D. H. Robertson to Inman H. Payne, 23 January 1866
Independence, Washington Co.,
Texas, Jan the 23rd, 1866
Capt. S. H. Payne,)
Warrenton, Va. )
My dear Sir: It is with
great pleasure, I can assure you, that I am permitted
to acknowledge the receipt of your most welcome letter
of last month. I must leave it for you to imagine the
feelings of brothers Hemo, Frank and myself upon
reading the contents. How thankful to God we were that
He had permitted yourself and family to survive the
late disasterous war, with life and health. With regards
to loss opf property, we of the South have been commom suf=
ferers; but with health we have to some extent, repair
and recover our losses. The people of Texas have suffered
less during the war than those of any other state.
We had no burning in our state until after the surrender.
Hence I suppose that today we are better off, and that
for several years to come, business will be more flouris=
hing in Texas, than any other Southern State. The most of
our farmers have employed hands: and the freedmen are,
as a general thing, working very well. Still I have very
little confidence in this mode of farming. I have no idea
where else, like the trained animals in the circus, they
must be constantly in sight of, and occasionally feel the
cash in order to make farming profitable. The Yankees
will not allow us to whip them, and of course they will do
pretty much as they please. I feel very much discour=
aged when I think of the dangerous experiments our farmers
are making this year with the freedmen. But we can only
hope for the best, as we are incapacitated for taking punitives.
A great variety of contracts are being made with the freedmen.
I believe that for the most part farmers are either giving a
portion of the crop, or paying them wages. These range from
four to fifteen dollars for field hands. I notice that there
is an universal disposition in the negro all over the state,
to change homes. Very few indeed are remaining with their
former owners. Only two families of my Mother’s are remaining.
It was a fortunate thing for us that a super abundance of
provisions of all kinds were raised in Texas last year - God grant
that we may have no reason to complain next!
I often think of poor old Virginia and her unfortunate
though noble and brave sons and daughters - the
hands of ther enemy until May 1864, when he was exchanged
and he reached home in October after. He has but recently
laid aside his crutches and now limps around onvery best
ladies in the world without exception! The dear ladies
of VA. will have a separate corner in my heart & memory,
for it was to their kindness and tender care, that not only
I, but thousands of other sick and wounded soldiers owe their
lives. Oh, how many hearts, all over the South, today beat
with gratitude and how many minds hold a grateful remembrance
of the kind ladies of Virginia! My Mother and sisters have thanked
yourself and family a thousand times for your kindness to us,
and it would afford us all inexpressible happiness to have you
live near us, that we may express in acts our thanks and gratitude.
Should you ever conclude to leave Warrenton, I sincerely hope you
will come strait to (Washington Co.) for health and wealth. It
surpasses any other County in the State. I know the ladies of Virginia
entertain a lively horror of Texas, but they do our State a great
injustice. The best way to act, is to come and see, before passing judgement.
My previous letter was written with great haste, as
the gentleman who was to carry it through to Richmond (Col. Connolly
of the 55th W.Co. Infty.) was waiting on me, and I scarcely remember
a word of it’s contents. I will take more time in this, however, and will
endeavor to inform you upon points overlooked in my last.
I will set out by first giving you a short account of
myself from the time I left your beautiful little town. After
many hard and painful jolts I arrived in Richmond - my
health somewhat improved. I remained there but two days
and left with bro. Frank en route for home on the last day of
November. Between Lynchburg & Liberty we had all our money
stolen from us, on the cars, except about forty dollars, which carried
us to Jackson Miss. at which place we fell in with an old friend
of ours who lives here in (Independence), who was coming strait home
and who furnished us with all the money we desired. No, I was
too fast _ our money gave out at Montgomery Ala, and I was
forced to sell a favorite six shooter to carry us to Jackson.
In about a month after we arrived at home, bro. Frank
married an old sweetheart to whom he had been engaged
for some time previous to his going to Va. He’s living about
seven miles from here; is keeping house and doing finely.
He tells me to say to Miss Mary, that he married the original
of that ugly picture he showed her whilst in Warrenton.
At the expiration of his furlough he found a young man anx=
ious to go to Va., and exchanged places with him in one
of our Texas Regiments at home. His Regiment was stationed on
Galviston Island during the war, and so he was in no more
battles. Brother Nemo remained with the army in Va., until
the battle of Gettysburg, in which engagement he received a
severe wound through the ankle joint. He remained in the
his stick. He enjoys uninterrupted good health.
I was at home a long while and came very near dying
with my arm, and suffered very much indeed, before I
could get out from home. Pieces of bone continued to come
away until late in the fall of ‘64, soon after which I received
the appointment of staff surgeon upon Gen. Robertson’s staff -
who once commanded the “Texas Brigade” in Va, and
who was about this time assigned to duty in this Department.
Bro. Nemo recd. the appointment of Inspector General R’s staff.
Gen R - is of the same name with ourselves, but is in no way
related. Since the break up I have commenced practicing
medicine again in partnership with Gen Robertson who
has lived here for 30 years, and was my partner when the
war broke out. I am doing very well - but haven’t succeeded
in getting married yet - all my old sweethearts having married
long since. Neither has Nemo married yet.
Mr. Harris, who was left with us in the hospital in W is at home,
about seven miles above here, and is quite well and entirely recovered
of his wounds. Junior Cantrell is well and lives in the town of Washington.
Tom Bates was killed at Gettysburg. Mr. Beaumont is well, or was a
short time ago. I believe he is living in Grimes Co. Old Dr. Lewis is well and
living at Chappel Hill. Mr. Bates is the only patient that was in our Co.
and was in our hospital at W, who was killed afterwords. Many of them have
been wounded since.
I suppose I have exhausted your patience a and as I am near
the bottom of the sheet, had better close. Tell Herman he shall have the striped
pony if he will pay us a visit. I haven’t forgottn how good he was to me whilst I
stayed in Warrenton. My family all join me in love to yourself and family. Should
your time and disposition permit, I will be highly delighted to have and to receive
a letter from you occasionally. Tell Miss Mary if she will come to Texas, I will give
her a sweet heart to suit. Goodby, and ever sincerely
D H Robertson
DATABASE CONTENT
| (878) | DL0126.002 | 1 | Letters | 1866-01-23 |
Letter from D. H. Robertson, 5th Texas Infantry, Independence, Washington County, Texas, January 23, 1865, to Captain I. H. Payne, Warrenton, Virginia
Tags: African Americans, Battle of Gettysburg, Death (Military), Defeat/Surrender, Farming, Furloughs, Happiness, Hospitals, Illnesses, Injuries, Marriages, Money, Photographs, Prisoner Exchanges, Prisoners of War, Reconstruction
People - Records: 2
Places - Records: 1
- (2091) [origination] ~ Independence, Washington County, Texas
SOURCES
1860 United States Federal Census, available from Ancestry.com; Military Service Records of D. H. Robertson, available from Fold3.com; D. H. Robertson to Inman H. Payne, 23 January 1866, DL0126.002, Nau Collection.
