USA > Texas > A comprehensive history of Texas, 1685-1897 > Part 30
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The Frontier Regiment, Texas Cavaby. (Afterwards designated as the Forty- sixth Texas Cavalry. )-This regiment was organized in February, 1862, in pursu- ance of an act of the Texas Legislature passed in January, 1862, to take the place of McCulloch's First Regiment Mounted Riflemen, whose term of enlistment was about to expire. The first field officers appointed by Governor Lubbock were : colonel, James M. Norris; lieutenant-colonel, Alfred T. Obenchain ; major, James E. McCord. The captains of the ten companies were : C. C. Callan, succeeded by Thos. C. Wright, M. B. Lloyd, W. G. O' Brien, H. T. Edgar, John W. Lawhorn, R. M. Whitesides, Joseph Ward, - Rowland, William Bauty, succeeded by Alonzo Rces, --- White.
The strength of the regiment was about twelve hundred and forty inen, and was kept up to near that figure during the term of its service, and the men were superbly mounted at their own expense. The companies were so disposed as to occupy twenty camps along the line of the frontier, from the mouth of Big Washita on Red River to Fort McKavett ; the space between the camps was patroled twice daily, and in addition a detachment COLONEL JAMES F .. MCCORD. of scouts from each company was kept constantly in the field. The service rendered by this regiment is said to have been the most efficient ever given the frontier, and that during the two years of its service more stolen property was recaptured and more marauding Indians killed than were recaptured and killed by the United States troops from annexation to 1861.
During the first year's service of the regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Obenchain
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TEXAN TROOPS IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY.
was killed in an altercation with two privates of the regiment, at a point near where the town of Breckinridge, Stephens County, now stands, and his body was interred on the prairie.
After serving with the regiment about one year, Colonel J. M. Norris resigned, and Major J. E. McCord was promoted to colonel, J. B. Barry to lieutenant- colonel, and W. J. Alexander to major. W. W. Reynolds was quartermaster, W. R. Chase commissary, Dr. I. R. W. Warrell surgeon, Dr. J. G. Barbee assistant surgeon, and Lieutenant Abram H. Lee was adjutant.
The legislature intended that this regiment, when organized, should be trans- ferred to the Confederate States service ; but in making the tender Governor Lub- bock coupled the condition with it that the regiment should not be removed from the frontier, and it was rejected by the Confederate War Department, and the regiment remained in the State service until the election of Governor Pendleton Murrah. Upon his succession to office Governor Murrah unconditionally trans- ferred the regiment to the Confederate States, and it was then designated as the Forty-sixth Texas Cavalry Regiment, C.S.A. ; and in the spring of 1864 it was ordered to Harrisburg, Texas, where it was attached to Bankhead's brigade, and remained there till the close of hostilities.
After this time the frontier was left entirely unprotected, and became the general rendezvous of deserters, renegades, hostile Indians, and lawless plunderers generally. The frontier receded upon the settlements as far as San Saba, Hamilton, Lampasas, and Coryell Counties on the northwest ; and even several years after the close of the war Indian depredations were frequent in those counties.
The members of this regiment shared few of the honors of the war, but the dangers which they encountered were exceeded by few others ; and the numerous unmarked graves which excite the curiosity of the settlers in the section of country covered by them, attest many a bloody encounter with hostile savages. No flowers are strewn upon their graves on Decoration Day, no monuments are erected to their memory, but the vast extent of country then depending upon them solely for pro- tection suffered none of the horrors and few of the privations of war ; and its brave defenders are still held in grateful remembrance by the early settlers upon the Texas frontier.
LIGIIT ARTILLERY.
