Critic's Corner

A Texan Writes Home

By Stephen Davis · Originally published March 2019 · p. 38

A Texan Writes Home Irenus Watson Landingham was born in Alabama in 1839. His family moved to the vicinity of Houston, Texas, before the war. Landingham enlisted in the Bayou City Guards, which became Company A, 5th Texas Infantry. With his regiment he traveled to Virginia, where he eventually became part of Hood’s famed Texas Brigade. Prof. Susannah Ural, in her acclaimed Hood’s Texas Brigade (2017), quotes a letter that Private Landingham wrote his mother on Nov. 1, 1861, from his unit’s camp outside Richmond. When they marched into Richmond a week before, “windows went down in a hurry;” Richmonders had heard that “Texan’s is coming,” and they wanted to take a look. At some point Landingham joined General Hood’s staff as clerk, and in this capacity he followed Hood throughout the war. Happily, he kept in touch with his mother through letters that are preserved at the Auburn University Libraries Special Collections and Archives (Landingham Papers, #552). When I recently visited Auburn to examine Landingham’s letters, two specially caught my eye. Here they are. Head Qrs. Hood’s Corps Near Atlanta, Ga. July 14, 1864 Dear Mother I rather expected a letter from some of you by the mornings mail, but as none came, I must perforce content myself by writing. You all certainly do not write often or I would not have to complain so much.

Doubtless ere now, you are acquainted with the situation of military affairs in this department. The Chattahoochee river has seperated the two Armies for the last four or five days, and we have had an opportunity to rest a little. Sherman seems to have “smelt a mice” and evinces some hesitation in following, he had two corps on this side above us, but whether he intends to come on is a question left with the future to decide, the Yankee has such a high appreciation of his own abilities, that I will not be surprised to know of his crossing his whole Army soon. In that event we will probably fall back upon Atlanta, & perhaps even still farther, leaving that place to the tender mercies of the minions. It is not yet quite time for us to strike­­­—indeed I think the longer a battle here, can be postponed the better, as I believe we can whip Sherman, and if the Yankee nation can go to the polls next November with a crushing defeat in the west fresh upon their memories, it will make many a man stick in a “peace ticket.” We have, for the last two or three days, been sumptuously fed upon reports of Kirby Smith being on this side of the Mississippi, with a force, organizing, preparatory to striking Sherman in the rear. I earnestly hope there is some foundation for these reports, as it will necessitate a retreat on Shermans part and then will come our time to work upon him. Genl Bragg is on a visit to the Army, but his occasion had not yet transpired. I notice Early, Breckinridge, &c, are kicking up a “big scare” in Maryland and Pennsylvania. I hope they may be able to take Baltimore and Washington. It would be a tremendous joke on King Abe, and would perhaps call forth a grin on the wrong side of the mouth, if Lee should take Washington before Grant gets to Richmond. I think in taking all things into consideration—affairs wear a pretty bright aspect. It is reported that the Legislature of Texas, has requested the President to grant the “Old Texas Brigade” a 90 days furlough at the close of the present campaign—Alas! there are but few to go. A storm has come up since I commenced writing, and the rain is beating through the tent so much, that I fear I shall have to be briefer than I intended. Our presence on the south side of the Chattahoochee created considerable alarm in Atlanta, and the good people of that city have been getting to the rear in a hurry. I was in town a few days after we crossed, and there was so much confusion that it was a relief to get back to the Army again. Citizens hurrying to and fro with anxious faces, drays and wagons running about with furniture, Engines whistling, & puffing and blowing and shrieking, Hotel gongs ringing (and right then I went in and got dinner.) Cavalry dash about over the streets, Artillery rumbling, and every thing generally, in such a high state of haste and confusion, that it did not present a very lovely scene to a lover of tranquility. What has become of Cousin Anna? There really seems to be something strange about her writing to me, her silence has suggested many thoughts— thoughts which perhaps do injustice, and had therefore, better be kept to myself. Of course it is a pleasure to write, and receiving letters from those we love, but if Cousin Anna must write contrary to her own, or any body else’s feelings, it is best that she should remain silent. You have not yet acknowledged the receipt of 10$ I sent some time ago. Give my love to all, and kiss Ella for me—there is only one to kiss now. Write soon. Your affectionate boy Watson Send me Mr. Davis’ proper address I wish to write to him Landingham’s observations of Atlantans “hurrying to and fro” in the days after Johnston’s army had retreated back across the Chattahoochee are echoed elsewhere. As I wrote in my What the Yankees Did to Us: Sherman’s Bombardment and Wrecking of Atlanta (2012), a correspondent for the Mobile News similarly observed, “everybody seems to be hurrying off, and especially the women….The excitement beats anything I ever saw.” The excitement was palpable when Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg stepped off the train in downtown Atlanta on the morning of July 13. Even before he rode to Johnston’s headquarters, Bragg shot a telegram to Richmond: “indications seem to favor an entire evacuation of this place.” Johnston, of course, did not evacuate Atlanta; he was fired by the War Department before he could do so. His successor, Gen. John B. Hood, defended the city for a month and a half, until Sherman cut his last railroad supply line. By this time command of Hood’s Corps had passed to Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee, on whose staff Landingham remained. The Army of Tennessee evacuated Atlanta during the night of September 1-2. Landingham wrote home a few days later. Near Lovejoy Station September 6, 1864 Dear Mother: Here we are twenty-five miles below Atlanta on the Macon R.R. and the Yankees have possession of the “Gate City.” On the night of the 30th inst this Corps started from East Point and arrived at Jonesboro about 12 o’c the next day and immediately formed line of Battle. Hardees Corps was already there in line, and about 3 o’clock we attacked the enemy, but failed to dislodge him. The next morning we left Hardee in line and marched back to within five miles of Atlanta where we bivouaced. The City was evacuated that night at 12 o’c, and we started for this point the following morning, and arrived here yesterday. The loss of this Corps in the fight was 169 killed, 1095 wounded, and 248 missing. Hardees loss was very small. The troops did not half fight or we might have saved Atlanta. Our failure to drive them back at Jonesboro made it necessary to abandon the city. Several trains of Ammunition were destroyed, but I believe most of everything else was gotten away. The enemy left the front of this Corps this morning and are reported to be falling back on Atlanta, tearing up the Rail Road as they go. It is impossible to form an idea of what will be done next, I do not think we can get Atlanta back without more troops, or somebody in Sherman’s communications who can accomplish something. Wheelers expedition seems to have been a fizzle, as Sherman does not mind him much. I wish Forrest could be sent to Tennessee he seems to be the only Cavalry Commander down this way who can accomplish anything. I expect the people are looking rather glum over the fall of Atlanta. I consider it a great disaster coming just at this juncture, but it may not be irreparable. If McClellan & Pendleton are elected in November, I think peace will soon follow. If not there is no telling how long the war will last. We have had no mail since we left Atlanta, the Army Post Office was destroyed there, and another one has not been organized yet. I hope it will not be long, however, before the mail for the army will

