Jennifer S. Mansfield, Yours Fraternally Until Death: The Civil War Letters of the Brothers Love, East Texas Historical Journal, vol. XXXVIII (2000), 53-70.
This article is a series of excerpts from letters written by four brothers who served in the Civil War for the Confederacy. Jennifer Mansfield uses the letters to offer insight into the personal experiences and feelings of four Texas soldiers. The brothers, Cyrus, Sam, John, and James, represent a range of human emotions: optimism, courage, weariness, patience, and resignation during their tour of duty.
Twenty-nine year old Cyrus Love was the eldest son of a Limestone County farmer; he was working as a schoolteacher at the start of the Civil War. He volunteered in the Confederate army in August 1861, and he joined the Seventh Texas Infantry, Company G. The other three brothers, twenty-three year old Sam, nineteen year old John, and twenty-four year old James, enlisted in the Sixth Texas Cavalry in Septembe r 1861, but they would become separated later.
In late 1861, the brothers' letters reported hardships, but remained optimistic and dedicated to the Southern cause. In his letter of December 1, 1861, Cyrus reiterates his determination to remain in the army as long as he is needed. The winter of 1861-62 was very difficult for the soldiers, since they lacked adequate clothing, food, and medical care. Cyrus' company lost twenty-three men to illness alone. In a letter from James, his repeated requests for food from home shows how the soldiers were underfed.
Sam's first experience in battle, which was with a force of Creek Indians, shows the common opinion of Indians at that time. Sam compares them to animals, such as a dog, a wolf, and a turkey. Cyrus' first battle was at Fort Donelson on February 15, 1862. He was wounded early in the battle, and this saved him from being taken prisoner with most of his regiment when the Confederates at the fort surrendered to Union t roops. Cyrus' letter of June 14, 1862 demonstrates his commitment to the Confederacy and his faith in God. In Sam's letter of October 14, he paints a grim picture of the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi on October 3-4, 1862.
The brothers' letters reflect many changes that the Confederate Army went through, such as the enactment of the Conscription Act and the increasing concern over desertion which led to execution of the deserters. Not all the letters were depressing though. In the winter of 1863, Sam describes the warm welcome the ladies of Tennessee gave to his regiment. He expresses his hopes that soon Union soldiers would be driven back north, and the South could live in peace.
This same winter, James wrote the two letters that comprised his entire war correspondence. In his letters, he is very pessimistic and weary of the war. He states he has not been in battle and does not wish to be. James also requests that he be replaced with a substitute. On June 12, 1 863, Cyrus wrote to tell his family of James' death, but no mention is made of his cause of death. In June 1863, Sam wrote to counsel the youngest brother Robert to stay at home and not enlist in the army, as Robert was anxious to do. However, Robert did join the army sometime in 1864. Cyrus was killed in action in October 1863.
Mansfield concludes the article by briefly describing the brothers' lives after the war. Robert Love held a variety of public offices, such as deputy sheriff, sheriff, United States marshal, and state comptroller. He was assassinated by an ex-employee on June 30, 1903. John Love survived the war to become sheriff of Limestone County, with brother Robert his deputy. John was killed by escaped prisoners as he was transporting them from Shreveport to Limestone. Sam was the only brother to live a full life; he passed away at the age of seventy-four in Fort Worth, Texas.
Mary Arnold graduated from University of Houston-Clear Lake with a B.A. in literature and History.
She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers.
Author:: Mary Arnold
Keywords:: Civil War, History
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