American Historical Ephemera & Photography Online

6 pages, 5 x 8 in., creasing, staining, third leaf separate.

In this letter to his "Sister Phebe," M.S. Bell writes of a recent trip through the country. In part: "We traveled between 900 and 1000 miles through all kinds of country boundless, trackless, prairie, rugged rocky pine covered mountains across rivers torrents and bayous among all kinds of people white Red and black, Union, Rebel and neutral. Freebooters guerillas and Robbers. Mongrels Hybrids and nondescrips [sic]. We were alone most of the time for awhile another 'outfit' kept us company. We were robbed twice but not killed once that we know of...Next the indians stole the mules of the other outfit and we chased two days before recovering them which we did without a fight although we expected and prepared for it. We traveled down across the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw and Seminole country...I have seen the indian now in his primitive state conversed with the Spokokeeyehola [sic] the Creek chief thro' an interpreter and seen their manners and customs. At one time we were within 70 miles of Ft Arbuckle, near which the hostile band of savages chased off by Gen Hancock were operating..."