James Henry Lauriston ("Lar") Hull

4th Sergeant, Company F., 10th Texas Cavalry, Confederate States Army
Enlisted October 1861 and Surrendered May 26, 1865

Civil War Letter Collection, Kickapoo, TX - 1865

Transcribed by J. Brinkoeter

Disbursing Office Govt. Iron Works Anderson Co. Tex. February 18th 1865 Mr. T. F. Hull Dear Brother, Our dear, good father wishes me to write to you concerning your attendance of Baylor University [a "Military School"]. He wishes me to say to you to take those exemption papers on the 16 bales of cotton to Mr. Watson of Carthage and ask him if you have a right to transfer them & what endorsement is necessary to make the transfer. After getting that matter correctly arranged, he wishes you to mount that large bay mule which Jeff was to have worked (as he is a bad mule & jumps fences & a large mule sells well) and ride him to Independence, Washington County, Texas, at which place the school is, conducted by Rev. Gary Crane who is authorized to receive students between the ages of 17 & 18 years to drill & be ready to march out in a body if the State is invaded. Father does not know the tuition, board, Etc., but wishes you to take those exemption papers with you & sell them to someone in or near Independence, at 6 or 8 cents ... which will pay your way for 12 months. Then as for the mule, either sell him, save the money & when you start to the army buy a horse, or, if you can, loan him out till you start to off & swap him for a fine young horse to ride to the front. He thinks that is the best you can do as Confederate money is not worth more than 20 or 30 to 1. Jeff can work the big horse or some other mule. This is about what he wished me to say. I suppose he wishes you to start immediately, but you had better wait till you get a letter from him on the subject. I hope if you do go you will try to stand as high up on the ladder as any one & be No. 1 at anything you go at and not fool around. You will there get a year’s education - improve it or it is forever lost. Father says he bought a beautiful little gray mare that paces finely & is very gentle, will just suit the family & he is going to send her home & get a mule to give for his very soon, but she is in the "family way"... Your brother, J. H. L. Hull

Previous Letter: November 29, 1864; Anderson Co., Texas
Letter Index: J. H. L. Hull Civil War Letter Collection