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Date Original
1862 June 21
Description
In his letter, Loughborough gives his wife details about his duties in camp, and his living situation. An order from General P.G.T. Beauregard had been issued prohibiting soldiers' family members from living near army camps within fifty miles of the enemy.
Biographical/Historical Note
James M. Loughborough was born in Kentucky in 1832 and married Mary Webster in 1859 in St. Louis, Missouri. They had six children: Julia, Jean, Mary, Hope, James Fairfax, and St. James Noble. James Loughborough was a lawyer. His father, John, served as Surveyor General of the United States for the District of Illinois and Missouri. Mary Webster Loughborough, James' wife, wrote "My Cave Life In Vicksburg," an account of her experiences during the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Transcription
[Page 1] June 21. 1862.
My Dearest Wife =
I am beginning
to see daylight thro' the mass of
business which had accumulated in
my Dept. My records etc have returned,
my Clerk is back, and I have recorded
and filed away all papers that
were rec'd while my office was
under a tree, and my desk was
my hat and pockets. Oh! Mama,
but they have worked me cruel
hard, and yet I am glad of it:
The business has been promptly
and satisfactorily done, and that too
under the immediate notice of Gen'l
Van Dorn - Gen'l Little says but
little on any subject, yet I can see
from his manner that he is pleased, [Page 2] and reposes unlimited confidence in
my opinions concerning Order. Regulations
etc. He is an Excellent Officer, and
very different from Gen'l P, in the
management of men.
What I have said concerning myself
may seem egotistical, yet it is what
I see daily, and think myself, and
sure you are my other self, are you not?
I am really proud of
Kelly. He was the only one of Gen'l Price's
staff that remained when the Gen'l went
to Richmond. As soon as I returned he
came and reported for duty. and has
stayed with me ever since. I detailed
him as Inspector Gen'l, and his arrangement
of the Camps, and suggestions as to
drill etc etc, have been highly impli-
mented [sic] by Gen Van Dorn. Genl
Little, says "who is that little fellow
Kelly, that you appointed adj Inspector - [Page 3] Gen'l - "Now I like him, he knows what
"to do and does it without fear or
"favor, he must get a good position."
Sure enough next day came an
order from the War Dep't for the
organization of a "signal Corps" in each
Divn" to be Commanded by a Captain -
as soon as Gen'l Little saw the order
he said "Now appoint Kelly at once
"before I have a thousand applications."
So, the Bishop has risen since he came
to me at Corinth from 2d Lieut to be
Captain. All the boys in whom I felt
any interest that started with us
from Memphis are now in fine positions
and are doing credit to themselves.
Flincree is Adjt Gen'l of a Division
Gillespie is Ch'f of Ordinance of a Divn
Kelly is signal Officer [and] Engineer of
a Division, and Kirk Talbolt
was appointed on the Staff of Genl
Herbert [Page 4] If Joe Lewis had come up he
might now be in good position -
I hear that he is at Aberdeen, doing
nothing -
Now Mama, I had made
arrangements for board for you at
a house two miles distant from
my Camp, but the next day came
an order from Gen'l Beauregard
prohibiting families of officers from
staying with the Army when within
fifty miles of the enemy.
Genl Manny's family was at the house
where you were to have gone and had to be returned , and Gen'l
Van Dorn, whose family was enroute
for this place to visit him telegraphed
them not to come. Maj Hilyen
has an agent looking for a house, and
wishes me to join him in renting it, which
I will do, if agreeable to you -
Your last letter about returning to
Physical Description
Document, 5.5" x 7.5"
Subjects
Telegraph; Military Camps; Civil War; Confederate States of America
Contributor
Loughborough, James M.
Language
English
Identifier
MS.000232, Box 1, Item 16
Collection
Loughborough papers, MS.000232
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
J.M. Loughborough to Mary W. Loughborough, Loughborough papers, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
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