USA > Texas > A comprehensive history of Texas, 1685-1897 > Part 26
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While at the village of Picacho the Confederates were joined by General Albert
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Sidney Johnston, who had resigned his commission in the United States army and was on his way from California to tender his services to the Confederate States gov- ernment. Numerous frays with the hostile Indians and small detachments of Union troops occupied the attention of those companies of the regiment under Lieutenant- Colonel Baylor during the fall, in all of which the Texans displayed the gallantry which usually characterized them. Lieutenant-Colonel Baylor, in pursuance of instructions from the Confederate States War Department, having assumed the func- tions of governor of the Territory of Arizona, most of the operations of this regi- ment in the field were under the immediate command of Major Edwin Waller.
In August, 1861, Lieutenant Mays, of Company C, which had been left at Fort Davis, in command of fourteen men of that company, went in pursuit of a party of Indians who were making a raid through the country ; and coming upon a large village of Apaches, attacked it with intrepidity, and in the desperate fight which ensued all the Texans were killed, only one Mexican escaping, who returned to the fort with the sad intelligence.
In December, 1861, Brigadier-General H. H. Sibley arrived in New Mexico with reinforcements, took command of the Department of New Mexico and Arizona, and with a brigade of Texans drove the Union forces from the Territories after several bloody engagements, the principal of which were at Val Verde and Glorietta ; but the country being almost entirely destitute of supplies, the disadvantages of attempt- ing to hold the country became so apparent that those Territories were evacuated by the Confederates, and they fell back to San Antonio, Texas. When the Second Texas Cavalry returned to San Antonio its twelve months' enlistment had expired some three months before, but the regiment remained together in its original organ- ization.
In the fall of 1862 all the original companies except F, which had joined another regiment, rendezvoused at San Antonio, and reorganized by re-enlisting "for three years or during the war." Captain William G. Tobin raised a company which took the place of Company F in the original organization, and the following field officers were elected, to wit : colonel, Captain Charles L. Pyron ; lieutenant- colonel, Captain James Walker; major, Captain John Donaldson. John A. Wallace was appointed adjutant ; W. M. Milby, quartermaster ; Dr. G. H. Doran, surgeon ; and Rev. W. J. Joice, chaplain. The captains of the different companies upon the reorganization were as follows : Company A, John T. Aycock ; Company B, D. M. Poor ; Company C, James Read ; Company D, George L. Patrick ; Company E, William Edwards ; Company F, William G. Tobin ; Company G, Cole McRea ; Company H, James Roark ; Company I, W. A. Spencer ; Company K, Mat Nolan.
The entire regiment was then furloughed for sixty days, and the men revisited their homes, and upon their return, well mounted and tolerably well equipped, the regiment marched to Houston. This regiment was one of those selected by General Magruder for the recapture of Galveston City, and in that brilliant achievement six companies supported the battery of heavy artillery at Fort Point, and the other four were in the attack on the Forty-second Massachusetts Regiment on Kuhn's whari. A short time afterwards two hundred picked men from this regiment were chosen for the attack on the blockading squadron off Sabine Pass, and participated in that
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brilliant affair, January 21, 1863, under Major O. M. Watkins and Captain Charles Fowler, which resulted in the capture of the Morning Light and Velocity, two of the enemy's vessels, thirty miles from shore. The regiment remained in Galveston until about May 1, 1863, when it was ordered to Louisiana. It marched on foot from Niblett's Bluff to Washington, it having been dismounted since the battle of Galveston, where it was attached to Major's brigade of cavalry. By forced marches the brigade eluded the Federals and reached the Mississippi River opposite Port Hudson while that place was being besieged by General Banks. The object of the movement seems to have been to attempt to devise some means for the relief of the garrison, but after a consultation with General Frank Gardiner, the commander, by General Major, who crossed the Mississippi River by night in a skiff for that pur- pose, it was determined that nothing could be done with the inadequate forces at command.
