An important mission (continued)

•When the men returned their clothes were frozen so hard that they could not sit down. No fires were to be built for fear of alerting the Federal forces in the area. They all grew colder and though frozen, even more weapons were ferried across using various small boots found in the area. As the mission was accomplished, the cold became even greater, The horse’s hooves began to split from it and the Texas Brigade moved away from the river and bivouac. They killed wild hogs and warmed the themselves. On January 10, they started their journey back.