Letter from James to Parents, November 20 & 26, 1863#

Point Isabel near the mouth of the Rio Grande River, Texas — Nov. 20, 1863

Dear Parents,

I have written one letter since the arrival at this place and once on board ship while coming, so I suppose you know about where I am, which is considerable to know, considering how I travel about. I wrote once to Will, directing to Bonnet Carre but have not had a letter yet from him, nor from home either. I suppose there is a large mail in New Orleans for our Regiment, which we expect to get in a few days. The last letter I wrote you we were encamped on Brazos Santiago Island, and expected to move over to the mainland to a point called Isabel. A few days after writing that letter, four Companies of us under the command of Major Tobey were ordered to report to that place; we started in high glee, myself in command of Company T, there being no Captain or 2nd Lieutenant. I have all the work to do, usually the writing of the Company falls on the Orderly Sergeant, but as my Sergeant can neither read nor write, I have it all to do until they send us some more officers. Well, we reached there and instead of finding a pleasant place with plenty of beef and chicken and water, we found nothing but sandy, sterile soil, so impregnated with salt, that nothing in the shape of fresh water can be found. We dug about twelve feet deep in several places but found only salt water. No vegetation except a spree of sage brush scattered in patches over the sandy soil; so we had to start out teams to the river for water which is fifteen miles from here and yet could get but a small allowance for each man.

Nov. 26, 1863

We have had no opportunity of sending letters but there seems a prospect of a mail going to the City in a few days so I will finish my letter. We are doing a little better now for water. We have teams enough going so we have enough to drink but not to cook with; but we will have things arranged so in a few days, so that we will

have plenty I hope. I have gotten no letters from home nor from Will yet, but there is a large mail outside the bar which we will get tomorrow I hope. I am a little anxious to hear from Will; I don’t know where he is or what position he holds. He was to get a Commission providing the three-year men were held, and as I don’t know whether they are home or not. I have written a letter to Mr. Coombs but as I don’t know the initials of his name or his address I will send it to you in an open envelope so you can read it if you choose and hand it to him.

It would be a novel sight to you if you could be here when the teams came in from Browns well, most of the teammates are Mexican, or greasers as they are called, and a hard looking lot they are too. Their clothing are all in rags, as dry goods have been rather scarce in this country. They are a villainous looking crowd, armed with six shooters and big Bowie knives stuck inside their boots. Most of them have immense hats or hats with immense brims about the size of an ordinary umbrella, they are called sombreros, and as they are not by any means large men, their huge hats supported by a thing spindle pair of legs, coming over the plains has a rather peculiar effect. There are two kinds of teams, the ox or bull team, they have usually six or eight oxen or mules to a team; some I have seen though, with ten and twelve; they never use any lines to drive with, it is all done with the whip, a long length. They use this with both hands and with considerable vigor. The Chaplain has just been in to tell me to give him this letter if I want it to go, so I will have to close. It is remarkably healthy. I enjoy excellent health but there is so much dust flying around and my hair being quite long, I look rather wild and a little bit seedy; and my face is bronzed, so you would hardly know your hopeful if he were to present himself before you as he is now. Tell John and Durlyn to write to me. Give my respects to all inquiring friends.

Direct to Lieut. James D. Wade

16 Regt. Corps ‘Afrique

2nd Division, 13th Army Corps

New Orleans or elsewhere

Your Affectionate Son,

James Duncan Wade