San Antonio   

June 18^th /94

 

Mr J. B. Stuart

 

Dear Sir

              Some time ago Mr. H. Carver handed me a letter from you in which you make inquiry as to the deth of Col Joe Phillips. I belonged to his reg^t and was with him the night he was killed. of his regt there is but two here in San Antonio Myself & James Cullemore. the latter was taken prisoner at that time. The fight occurred at 12^oc at night and the Col was killed while passing / around the end of the brestwork where the join or connect with the Miss River he was shot in the neck & killed instantly Cullemore was the first man to pass his body & was captured immediately thereafter with others who went over the brestwork. Now as to where he was burrid for the federals remained in possession. Maj Bullard was in Com^d of U.S. Troops & was told by Mr Cullemore that our Col was killed. Maj Bullard asked them to have the body pointed out & he with the Com^d of the gun boat Winona would see that he was properly burrid, but I could not say wher that is. I think the fort was named / Fort Fisher afterwards. I here with give you a rough sketch of the grounds

 

+ where my Col fell

1 Winona Gun boat

2                 "   "          Dont remember now

- - - - our march that night

 

The fight lasted four hours

 

[diagram with "Miss R." and "Bayou La Fourche" named]

 

Col Phillips was one of the most gallant soldiers that ever drew a blade and one of the best providers for his men that ever lived. Gen^l Mouton ordered an atac to be made at night & then countermanded that order but the last order did not reach us owing to a drunken courier if it had reached us no doubt Col Phillips would have been with us to day. Though we / had some hard fighting after but lost no field Officers

 

I think there is a pamphlet published that give the names of the gun boat & Officer Com^d if I can find one I will send it to you

                                                                       

Yours Respt

M. W. Merrick

No 403 Marshall St

SOURCES