Marshall
January 16, 1863

My Dear Wife,
          I arrived here on the evening of the 14th and found Col. Granbury and the members of the Regiment waiting for me. The orders of Col. Granbury has required us to go to Port Hudson immediately. Therefore, I will not have the pleasure of coming back to see you again. I am very sorry for this and I regret it the more because you thought that I intended to deceive you and did not mean to come back. But I fully intended to come back when I left Tyler and take another fond adieu.19 I must however take this method of bidding you farewell. I shall write you regularly and keep you posted as to my movements. When I can spare time from my duties I shall occupy it by writing you if my letters do not reach you regularly you may be sure it is the fault of the mail and not mine and you must not forget your promise to write to me often. Take good care of our little children and of yourself and don't grieve about my absence anymore than you can help. I have always felt, when leaving you, that I would come back again and I still feel the inspiration of that thought. I feel I will return and spend a happy and prosperous life with you and our sweet children. Let the same thought occupy your mind. I have no news to write. News has reached here that Gen. Bragg was in possession of Nashville, but I do not put much reliance in the report. The enemy has evacuated Vicksburg. We will leave here in the morning. Tell all the friends goodbye. Write to me often; direct your letters to Port Hudson. Kiss the children for me and believe me to be yours as ever.

 

E. T. Broughton

 

I am sending you fifty dollars by Dr. Yarborough. I will send you money regularly, and you must buy what you want for the comfort of yourself and children.
                                                                                    ETB.

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Port Hudson
January 31, 1863

Dear one,
          

Again I avail myself of an opportunity of writing you a short epistle. I have nothing, however, of special interest to write you. We get but little news here and what we get seems to be of very unreliable character.
          We had news of another fight at Vicksburg between Yankee gunboats and the batteries; but the news has not been confirmed today. As I have already written you, a fight has been expected at this place for several days, but the prospect has about vanished the Yankees having gone down the river from Baton Rouge. The gunboat Essex, is still in the river, however, just below here five or six miles. As I write I can hear her canons booming. She is shelling our pickets down the river. If the news be true, as I believe it is, that the Federals have gone back to New Orleans, we will have no fighting at this place. We are constantly engaged in strengthening our works here, which are now of a very formidable character and should the Yankees be foolhardy enough to come up and attack us, we will give them such a reception as will forever make their knees shake (when they hear Port Hudson named). My situation is anything but a pleasant one just now. I have not been able to get any cooking utensils yet, and if I had them, I cannot get much to cook in them.
          Captain Brown has gone to Natchez after an outfit, and when he gets back I hope to fare better. He and I have hired us a negro boy and have made arrangements to eat together. I think we will be able to get along tolerable well, once we get started. The provisions are scarce and very high. When I get accustomed to camp and somewhat forget the comforts of home, I suppose I will be all right, tho I miss you and the children very much. Yet I keep myself buoyed up with the hope that I shall be with you ere many months pass. I hope, my dear, that you know and appreciate my emotions toward you. If I were separated from the rest of the world and could have you for my companion, I could be happy and contented. When night comes and I am relieved of my duties, I lie down in my tent and muse on the felicity that lies in store for me when this infernal war shall end. God grant that these visions of happening shall be realized, that we may soon meet and embrace each other again. I know that this is your constant prayer. I can assure you that it is mine also. I stated that it would not be many months. I base this on the present prospects for a speedy termination of the war. The great and growing discontent against the war, and Lincoln's administration in the northwestern states will certainly paralyze the Yankee Government. The opponents of the war, in that section, are growing more bold, and they are backed up by a powerful organized party, pledged to conciliation. Allover the Northwest, the Democrats are denouncing Lincoln, and his proclamations and the- war, and every where their sentiments are received with delight. This state of affairs must soon bring peace. One of the Generals commanding here, in my presence, offered to bet ten thousand dollars that we would have peace in three months. No one took the bet. This seems to be the universal opinion among the knowing. President Davis in his recent speeches to the people in this section assured them that this was the last year of the war.
          I have not received a letter from you and I am growing anxious to get one. I shall soon begin to look for William and I know I will get one or more. You must keep your promise about writing. Address your letter to Captain E. T. Broughton, Gregg Brigade. Port Hudson, La.

