We run them right through their own Camps, passed through their tents. Some Stopped to plunder after the battle was over. Some had one thing and Some another. The boys got a good deal clothing, enfield rifles and Six Shooters, Soap, paper, envelopes, &c. I Saw one man pulling boots off of a Yankee, and him not dead, but dying. It made me feel awful to think that a man would be so hard hearted as to Jerk a man’s boots off, and him in the last agonies of death. A battle is an awful thing.

Item No. 4736700

An incredibly rare November 1863 Confederate account of the Battle of Bayou Bourbeux written by First Lieut. Richard B. Roberts of Company H, 11th Texas Infantry. Roberts was nephew to Oran M. Roberts, colonel of the 11th, who during the battle commanded a brigade of three Texas infantry regiments—the 11th, 15th and 18th. Colonel Roberts had been elected to the Texas Supreme Court in 1856 and, during the secession crisis in 1861, was presiding officer of the convention that took the state out of the Union.

The Battle of Bayou Bourbeux—also known as the Battle of Grand Coteau or the Battle of Carrion Crow Bayou—occurred south of Opelousas during the Second Bayou Teche Campaign. Union forces based in New Orleans had marched west in a second attempt to clear a land route into eastern Texas. The Union advance was blunted, however, when the Colonel Roberts’s Texas brigade along with two brigades of Texas Cavalry, all under the command of Brigadier General Thomas Green, attacked and drove a Union brigade from the field near Carrion Crow Bayou. The Texans took hundreds of prisoners and plundered the Union camps before the approach of federal reinforcements caused General Green to retire back toward Opelousas.

Lieutenant Roberts and the men of Company H, 11th Texas, were in the thick of the fight as the Union forces were outflanked and then routed. His account is thrilling and vivid, and it spans virtually the entirety of the 4-page letter.

The letter was written in ink on a 4-page legal-size bifolium measuring 8” x 13”. Creased at the original folds. A few pinholes where folds meet. Light toning and foxing. Roberts’s very last postscript is incredibly faint, but the rest of the handwriting is very legible. A printed copy of Colonel Oran M. Roberts’s report on the action, published in Louisiana History Vol. 6, No. 1 (Winter 1965), is included. Many details of the lieutenant’s letter are also found in the colonel’s report.

The letter’s transcript reads:

Camp Near Opelousas Louisiana
November the 5th 1863

My Dear Jenny,
We have been in a very hard fought Battle. Our Regiment was detached from our Brigade and put under command of General Green, also Col. King’s & Speight’s Regiments, and these three Regiments was all under Uncle Oran’s command. We left near Cheneyville on Sunday and marched very hard Sunday & Monday, and nearly all night Monday night. And at daylight Tuesday morning, we formed ourselves about Six or 8 miles from the enemy. We got our Breakfast and then moved forward. We engaged the enemy about eleven o’clock. We had three Regiments, as above stated, of Infantry under Col. O. M. Roberts and General Green’s Brigade of Cavalry, but a great many of the Cavalry never got into the fight. The Enemy had about three thousand Infantry and a good many Cavalry. We commenced fighting about 11 o’clock and fought three hours and five minutes. We charged them time after time. In fact, it was a charge all the time, and the Bullets was as thick as hail. It appeared to me that if I had of held up my hat, I could of caught it full of Bullets. And the Bombs was whizzing by us all the time, sometimes bursting, and the Cannon Balls cutting off Limbs off the trees. I cannot describe it. I never heard such a noise before. Several bombs bursted very close to me and the bullets winded my sleeves.

Capt. Johnston let me Command our Company, and he took my place in the line of file closers and done good Service. He fought very bravely, and so did all the men. Everybody said that they never saw such fighting. We had three of our men wounded and one, Levi Wimberly, very badly. It is uncertain whether he will get well. We also lost two men, Pleasant Jones & Neal Woodfire. I suppose they are taken prisoners. The loss of our Regiment was four Killed dead on the field, Sixteen wounded, and thirty-one missing. The whole loss was one hundred & sixty-one missing, killed, and wounded. We taken nine hundred and sixty-three prisoners besides the wounded men, and we don’t know how many we killed. I saw a good many laying Dead on the field and a great many fall. We also took two pieces of artillery. Uncle Oran’s horse was Shot through the neck and the Horn of his Saddle was hit with a bullet, and our flag was Riddled with holes. Dick & Sam Coupland acted as Couriers for Uncle Oran and Coupland’s horse was Shot from under him.

After the battle, Col. Roberts appeared to be proud of the way his men and officers acted. I got Some praise from Col. Jones and also from Col. Roberts. They said I led my Company well. The Cavalry Charged the left wing of our Regiment once and had a good many of our Boys prisoners. We first thought it was our own Cavalry, but when we found it was the Yankees, we Charged them and I can tell you that we made them Scatter. They left in double quick and our men was Released.

There are a good many little things about the battle that would be Interesting that is too troublesome to write. Our Company took a good many prisoners. A yankee charged up to Jeff Webb of our Company and says to him, “you are my prisoner.” About that time We had turned our fire on them. He Jumped behind a tree and the Yankee turned to run. Webb Shot his horse down and the Yankee Jumped up and said, “I am your prisoner.” A great many our men & officers was taken twice during the fight, and then got away. Some of our men Shot thirty rounds. Our Company was not behind anybody’s Company. We had to cross two Sloughs about waist deep, but we Jumped right into it and went across. We run them right through their own Camps, passed through their tents. Some Stopped to plunder after the battle was over. Some had one thing and Some another. The boys got a good deal clothing, enfield rifles and Six Shooters, Soap, paper, envelopes, &c. I Saw one man pulling boots off of a Yankee, and him not dead, but dying. It made me feel awful to think that a man would be so hard hearted as to Jerk a man’s boots off, and him in the last agonies of death. A battle is an awful thing.

Anyway, We whipped them, run them off the field, but they reinforced Largely, and we Retired in good Order about four or five miles where we are now. I see Billy Lister every day or so. He is well. My Dear Wife, I want to see you so bad. I wish this Cruel War would end so we could all go home to those we love. I feel Very thankful to my god that my life was Spared. We have been away from our clothing Some time. I have no pants with me, only my old Jeans pants, and they are nearly worn out. And the men only have one Blanket. Take care of my Powder horn and Caps that I sent by Conway, and Send me Some tobacco the first Chance. May god bless and take care of you, my Dear beloved Wife, is my prayer.
Your own Husband
R. B. Roberts

The Battle was fought on Corncrow Bayou about Six or 8 miles South of Opelousas. I Send you one or two Yankee letters. I have wrote this letter on my Knee, and excuse my bad writing.

Nov 7th. The yankees have [illegible] the battlefield in a hurry and gave another [illegible]. Levi Wimberly died on the night of 6th Nov, poor fellow, and W. H. [illegible] also missing.