New Undated Website
NEW MADRID, MO., January 1, 1862.
Major General STERLING PRICE, MO. S. G., in Camp:
DEAR GENERAL: The instructions from your headquarters and your circular* were received, and I have endeavored as far as possible to comply with your orders. I have, however, been very much discouraged by the action of my command and from newspaper rumors. I am fearful you have suffered in the same way. I endeavored to get all to disband and reorganize on the same day, each company of men selecting at once their new officers, and without any cessation to go on with our good work, but I could not get a corporal's guard to agree to re-enlist without first returning home or taking the Christmas holidays or some other excuse, and I had to adopt a plan to suit the condition of things; it was to march each regiment to the nearest safe point to the majority of their homes, and, setting different days for them to disband, to endeavor to induce them to re-enlist. Of those disbanded at this place but few have volunteered up to this time. The Stoddard County regiment disbands this day at Camp Blanton, in Stoddard County. The Dunklin County regiment disbands on the 4th at Clarkton, and the Ripley County regiment disbands on the 8th at Pitman's Ferry. How many of these will volunteer it is impossible to tell, but I am sure I will have but a skeleton force until February or March. The men are all sounder than the officers, and if I could but stop their croaking all would be well. I do not censure all, for many of them are patriotic gentleman, who are willing to serve anywhere or work in any kind of harness, but many also who cannot be re-elected, from incompetency or other causes, for the purpose of covering their own defeat, hunt a thousand excuses, and delay others who would immediately join.
I am now without an army, but still have hope, and if left single handed and alone, I will keep the enemy in my neighborhood uneasy and on guard.
I received a letter from General Jackson yesterday from New Orleans. He says the money is being printed at the rate of &12,000 per day, and will be ready in two weeks. I am making every effort to have my pay rolls, quartermaster, and commissary accounts all straight and square, but circumstances beyond my control have gotten them considerably confused. Sickness and changes in the heads of departments have been the cause of it. I write you this short letter because I have an opportunity to send it, but hope before long to be able to make you a full report of the brigade under my charge.
Yours, most respectfully,
M. JEFF. THOMPSON,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.