Yours as ever,
E. T. Broughton

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Port Hudson
February 2, 1863

My dear Wife,
           I wrote you a long letter the day before yesterday and sent it by mail but as a gentleman starts to Texas in the morning I write you again. Nothing new has transpired since I have been here. There seems to be a little prospect for a fight soon. We are, however, doing all we can to improve our fortifications and preparing to give the Feds a warm reception when they come, if they ever do. The gunboat Essex comes in sight occasionally, but takes care to keep out of range of our batteries. My health has been tolerably good since I have been here though I have had very bad fare. Captain Brown has not yet returned from Natchez, but I am looking for him every day, and when he gets back I hope to fare better. The health of our regiment is very good, though we have had some cases of diarrhea in camp. I am growing more tired of the Army every day and I do hope that ere long I will be released from it. The prospects for peace are growing daily more bright and it cannot come too soon for me. It seems times I shall be satisfied to remain with you and the children always now and never be disposed to leave you again.
         My only ambition is to make you and them happy and I shall anxiously look forward to the time when I can return to the loved ones at home where we can be once more united and happy. I want you to write to me more often and freely and let me know about how you are getting along. I don't want you to grieve about my absence but try and make yourself cheerful and contented. Take care of the children and try and improve Prentiss all you can. You may rest assured that I will take best of care of myself that I possibly can and I will hasten home as soon as permitted.
          I wrote you a letter from Marshall and enclosed a fifty dollar bill and a note for two hundred and fifty dollars, and I am anxious to know whether you received it or not. Please write me about it. I also subscribed for a paper for you. Write to me whether you received it or not regularly.
          There is a little matter I would like to ask you about yourself that I would like to ask you. Can't you let me know'? I know that you know what I mean. Don't be offended, dear, because I asked about it, for it is my solicitude that prompts me to make the inquiry. If it is as I suspect, I hope you will not become despondent or low-spirited. Be as cheerful as you can and rest assured that you have all my sympathy and nothing but an imperative sense of duty keeps me absent from you. I shall write you often, but I fear the mails are so irregular that you will not get my letters until they are old. I will avail myself of every opportunity of sending you letters by hand, as I think this the best and quickest way to send them.
          Kiss Tomie and Prentiss for me and believe me to be your faithful and affectionate husband.

​

E. T. Broughton

Address: Capt. E. T. Broughton 7th Texas
Regiment Gregg Brigade
Port Hudson, La.

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Robbin Station
March 18, 1863

Dear Mollie,
          Communication with Texas has been so effectually cut off the last ten days, that I have not thought it worth while to write you, but Capt. Davis will start to Texas in a day or two and I know I will have some hopes of getting a letter to you. I have but little idea that any of my letters written in the last month have reached you for I think the mails are very uncertain. Indeed, I have not received anything from you since your letter by William. But I know that you write to me and that is not your fault, but the fault of the mail. I was taken sick about the 10th of last month and have been unfit for duty ever since. I had, at first, an attack of typhoid fever which lasted about ten days, then I took diarrhea and am very much emaciated, but I think I have been slowly recovering from that attack. I begin to feel and am able to take some exercise.
          I have been staying in the country for the last month and shall continue to do so until I get better and fit for duty. If I do not get well in two or three weeks, I shall resign and come home. I should have resigned before now, but for the fact that William came here to be with me and in my company, I shall regret very much to leave him, but if I do not get well, I cannot be with him and therefore shall resign. He got a pass and came out to see me and I have been to see him twice. I left camp yesterday morning.
          William and Robert, in fact, all my company are well. I went down to camp last Saturday evening to keep out of the hands of the Yankees who had gotten in four miles of this place without our knowledge. This place is about twelve miles from Fort Hudson. I went down six miles on a handcar in company with Captain Davis and Lieutenant Henderson (Saturday night) and stopped until daylight Sunday morning about eleven o'clock. Saturday night the Yankees opened on Port Hudson with their mortar fleet and gunboats and for two hours kept up one of the most terrific bombardments of the war. We were six miles off and could see the flashes of the guns. The huge shells flying through the air, and the roar of the cannons was deafing and jarred the house in which we were staying until some of the glass was broken in the windows. I went into Port Hudson Sunday morning with my mind in great anxiety and apprehension of the results. As soon as I entered the works, I began to look about me to see the effects of such dreadful bombardment, but there were no effects visible. I began anxiously to inquire of the men as I passed them what damage had been done us, and they answered none that they knew of but two gunboats had been sunk. with a lighter heart I advanced toward our encampment which is on the river and near the batteries where, if anywhere the shelling must have damaged us. As I approached the river, I could see here .and there where the huge shells had torn up the ground, and even the trees and as I passed one of the batteries, I saw where one poor man had had his leg amputated. Breathless with anxiety I reached our camp and inquired the damage done us. No one in our regiment had been hurt, but one man in our brigade was killed. Being relieved by this information, I began to inquire for the particulars. It seems that the Yankees wanted to pass their gunboats up the river, and after they commenced shelling from their motor boats, they ran their gunboats up opposite our batteries and engaged them. The enemy had one vessel burnt by hot shots from our batteries and one sunk. None of our guns were dismounted or silenced. Our lot was three killed and ten wounded; that of the enemy was about three hundred. So you see, they caught a tarter at Port Hudson; their land forces never got nearer than 7 miles of our works and commenced retreating on Sunday evening in the greatest disorder. They seemed to have been seized with panic and threw away every thing in their flight. Tents, blankets, knapsacks, overcoats, provisions, and cooking utensils were strewn in the fight. We captured a considerable quantity of army store and a number of beef and sheep. I neglected to say that one vessel passed our batteries, and it was in the river above us. She had the commodore on board, and two couriers have been caught carrying dispatches from him to his fleet below. I think we have successfully prevented him from communications with his fleet. Our tents were cut up by the shelling, but fortunately our men were not in them. They being sent to the breastwork. Some few blankets were cut to pieces. My tent had a large rent in it by a large piece of shell, but William had moved my baggage and no harm was done. This is all the new I have to write you. It is reported that the Yankees are advancing again and if they are I shall have to run again. I can manage however to get news of their army in time to stay out of harms way. I will write again when I have a favorable opportunity. If you do not hear from me again, you can rest assured, of the fact, it is not my fault. Now that I am unfit for duty, I think about you, my dear, and our dear little children. Write to me often. I am very anxious to know how you are getting along. Give my love to all the relatives and believe me to be as ever