The brigade then proceeded down the Mississippi River, and one day the mounted regiments captured a large number of horses, ponies, and mules, and the Second Texas Cavalry Regiment was remounted on them. Mounted upon these, without bridles or saddles, the regiment presented a motley cavalcade next morning when the march was resumed. The brigade cut the Morgan Railroad between New Orleans and Berwick's Bay, and on June 23 the Second Texas Cavalry attacked a large force of Federal troops at La Fourche Crossing, supposed to number about three thousand. Colonel Pyron led the regiment in an impetuous charge against the enemy in sight and drove them back ; but just as victory seemed to be within his grasp a large reinforcement of the enemy rolled in on the cars, attacked the Texans in flank, and drove them back with a loss of one hundred and thirty-six men, killed, wounded, and missing. Colonel Pyron was wounded three times, having his horse killed under him ; and Lieutenant-Colonel Walker was shot down and severely wounded inside the enemy's breastworks and captured, but in a little while made his escape in the darkness, and returned to his command. Next morning, under a flag of truce, the dead were removed from the field and buried in a Catholic ceme- tery at Thibodeauxville. Twenty-nine brave men were laid in one long trench, with no winding-sheets save a few well-worn army blankets. The chaplain being busily engaged at the hospital ministering to the wounded, in his absence a Catholic priest performed the burial service.
The brigade then pushed on towards Brashear City, tearing up the railroad as they went, but did not arrive at that place until after its capture by General Tom Green. However, the attack of General Major on the railroad and tearing it up cut off the garrison from New Orleans, prevented reinforcements from reaching them, and thus materially aided in the capture.
The Second Texas Cavalry was again dismounted, its captured animals turned over to a newly-recruited creole regiment, and then it was placed in a brigade commanded by Brigadier-General J. W. Speight. This act of injustice so incensed the men that many of them became very much discouraged. This brigade moved to Vermilionville, and all of the men who could obtain certificates of sickness or disability did so, and returned to Texas on furloughs. The regiment soon became so decimated from this cause that its efficiency was almost destroyed. Those of the regiment who had been furloughed reported in a few months to Colonel Pyron
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at San Antonio, a number of recruits joined, and the remnant of the regiment that had been left in Louisiana were ordered to Texas, and until the end of the struggle it did duty within the State at Galveston and other points.
Second Cavalry Battalion, Arizona Brigade. (Merged into Second Cavalry Regiment. )-Lieutenant-colonel, George W. Baylor.
Second Cavalry Regiment, Arizona Brigade .- Colonel, George W. Baylor ; lieutenant-colonel, John W. Mullen ; major, Sherod Hunter.
This regiment was in the Arizona campaign under General Sibley, and did some very effective service in Louisiana the latter part of the war.
Second Lancers. (See Twenty-fourth Cavalry Regiment. )
Second Texas Partisan Rangers .- Colonel, B. Warren Stone ; lieutenant- colonel ; colonel, Isham Chisum ; lieutenant-colonel, Crill Miller ; major, James G. Vance.
This regiment performed meritorious service in New Mexico and Arizona, and was also an active participant in repulsing General Banks's Red River campaign in the spring of 1864.
Second Infantry Battalion .-- Major, - Martin.
Third Artillery Battalion .- Major ; lieutenant-colonel, Joseph J. Cook ; major, Augustin S. Labuzan.
This battalion was consolidated with the First Regiment Heavy Artillery.
Third Lancers. (See Twenty-fifth Cavalry Regiment. )
Third Infantry Battalion .- Major, J. E. Kirby.
This command was organized, in 1861, for six months' service, and was sta- tioned at Virginia Point. After the expiration of its term of enlistment in 1862, its members nearly all re-enlisted in Waul's Legion, and served in that command till the end of the war.
Third Cavalry Battalion, Arizona Brigade. (Merged into Third Regiment. ) - Lieutenant-colonel, George T. Madison.
Third Cavalry Regiment, Arizona Brigade .- Colonel, Joseph Phillips ; lieu- tenant-colonel, George T. Madison ; major, Alonzo Ridley.
This command was in the ill-fated Arizona campaign, and in the Louisiana campaign the latter part of the war.
The Third Texas Infantry Regiment .- This regiment was mustered into the Confederate States army in the fall of 1861 by special order of the War Depart- ment authorizing Colonel Earl Van Dorn, then commanding the Confederate forces in Texas, to accept six regiments of infantry enrolled in Texas. Its first officers were : colonel, Philip N. Luckett ; lieutenant-colonel, Augustus Buchel ; major, Edward F. Gray.
Shortly after the organization of the regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Buchel was commissioned colonel of the First Texas Cavalry Regiment, and Major Gray was promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and Captain John H. Kampman was promoted to major, and these continued to be the field officers to the end of the war. Its services were confined to the limits of the State, principally doing guard duty at Galveston and other points on the coast, and there is no obtainable information of its having participated in a single engagement. It was composed of a fine body of men, and in the early days of its organization was well drilled and in a fine state of
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discipline ; but, as is usually the case with troops not in active service, discipline was relaxed and its morale deteriorated to a very great extent.
