Important letter written by Edward A. Palfrey, an 1851 graduate of the US Military Academy, who served on various frontier outposts in Texas before the Civil War. In 1861, he was made Adjutant-General on the staff of Confederate General Mansfield Lovell. Palfrey was serving in this capacity during the 2nd Battle of Corinth, when Lovell was ordered by Gen. Van Dorn to take his division and attack a heavily fortified position held by the Union. In this letter, Palfrey positively gushes with praise for General Lovell- "he is said to have acted most gallantly in the fight at Corinth, throwing itself in the thickest of the fight and is now the perfect idol of his troops."
Palfrey's friendship and loyalty to Lovell, however, may have caused him to suppress the negative reports of others who accused Lovell of inadequately supporting the Confederate attack. In fact, the Confederate high command lost their trust and respect for Lovell as a result of the battle and he was removed from command until much later in the war.
Palfrey wrote this letter to Col. Henry Duplessis Ogden (1819-1897) in response to an inquiry from the former judge as to whether his services might be put to use in General Lovell’s staff. Ogden served as the Colonel of the Louisiana Native Guards in New Orleans.
Complete transcription:
Jackson, Mississippi?10 October [1862]
My Dear Judge, 
Your letter reached me this morning I can assure you that nothing could have given me more pleasure. I had already anticipated your feelings toward the general, and I am sure he would be glad to have you with him more especially at this time. He left here some time ago, commanding the best division of Van Dorn’s army and, as you have already heard, made a most gallant and determined fight at Corinth, although the overwhelming numbers of Rosecrans’ [army] caused a withdrawal of our army. In a few days, another bloody battle will be fought at or near Holly Springs between our forces and Rosecrans who has been heavily reinforced from Memphis & Arkansas.
All of the exchanged prisoners will have gone forward to reinforce Van Dorn and we have hopes of a fine victory. You had better come on at once. I shall send your letter at once to Ivy, who is acting adjutant general on General [Mansfield] Lovell’s staff and get him to share some portions of your letter to the General. He wants you, I know, and I think it much best for you to come on at once instead of awaiting orders, which may be delayed weeks by our now very irregular mail system. The General has not his full staff. Fontiel, Quitman, & Ivy are all that I know of who are with him. I have been ordered to stay here permanently by the powers that be at Richmond but, today understand that that order had been countermanded and that I am ordered to Lovell. He has no commissary and needs assistance on his staff. He is said to have acted most gallantly in the fight at Corinth, throwing himself in the thickest of the fight and is now the perfect idol of his troops.
I would write you longer if I could get time. I have never been more arduously worked and have never had my patience so effectively exhausted as I have in my new position as Chief Paymaster of this district. A new commander arrived yesterday—Maj. Gen’l Pemberton succeeds [Daniel] Ruggles in the command of the district. It is a sad misfortune that we should not have held Corinth for Van Dorn & Lovell’s enemies are busily engaged in things odious upon their heads. Come on at once and do not permit any little thing to delay you. Lovell wants [you]—told me so. Therefore therefore I [ ]. 
Your true friend, — E. A. P.
[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Earl Van Dorn]