The Good-Douglas Battery .- This battery was organized at Dallas, Texas, in the early summer of 1861, and was composed of fifty men from Dallas County under Captain J. J. Good, and fifty men from Smith County under First Lieutenant J. P. Douglas. At its organization the following were elected commissioned officers : captain, J. J. Good ; first lieutenant, J. P. Douglas ; second lieutenant, Alf. Davis ; third lieutenant, J. N. Boren ; fourth lieutenant, W. Harris ; and the following non-commissioned officers : orderly sergeant, Ben Hardin ; first sergeant, Thomas H. Floyd ; second sergeant, W. J. Sanders ; third sergeant, Mitch Gray ; fourth sergeant, J. B. Long ; fifth sergeant, Thomas A. Hord ; sixth sergeant, James Howard.
The company, having been provided with six guns, took up the line of march for Fort Smith, Arkansas, to join General Ben McCulloch in Missouri. It reached the neighborhood of the Confederate army in time to hear the guns of the battle of
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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Oak Hill, but did not arrive there in time to participate in that engagement. It, however, received its baptism of fire the following spring at the battle of Elkhorn, where it acquitted itself with great gallantry. It accompanied the army of General Van Dorn to Corinth, Mississippi, and while there, the terms of enlistment having expired, the men all re-enlisted, the company reorganized as a four-gun battery, and the following officers were elected : captain, J. P. Douglas ; senior first lieutenant, J. N. Boren ; junior first lieutenant, John H. Bingham ; second lieutenant, Ben Hardin.
While at Corinth the battery took part from a distance in the battle of Farm- ington, but the enemy retreated so precipitately that it was mostly a running fight. When the Confederate army retreated to Tupelo this battery went with it, and from there it went with General Bragg on his movement into Tennessee and Ken- tucky. At Chattanooga it was attached to Brigadier-General P. R. Cleburne's brigade, and followed its fortunes closely. At the battle of Rogersville it bore a conspicuous part, in which the gallant Lieutenant Boren was killed by a cannon- shot. Lieutenant Hardin having been severely wounded, and Captain Douglas assigned to the command of all the artillery on the field, the command of the bat- tery devolved upon Lieutenant Bingham, with Sergeants Mitch Gray and W. J. Sanders each in command of a section. The action resulted in a victory of the Confederates over a greatly superior force of the enemy, to which the Texas battery largely contributed.
At Richmond, Kentucky, the battery bore an active and gallant part in the defeat of General Nelson's fine army. After this battle two more guns were added to the battery, and two new lieutenants were necessary. To fill these vacancies W. J. Sanders and M. L. Fleishl were elected. The battery then pushed on to Covington, but fell back in time to participate in the battle of Perryville, and took an active part in all the battles of that campaign. At Chickamauga, that fierce and bloody contest, the Texans fought their guns with unusual gallantry, pushing them forward by hand in the very face of the enemy. This was doubtless the most san- guinary battle in which this battery took part, and the reports of the officers show that its brave members well maintained the reputation of Texans for gallantry. At Missionary Ridge it also bore a conspicuous part, and maintained its well-earned reputation.
It then fell back with the army to Dalton, and in the following spring partici- pated in what is called the Georgia campaign, from Stony Face to Resaca. During this campaign there were but few days when the guns of the Texans were not heard reverberating among the Georgia hills.
It was also with General Hood's campaign into Tennessee, and participated in all the engagements during that unfortunate expedition. During the retreat of General Hood's army, this battery, being with the rear-guard, was one day sur- rounded by the Fourth United States Regular Cavalry, and the guns wrested from the unarmed artillerymen ; but the men made their escape, and managed to reach Columbus, Mississippi, with the Confederate army. From this place the company was sent to Mobile, Alabama, to man the siege-guns in the fortifications at that city. After the evacuation of Mobile the company was again equipped with a com- plete outfit for field service, but never got an opportunity to use it, as it was soon afterwards surrendered near Meridian, Mississippi.
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TEXAN TROOPS IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY.
