[Note: all dates are for 1862]
10/3 we attacked the Feds in Corinth & drove them from their out ditches with little or no loss. Our Regt [6th Tex DC] fought them near their inner entrenchments & were repulsed with heavy loss. We lost in our Co killed Henry G King, Robert T. Spearman. Wounded W.A. Rhea toes shot off, Waddy H. Cannon in right arm slight, Smith B. Scott, Isaac C. Parr, N.J. Sysk all slight & are now in Co
George H White flesh wound in thigh second day W A Savage flesh wound in thigh. J. B Willmeth left on field I know not where or how badly he was wounded as he fell within 20 feet of the ditches while nobly leading the Co the command of which had devolved upon him. John W. Rhea I fear mortally. He was also left.
George Creager slight in right knee though so badly he could not get off the field-Collin J. McKinney flesh wound in thigh- He was brought off safe. His would I hope will soon be well.
& nearest to you is Robert A. Milam who was left upon the Battlefield. He was shot either above or below the knee, as he was afterward seen sitting posture dressing his own wound. I hope it is but slight. Among the missing are Duke Gillaland, John W. West, William H. Despain, John W. Pattie, & William A. McKinney. I reached the ditches with several others & there to my ____ _____ them filled with dead ____.
We charged through fallen timber for 150 or 200 yards which broke our lines all to pieces. After getting there we received no reinforcements & had to fall back. Consequently we had no time to take our wounded away in retreating.
The next day we were stopped at a bridge on the Hatchie River in attempting to force a passage which we did but was again repulsed with severe loss & had to re-cross. Many were cut off from crossing & taken Prisoners. We lost in killed Isham A. Keltner, wounded Dow Chatman slightly in head. Missing G. Chatman, John T. _____, John S. White
We sent back the next day from our Regt 10 men to bury the dead. When they return I will have more leisure & will write a long letter & give full particulars. Our men done their duty
I cannot particularize any of them. We have as gallant a Co as ever marched to the Battlefield. Grieve not after the spirits that have fallen. They have sealed with a seal that will never be broken their love to their country. Your son in good health- George S. Milam
NOTES
Letter transcribed by Mike Thompson December 10, 2009 from original.
George S. Milam Co D, 6th Texas Cav Regt. George & Robert were nephews of the famous Texan Ben Milam. The soldiers were all from Collin County, Texas.
After the Corinth battles-We reached Holly Springs & in a few days, we moved south to Lumpkin’s Mills, where we met our horses & were remounted
At Lumpkin's Mills, another brief halt was obtained, & while here the Texans, who were brigaded together at Holly Springs, learned of the arrival of the anxiously expected horses
[Note: AT Holly Springs & before they marched to Lumpkin’s Mills-so says Victor Rose]
Reached Holly Springs after Corinth battle, & in a few days moved to Lumpkin’s Mills, where we met our horses & were remounted.
10/20 Camp Rogers, Hqs Maury’s Div, Army of the West-relative to the 6th Tex Regt [Ross] being assigned to Maury’s Div-Maury to Price’s Hqs-The 6th Tex Regt dismounted Cav has been assigned to my Div. The horses of that Regt have arrived here & [if it once becomes] mounted Cav & passes into Col Jackson’s Cav Bgde
Its eff total as reported by Col Ross cdg is about 450 men.
I call attention to the matter in order that the Gen cdg may consider the propriety of having such change made in the order of assignment of yesterday as may be in his view proper
As that order has not yet actually taken effect, this matter can be arranged without difficulty.
10/21 Lumpkin’s Mills-Col Ross 6th Tex Cav to Gen Maury-The horses of my Regt have arrived from Texas, but much jaded & worn down, & it will require 2-3 weeks before they are fit for active service. I think it would be better, & therefore request, that my men be mounted immediately so that each can give his horse personal attention. They are not doing well in a herd. I will have no difficulty in getting forage for them in this vicinity
10/22 Camp Rogers-forwarded by Gen Maury
10/30 Rec’d [probably at Pemberton’s Hqs]
10/23 the first cdr of the Tex Bgde was Col John W. Whitfield, who, on 10/23, was given command of a newly formed Bgde composed of four dismounted Texas Cav Regts-the 3rd, 6th, 9th, & his own 27th.
10/25 snow lay on the ground –but men mostly griped about continued absence of their horses. When Pemberton took command he ordered the remounting of the Regt in the Tex Bgde, but then appeared to revoke the order & confusion arose. A few horses began to straggle into their camp, but most men rec’d nothing but rumors about their horses. As Grant advanced, & the Confederates began their retreat, the Tex Bgde almost mutinied over not being remounted, but finally relented & joined the retreat
At Lumpkin's Mills, another brief halt was obtained, & while here the Texans, who were brigaded together at Holly Springs, learned of the arrival of the anxiously expected horses. Alexander Selkirk hailed not with greater joy the 1st glimpse of the white sails that were to bear him from solitude, than did these men hail the arrival of their horses. It was announced that the horses were but a few miles distant. Orders arrived to prepare for another retreat; retreat had become a work nauseous, & the men were actually ashamed to retreat further. Bgdes, Div’s, Corps passed the Tex camp. They had concluded, after consultation, not to march without their horses. When the drums beat to "fall in," the sound was absolutely drowned by the deafening cries, "Horses!" "Horses!" Gen Whitfield, the Bgde Cdr, made them an appeal to duty, but the boys knew that "Old Whit" wished them mounted, &, at all events, that he "was with them" in anything short of desertion. Gen Maury now appeared, & appealed to the men to proceed.
Their sole reply was "Horses!" "Horses!" In despair the Gen turned away, & rode to overtake his retreating Div.
Col Griffith, who was, at the time, in command of the 6th Tex, had his Regt called into line, &, after a calm review of the military situation, he showed how necessary it was for the maintenance of discipline, how infectious & fatal insubordination would prove, & appealed to the men not to tarnish their own honor, & place a bar sinister upon the escutcheon of Tex. He promised them that they should be mounted soon, & without the loss of honor, & concluded by inviting all who were disposed to remain at the post of duty, to return to their camp & prepare for the march. All responded but one solitary individual. To him, Griffith said: "Go, sir, & obey orders, or I will run you through with my saber!"
The effect of Griffith's appeal had the influence necessary to lead all the other Regts into the performance of duty, & saved them the lasting [disgrace?]
Early Nov-remounted all of the Texas Cav Bgde but 9th Tex DC-the 6th was the 1st Regt remounted.
11/5 The 6th Tex is remounted & by 11/7 all but 9th Tex were remounted.