History/Letters: Isaac Murrell to Lou Eddins July 2 1862; Claiborne & Webster par., Louisiana File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Laura Bonde lbonde@bluemarble.net November 9, 2004, 8:54 pm ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Letter from Isaac Murrell to Lou Eddins Minden, La. July 2nd 1862 Dear Lou, Your favor 24th is just received today. So you see it had like to have never come! Of course your patience is worn out. But I hope you will get this sooner I have written to you since the date of yours, which I suppose you have not received. I from Frances, sometimes, and Mr. Smith was here to day. Says she is well. She spent seven days with us in April and was troubled very much with neuralgia in the eyes, and her general health was not good. I got old Dr. McFarland to treat her, which I hear has done her a great deal of good, and since she has had quite good health, I want her to come up soon and stay with us through Peachtime. This letter leaves all the family well, except John Murrell. He has had fevers, and bin in pretty bad health for two or three weeks, but said on Saturday he felt like getting well. I suppose you heard that Simeon Murrell died in the army in Virginia. He went with Perry in April and in one month form the time he left home, he died with the measles or pneumonia and was buried in the mountains of Virginia. His wife and two little children are with her father, Thos. Arthur. I guess you also know that the “Minden Blues” are now under ‘Stonewall” Jackson. We have letters from them as late as the 11th ult. I mean the company, none from Perry or John later than the 11th of May! They have done the hardest service within the last month from the writing of any part of our army. Why? John Simeon Williams says “We have marched nearly 300 miles, fought five hard battles (two with cannons and three with muskets using the sword and bayonet), and whipped the Yankees in every one of them in less than a month!” Robert smith says, “In 21 days we marched 19 of them, and fought the enemy more or less every day”—they oft marched 20 and even 32 miles in a day! Record hardly gives such brilliant facts at those performed by Gen. Jackson. John Williams says “They first fought Banks and all his army stores, wagons and equipment. Then Fremont came in their rear and with forced marches, they met him, fought him twice and whipped him; the next day 9th June they met Shields, who was coming with reinforcements on them; and after a hard battle, they whipped Shields! So you see they whipped Banks out of the Shenandoah Valley North, but had to hurry back and whip Shields and Fremont out of the South. So they were then the 11th ult. about where they were a month before. But Williams said they would in short time retake the whole valley. Well, of course some one was killed, and Minden Blues must come in for their loss, as well as glory, for the brigades have now the name of the “Iron Clad Brigade” and the La. Boys have the name of being the best soldiers there. William Crichton and James McKee were both killed dead on the 9th and fell at the cannon’s mouth in making one of the most desperate and daring charges ever made in this war. William Martin (old Doc’s son) and George Miller wounded in the thigh or him, flesh wounds, Lovett Wren, 3rd Lieut. Wounded in the foot, and taken prisoner---Capt. Sims, 1st. Lieut. Webb and Joe Collins taken prisoners, but after out boys routed the enemy they recapture them and 40 yanks for good measure. In some letters, John Murrell was reported captured, other as being “missing”. Robt. Smith says he is missing (I don’t know whether dead or alive). Williams, Jack Hamilton (the orderly Seay and Jack Craiton, says all the company is in or accounted for, but does not mention John at all; and in Williams letter he says after telling the loss in Killed, wounded etc., “This is all the loss sustained in the Minden Blues.” So I feel pretty confident that John, if captured at all, has now got to camp--- Several letters say Tom Morrow, MF Montgomery and TF Simmons were left at Fort Royal on the sick list and have not bin heard of since. The place is now in the hands of the enemy, and it is thought they are captured. My boy Edmund, was left at Charleston on the sick list. The Federal s now hold that place and I suppose Ed. Merritt or Dr. Arbuccle brought the letters. I don’t know what he says about John. He left there the 12th. Betsy is half deranged about her boys, but somehow I think they will all come out right side up. Williams says “They are all in good spirits and being so few lost or hurt they think they are doing fine. Jo Crump in the 9th regiment was killed dead in the Battle at Winchester. It is a hard loss on Mrs. Craiton. William was her favorite son. He oldest George, had gone to the Blues last fall and died with the measles in two or three weeks after her arrived there. They were interesting and good boys. Oliver Butler went with the Minden Cavalry, has had the measles and bin sick a good deal of the time. He was unable to help himself away and when the Federals captured the sick in the retreat from Corinth and was captured for a short ime, he said he and David W. Cranfield were lying in a vacant house at the