This is the only Texas battery of artillery which served east of the Mississippi River, and its record for gallantry and efficient service is as much a matter of pride to Texans as the enviable record of many Texas regiments of infantry and cavalry. It participated in battles and skirmishes the enumeration of which will give a correct idea of its activity. The following is a list of the engagements in which its guns were heard :---
1, Elkhorn, March 7 and 8, 1862 ; 2, Farmington, Mississippi, May 9, 1862 ; 3, Richmond, Kentucky, August 20, 1862 ; 4, Murfreesboro', Tennessee, December 30 and 31, 1862 ; 5, Liberty Gap, Tennessee, June 30, 1863 ; 6, Elk River, Ten- nessee, July 3, 1863 ; 7, Chickamauga, Georgia, September 18 and 19, 1863 ; 8, Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863 ; 9, Resaca, Georgia, May 14 and 15, 1864 ; 10, New Hope Church, Georgia, May 20, 1864 ; 11, Lost Mountain, Geor- gia, June 15 to 17, 1864 ; 12, Mount Zion Church, Georgia, June 22, 1864 ; 13, Kene- saw Mountain, Georgia, June 23 to July 3, 1864 ; 14, Beech-Tree Creek, Georgia, July 20, 1864 ; 15, Atlanta, Georgia, July 22, 1864 ; 16, four miles west of Atlanta, August 6, 1864 ; 17, Baugh House, August 12, 1864 ; 18, Jonesboro', Georgia, August 31, 1864 ; 19, Florence, Alabama, October 30, 1864 ; 20, Shoal Creek, Alabama, November 5. 1864 ; 21, Columbia, Tennessee, November 29, 1864 ; 22, Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864 ; 23, Nashville, Tennessee, December 15 and 16, 1864 ; 24, West Harpeth, Tennessee, December 17, 1864 ; 25, siege of Mobile, Alabama, February and March, 1865.
Christmas's Battery. (Consolidated with Jones's Battery. )-Captain, H. H. Christmas ; first lieutenant, Walter W. Blow ; second lieutenant, Charles I. Evans ; second lieutenant, C. B. Gardiner.
This battery was organized as a four-gun battery in the fall of 1863, was sta- tioned several months at San Antonio, and, after failing to raise enough men to fully man it, it was consolidated with O. G. Jones's battery, Lieutenant Evans taking one section into that battery, Lieutenant Gardiner going into Nichols's bat- tery, and Lieutenant Blow and Captain Christmas taking staff positions. While stationed at San Antonio, one section of this battery under Lieutenant Gardiner was engaged at the battle of Las Rucias Ranch and did effective service.
Jones's Battery .--- Captain, O. G. Jones ; first lieutenant, C. H. Williams ; first lieutenant, Charles I. Evans ; second lieutenant, S. Gregory ; second lieutenant, J. M. Smith.
This battery was organized early in 1863 as a four-gun battery, and served at Galveston part of the time, and was also in Louisiana at the capture of Brashear City. In the fall of 1864 it was made a six-gun battery by the addition of another section from H. H. Christmas's battery, under Lieutenant Charles I. Evans, and sent to Brownsville, where it remained till the close of hostilities. This battery has the distinguished honor of firing the last gun of the war at the battle of Palmito Ranch, May 13, 1865.
Greer's Rocket Battery .-- Captain John S. Greer.
Was in service at Galveston and Houston, Texas, and in Louisiana.
Dege's Battery. ( Formerly Fox's. )-Captain, A. E. Dege ; lieutenant, - Goodfellow ; lieutenant, -- McConnell ; lieutenant, -- Hopkins.
Was in service on the Gulf coast, part of the time as heavy artillery.
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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Dashiell's Battery. (Formerly Abat's. )-Captain, George R. Dashiell.
Was in the State most of the time, but served a short while in the Indian Ter- ritory.
Teel s Battery .- Captain, Trevanion T. Teel.
There seem to have been two batteries of light artillery from Texas called by this name. It is well known that the one commanded by Captain T. T. Teel was in the Arizona campaign, and at the same time another Teel's battery is men- tioned as being among the Texas troops in Missouri, and Arkansas, and as going to Corinth, Mississippi, with General Van Dorn's army.
Valverde Battery .- Captain, Joseph D. Sayers ; lieutenant ; captain, T. D. Nettles ; lieutenant, John Reily.
