USA > Texas > A comprehensive history of Texas, 1685-1897 > Part 38
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The brigade was, however, reorganized and drilled daily in squad and com- pany, and weekly or oftener by regiments, and now and then was assembled in review. These occupations were continued during the months of November and December, 1862, at Camp Groce and in that neighborhood, where there was plenty of provisions and forage.
On October 10, 1862, Major-General John B. Magruder was assigned to the cominand of the District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, relieving Brigadier- General Hebert. Sibley's brigade was at that time in camp near Hempstead, pre- paring for their march to Louisiana, for which field of operations they had marching orders. General Hebert, deeming Galveston untenable, had evacuated it and with- drawn the main body of the Confederate troops which had occupied it to the main- land, still holding the bridge across the bay and a small earthwork at the island end of the bridge opposite Virginia Point. When General Magruder took command of the district he determined, if possible, to free every inch of Texas soil from the foot- steps of the invaders. For this purpose he caused two river steamboats, the Bayou City and the Neptune, to be transformed into rams, and rudely armored by a pro- tection of their boilers and a barricade of cotton-bales. The next step was to get these boats manned by soldiers to serve as marines. A call was made for volunteers. and hand-bills were posted all over the city of Houston urging the people to enlist in this service. Captain Leon Smith, who had been a scaman or a naval officer,
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was to have command of the expedition on the water, while General Magruder in person commanded the forces co-operating from the land. Either the extreme hazard of the expedition or the fact that Leon Smith was a stranger deterred the citizens and many soldiers from volunteering to man the boats. In this extremity, at the suggestion of Lieutenant-Colonel Bagby, General Magruder sent for Colonel Tom Green. He unfolded to him the plan of attack, and asked him to take three hundred men from his brigade and embark on the boats under the command of Captain Leon Smith. This Colonel Green declined to do, insisting that his rank should be respected on the sea as well as on the land. It was finally concluded that the command of the flotilla should be intrusted to Colonel Green, with Captain Leon Smith as a sort of sailing-master. Green returned to his regiment and called for volunteers in the following famous order :---
"SOLDIERS: You are called upon to volunteer in a dangerous expedition. I have never deceived you. I will not deceive you now. I regard this as the most desperate enterprise that men ever engaged in. I shall go, but I do not know that I shall ever return. I do not know that any who go with me will, and I want no man to volunteer who is not willing to die for his country, and to die now."
Every man in the Fifth and Seventh Regiments, to whom this order was addressed, volunteered in response to this call. The Fourth was some distance away and did not hear of the expedition in time. However, sixty of them volun- teered, but were ordered back to their regiment. Three hundred men were selected, half from each of the two regiments, the Fifth and Seventh, to serve as marines. Those from the Fifth embarked on the Bayou City, and the detachment from the Seventh on the Neptune. The Bayou City, the largest of the two boats, was the flag-ship, as it might be called, and was under the immediate command of Colonel Green. The Neptune, the fastest boat, was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Bagby. Each boat had a tender to supply her with wood and other necessary materials. In addition to these house-marines, Lieutenant Harby, with a company of infantry acting as artillery, was ordered on board the Neptunc. On board the Bayou City were also Captain Weir's company of Cook's heavy artillery regiment, who had volunteered and were ordered to this service from the Sabine, and Captain Martin's company of cavalry from New Iberia, Louisiana. The volunteer marines of the naval expedition were armed with Enfield rifles and double-barrelled shot-guns.
General Magruder had in the land force Cook's regiment of heavy artillery. six companies of Pyron's regiment, portions of Elmore's regiment and Griffin's battalion, Reiley's regiment, and the remnants of Green's and Steele's regiments of the Sibley brigade. The Confederates also had twenty pieces of artillery, of which six were heavy siege-guns. The Federals had taken possession of the city of Gal- veston on its evacuation, but with a very small force. On the 24th of December three companies, D, G, and I, of the Forty-second Massachusetts arrived at Gal- veston in the steamer Saxon, and the next day landed on Kuhn's wharf, which they fortified. They patrolled the city during the day, but withdrew into their fortifications at night. The Federal fleet, then lying in the waters of Galveston, consisted of the Harriet Lane, carrying four heavy guns and two twenty-four- pounder howitzers, commanded by Captain Wainwright, United States navy ; the
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Westfield, flag-ship of Commodore Renshaw, a large propeller, mounting eight heavy guns ; the Owasco, a similar ship to the Westfield, mounting eight heavy guns ; the Clifton and the Sachem, both steam propellers, having four heavy guns each ; two armed transports, two large barks, and an armed schooner, with two other schooners.