Third Texas Cavalry Regiment .- This regiment was organized and mustered into the Confederate army at Dallas, June 13, 1861, with the following field officers : colonel, Elkanah Greer ; lieutenant-colonel, Walter P. Lane ; major, George W. Chilton ; adjutant, M. D. Ector.
At various periods during its service, Hinchie P. Mabry became lieutenant- colonel and colonel ; Robert H. Cumby, colonel ; Giles S. Boggess, major and lieutenant-colonel ; J. J. A. Barker, major ; and Absalom B. Stone, major.
The ten companies composing the regiment were from the following counties, and were commanded by the following-named officers, viz .: Company A, Harrison County, captain, T. W. Winston ; Company B, Rusk County, captain, R. H. Cumby ; Company C, Cherokee County, captain, Frank Taylor ; Company D, Hunt County, captain, Joseph R. Hall ; Company E, Shelby County, captain, D. M. Short ; Company F, Kaufman County, captain, Isham Chisum ; Company G, Marion County, captain, H. P. Mabry ; Company H, Wood County, captain, Jona- than Russell ; Company I, Cass County, captain, William Bryan ; Company K, Smith County, captain, David Gaines. When organized the regiment was about twelve hundred strong.
This regiment was also called the South Kansas-Texas Regiment. As soon as it was mustered in the regiment departed to join General Ben McCulloch in Mis- souri, arriving at Fort Smith, Arkansas, about July 20, 1861, and on August 31 is reported in the monthly return of McCulloch's division with an effective strength of ten hundred and twenty-six men. From July 25 to August 11 it took part in the operations on Crane Creek, Missouri, and at the battle of Wilson's Creck, August 10, attracted the attention of both Generals Price and McCulloch for its dis- tinguished gallantry. It is especially mentioned as having captured Totten's Union battery in a desperate charge. Lieutenant-Colonel Walter P. Lane had his horse shot under him in this charge, and he continued to fight on foot until he mounted another whose rider had been killed. Adjutant M. D. Ector and Captains Wins- ton, Cumby, Taylor, Short. Hall, and others are honorably mentioned as having acted with great gallantry during the battle.
In the winter of 1861-62 the regiment was sent to the Indian Territory to rein- force the Confederate troops under Brigadier-General D. H. Cooper, and took a prominent part and distinguished itself in the engagement at Round Mountain, November 19, 1861, Chusto-Talasah, December 9, and Chustenalah, December 26. Of the last-named engagement Colonel James McIntosh says in his report that this regiment, "led by those gallant officers, Colonel Lane and Major Chilton, breasted itself for the highest point of the hill, and rushed over the rugged side with the irresistible force of a tornado and swept everything before it. The brave Major Chilton, while approaching the summit of the hill, received a severe wound in the head, but with unabated vigor continued the fight." The regiment was also in the memorable pursuit of the noted Creek chief Hopoiethleyohola with his band, who had espoused the Union cause in the early part of January, 1862, which was prolific in the most exciting incidents of Indian warfare. It also partici- pated in the battle of l'ea Ridge, or Elkhorn Tavern, March 7, 1862, where the
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gallant Texan, General Ben McCulloch, was killed, and acquitted itself with great credit.
When the army in Arkansas and Missouri under Generals Van Dorn and Price was ordered to Corinth, Mississippi, to reinforce the army under General Beaure- gard, soon after the battle of Shiloh, this regiment was dismounted and accon- panied it. At the battle of luka, Mississippi, Sep- 1 tember 19, 1862, it maintained its reputation as a fighting regiment.
In his official report of that engagement Gen- eral Sterling Price says : "The brunt of the battle of Iuka fell upon Hebert's brigade, and nobly did it sustain it, and worthily of its accomplished com- mander and of the brigade, which numbers among its forces the ever-glorious Third Louisiana, the Third Texas (dismounted ) Cavalry, and Whit- field's Texas Legion. The Third Louisiana and Third Texas had already fought under my eyes at the Oak Hills and at Elkhorn. No men have ever fought more bravely or more victoriously GENERAL BEN MCCULLOCH. than they, and he who can say hereafter, ' I be- longed to the Third Louisiana or the Third Texas,' need never blush in my presence. In this the hardest-fought fight which I have ever witnessed they well sustained their bloodily-won reputation."
Its commander, Colonel H. P. Mabry, was severely wounded, and never served with the regiment again.
