Galveston, Texas, had been captured by a Union expeditionary force on October 4, 1862, then retaken by the Confederates on New Year’s Day in 1863. Among the soldiers posted there was William H. Neblett, a lawyer and farmer from Grimes County who had enlisted in March 1863 as a private in the 20th Texas Infantry. Neblett wrote from Harrisburg (now part of Houston) to his wife, Elizabeth, who was managing their farm while raising five children. The mutiny he described among some of the troops of the Galveston garrison ended when their commanders promised to improve their food and grant limited furloughs.
Harrisburg Texas
Aug 18th/63
Dear Lizzie
Yours of the 11th inst was recd a few days since. It is really astonishing how much pleasure it gives me to receive a letter from home and although there is no news related still the fact that all are well is sufficient to make the heart thrill with joy. There is a member of Capt. Dickie’s Co here who says he left Orange yesterday week. He says John Scott was well & the Co well pleased with their situation. Two letters came to John after he left both of which I forwarded to him at Orange. We arrived here on the 16th and will remain here until 1st of Sept unless some unexpected order moves us. There has been considerable insubordination among the troops in Galveston lately. Col Lucketts Reg recently from the Rio Grande were furnished it seems with corn meal with worms in it. They refused to drill unless flour was furnished. Debray ordered all the troops on the Island including Lucketts out to the parade ground. All supposed it was for General Inspection but when the troops arrived Lucketts men still not suspecting anything were ordered to stack their arms, which they did. Their guns were taken away and the parade dismissed to their respective quarters. Since then Cooks Reg have demanded furlough and are in a state of insubordination have or did in one instance turn the guns of one of the Forts on the city declaring that they would fire on the town and troops if any attempt was made to disarm them. Yesterday Lucketts Reg was sent from the Island and are near here now and Browns Battallion sent down. This Co received orders also to go back to Galveston yesterday but the Bayou City being out of order the order was countermanded. I fear there will be some trouble if not bloodshed before the matter is settled. Gen Magruder passed here on the way to Galveston yesterday.
There is a great deal of demoralization in the Regiments here. From what I can hear such is not the case with the troops East of the Mississippi or those who have been in active service from Texas. I notice that you are quite despondend in your last letter and am sorry to see it. For my own part I have never lost hope even for a moment and moreover I do not think it probable that Texas will be invaded within the next six months by any force formidable enough to make head against the forces in Texas and moreover I think that within the next six months France will recognize our Independence & be followed soon by England & other powers. You ask what are you to do in case the yankees get to Grimes. This is like providing for a remote contingency but still one in the limits of possibility. In such a case all the advise I can give is to harness up your horses and have the wagon & oxen to help haul what provisions &c with all the wagons. The direction you go will have to be determined by the direction the yanks come from. I do not think an attempt will be made to subjugate Texas until East of the Mis is subjugated & at least until our great armies are whiped & dispersed. I do not anticipate any such direful result as this, and although the fall of Vicksburg was a sad reverse of fortune & the capture of Morgan one of less magnitude still I do not think such things should alarm the country into inaction or submission. You ask me what should be done on the farm. I cannot well answer the question. I want the hogs taken care of, and the pork hogs kept growing so that when the mast falls they will grow fast and fatter. I also wish that piece of new ground cleared up this month if possible. I suppose you have heard something of the bagging rope twine & salt which I was to get from Houston. I want the cotton hauled to the Gin & as soon as Ginned sent to [ ] of Houston who pay the Rail Road freight on the cotton while I am to pay the freight on the Bagging Rope Twine and salt. I also wish the cotton weighed and the weights kept so that I may know how much there is. As soon as the cotton is sold buy what you wish of flour and any other things. Calico is $4.00 per yard but it is best to buy & if I am where I can get it I will buy you some. Confederate money is going down fast & I believe as soon as the war ends it will be perfectly worthless and it may be so before then. Bonds may be worth something but there will be an effort made after the war to repudiate them unless they are in the hands of foreigners and the fear of a war prevents repudiating of such as are held by them. For this reason the money you get for the cotton had best be spent in paying debts contracted since the war and for such things as you wish. Have the seed saved from the cotton sent to McCune I shall want at least half of it for planting next year. The balance can be used for feeding the oxen this Winter & next Spring. I agreed to let McCune have a few bushels to plant (say 4 or 5 bus).
I am glad to hear that Bettie is getting well of her cholic. I hear that there is prevailing east of Lake Creek putrid soar throat or Diptheria and has been quite fatal. I feel uneasy sometimes about our children on that account. Tell Mary to write me another letter when you write again. I expect you had better try and get old Keifer to come and curry your leather about the first of Sept. You can get him to do so I expect for $10. or 12.00. Get him also to blacken the calf and coon skins. I expect you had better look out for some person to make your shoes and Marys & Walters. If you could get McDonald’s negro to do so at $2 or 3.00 per day it will be about as cheap as you may expect, & you may have to pay $4 or 5.00 to get shoes for yourself made fit to wear. Perhaps you had better write to Mrs Mc Donald on the subject. I am in good health.
yours affectionately
Wm H Neblett
P.S. The following is used by the soldiers here for flux very sucessfully. Tea spoon full of salt and Table spoon full of vinegar with a little water to be repeated after every operation.