Such was the formidable array which the Confederates had to encounter in their heroic efforts to recapture the Island City. The land forces moved off after dark, and arrived within the city limits without opposition. Captain Fontaine was sent with his artillery company, supported by Colonel Pyron, with six companies of his regiment, to secure Fort Point and make an attack from that quarter. Colonel Cook was placed in command of a storming party of about five hundred men, de- tailed from Pyron's and Elmore's regiments and Griffin's battalion. These were provided with scaling-ladders with which to mount the Federal fortifications on Kuhn's wharf.
Lieutenant-Colonel Mobly was posted at Virginia Point to protect the base line of operations, and the rest of the land forces were under command of Brig- adier-General Scurry, lately lieutenant-colonel of the Fourth Texas Cavalry. General Magruder led the centre in person, and approaching within a short distance from the wharves discharged the first cannon, which was the signal for a general attack by land and sea. This was responded to by an almost simultaneous fire along the whole line of the Confederate land forces. Colonel Reiley, who had joined the Sibley brigade at Bray's Bayou on the 31st of December, took command of it there. Lieutenant-Colonel McNeill was in command of the Fifth, and Lieu- tenant-Colonel Hardeman of the Fourth. The Seventh was in command of Major Gustave Hoffman. This brigade, just as the first gun was fired by Magruder, marched into Galveston at double-quick from Eagle Grove, where they left the train which brought them from Houston. Lieutenant-Colonel McNeill was ordered to take some men from his regiment and man a nine-inch columbiad that was half- way in position at the railroad depot. This duty he performed with credit. McNeill was a graduate of West Point and a fine officer in any branch of the service. The firing of the guns from the ships was a beautiful sight to see, -from a safe distance, -- but the bombs fell thick and fast around the Confederates as they were marching in double-quick time to their several points of attack ; and, as it was impossible to charge these sea-batteries, their discharges were all the more unwelcome. Three shots pierced the custom-house and made it uncomfortable for those seeking shelter behind its walls.
In the mean time the moon had gone down, but there was bright starlight, showing the Federal ships plainly as they rode at anchor in the harbor. These from the first kept up a very heavy discharge of shells, alternating with grape and canister. The Confederates stood by their guns and gave shot for shot. Colonel Cook with his storming party, finding the scaling-ladders too short for use, after some hot work, withdrew to the shelter of the buildings on the nearest wharf. As the Federal fire from the ships was very dangerous and deadly, and daylight came on to show the position of the Confederate artillery more exactly, General Magruder withdrew the cannon to places of greater security. This delicate duty was per- formed by General Scurry with great skill and gallantry. The contest between the
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gunboats and the infantry on the Northern side and the attacking Confederates on the island, lasted about two hours and a half, and grew warmer every minute. Such was the condition in which daylight found the land forces under Magruder, when Green with his cotton-clad boats came dashing down to the rescue.