At the battle of Corinth, October 3 and 4, 1862, this regiment was again under fire as a part of the Second (Colbert's) Brigade of Hebert's division. On the first day it steadily drove the stubborn enemy before it and forced them to retire behind their strongholds ; and on the second day it bore a conspicuous part in that gallant but unfortunate assault, which, on account of its daring and intrepidity, electrified the whole country. Its position on that day was on the north side of the town, and it charged the enemy's works some distance northeast of the famous Battery Robinett.
In November following, this regiment, with the Sixth, Ninth, and Twenty- seventh Cavalry (dismounted), was remounted, and afterwards served with distinc- tion as a part of Ross's cavalry brigade.
Sixth Texas Cavalry Regiment. (Also called Second Texas Cavalry in the early part of the war. )-This regiment was organized at Dallas, Texas, September 6, 1861, with the following field officers, viz. : colonel, B. Warren Stone ; lieuten- ant-colonel, John S. Griffith ; major, L. S. Ross ; adjutant, Lieutenant D. R. Gurley.
The ten companies composing the regiment were from the following counties, and were commanded by the following-named officers, viz. : Company A, Kaufman County, captain, A. J. Hardin ; Company B, Kaufman County, captain, John S. Griffith ; Company C, Dallas County, captain, Fayette Smith ; Company D, Gray- son County, captain, -- Bowen ; Company E, Van Zandt County, captain, Jack
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Wharton ; Company F, Dallas County, captain, Robert Guy ; Company G, Mel.en- nan County, captain, Peter F. Ross ; Company H, Bell County, captain, Robert M. White ; Company I, Henderson County, captain, H. W. Burgess ; Company K, Collin County, captain, J. W. Throckmorton.
The regiment at its organization was about eleven hundred and fifty strong. Soon after organization this regiment marched to the support of General Ben McCulloch in Missouri, and on December 21, 1861, is reported in his command with an aggre- gate strength of nine hundred and thirty-five, and eight hundred and sixty-five present for duty. It took an active part in the stirring and bloody scenes there in the latter part of 1861 and the early part of 1862. At the battle of Chustenalah, December 26, 1861, against the Creek Indian chief Hopoiethleyohola it was dis- tinguislied for conspicuous gallantry. It also distinguished itself at the battle of l'ea Ridge, or Elkhorn Tavern, March 7, capturing a Union battery of light artillery, which was inflicting severe injury on the Confederates, in a brilliant charge. After the battle, and on the retreat of the Confederates, it performed most valuable service as rear-guard to the army, and to its untiring energy, watchfulness, and courage is due the praise of saving the wagon-trains of the COLONEL PETER F. Ross. Confederate army. Shortly after this affair it was dismounted and went to the east of the Mississippi River to reinforce the Confederate army at Corinth, and while it was with that army acquired new laurels for its intrepid courage at the battle of Corinth, October 3 and 4, 1862, where it was in Phifer's brigade of Maury's division in the assault upon the enemy's works a short distance north of Battery Robinett, where the greatest slaughter of the Confederates took place. In November following the regiment was remounted, and thereafter became a part of Ross's brigade.
Ninth Texas Cavalry Regiment. (Also called Fourth in the carly part of the war. )-This regiment was organized in Grayson County, October 2. 1861, with the following field officers, viz. : colonel, William B. Sims ; lieutenant-colonel, William Quayle ; major, Nathan W. Townes ; adjutant, Dud W. Jones.
The companies composing the regiment were from the following counties, and were commanded by the following-named officers, to wit : Company A, Tarrant County, captain, T. G. Berry ; Company B, Fannin County, captain, Gid Smith ; Company C, Grayson County, captain. J. E McCool ; Company D, Tarrant County, captain, M. J. Brinson ; Company E. Red River County, captain, J. C. Hart ; Coni- pany F, Cass County, captain, W. E. Duncan ; Company G, Hopkins County, captain, I. D. King ; Company H, Lamar County, captain, J. D. Wright ; Com- pany I, Titus County, captain, Charles S. Stewart ; Company K, Hopkins County. captain, J. P. Williams. The regiment numbered about ten hundred and fifty men at its organization.
