,
Kentucky with Mobile, Alabama.  Columbus was 20 miles north of Union city and a railhead and major port on the Mississippi
River.

Camp Brown was described by one member of the regiment as "a beautiful camping ground situated on a ridge covered with
large poplars".  Another member wrote home that "This is a very rich country here.  We could get milk, butter, eggs,
chickens and plentifully, and in the vegetable line anything we called for, and that very cheap."

Several new Confederate regiments arrived at Union City about the same time.  Not all were armed or properly equipped.
The 11th and 12th Louisiana Infantry regiments arrived from Camp Moore fully armed and equipped, and these two regiments,
accompanied by the 22 Tennessee Infantry regiment were sent to occupy Columbus, Kentucky on September 3, 1861. Kentucky
had declared itself neutral creating a political firestorm.  In fact, General Polk had simply beaten Federal Brigadier
General Ulysses S. Grant to the punch.  Grant reacted by occupying Paducah, Kentucky on September 6, 1861. The Tennessee
river empties into the Ohio River at Paducah. The stage was set for the eventual Federal capture of Ford Donelson on the
Cumberland River and Fort Henry on the Tennessee from the Confederates in early February 1862.

The Confederates remained at Columbus, Kentucky for approximately six months entrenching and fortifying the bluffs
overlooking the Mississippi River.  When Grant captured Forts Donelson and Henry, Columbus became vulnerable to attack
overland from the rear, and the Confederates abandoned the site on February 28, 1862.

Measles was a plague visited upon the new Confederate recruits at Camp Moore and it accompanied them to Union City
and Columbus.  Several new recruits never made it beyone Camp Moore.  Measles often led to pneumonia, and many more
died at Union City and Columbus during the brutal winter to which they were not accustomed.  The company muster rolls
covering November 1861 through April 1862 were lost or destroyed.  Nearly 180 men who were enrolled at Camp Moore in
August 1861 were not with the regiment when it re-enrolled to serve for three years, or the duration of the way, at
Camp Green near Fort Pillow, Tennessee on May 10, 1862. The fate of these men is still being researched.

My notes extracted from the Compiled Military Service Records for the 12th Louisiana Infantry regiment show the
following service highlights for the men named by Ezekiel in his letter home:

Jasper J. Holland - Enrolled in Confederate service at Camp Moore on August 13, 1861 and present for duty on
October 31, 1861.  He is among the 180+ missing men for whom I have not yet found any further record.

Benjamin Fillingham - Enrolled in Confederate service at Camp Moore on August 13, 1861.  Recovered from the
measles and was present, or accounted for, with Company B until the end of the war.  He was paroled under the
Johnson/Sherman surrender agreement dated April 26, 1865 at Greensboro, North Carolina.

'Jay' - I can't identify this man.  This can't be a nickname for James T. Houston because Ezekiel seems to be
referring to hmi as being there at Camp Brown.

James T. Houston - Enrolled in Confederate service on August 13, 1861.  He was present, or accounted for, with
Company B until the end of the war.  He was paroled under the Johnson/Sherman surrender agreement dated April 16,1865
at Greensboro, North Carolina.

John E. Gloer - Enrolled in Confederate service at Camp Moore on August 13, 1861 and present for duty with Company B
until April 20, 1863 when he was sent sick to a Confederate military hospital at Montgomery, Alabama.  He died there
of chronic diarrhea on May 17, 1863.

John T. Mask - Enrolled in Confederate service at Camp Moore on August 13, 1861.  On October 31, 1861 he was noted
to be absent on account of illness.  He is among the 180+ missing men for whom I have not yet found any further record.

John T. Tyler - Enrolled in Confederate service at Camp Moore on August 13, 1861.  Discharged at Columbus, Kentucky
on February 22, 1862 due to chronic illness.

"Jimtam" - This could be a nickname for James T. Houston

Thomas C. Standifer - Elected Captain of the Arcadia Invincibles and commissioned by Governor Thomas C. Moore in
the Louisiana State Militia on July 29, 1861, he was transferred into Confederate service as Captain of the company
at Camp Moore. Captain Standifer was re-elected company commander on May 10, 1862 when the regiment re-organized to
serve for three years, or the duration of the war, at Camp Green near Fort Pillow, Tennessee.  He was promoted to
Major of the regiment in January 1863 and to Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment on May 10, 1864.  Conoel Standifer
was sent home to Louisiana in August 1864 under orders from the Secretary of War to round up the substantial number
of absentees from the regiment who were at home and forward them to the regiment in Georgia. Although still absent
in Louisiana at the end of the war, he was recognized as Colonel of the 12th Louisiana Infantry regiment in the
final re-organization dated April 9, 1865 at Smithfield, North Carolina.

RHS 02/27/2006