​

Your affectionate husband,

E. T. Broughton

​

Port Hudson
April 15, 1863

My dear Wife,
          Yours of the 17th last month came to hand several days ago, and I should have answered it much sooner but I have been waiting on some men who were getting ready to come to Texas so that I could send my letter by hand. Lieutenant Moore starts tomorrow morning, and I gladly avail myself of the opportunity of sending you a short letter. I am very glad you have been getting along so well, hope you will continue to do so. My health continues to improve, but very slowly. I have not been able to do any duty yet, but hope to be able to do my share in a few days.
          We have no news here that would be likely to interest you. We have been looking for several days for the Federal fleet above here to try to pass down by our batteries, but they have not attempted it yet. The news is that they are about the mouth of the Red River cashing logs on their side for the purpose of running by here. But I cannot say whether this be true or not. I am satisfied, however, that they would like to get down and if they don't do so pretty soon they will be bagged. I long to see the Red River open again so I can hear from home regularly. I still have strong hopes of the war ending by summer and think I shall be able by mid summer to be with you and the little ones.
          You wrote to me that you were preparing me some summer clothes and desire to know how you could send them. One of the young Woods will be leaving here for home soon. He is coming after meat, flour and clothing for the regiment, and you can have mine boxed up with William's, directed to me in the same manner as you direct your letters and send them by him. I shall write to Gabe to attend to sending them as I want him to send some meat and flour also. If you have not already had my coat cut, I want you to be sure and have it cut up in the breast. Tell Mrs. Hepperson not to allow any for the lining as she did the other one. You need not put any buttons on the coat as I can get staff buttons and have them put on here. I believe I would prefer a nice piece of black cloth on the collar and sleeves if it can be had. You needn't put yourself to any unnecessary trouble about the coat as I only make these suggestions to satisfy you, knowing you would like to be informed of my preferences. Lieutenant Moore has just notified me that he will start in a few minutes and I must hasten to close.
          The gunboats above have come in sight since I commenced to write. They are signaling the fleet below. I expect they will try to pass down tonight. If they do we will do our best to sink some of them. William and Robert are well. Give my regards to my friends. Kiss Prentiss and Tomie for me, and believe me to be as ever your affectionately.