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As soon as it was mustered in, it marched to reinforce General Ben McCulloch in Missouri. . As it passed through the Indian Territory, it reached the Cherokee Nation about the time of the Indian troubles around Fort Gibson, and rendered valuable service to Colonel Douglas H. Cooper, commanding the Indian Depart- ment for the Confederate States. Four companies of the regiment, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel William Quayle, participated in the battle of Round Moun- tain, November 19, 1861, fought between the regularly constituted authorities of the Creek Nation, who had espoused the cause of the Confederate States, on the one side, and a disaffected element of the Creeks led by the Chief Hopoiethleyohola, who had espoused the side of the Federal government. This regiment, commanded by Colonel Sims, also took an active and gallant part in the battle of Chusto-Talasah, December 9, but does not seem to have been with Colonel James McIntosh when he fought the battle of Chustenalah, December 26, 1861. The report of Colonel Cooper shows that this regiment was at that time with him on the Verdigris River, in his attempt to get in the rear of Hopoiethleyoliola, and upon the retreat of that chief pursued him to the Kansas line.
The regiment then marched to reinforce General Van Dorn in Arkansas, and at the battle of Pea Ridge, or Elkhorn Tavern, March 7 and 8, 1862, constituted part of General Ben McCulloch's division, and bore a gallant and conspicuous part in that bloody engagement.
Shortly after this the whole of General Van Dorn's army was ordered across the Mississippi River to reinforce General Beauregard's army at Corinth, and this regiment was dismounted and accompanied it. While in Mississippi, as a part of Phifer's brigade of Maury's division, it participated in the ill-fated attack on Corinth, October 3 and 4, 1862. In this engagement the regiment made the assault upon the enemy's works a short distance north of Battery Robinett, and it was distin- guished for its gallantry, its loss being very heavy.
The officers of the Twenty-seventh Ohio Infantry Regiment claim that the colors of the Ninth Texas Cavalry (dismounted) were captured in the assault on Corinth, October 4, 1862, but survivors of that regiment are very positive in their statement that it was not the flag of their regiment which was captured, and bring to bear on the controversy very strong testimony that they did not lose any flag.
In a recent letter, Lieutenant-Colonel Simpson, of the Twenty-seventh Ohio, says, that "whatever regiment bore the flag which was captured by our regiment, it was as gallant a set of boys as any foe could care to meet."
In November, 1862, this regiment was remounted, and thereafter became a part of the cavalry command known as Ross's brigade, and for a further account of it the reader is referred to the history of that command.
Whitfield's Legion. ( Afterwards called the Twenty-seventh Regiment Texas Cavalry. )-Early in 1861, Captain John W. Whitfield, of Lavaca County, raised a company of cavalry in that county, and marched post-haste to Missouri to join General Ben McCulloch. Upon his arrival there he was joined by Captain E. R. Hawkins with a company from Hunt County, Captain - Murphy with a company from Arkansas, Captain J. H. Broocks with a company from San Augustine County, Texas, and Captain B. H. Norsworthy with a company from Jasper County. These five companies were at first organized into a battalion with John W. Whitfield
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commanding, with the rank of major. In January, 1862, General Ben McCulloch ordered Captain E. R. Hawkins to return to Texas for the purpose of recruiting for this battalion, in order to raise it to a regiment. He succeeded so well that in a short time he returned with eight full companies, which with the others were organized into Whitfield's First Legion in April, 1862. Captain Murphy's Arkan sas company having been transferred to a battalion from that State, left the legion composed of twelve companies with the following-named captains, viz. : J. N. Zachary, from Hunt County ; James Ingraham, from San Augustine County ; J. T. Whitfield, from Lavaca County ; B. H. Norsworthy, from Jasper County ; J. West, from Red River ; Ed. O. Williams, from Lamar ; - Bivins, who died, and was succeeded by J. W. Boyzer, from Red River ; J. M. Cook, from Titus County ; Dave Snodgrass, from Arkansas ; R. W. Billups, from Hopkins County ; O. P. Preston, from Lavaca and Jackson Counties ; and Henry M. Barnhart, from Titus and adjoining counties.
Of the legion thus formed John W. Whitfield was colonel, E. R. Hawkins was lieutenant-colonel, and J. H. Broocks was major.
The original battalion participated in the battle of Elkhorn Tavern, in Arkan- sas ; and soon after the organization of the legion it was dismounted and sent with the other troops of General Van Dorn's army to reinforce General Beauregard at Corinth, Mississippi. While in this part of the army this command took part in the battle of Iuka, September 19, 1862, and added new lustre to Texas arins by its courageous conduct. In a desperate charge upon a battery of artillery one hundred and six officers and men were killed and wounded, but the battery was taken, and double that number of the enemy were killed. The legion was also at the battle of Corinth, October 3 and 4, 1862, but did not participate in the bloody assault. .
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