I Hope Bragg Will Break Us Up: Defeat and Discouragement in the 1st Louisiana

In the aftermath of the retreat from Murfreesboro, Sergeant Isaac Wark of the 1st Louisiana Regulars grew discouraged at the misfortunes of the Army of Tennessee. Despite an apparent battlefield victory at Stones River on December 31st, Braxton Bragg and his army evacuated Murfreesboro on the night of January 3rd and took up their line of march to new positions south of the Duck River, seemingly handing a victory over to General William S. Rosecrans and his Army of the Cumberland. The Louisianan lost roughly half of his 255 comrades who went into the fight at Stones River and Wark felt they had precious little to show for the losses sustained.

“I don’t know what they intend to do with us,” he commented to a friend a week later. “We are scarcely a hundred men strong and there don’t seem to be much of a prospect of filling the regiment up. I hope General Bragg will break us up and put us into some other regiment so that we might get clear of these officers. I never had a very good opinion of them at any time but since the fight they have become worse than they ever were. They are as cowardly a set of men as could be found. They were all drunk during the fight and with one or two exceptions could not be seen during any of the heavy fighting. I wish this war would end. I am commencing to get tired of it. I have went through more this last two weeks than I did in the whole of my life.”

This sense of frustration became a common theme in the Army of Tennessee in the days following Stones River. As many of the soldiers viewed it, the failure at Murfreesboro marked the second time in three months that the army seemed to have a won a victory on the field that was thrown away by Braxton Bragg. The men didn't understand why the army retreated and ultimately felt that their sacrifices were wasted. Recriminations between Bragg and his senior subordinates over the exact circumstances that led to Bragg's decision to retreat on January 3rd became increasingly vocal and embarrassingly public, further weakening the already shaky command cohesion in the Army of Tennessee. 

Sergeant Wark’s letter is part of the 1st Louisiana’s regimental files held by the Stones River National Battlefield Park.

 

Confederate infantrymen wore a variety of brass buttons on their jackets ranging from state militia buttons to I (infantry) buttons such as the one above. 

Tullahoma, Tennessee

January 10, 1863

Dear friend,

          This is the first opportunity I have had to write since the fight. Thank God I came out of it unhurt although I was in the hottest of it for five days. I carried the colors of the regiment during the four last days. We were kept very busy while in Murfreesboro, being on the provost marshal’s guard we were on guard every other day and when the Yanks advanced, we were sent to the front. We went into the fight with 24 officers and 231 men and had 87 men killed and wounded besides some 30 missing, supposed to have been taken prisoners. Lieutenants Cenas, Trist, Kent, and Barbarin were killed; Lieutenant Colonel F.H. Farrar was wounded in the side with a shell, supposed to be mortally. Lieutenant Reid, Captain Trezivant, and Lieutenant Perkins were also wounded.

          The Yanks came near finishing the regiment on the evening of the third day. They played us a Yankee trick. We were in a small strip of woods about halfway between our lines and the enemy was on picket duty. And the Yanks wishing to ascertain our positions sent over a flag of truce to recover the body of some officer that had been killed the day before. In the ambulance that accompanied the flag was an artillery officer taking items as we afterwards found to our sorrow. For as soon as they reached their lines, they commenced shelling us at a terrible rate.

One of the first shells struck Lieutenant Colonel Farrar; several of the men were also wounded. During the shelling, a heavy line of battle advanced on us some 6,000-7,000 men strong and was not discovered until within about 30 feet of us. Those that were able got up and dusted or, in military parlance, fell back to the regiments that were supporting us. When they saw us coming back, they immediately broke and ran back to the breastworks with the exception of the 19th Alabama which, along with what was left of ours, held the enemy in check until the 9th and 41st Mississippi advanced and supported us as we drove the Yanks back to their breastworks about midnight.

Louisiana state militia belt buckle

We commenced the work of evacuation and marched the balance of that night and all next day until we reached Shelbyville, a distance of 30 miles. I can tell you we have suffered a great deal during the last two weeks. At present we are acting as provost guard in this place. I don’t know what they intend to do with us. We are scarcely a hundred men strong and there don’t seem to be much of a prospect of filling the regiment up. I hope General Bragg will break us up and put us into some other regiment so that we might get clear of these officers. I never had a very good opinion of them at anytime but since the fight they have become worse than they ever were. They are as cowardly a set of men as could be found. They were all drunk during the fight and with one or two exceptions could not be seen during any of the heavy fighting. I wish this war would end. I am commencing to get tired of it. I have went through more this last two weeks than I did in the whole of my life.

I heard from home sometime before I received your letter. I received a short note from Mr. C.A. Janvier, Mr. McDowell’s partner dated Holly Springs, October 18, 1862 in which he stated that my father and all of the family were well. I was very glad to hear from home and will always be thankful to you for any information which you may send me respecting the family. I was sorry to hear that Ned Wilson met with an accident. Let me know whether he lost his leg or not. He may be better off than if he had been with the regiment as he might have been killed in the fight. Give him my best respects. I am glad to hear that your family is well and hope they remain so while you are away from them. I hope this may find you enjoying good health as it leaves me.

Give my love to father, mother, brothers and sisters, Mrs. Molony and family. Write soon.

 

I remain your friend,

Isaac F. Wark

 

Source:

Letter from Color Sergeant Isaac F. Wark, Co. E, 1st Louisiana Regular Infantry, Stones River National Battlefield Park


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