Bone Letter, November 16, 1861 - Page 1 |
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Object Description
| Rating | |
| Title | Bone Letter, November 16, 1861 |
| Subject |
Correspondence Railroads Travel Military life Civil War |
| Description | Hemstead, Austin County, Texas, Dr. Bone to Minerva: amazement at vastness of prairies, traveling by rail, absence of males in towns, patriotic feelings of friendly hostesses, religious services, military funeral, scarcity of quinine. |
| Date | November 16, 1861 |
| Collection | Bone Family Papers |
| Collection Identifer | A9, Box 1, Folder 2 |
| Biographical Note | Robert Donnell Bone (1832-1892) was born in Wilson County, Tennessee, and came to Nacogdoches County in 1841 with his mother and stepfather. He and his brothers and sister moved in with his older sister when she married John Winstead Paine in 1846. After a serious illness of pneumonia, R. D. Bone rode horseback to Tennessee and entered the University at Nashville Medical School (which later became Vanderbilt University) in 1854 and returned to Douglass, Texas, to practice medicine after graduating in 1858. That same year he married Griselda Minerva Burk (1841-1912) who was also from Tennessee and had moved to Nacogdoches County, Texas, with her family in 1848. On November 25, 1861, Dr. Bone was appointed to serve as Assistant Surgeon of the 12th Texas Volunteer Infantry, Col. Overton Young's Regiment at Camp Hebert, Hempstead, Austin County, Texas. He felt it was his duty to serve the cause of the Confederacy and eagerly attended his post. As revealed in the following letters exchanged with his wife while on active duty in the Civil War, it soon became clear that he would have to contend with inadequate provisions, boring camp routine and confusing orders. "The Fever", dysentery, measles and exposure were Dr. Bone's patients' main medical problems; his regiment was not involved in any serious fighting. When he resigned his commission on March 7, 1863, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he went back to Douglass, Texas, to practice medicine. Dr. Bone also bought cotton and cattle and took them to New Orleans each fall to be sold. Minerva was Post Mistress in Douglass from 1866-1867. Only six of the Bone's 12 children reached adulthood, and two of their sons graduated from the University at Nashville Medical School exactly 50 years after Dr. Bone did. At least eight of his descendants have followed him in serving the medical profession. (Aiken, Roy L. (Pete). "Bone Family." In Nacogdoches County Families, 172. Dallas, Tx.: Curtis Media Corporation, 1985.) |
| Scope and Content Note | Included in the collection of letters between Dr. Bone and Minerva are letters to the Bones from family and friends, report forms from the post office at Douglass, and two poems (probably written by Dr. Bone). Typescripts for most of the papers in the collection are in a booklet in Box 2. Several 19th century newspapers belonging to Dr. Bone are cataloged and shelved with the newspaper bundles. |
| Associated Dates |
1860-1869 |
| Type | Correspondence |
| Repository | East Texas Research Center |
| Repository Link | http://library.sfasu.edu/etrc/ |
| Transcript | Hemstead Austin Co Texas Nov 16th 1861 Minerva We left home as you know on Friday morning, we traveled all day without anything of importance transpiring except we were tired at night. We tarried all night at a Mr Bracken’s who charged us one 50/100 for staying all night. Next day we traveled on (passing Crockett and some of the Company who had become so sleepy that they could not travel) and at night overtook the Company 57 miles from Douglass. After the hum and noise of getting supper was over the adjacent woods rang again with outbursts of fun incident to a general footrace or wrestling notwithstanding the day’s walk. By a vote of the company we decided to travel next day which was Sunday fearing rain and muddy roads in the prairies. After paying our respects to the Lady (I forget her name) who lived close to our camp and gave us in profusion such things as we needed and made no charge by singing while marching and countermarching in front of her gate the song “There is a happy land” we passed on to the Trinity River where we encamped for the night. Here we suffered sorely by being charged high rates for Ferryage [sic] and forage, it is Clapps or Robbins Ferry recollect it to all travelers west. Many of our boys were amazed at the prairies. Some of them had no idea that the world is so large. We traveled on Monday Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday morning we marched into Navasota and saw the Rail Road, it was a wonder to many of the boys. It is well enough for me to say that the counties west of Nacogdoches are almost depopulated, all gone to wars nearly and it was truly buoying to the feelings to see the patriotic Ladies waving the handkerchiefs as we passed house after house, and if we stopped long enough we were ever sure to receive some kindness at their hands, their cisterns of good water were opened to us. Buttermilk or anything that they conceived in their noble souls was for our comfort was freely given and the only charge was a Yankee scalp. Their finest parlors were not too good for us though rough and dirty and the pianos rang again with the cheering songs Dixie for our pleasure. The little boys would mount the fences as we passed along and wove their little flags or hats and tell us to “Kill the last damn Yankee that we saw” – But to go on, we got on the Cars and came down here which is 24 miles from Navasota where the Company accepted service in the Confederate States for 1 year unless sooner discharged under Col Sanford of Brazoria and were mustered into service yesterday morning by Lt Col Jessee W Sparks Jessee is a fine looking man and has considerable influence here. There are about 1500 men here encamped on clear creek, 1200 Cavalry and 300 Infantry. The Cavalry will perhaps move soon down the country which will relieve us wonderfully there are too many here. Jessee is building a Garrison here for 2000 soldiers the houses for our company is just finishing, it is beautiful place excellent water etc, 3 miles from the Brazos River The boys are well in fine spirits and well satisfied. Lt Col Garnet who first received the company for service at Velasco turned it over to Col Sanford at this place which pleased the company well on account of locality. Jim Paine is well and gone out hunting now, he is in a mess with Bill Wade Two Russell Boys Ben Boyd etc. Jim gets along quietly and pleasantly with the boys and seems to be well pleased. There is Room here yet for more men in this Regiment and it is the last chance to get into 12 months service, any number of men will be mustered into service at any time for the same time that our company was. I was to preaching yesterday up at the other Regiment and heard a good sermon from the Rev Mr Boone. I was at a burial also of one of their number who was buried with military honors It was truly an imposing scene. I do not belong to any company yet but I have permission to remain with the Company till I can see the Col he will be here in a few days when I will ascertain what I can do. I find out that the medical board is not organized yet for the regiment, there is but one Physician here a head of me, can’t tell you how I will succeed yet I shall write again soon May God bless you and our little son Watson Yours as ever R. D. Bone You need not write to me yet perhaps I may leave here before long- will write you R. D. B. If there are any of my friends in Douglass that wish to hear from me show them this for the present. Quinine is scarce consequently no news for Quinine I see by a recent proclamation that Jeff Davis is still not buried – the Davis family seem to be unfortunate in that enterprise R.D.B. |
| Rights | This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is available for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the East Texas Research Center at asketrc@sfasu.edu. |
Description
| Title | Bone Letter, November 16, 1861 - Page 1 |
| Collection Identifer | A9, Box 1, Folder 2 |
| Repository | East Texas Research Center |
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