The flotilla moved off from Harrisburg, in Buffalo Bayou, at two P. M. on the 31st of December, 1862. Although the service was novel and known to be ex- tremely dangerous, such was the confidence of the Texans in their commander, Colonel Green, that the expedition had to some extent the appearance of a pleasure excursion, -at least until it entered Galveston Bay. At midnight the little fleet passed Half-Moon Shoals, and proceeded down the bay to within five miles of the city ; but the signal-gun being silent, the marines returned to the shoals and awaited the booming of Magruder's cannon. This was heard with joyful hearts at half-past four New Year's morning, 1863, and immediately the flotilla was started for the city under a full head of steam. The scene as it appeared to Green and his men was magnificent. The artillery duel between land and sea in the clear starlight made an illumination superior to any other class of fireworks, rivalling in splendor the aurora borealis. Then the sound of artillery was the sweetest of music to the ears of these veteran soldiers. Their hearts beat high with patriotic impatience, and they were cager to encounter the invaders of Texas soil. They had not long to wait. The Neptune, being the fastest boat, was the first to engage the Federal fleet. Moving to the larboard she passed the Harriet Lane, and was struck amid- ships by a round shot, and sunk at once to the bottom ; but the water was so shal- low that the riflemen on the upper deck were able to do serious execution picking off the gunners on the Harriet Lane, and this they did in martial style. The Bayou City slowly but surely came into action, but in the advance her best piece of artillery was bursted, killing the brave and lamented Captain Weir. The Confederate ram kept on her course and ran her prow directly into the wheel-house of the Harriet Lane and stuck fast, disabling the Federal vessel and carecning the Bayou City. Then, under orders from Colonel Green, the Texans grappled the Harrict Lane and boarded her, cutting away the netting as they went. Sergeant Carson, of Company A, of the Fifth Regiment, was the first man on board, followed closely by Captain Leon Smith and others. Colonel Green was soon on deck among his men, and the victory was complete. Captain Wainwright was killed and Lieutenant Lea of his ship met the same fate. The father of Lieutenant Lea was among the forces manning the Bayou City. As soon as the Harriet Lane was taken, the Forty- second Massachusetts surrendered to Colonel Cook, and the Federal vessels in the harbor hoisted the white flag. A truce was agreed on for three hours between the vessels in the harbor. This truce did not extend to the land forces ; though, with the surrender of the Massachusetts troops, the firing ceased.
In the mean time Commodore Renshaw, who was on board the Westfield, which in attempting to assist the Harriet Lane had run aground on Pelican Island, was unable to manœuvre his vessel, and the Clifton, which had come to her assist- ance, being unable to float her, he determined to blow her up. The Mary Board- man also tried to help the Westfield off. but failed. At about ten A. M., while the truce was still in force, Commodore Renshaw, having poured turpentine over the magazine, set fire to the Westfield with his own hand. He then stepped down
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into his boat, in which were his lieutenant, his engineer, and two oarsmen. The magazine of the Westfield exploded prematurely, blowing her to pieces and de- stroying the boat and all on board of it, including the ill-fated commodore. Then the Federal fleet having secured a pilot, under command of Captain Law, went over the bar. In this ignominious flight, made in violation of the truce, were in- cluded the Owasco, the Clifton, and the Sachem, all gunboats, followed by the Saxon, the Boardman, and two schooners. There were left in the hands of the Texans the Harriet Lane, two barks, and a schooner. The Texans thus captured one fine steamship, two barks, and one schooner, ran ashore and destroyed the flag-ship of the commodore, drove off two war steamers, all of the United States navy, and three armed transports, and took over three hundred prisoners. The number of guns captured was fifteen ; and a large quantity of stores, coal, and other material also was secured. The Neptune having been sunk in the beginning of the contest, her officers and crew, with the exception of those killed in battle, were saved, as were also her guns. The loss on the Confederate side was twenty- six killed and one hundred and seventeen wounded. The alacrity with which offi- cers and men, all of them totally unacquainted with this novel kind of service, some of whom had never seen a ship before, volunteered for an enterprise so extraordinary and apparently desperate in its character, and the bold and dashing manner in which the plan was executed, are certainly deserving of the highest commendation.
The brigade remained on Galveston Island for sixteen days, and then returned to Hempstead and Navasota ; and about the middle of February started on the march for Louisiana.
General Richard Taylor having been assigned to the command of the District of Louisiana, in the fall of 1862, made vigorous and suc- cessful efforts towards putting Louisiana in a position of defence. The nature of the country, covered as it is with rivers and bayous and indented with bays and estuaries, rendered it peculiarly difficult to protect from the ravages of gunboats and the inroads of land forces sheltered by these floating batteries.
Early in February of 1863 Green's brigade, just from the victorious encounter with the Federal fleet at Galveston, was ordered to reinforce General Taylor in Louisiana. The regiments set out separately and marched by different routes, and finally arrived during the second week in March at various camps in the vicinity of Opelousas. Waller's battalion had been in GENERAL TOM GREEN. Louisiana for several months, and, after the battle of Bis- land and the promotion of Green to the rank of briga- dier, was attached to Green's brigade. Waller may be said to have opened the Louisiana campaign by his successful attack on the Federal forces at Bayou Des Allemands, in the fall of 1862; and the capture of two companies of infantry and their guns. His men were equipped afterwards with the captured arms, and used them to advantage in many encounters with the Federal forces.