This battery was captured from the Union army at the battle of Valverde by Sibley's brigade, and was manned by volunteers from different Texas regiments in Arizona. It performed valiant service in that campaign, and afterwards distin- guished itself in Louisiana. (See the history of Green's brigade. )
Pratt's Battery. (Afterwards Hynson's Battery. )-Captain, J. H. Pratt ; lieutenant ; captain, H. C. Hynson.
This battery served in the Indian Territory, Arkansas, and Missouri.
Howell's Battery .- Captain, Sylvanus Howell ; first lieutenant, W. A. Routh ; first lieutenant, B. F. Fuller ; second lieutenant, C. H. Stith ; second lieutenant, William Green.
Served in the Indian Territory and Arkansas.
Creuzbaur's Battery. (Afterwards Welhausen's. )-Captain, E. Creuzbaur.
Served in Texas and Louisiana during the whole war, part of the time as heavy artillery on the coast. May 6, 1864, with six field-guns, it took part in the capture ol Calcasieu, Louisiana, and did efficient service in that State.
Fox's Battery Light Artillery. (Afterwards Dege's. )-Captain, P. Fox. (See Degé's Battery, ante. )
Lee's Battery .- Captain, Roswell W. Lee ; lieutenant, Henry Forrester.
This battery served with distinction in the Indian Territory and Arkansas.
Gonzales' s Texas Battery. ( Also called Hughes's Battery. )-Captain, Thomas Gonzales ; lieutenant, Henry Angel.
Was on duty along the coast during the war.
Neal's Battery .- Captain, B. F. Neal.
This battery was on duty along the coast, most of the time at Corpus Christi and Saluria.
Daniels's Battery .- Captain, James M. Daniels ; lieutenant, S. M. Hamilton ; lieutenant, J. J. Wilson.
Served in Arkansas and Louisiana.
Wilson's Battery .- Captain, -- Wilson.
Was in service at Houston, Galveston, and Sabine Pass.
Gibson's Battery .-- Captain, William E. Gibson.
Served in the State, along the coast during the war.
Krumbhaar's Battery. (Afterwards Stafford's. )-Captain, W. Butler Krumb- haar.
Was in service in the Indian Territory and Arkansas.
----
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TEXAN TROOPS IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY.
Nichols's Battery .- Captain, William H. Nichols ; lieutenant, Charles B. Gar- diner ; lieutenant, Antonio Robira.
Was stationed at Galveston until the spring of 1864, when it was sent to Louisiana to meet General Banks's Red River expedition.
Shea's Battery .- Captain, D. D. Shea.
Was in the State, doing service along the coast.
Hughes's Battery. (Also called Gonzales's Battery. )-Captain, Robert J. Hughes. (See Gonzales's Battery. )
Moseley's Battery .- Captain, William G. Moseley.
Was in the service in Arkansas and Louisiana, taking an active part in the repulse of General Banks's Red River expedition in the spring of 1864.
Haldeman's Battery .-- Captain Horace Haldeman ; first lieutenant, A. R. Graves ; first lieutenant, G. P. Bass ; second lieutenant, Charles Spann ; second lieutenant, W. P. Allen.
Was in the service in Arkansas and Louisiana, taking a conspicuous part in the repulse of General Banks's Red River expedition in the spring of 1864.
McMahan's Battery .- Captain, M. V. McMahan ; first lieutenant ; captain, Henry B. Fontaine ; second lieutenant, James Nolan ; second lieutenant, Sam Houston.
Was stationed at Galveston until the spring of 1864, when it went to Louisi- ana and assisted in the repulse of General Banks's Red River campaign. At the battle of Mansfield its officers and men were particularly distinguished for gallantry.
Hynson's Battery. (Formerly Pratt's. )-Captain, H. C. Hynson. (See Pratt's Battery. )
Willke's Battery .- Captain, H. Willke.
Was in the service along the Gulf coast all the time, sometimes manning the siege-guns at the different coast fortifications, and at other times serving as light artillery.