Gen. John Bell Hood. (Library of Congress) be ready for delivery. I wrote you a few days before the evacuation of the city enclosing fifty Dollars (50$). I have not been able to learn whether mail left after that time or not, but hope it went along all safe. There is no other news [worth] sharing. I haven’t time to write much more this even’g. Love to all, unto soon. Your Affectionate Son Watson Landingham was incorrect in writing, “our failure to drive them back at Jonesboro made it necessary to abandon the city.” Around 3 p.m. on August 31— when Hardee and Lee were launching their attack on O.O. Howard’s three infantry corps at Jonesboro—Federals of Jacob Cox’s division struck the Macon & Western Railroad eight miles north of Jonesboro. It was this lodgment, and Hood’s learning of it within a few hours, that sealed Atlanta’s doom. I had a map commissioned for my Atlanta Will Fall: Sherman, Joe Johnston and the Yankee Heavy Battalions (2001) to make this very point. This does not diminish the value—the charm, really—of Watson Landingham’s letters to his mother in Texas. Wayne Wolf and Bruce Allardice, who write articles about soldiers’ letters for Civil War News, will agree with me that finding and publishing little-known epistles from the war front contribute to what we may call gaudium inventionis— the joy of discovery. Note: As I wrote in this space last month, we’re all Civil War students and researchers, even if most of us are not “academics.” I therefore suspect some CWN readers have, like I did, found an interesting (AKA cool) letter or diary written by a Civil War participant. If you have a text or excerpt to share, email it to us—we might be able to print it. Stephen Davis [email protected]