On the 28th of March, 1863, General Weitzel sent the gunboat Diana up the
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Bayou Têche, from Berwick's Bay, supported by a land force, and attacked the Con- federate outposts. The Federal skirmishers were repulsed, and Captain Joseph D. Sayers with a section of the Valverde Battery advanced rapidly, and opened fire from the banks of the bayou on the gunboat and silenced her artillery in short order. The Diana surrendered with two companies of infantry on board. Her thirty-two-pound Parrott and two field-guns proved a valuable reinforcement to the Confederate ar- tillery. The Diana, though protected by railroad iron and thoroughly armed and equipped, was not equal to the valor displayed by Captain Sayers and his light artil- lery. Early in April, 1863, the Federal forces were massed at Berwick's Bay six- teen thousand strong. They were commanded by Generals Weitzel, Emory, and Grover. On the 12th the Federals, twelve thousand strong, marched against Bis- land, where the Confederates had thrown up slight earthworks. Another Federal force, four thousand in number, under command of General Grover, entered Grand Lake, endeavoring to turn Taylor's left flank and cut off his retreat at Yokeley's Bridge above Franklin. The main body of the Federals under Weitzel arrived in front of the earthworks at Bisland in the afternoon, and threw out skirmishers and opened on the Confederate lines with artillery. Taylor had the Confederate forces arranged as follows : Mouton's division, nunibering six hundred men with six pieces of artillery, occupied the left, and held the ground from the lake to Bayou Têche. The gunboat Diana, under command of Captain Semmes, occupied the bayou, and was supported by two twenty-four-pound cannon on the right bank of the stream. Sixteen hundred men and twelve pieces of artillery held the ground between the Têche and the incomplete railroad embankment. Green's two regiments-Fifth and Seventh-occupied the extreme right, being dismounted and fighting on foot. Colonel Reiley with his regiment, the Fourth, and the Second Louisiana Cavalry, with a section of artillery, were at Hutchin's Point, on Grand Lake, awaiting the approach of Grover in his attempt to make the flank movement. With nightfall on the 12th the firing on both sides ceased, and the two armies bivouacked on the field. On the morning of the 13th Weitzel began his forward movement very leisurely, awaiting the success of Grover's flanking expedition. As the day ad- vanced the Federal firing grew heavier, and his twenty-four-pound Parrott guns made their presence felt. The Confederates were short of ammunition for their artillery, and Major Brent thought it best to reserve the supply for emergencies. On the extreme right the Federal artillery fire was severely felt by Green's brigade, but his veterans stood their ground without flinching, though they suffered consider- ably in killed and wounded. Among the latter was Captain Joseph D. Sayers, of the Valverde Battery, who here received wounds which kept him on crutches (but not out of service) until after the war. The Diana, being subjected to a heavy fire from the Federal Parrotts, was disabled, and it was necessary to withdraw it from the action for repairs, causing a loss to the Confederates of their best gun. The Federals some time during the afternoon formed as if going to make a general assault on the Confederates, who awaited the attack with eagerness, but for some reason it was not made. Night again brought quiet, and both armies slept on their arms. At nine o'clock at night Colonel Reiley reported to General Taylor that Grover had landed at Hutchin's Point with his infantry and artillery. Of course an immediate retreat was necessary, for should Grover reach and hold Yokeley's
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Bridge, near New Iberia, Taylor's army would be caught in a trap. Mouton silently withdrew from his position with his trains and his artillery, followed by his infantry. Semmes brought the Diana during the night softly past Franklin in time to participate in the conflict with Grover, but was compelled after the engage- ment to blow up his boat, having saved his crew, but, being the last to leave, was himself captured. Green with his two regiments composed the rear-guard, and opposed the advance of the Federals with such vigor as to save the trains and give the infantry and artillery time to pass Yokeley's Bridge. However, the Confeder- ates were compelled to abandon the two twenty-four pounders and one piece from Cornay's battery, which had been disabled in the action. Everything else was brought off.