Stafford's Battery. (Formerly Krumbhaar's. )-Captain, William M. Stafford. (See Krumbhaar's Battery. )
Welhausen's Battery. (Formerly Creuzbaur's. ) -- Captain, Charles Wel- hausen. (See Creuzbaur's Battery. )
Maclin's Battery .- Captain, Sackfield Maclin.
Served altogether within the State.
Abať's Battery. (Afterwards Dashiell's. )-Captain, E. Abat. (See Dashiell's Battery. )
Ruess's Battery .- Captain, J. M. Ruess.
This battery did service at Pass Cavallo and other points along the coast, sonte- times as heavy artillery.
Marmion's Battery .-- Captain, --- Marmion.
Served in the State.
. Mechling's Battery .- Captain, W. T. Mechling.
Served in the State.
Howce's Battery .- Captain, M. G. Howe.
Served on the coast as heavy artillery.
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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Edgar's Battery .- Captain, William Edgar ; first lieutenant, John B. Grumbles ; first lieutenant, J. M. Ransom ; second lieutenant, N. R. Gomey ; second lieuten- ant, H. Hall.
This battery was raised as a part of Waul's Legion, but went to Arkansas in 1862, and was actively engaged in that State and in Louisiana. It was particularly distinguished in the campaign in the latter State in the spring of 1864, fighting General Banks during his celebrated Red River expedition. During the retreat of General Taylor before General Banks, this battery, with a portion of the Second Louisiana Cavalry, was the rear-guard ot his army, and at Henderson's Hill, the night of March 21, 1864, they were both surprised and captured by Brigadier-Gen- eral Joseph A. Mower, of the Union army.
TEXAS TROOPS IN THE UNION ARMY.
First Texas Cavalry Regiment .- Colonel, Edmund J. Davis ; lieutenant-colo- nel, John L. Haynes ; lieutenant-colonel, Jesse Stancel ; major, Alfred L. Holt ; major, Edward J. Noyes.
This regiment served along the coast of Texas whenever the Union army was in possession, and whenever they left Texas it returned to New Orleans and served in Louisiana.
Second Texas Cavalry Regiment. (Never fully organized. ) -- Colonel, John L. Haynes ; lieutenant-colonel, George W. Paschal.
Vidal's Company Partisan Rangers .- Adrian I. Vidal was the captain of this company, composed entirely of Mexicans, raised for the Confederate army, and, after serving several months in that army, deserted in a body to the Union army.
July 14, 1864, by order of Major-General E. R. S. Canby, at New Orleans, the Second Regiment was consolidated with the First under the name of the First Texas Volunteer Cavalry.
Hart's Cavalry Company .- Martin D. Hart, of Hunt County, raised this com- pany in the early part of the war, and engaged in active partisan service as an inde- pendent company in Missouri and Arkansas. Hart was captured by the Confed- erates, court-martialed, and shot.
CHAPTER III.
HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE.
BY MRS. A. V. WINKLER.
E ARLY in the spring of 1861 a number of companies were formed in different portions of Texas with the purpose of joining the army in Virginia, as the men were impressed with the belief that the fiercest fighting would be done on the soil of the Old Dominion. The men forming these companies were among the best in the State,-young, strong, vigorous, brave, from all trades and profes- sions, determined to conquer and willing to die for the cause. These volunteers for the Virginia battle-fields were formed into about thirty companies, averaging over a hundred men each, and were placed in camps of instruction at scattered points.
Colonel John Marshall, editor of the State Gasette, Austin, went to Richmond, Virginia, and upon his return brought the information that these troops would be received into the Virginia army with company officers, but would not be organ- ized into regiments until they reached Richmond, as the President reserved to himself the authority of appointing regimental officers.
This was discouraging to those who had counted upon going off with flying colors, fully prepared to enter the arena at once. Many gave up the idea of going to Virginia and joined other branches of the service operating in Texas and the Trans-Mississippi Department. A sufficient number, however, to form three regi- ments adhered to their purpose of going to Virginia.