depot, both very sick. Oliver had the measles broke out on him. They concluded just to remain there, that the Yankees could do no more than kill them and the rain would do the same. But there were a car load of powder and shells near the house and the Yankees told them they had better get out as they would fire the car! At this Oliver says they roled out and got behind the house. The shells began to burst, and up came a lot of our cavalry, Capt. Wimberly’s Minden Cavalry and Thos. W. Fuller Bossier Calvalry, pitched into the Yankees with buckshot which soon made them leave their sick prisoners and take to the woods in double quick time. In the fray Nat Martin was wounded near the left eye, not very badly. One of Fuller’s men had his arm shot and has since died, and several horses were wounded was our loss. They took seven or eight Yankees prisoners, killed mon. But some where about that neighborhood, Julius W. Lancaster, Birt Harper, and Dr. Murrell’s brother-in- law TB Neal, was left at a private house sick, and as soon as they could travel they started to thei company and were all captured. The 12th Regiment is now at Granada, Miss. I don’t hear much about he Crow Boys. Robt. is Captain now of the company, they were at Fort Pillow to the last. Benona Murrell and John W. Kaler are with Robert Crow’s company. Capt. Capers was beat for Capt. in his company. He is now here and has nearly organized a band of partisan Rangers. NJ Scott belongs to it. They will soon be out in service. MO Cheatham is still at Vienna, Jackson Parish with his company. Henry Gray is the colonel of the regiment. They expect orders daily to march to Little Rock. We have about 2500 volunteers at Vienna and Monroe. They are unarmed. >From what we hear travelers say, the Yankees ar eon this side of Vicksburg in considerable force, they are building a railroad from their fleet below to it above Vicksburg across the Bend and are tearing up our road. They have a good deal of cavalry scouting through the county. Heavy firing can be distinctly heard here. Supposed to be at Vicksburg. It began last Thursday evening, and did not cease until Sunday at 4 o’clock p.m. We don’t think the enemy took the town. We hear reports of a two or three days fight at Richmond, in which we entirely routed McLelland. We don’t know the truth of it and don ‘t much believe it. You asked me what do I think of matters since the fall of New Orleans and what will become of us. Now I have not time to tell you. You know I always opposed this war. I am now disgusted and really the humiliating act itself of the surrender of New Orleans is enough to condemn the policy, judgment and management of any governor. But I was not surprised at it or anything else. Men in high office, get high pay and they get higher! Champaign and oysters ruined New Orleans and I fear it has a great deal to do with many calamities that befall us. And is in strict keeping with the ruinous National Democratic policy that has plunged us into this unholy war. The result is, people are not capable of self government, and States have the right to secede at will. Our independence will be established, and will be worth but little to us when we gain it, as it will be a short Union. And will not be gained for some time yet of hard fighting. They almost will overrun us. But they cannot subjugate us. Their Cavalry will yet ravage the valley of Red, Ouchia, upper Brasses Rivers. They will carry mourning for lost friend, to every family (indeed they have nearly done so now), but they have not whipped us. At Corinth alone, we had 40,000 sick soldiers unfit for duty when the retreat was made! Thousands have died and still dying! Two more years, and we will lose at least half our fighting men by the hardships of war alone. But with all this, I am not deceived. I warned everyone I could against these disasters when we were doing well. It did no good. Wild ambition and office seeking prevailed and now we are getting the fruits. Conscripts must now put their bodies between these ambitions belligerents as targets in lieu of the Hemp that chief victims, know, must be used in case our young Republic falls. They care not how many widows and orphans are made, so government offices and high pay is sustained. But I’ll stop. Now we are into it and I am doing all I can to sustain the cause and intend to do so to the last, but the doctrine I detest. Since writing this morning, I have seen NJ Scott, who say Dr. Arbuccle left the Minden Blues on the 12th ult in the morning and up to then John Murrell had not been heard of. Supposed he was taken prisoner on the 9th ult in the Battle at Fort Republic near Harrisburg! I wish you could see our little John and Maggie. John will be a match for Maggie soon and Maggie is now sweeter and more interesting than when you saw her. Mamie is going to school to Miss Molly Lackey. Can spell in two letters. We want to see you mightily. Give my love to all. Your Uncle, Isaac Murrell PS Ponds Blythe is elected Captain of the Claiborne Guards (John Young) old company. Cage Martin 1st, Wes Reams 2nd and Charley Cheatham 3rd Lieut. I have written too much; if you don’t want to read it throw it in the fire. 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