​

E. T. Broughton

​

Port Hudson
April 27, 1863

Dear Mollie,
          Having waited several days without hearing form you, I have grown quiet impatient. I write you another epistle. I wrote you a long letter by Frank Moore which I hoped reached you. The last letter I have received from you dated March 17th -- considerably a month and may judge how anxious I am to hear from you. But I hope you will not be discouraged. Your letters will reach me sometime. Though they can be a long time coming, they are a source of satisfaction to me above everything else.
           Red River is now permanently blockaded and our letters reaching their destination will be uncertain. If therefore we desire to be in constant communication, we must be very vigilant in seeking opportunities of sending letters. Nothing of particular has transpired since I wrote you last. The gunboats from above and below come in sight almost daily, but have yet made no effort to pass or engage our batteries. The landforces under General Banks at Baton Rouge, Louisiana have as I wrote you in my last letter left that point. They have been operating on the Teche Bayou in the Opelousas country, West Louisiana and have succeeded in defeating our forces there under General Taylor and captured a considerable number of prisoners. Affairs on our side there have been doubtless badly managed, and I fear from the Yankees account that some of our troops have disgraced themselves. I have not seen the account of the affair, but hope it will not be as bad as the Yankee's version.
          General Smith is now at Alexander, Louisiana near the scene of the action and hope he will be able to chastise the enemy and repair whatever damage may have resulted to our cause. I send you a paper containing the Yankee version; it is as embellished as Yankee accounts generally are and doubtless contains the usual amount of truth. I have not heard from Jim since I wrote you, nor have I heard anything of the operation of our army in Tennessee. I expect to hear shortly of a sanguinary struggle in Middle Tennessee which if it results in our favor, as I believe it will, I confidently hope will close the war. I am still sanguine about the war closing by mid-summer, for God knows if there is any event feverently and anxiously wished for by me, it is the close of the war. How sick, tired and disgusted  I am words will not express. How I long to return to my happy home and give my time and talents to the promotion and welfare and happiness of my wife and little ones.
          My health is now pretty well restored and the old hope of a happy future in store for us are as feverent as ever, although dimmed and clouded by disease, has been restored also. Let us hope and be patient, my dear, happiness in reunion will be ours. The day is not far distant when the Yankees overwhelmed by defeat and disgraced will be glad to acknowledge the independence of our country, and when our fair and youthful Republic recuperates from the disasters of this sad and desolating war, she shall stand forth in her beautiful proportions, robed in the garment of peace and stretching the adgis of protection to the remotest limits of her territory when you and I, my dear, shall be free to persue our own true and substantial happiness.
          I wrote to you to send my clothes by young Wood, but owing to the Red River blockade, he will not be able to come. You will have to look out for the first opportunity and avail yourself of it. Perhaps Frank Moore will come back. If he does, you can send them by him. William is well and sits by me writing Douglas. He stands soldiering pretty well. Bob is sick and has been for some time though not dangerously. Give my best regard to all my friends and believe me to be as ever.

Your affectionate husband,

 

 E. T. Broughton

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Newman
May 23, 1864

My dear Wife,
          For the first time in a long time I have an opportunity to write you with any hope of my letters reaching you. I have been in Dixie two weeks and have been looking all the while for a chance to send you a letter, but none has been presented previous to this.
          After my capture at Raymond, I was taken to Johnson's Island, the place of my former imprisonment. I was kept there until the 22nd of April at which I was carried to Point Lookout, Maryland. I was kept there ten days and then brought over to Richmond. During my imprisonment I had a hard time of it. I suffered a great deal mentally and physically. I was sick continually from the 1st of October to the period I left the island having had small pox, flux and two attacks of erysipelas. My face is pretty badly marked with pox. I am in pretty feeble health, but have been improving since I got back into the South. I think I will continue to do so. I shall leave this place today or tomorrow, go into the country and remain there until I get well. I am on parole and do not know when I will be exchanged, but I am resolved not to go into service until I get entirely well. I tried, while in Richmond, to get permission to come home, but could not succeed. I shall, however, keep a sharp lookout and if by any hook or crook I can get off I will come to you. I heard from you once during my captivity and that was through a letter written by Jim in December last.
          It informed me of the death of your mother, and that you had given birth to another daughter.24How I wish I could see the wee thing. You must take good care of her until I come home. I know you must have suffered an immense deal of anxiety on my account. I hope this letter and the news I am once more in the South will allieve it. Would to God I could come home immediately and receive the loving embraces of yourself and the dear little ones.
          Be of good cheer; do for yourself and the children the best you can; and by all means do not suffer and distress on my account. I feel assured I will come home by and by. All of the suffering, anxiety, and distress we have suffered will lend to enhance our bliss when we meet again. Jim Douglas has been back some time, but I haven't had the opportunity to see him or communicate on account of the fact that General Johnson's army has been making retrograde movements ever since I have been here. This place is about 40 miles from Atlanta and 80 miles from the army which is now about 40 miles above Atlanta. A big fight is looked for there and may be transpiring even now. The enemy is pressing down on our army with the hope of capturing Atlanta. I hear from the army every day our troops are in excellent spirit, eager for the fight and are receiving daily reinforcements. I think when the fight does come off, we will achieve a glorious victory. I have the most unbounded confidence in the skill and sagacity of General Johnson. We have been successful in engagement in Virginia. Our success in the Spring campaign, thus far, has been incomparable. From every point of the company comes the most cheering news of Confederate soldiers. This is soul-cheering indeed to one who has been immured in Yankee battles as I have been.
          William is here in the hospital. He has been a little sick, but is now about well and notwithstanding his sickness, he has more flesh than he ever carried home. I saw his letters brought through by Jim and received from them the gratifying intelligence that you and the children were well. We got five letters. My name was mentioned in only one. Mitt was the only one who seems not to have forgotten me. Be sure to give her my most sincere love and tell her she is not and cannot be forgotten by her brother Tom. Give my love to all the relatives. Kiss the children, and tell Prentiss to be good until his Pa comes home and he will get him something fine. Tell him and Tomie that their Pa wants to see them very much, and will be home to see them sometime. Don't let them forget me. Try and keep yourself in good spirit; don't be uneasy about me and believe me to be,

Your ever affectionate husband,

E. T. Broughton