They were ordered to rendezvous at Harrisburg. Brigadier-General Earl Van Dorn was then in command of the Department of Texas. He was ordered to send on these volunteers at once, but kept them in camp of instruction until he could send a messenger to Richmond to remonstrate against the order. When the mes- senger returned, "General Van Dorn was to obey orders." This weary waiting was trying to the men so anxious to reach the seat of war. Several companies left without orders, and reached Richmond just after the battle of Manassas. These afterwards composed the First Texas Regiment.
The first instalment sent off by authority reached Richmond on September 12, 1861, after many difficulties in obtaining transportation. They were stationed below Rocketts, on the York River Railroad, near the city, in what was styled "Camp Texas," in honor of the "Lone Star."
As soon as their camp was arranged President Davis rode out and made them a speech, giving them a hearty welcome to the Confederate service in Virginia, using this language : " Texans ! The troops from other States have their reputa- tions to gain, but the sons of the defenders of the Alamo have theirs to maintain.
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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF TEXAS.
I am sure you will be faithful to the trust." How faithful they proved, their record shows.
The Fifth Regiment organized with J. J. Archer, colonel ; J. B. Robertson, lieutenant-colonel ; Q. T. Quattlebaum, major ; Colonel Robertson the only Texan. The Fourth Regiment was organized with John B. Hood, colonel ; John Mar- shall, of Austin, lieutenant-colonel ; and Bradfute Warwick, of Richmond, Vir- ginia, major. Had President Davis looked with prophetic ken into the future, he could have made no wiser selections.
Colonel Hood was six feet two inches in height, broad, full chest, light hair and beard, blue eyes, commanding in appearance, dignified in demeanor, gentle- manly and courteous to officers and men ; a man to hold the love and command the respect of all who came within his influence. He had scen active service on the West Texas frontier, had been severely wounded in an engagement with Indians years before, loved Texas, had tendered his sword to the Confederacy some time before, and was awaiting orders at Richmond. He soon felt himself identified with Texas troops.
The rank and file were composed of very young men. Take the Texas regiments altogether, the privates were the very youngest in the whole Confederate army, -many of them only fifteen years of age. Well was it for them morally that their officers were men of sterling worth and high- toned principles.
GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD.
The organization being complete, new life became infused into officers and men, and a system of drilling was inaugurated destined to draw forth all the sol- dierly qualities of the troops.
In November orders were received to send the baggage away and prepare for the march. Every eye brightened, every heart was joyful, but not for several days did they know they would join General Joseph E. Johnston on the Potomac at Dumfries. Part of the way was made by cars, part by marching. They understood the enemy was awaiting them, and went forward at a lively rate, until informed there was no demonstration on this side the river.
When Dumfries was reached and a camping-place selected, the men proceeded to build winter quarters, as the weather became very cold and disagreeable. Here they were joined by the First Texas Regiment, under command of Colonel Louis T. Wigiall. This body of men, as before stated, had gone to Virginia at their own expense, one company at a time, while awaiting orders in Texas, until they num- bered six companies, and were organized first as a battalion, with Colonel Wigfall in command. When a sufficient number arrived they were formed into a regiment.
During the reorganization of the army, when regiments from the same State were thrown together to more closely identify their interests, the First Texas was ordered to join the Fourth and Fifth at Dumfries. Louis T. Wigfall was colonel, Hugh MeLeod lieutenant-colonel, and A. T. Rainey major.
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WINKLER-HOOD'S TEXAS BRIGADE.
Colonel Wigfall was United States Senator from Texas. He was intellectual, brilliant, and talented, a fine, forcible speaker, an argumentative reasoner ; consid- cred in Texas one of her most gifted sons. He carly took a stand with his own people, speaking with vim and energy on the subject so dear to his heart,-State's rights. Lieutenant-Colonel McLeod was a valiant soldier in the Texas Revolution, and had led the Santa Fe expedition in 1841. Major Rainey was a lawyer, prac- tising his profession at Palestine, Texas, previous to the war.
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