Smith County, TX - Letter - W. W. Hill to his Father ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm 15 Nov 2000 Contributed to the East Texas Genealogical Society by Dr. Alma Moore Freeland Typed and Submitted by Joan Landrum - jlandrum@tvec.net ***************************************************************** Letter from W. W. Hill to his Father Camp Near Alexandria, LA May the 26th 1863 To J. J. Hill Dear and affectionate Father, I again avail myself of the opportunity of wrighting you a few lines to let you know where we are, and where we are going to, and how our health is at present. We did imbark the 24th as I stated we would in my last, but on the morning of the 25th we left campsite for this place and reached here about one hour and a half by sun the same day. This distance being about 1,40 miles. On arriving here we did not find any Feds here except those that lived ______ ______. I _______there was a good many living here. The Federal Army has moved back down the river and is now fortifying at some point. I believe at New Iberia some 60 miles from this place. I have not seen anything that was destroyed here but I suppose they did a good deal of mischief to farmers along the River. They taken all the Government stores that was here. They also taken a good many Negroes, but I understand that our Pickets taken 4,000 Negroes back on the 24th. We have information that they are fighting at Port Hudson, but we have not had the results. I think we will move on down the River, but I can't tell how far, but until we find the enemy. We are ordered to ly up to day, but I don't know whether we will stay longer or not. When we leave we will go by water as far as ____ Lake. The health is not as good as what it has been. Using this river water is very unhealthy. I taken a very severe attack of diaria on the day before we started down here but I am getting better. I will be well again in a day or two if nothing happens. That is the ______complaint. We have sent 5 of our company to the Hospital this morning but none of them was very sick. I will give you their names. J. E. Martin, just now I see them coming in camp again so none of them is at the Hospital. We are doing nothing but cooking and eating. Dew and all the furlough boys came to us at compsite. They was all in good health except James E. Martin. His health is about as usual. I was glad to hear from you all that you all were doing so well. I got a good deal of information from them. Dew brought me some letters ____which gave me such satisfaction. Although they was not very late. I received a letter from sister Elizabeth dated the 15th of May. It informed me that the family was all well, also that they was eating wheat and that wheat was find and corn also. I was very glad to hear that crops was good. Crops is fine all through this country. I am in hopes that there will be boutiful crops made through out the country. Dew informed me that my sorrel colt had died, also that my mare had lost her colt. I was sorry to hear of it but it can't be helped. As the old man said when his wife hung herself, it is not so bad but what it could be worse. I am glad it was none of the family. Father I am sorry that I can't interest you more but I have nothing of importance to wright. I hope when I wright again I can interest you more. I want you to wright to me, that is all the satisfaction I have is when I can hear from home. I think when we drive those Feds away from this country that I will come to see you if I live. This fall if I can get off. I must close. This leaves me tolerable well. I hope it will find you all in good health. Give my respects to all the friends and connections and except affections your self. So no more, but remain yours as ever. W. W. Hill Direct Letters to Shreveport. LA --------------------------------------------------------------- Note from Joan Landrum - jlandrum@tvec.net William Hill and his father John Jacob Hill were both of old Knoxville, Cherokee Co., TX at the time of the writing of these letters. Martha Ann Hill Fitch to whom one of the letters was written was also of Cherokee Co. I believe that she and her husband later lived in Smith Co. His sister Elizabeth Hill, mentioned in the letter married Thomas Meador and they lived in Smith County. Their children were all born there. William Hill later made the disasterous move with the family to Dexter, Cooke Co. Texas where he remained after many members of his family had died on the trip, or soon afterward. A few moved back to Cherokee and Smith Counties. He died at the Masonic Home in Arlington, TX.