Grover in his advance from Hutchin's Point had stopped half a mile short of the road and the bridge, and Reiley with his own regiment and Vincent's and a section of artillery, aided by Clack's battalion, attacked him just at daylight, charging his lines and taking his men completely by surprise. But as the day broadened the weakness of the Confederates was exposed, and they were compelled to retire to the timber near the road. This movement was effected without dis- order, though the gallant Colonel Reiley was killed and Vincent wounded and other losses were incurred. But the advance of the Federals was arrested. Mouton with his infantry came to the rescue, and Green held Weitzel well in check. The last wagon and foot-soldier passed Yokeley's Bridge ; Green retired sullenly, firing on the Federal advance, and, passing the bridge, Taylor's army was saved.
Though Taylor was defeated at Bisland, his escape under the circumstances had all the moral effect of a victory. His resistance encouraged the people and impressed the enemy with respect. He retreated slowly by way of New Iberia and Vermilionville to Opelousas. Green liad the post of honor, the rear-guard, throughout the retreat. He made a prolonged stand at Bayou Vermilion until night and destroyed the bridge. Taylor retired by easy marches to Red River above Alexandria, and Weitzel, after raiding Alexandria, turned to the cast, crossed the Mississippi, and invested l'ort Hudson. Mouton with his and Green's brigade turned west towards the Sabine and recruited their wasted energies.
During the Teche campaign there were about one hundred men belonging to the Fifth that were on detached service. In the latter part of March, 1863, at a camp near Alexandria one night a call was made for "volunteers to go on a secret and dangerous service," and, as usual, there was a rush to get on the detail. It was intended that the detachment was to go on board the Webb, which was being fitted up as a gunboat by being barricaded with cotton-bales. The detachment was placed in command of Major Shannon and marched to Marksville, near Fort De Russy, and there camped until the early days of May, when it rejoined the regiment, not having seen an enemy or fired a gun. Great was the disgust of these volunteers not to have participated in the battle of Bisland and the masterly retreat for which Colonel Tom Green was made a brigadier-general.
During this campaign the Confederates lost in killed, wounded, and captured about twelve hundred and fifty men ; many of the latter were stragglers from the Louisiana troops, who fell out on the retreat to visit their homes and tarried too long with their friends. The Federal loss was great, but the number is unknown.
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After Weitzel had crossed the Mississippi, Green returned from Niblett's Bluff on the Sabine, and with his brigade scouted over the Têche country during the months of April and May, 1863; but Federal soldiers were scarce west of the Atchafalaya, and the Confederates were not strong enough to cross that bayou.
Early in the month of June, 1863, General Tom Green, under the orders of General Mouton, moved with his brigade to the lower Teche country for the pur- pose of reconnoitring the Federal position at Brashear City, and to collect and fit up a small fleet of light boats preparatory to an attack on that important stronghold.
On the night of the 22d of that month Green moved to Cochran's sugar-house, two miles from Berwick's Bay, with the Fifth Texas Cavalry, Second Louisiana Cavalry, Waller's battalion, the Valverde Battery, and a section of Nichols's battery. Here, leaving their horses, the dismounted men were thrown forward before daylight to the village called Berwick City, opposite Brashear City, where the Federals were encamped about two thousand strong. In the mean time Major Sherrod Hunter, of Baylor's regiment, on the evening of the 22d, had taken three hundred and twenty-five picked men from the Fifth Texas Cavalry, Waller's bat- talion, Rountree's battalion, Second Louisiana Cavalry, and Baylor's regiment, and embarked in small boats and sugar-coolers, numbering altogether forty-eight, at the mouth of Bayon Teche, in order to attack Fort Buchanan in the rear. He pro- ceeded up the Atchafalaya into Grand Lake and, halting, muffled all the oars, and again set out silently for the point of destination. After a steady pull of eight hours the little mosquito fleet landed in the rear of Brashcar City. Here they found the shore very swampy, and had to wade ashore and abandon their boats, such as they were, in the deep water, thus cutting off all means of retreat. Being here delayed by the difficulty of finding the road, it was not until after sunrise that, crossing a palmetto swamp in single file, they reached the open ground in full view of Brashear City, some eight hundred yards distant.
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