Ken and Greg,

I may have shared this before but thought I would again just in case. It references the 6th Ark Inf flag and subsequent flag bearers. IF you don't have it here it is...sorry if its a duplicate posting.

Anthony

This is a very interesting letter from 1906, but discussing matters related to the Civil War. It was sent from William W. Gibson of Wills Point, Texas; to Captain J. (Joseph) A. Reeves of Camden, Arkansas. The letter is dated May 6, 1906. Gibson was the County Surveyor of Van Zandt County, Texas, but had served in the 6th Infantry Regiment of Arkansas, as did Reeves. The letter comes in its original envelope, which is postmarked as received at Camden, Arkansas, on May 8, 1906, at 6 am.

Gibson reminisces about several of their fellow soldiers, including graphic accounts of the deaths of a few.

The letter reads [with my notes in brackets], "Dear Sir + Comrade,

"Yours of 4th inst. [i.e. a letter from May 4th] to hand, I am always glad to hear from any member of the old 6th Inf. Ark. regiment, every one of whom seems more than a brother to me.

"I came to Tex. in '66, living in Galveston until '76, since which time I have lived in this place. Whatever became of Capts. Brown [or Breen?] and Wilkerson I don't know. Capt. Todd married a few years after the war and was living in Shreveport La. in '72, where he and his wife both died of yellow fever.

"I occasionally meet with members of the old command, but not often.

"Cirus Steele, who was a member of Co 'A' lives here in my county.

"I met two of my old company at the Memphis reunion, the first that I had met since the surrender.

"Last summer I spent a month up north Ark. with members of my old co., four of whom are still living. To say that I had a delightful time would not half express it.

"Returning I spent a day in Little Rock, hunted up Stan Hurley of Co 'C' and we together called on Capt. Jas. G. Fletcher at the German Nat. Bank, where we found our old battle flag, lost at the battle of Jonesboro [Georgia, August 31-September 1, 1864]. I have no language Capt. to tell you of the emotions that swept over me on beholding that dear old flag once more. Just here I want to ask you one or two questions--the name of our color bearer on the Dalton-Atlanta campaign--was it Geo. Wilson or Geo. Williamson? He was struck by a shell as we were moving from Atlanta down towards East Point. His body was torn to pieces & it and the flag knocked under a horse. You probably remember the incident. The flag was smeared with the blood of that gallant man, and strange to say it is still plainly discernible on the colors. Not even having changed color. Again do you remember the name of the flag bearer at Jonesboro? Tom Cooper of my Co. 'D' carried the flag up to Franklin where he was killed.

"There is a booklet gotten up by the Cotton Belt RR styled 'The returned battle flags' in which a photograph of the flag lost at Jonesboro is given. But the flag is represented as that of the 7th Ark and surrendered at Bentonville, NC.

"There are several other errors in the history therein given of the 7th and I have promised to correct same. Will be glad to have you write me all you remember about the flag and its bearers, from the consolidation just before Murfreesboro until the close. Were you present at Greensboro at the surrender?

"I am sure you would have enjoyed being at the reunion in New Orleans. The meeting with Gen. Govan & Capt. G.A. Williams and Maj. Brick, was a great pleasure to meet all others of the old brigade.

"I am frequently in Dallas and will take pleasure in hunting your son up sometime when there.

"I married in 1870 and have raised a family of three boys and one girl.

"My sons are all in Railroad business. Two of them are agents on the T&T RR and one in RR office in Fort Worth.

"Our daughter is unmarried and the only one of our children at home with us.

"Yes I remember Capt Gregg well, and also have a vivid remembrance of the day he was killed at Decatur and particularly of the terrible night before we reached that place. I remember you well and also Jimmie Hudson. I don't recall the name of the man you mention as having his legs cut off on July 2nd.

"One of my mess mates, Jack Williams, was killed at the same place and his brains knocked in my face. Do you remember two pieces of artillery being brought up near your position & both being dismounted before firing, & the officer who came up with the being shot from his horse. That & the 22nd were trying times.

"I will be glad to hear from you at any time, & will try to meet you at the Richmond reunion. With kindest regards to yourself and to any others of the old regiment, I remain Sincerely Yours old Comrade,

"Wm. W. Gibson."

The letter is on two pages, front and back. Each page measures about 8-1/4" by 10-5/8". The pages have torn along several of the fold edges, but the corners are still sharp, and the writing is very legible. The envelope measures about 6-1/2" by 3-5/8". Both the letter and the envelope are on William W. Gibson's stationery.

I think this is a fascinating document of Civil War history. It would be interesting to compare Gibson's accounts with other writing about the Arkansas 6th Infantry.