SOUTHERN ILLUSTRATED NEWS, January 24, 1863, p. 8, c. 1-2

I thought some may find this interesting. I will be posting it in the Texas History Hunters group as well. Can be found a short distance down from the top of the page here: http://www.uttyler.edu/vbetts/southern_illustrated_news.htm

SOUTHERN ILLUSTRATED NEWS, January 24, 1863, p. 8, c. 1-2
            {The following letter was received several days ago, and we cheerfully give place to it.—Eds.]

                                                                       "Camp near Fredericksburg, Va.,  }
                                                                                          January 6th, 1863.    }
"To the Editors of the Southern Illustrated News:
            "Gentlemen—It has been our wish that, on no account, would we bring the deeds of our "Texas Brigade" to the notice of the public through the metropolitan journals, preferring to await the reports of the Commanding General, feeling assured that, when those papers were published, we would receive our meed of praise.  Yet we felt it due to ourselves that the article in your journal of the 10th January, headed "The Charge of the 24th North Carolina Regiment at Sharpsburg," should receive such an answer as would disabuse the minds of your readers of the idea that the 'Texans, unbeaten before in this war, were driven back in confusion;' for this assertion, if allowed to go uncontradicted, might hurt that historic name that was given to the soldiers of the 'Lone Star State' at the Alamo and San Jacinto, as well as cause the blush to mantle the cheeks of our fair 'prairie flowers' at home.  The facts are these:  Our (Hood's) division, composed then of the Texas and Whiting's old brigade, advanced, and broke through the 1st and 2d  lines of the enemy, and took possession of the woods.  Holding this ground until we had exhausted our ammunition, (forty rounds to the man,) our support not coming up at this juncture, and the enemy moving so as to flank us, (in great numbers,) we were ordered to fall back.  Furthermore, the woods that we left were not regained during the battle.
            "Trusting that your impartial and successful paper will allow this contradiction to appear, I remain,
                                                                                                            Yours respectfully,
                                                                                                                        "Texas Volunteer."