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since April 17, 1998
Copyright © 2001-2009, Scott McKay
Tunnel Hill, Ga.
December 1st 1863
Dear Pa.
With the greatest of pleasure, I this morning take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to inform you that I Am Still Enjoying Good health. Hopeing that these few lines may find you enjoying the like blessing of God. Since I wrote to you the other day Things have settled down, some what though we still have to hold our self in readiness to Fight the yankees. It is reported Here, That General Longstreet has severly whiped the yankees at Knoxville & Captured a great many of them. If this bee true they will hardly Advance Any further here. General Cleborn Thinks that the yankees lost 2,000 killed & wounded in our last fight with them. It looks very mutch like they have lost severly by there haveing Stopped their advance. All seemes quite here at present.
John Davenport was taken sick one or two days Before the fight & was sent to the hospital So we have not herd from him since. The rest of the boys are still well.
Pa give my best respect to all inquiring friends & tell them to write to mee. I have not herd a single word from you since the 28th. of last January. I some times think that you do not write to mee. Though this would show that you did not care for me this cannot bee belived By your, sun.
I forgot to state how many we had killed & wounded out of our Reginment in the 2 last fights. There was 17, killed, and 61 wounded. Our Solders a great many of them at least have got to Killing Hogs & Cattle where ever they find them. It seems just simply to have it to say that they have Been steeling. I cannot see how the almighty will prosper our cause when the men in the army will Steal & Pilfer at such a rate. I hope that the Christians at home will not cease to pray for sutch poor Wretches as wee in the Army. This is the greatest place to lead the minds of young people astray that I have ever seen. I would beg a special interest in your Prayers.
Well Pa I guess that I have written more than will interest you So will close. Write Soon As this comes to hand. give mee all the news you Can for 12 months Back.
So Nomore yours truly.
Wm R. McClain,
To His Parents & Brother
[Collection of William McClain's Great Great Grandson, Keith
Smith of Austin, Texas]
Notes
Pvt. William R. McClain - Age 17 when transferred from Co. H, to Co. K, 10th Texas Infantry, on April 1, 1863. William McClain was captured at Arkansas Post, Arkansas, on January 11, 1863, arriving at Camp Douglas Prison near Chicago, Illinois, on January 28th. He was paroled from prison for exchange on April 1st, arriving at City Point, Virginia, for exchange on April 7, 1863.
According to the September 17, 1864 issue of the Atlanta Daily Intelligencer (relocated to and published in Macon, Georgia), Pvt. McClain was slightly wounded in the arm at the Battle of Jonesboro, Georgia, on September 1, 1864. He was admitted to Way Hospital at West Point, Mississippi, on January 10, 1865 for "V.S." (Viel Sclopet , a gunshot wound most probably received at the battle of Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15, 1864).
William R. McClain testified at Widorado, Texas, on November 6, 1923; on behalf of the application for pension of the widow of his former comrade-in-arms, William Oglesby. McClain stated "that he personally knew Wm. Oglesby we lived on Coryell creek, in Coryell Co. Texas, at the beginning of the Civil War, from which place we left and went to Galveston to enlist and was sworn in there in the Tenth Texas Infantry, under command of Col. Nelson and R. Q. Mills Lieut. Co. He went from there to Ark, and engaged in his first battle at Arkansas post and was captured and taken to Chicago, where he spent the winter. Was exchanged next spring at Petersburg, Va. Went form there to the Tennessee army and continued in active service till the close of the war in the spring of 1865."
At age 82, William R. McClain applied for a Soldier's Pension on November 21, 1927, at Wildorado, Deaf Smith County, Texas, his residence of 25 years; he stated he was born at Knoxville, Tennessee, and had lived in Texas, "since 1854, 73 years." He stated in his application that the assessed value of his home was $960.00, and the assessed value of his property was $70.00. McClain's application was approved on January 4, 1928.
William R. McClain, age 89, died of "Nephritis and heart disease" at his home, "12 miles south of Wilderado," Deaf Smith County, Texas, on March 2, 1935; J. T. McClain (unstated relative) signed his Death Warrant. J. M. Gilliland, Undertaker of Hereford, Deaf Smith County, Texas, took charge of the body of McClain on March 3, 1935.
According to William's great great grandson, Keith Smith of Austin, William R. Smith is buried in the Palo Duro Cemetery in Deaf Smith County, Texas.
Copyright © 2001-2009, Scott McKay