Bone Letter, March 30, 1862 - page 1 |
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| Title | Bone Letter, March 30, 1862 |
| Subject |
Correspondence Military life Health Civil War |
| Description | Camp Hebert. Dr. Bone to Minerva: health of the regiment is better, all sorts of rumors are circulating as to where they will be sent, he has not been and does not know when he will be paid, the Chief Surgeon has left because he is disliked, cautions her to be brave as the dark hours of history approach. |
| Date | March 30, 1862 |
| Collection | Bone Family Papers |
| Collection Identifer | A9, Box 1, Folder 21 |
| Collection Link | http://library.sfasu.edu/findingaids/?p=collections/controlcard&id=17 |
| 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 | Camp Hebert March 30th 1862 Dear Minerva Being at leisure this evening I write to inform you of my continued good health. I am glad to inform you that the health of the Regiment is better. Our Company are all up on foot once more, and I attribute the improvement to the fact of our having moved out into our tents. I do not know what will become of us yet some think we will be disbanded and others think we will not be. Some think will be sent to Missouri others think we will be sent to the coast. We have not received any money yet nor do we know when we will. I hope however we will be paid shortly. My duties here at this time are continually increasing so far as responsibility is concerned, Dr. Chinn our Surgeon became very unpopular in the Regiment and to relieve himself has gone home which leaves me in charge of the Medical Department of the Regiment. I went down to Houston the other day with dispatches to Genl Hebert. I saw a great many things that I could tell you but to [sic] much to write about. We have our Hospital very well well [sic] furnished now and are doing tolerably well. I have not heard of Pilot yet am afraid never will. Tell your Pa not to become alarmed till the time comes for action, I fear the dark hours of our history is approaching rapidly, methinks I see trouble ahead. I want you to have courage, meet all the apparent troubles with a stout heart and if need be defend our little boys with an arm nerved with with [sic] the remembrance of our love for them. Read of the heroic deeds of women during the dark days of American revolution and strive to emulate their heroism. School your mind well for my kind of approaching trouble, even for the loss of those you love most. Look upon such an event as unavoidable and though the cords of love and affection may be rent in twain look beyond to the glory world where we all hope to meet and see all that should concern us. Love our little boys for my sake and approach a Throne of Grace often for help in training them in the way they should go. Inspire their little minds with a love for the truth and parental obedience, and above all let all the beauties of Christian example be shown in your every act Private Honey, how often have I called you by that endearing name, and still how sweet the name. It is useless to consume paper in telling you how much you are to me. I love you with all the earnestness of a man, there is none other to me like you in the wide world. I love you dearly. The question you asked me while I was at home about a burial place has been on my mind many times since, and I think it right and proper to council with you freely on the subject, that we will some day be called upon to give up one or the other to the call of Death is quite reasonable, or it may be one of our little boys must go, and why should the thought or remembrance of it cause us to weep or be sad? We are mortal, we must die. While life and health continues it is not amiss for us to prepare for future existence and even for the final resting place of our bodies. I [sic] is my wish (if possible) for us to rest in death as it is our desire to live and that is near each other, and as we wish to have our children in life so let us have them in death that is close to our feet, as to the place with me it makes no difference, should it be in Douglass let us be buried near J. W. Paine whom I knew not how to love till he was lost to me. Then will our family burial place be identified and be so conditioned as to allow it be protected by an enclosure. Your parents may wish otherwise in case of death but tell them I love you more than ever they did. That you are mine, that I claim you as one of our family. Give my love to your Ma and all the children, tell your Pa to squeeze out a letter, write to me often and fill it full. As it is about my time to remember you and ours in my prayers, let me write it. May the good Lord bless and protect my dear wife and little boys till we meet again Yours as ever R. D. Bone Jim Paine is well Tell Mother and all of our folks to write Bill and Harrison Ben Bud Bun are well |
| 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, March 30, 1862 - page 1 |
| Collection Identifer | A9, Box 1, Folder 21 |
| Repository | East Texas Research Center |
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