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Camp near Fort Smith, Ark., Dec. 15, 1862.
Dear Sisters—This leaves me still sick, but some better than when I wrote you last. The fatigue of crossing the Boston Mountains was great. We left Van Buren on the 3rd of this month, with five days’ rations, to attack the enemy, who were then at Cane Hill, in some force, but on the night of the 6th General Hindman was informed that he was in eight miles of General Schofield, with about ten thousand troops. After receiving the intelligence, General Hindman ordered that we be ready to move at one o’clock the next morning.
The cavalry was thrown out ahead of the infantry, and about an hour by the sun on the morning of the 7th, which was Sunday, our cavalry engaged the enemy. When the firing commenced we were ordered up in double-quick, but before we got where the engagement took place we met some of our men coming back with a good many prisoners and wagons which they had captured.
When we got to where the engagement took place we were thrown into line of battle, but we soon found the enemy had fallen back. We then advanced about half a mile and formed again, but they had fallen back still further. About eleven o’clock the firing commenced in good earnest on the right wing. We were then ordered away from the battery and ordered out into the woods in center and were under cross-fire from two of the enemy’s batteries all the evening, but they had their sights too high for us. About two o’clock we were charged by the Pin Indians, who set up one of the most horrible yells I ever heard. We received their charge, repulsed them and then charged them and drove them back with a loss of two killed, eleven wounded and twelve missing, most of whom have come up since. I did not get a man hurt at all, but the way the shot and shell rained down on us it looked like we could not escape as well as we did. I think we will winter some distance south of here.
I will close as my paper is out. My love to all.
Good bye from your brother,
TOM D. THOMSON.