Murfreesboro Tenn Jan 3^d/63

 

Dear father—I write you these few lines to let you know that the big fight which has been expected here has been fought. It was on the last day of /62. We drove the Yanks back six miles with a leavy loss on both sides. Our loss in killed wounded and missing is reckoned at five thousand the Enemys much greater. McCowans division sustained a verry heavy loss perhaps greater than any other there were more men wounded in proportion to the number killed than I ever heard of in my life There were about 100 men wounded in  the 11^th Tex while there were from fifteen to twenty killed the wounded in our Company are as follows Lieut Burks flesh wound between the knee and ankle joint, Lt Murrill flesh wound in the thigh, I Yoakum / flesh wound in the thigh also with a spent ball in the shoulder, Ed Ashford with a small ball in the nose between the eyes Alf Hart wounded slightly wounded in the cheek. W^m Johnston flesh in the shoulder N. Lile slight wound in the back with a piece of a shell Latimer verry slightly wounded in the arm E. W. Cummins was slightly wounded by some of our own men running over him I do not know of any that were killed I do not know whether we can hold this place or not for the Federals can reinforce as fast as they please If I find that we are going to evacuate this place I am going to get on the cars and go to Chattanooga I was not wounded til the verry last of the fight / and then I was wounded each time within ten minutes of each other. When I was wounded the first time it was when we were falling back from a battery & breast works that we tried to take and did not suceed. it knocked me down and I thought my leg was broken but I soon found that it was not for I could work my foot So I puled off my knapsack haversack cartrage box and blankett & thought I would try to get away for the bullets bombshells grape shot and canister shot were falling around me as thick apparently as you would sow wheat. I got up and struck a turky trot for the cedar brake which was about forty yards but I did not go more than twenty yards before a minie ball struck me on the shoulder blade / I do not know how far it knocked me for I did not go back to see but as soon as I recovered a little I crawled to the cedar brake and made my escape. When I get a little better I will write you a long letter I think I will soon be well enough to report to my Company In the fight we took forty pieces of artilery and a great many other things too numerous to mention now. Tell Mrs Hamil that Fred is well and with me now. Louis is well and so is W^m McCart

                                                                                   

Your son Isaac

 

You must be uneasy about me for I will be well taken care of

                                                                                   

I. M. Yoakum

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