Texas In The Confederacy

Texas

CHAPTER 1 — Hood’s Texas Brigade

1

To the student of military history, the Army of Northern Virginia was one of the great armies of all time. This army accomplished more and had less to do it with than any army of record. It was nearly always deficient in the things with which war is made, viz., men, munitions, supplies, clothing, food, weapons, transportation and money. By all the accepted practices of warfare it should have been defeated and driven from the field during the first year of the conflict. Yet it stayed on for four long, bloody years, an ever dangerous force, and liable to strike hard and fast from the most unexpected places and at the most unexpected times.

The story that follows is the record of the premier organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, of the army’s immortal commander, Gen. Robert E. Lee, a unit that has been dubbed The Grenadier Guards of the South by one of the foremost students of the war.

It is worthy of note that Gen. John B. Hood, for whom the brigade was named, commanded the unit for less than six months. During this short period he so impressed the members of the brigade with his character that forever afterwards it was known as Hood’s Texas Brigade.

2 — Organization, movement to the east, early days in Virginia

In the spring of 1861, immediately after the secession of Texas, about thirty independent companies of infantry were organized in the state. Twelve or fifteen of these companies assembled at a camp of instruction established on the San Marcos River in Hays County. The companies that eventually were to form the 1st and 5th regiments of infantry were recruited in East Texas. The companies that were to form the 4th Texas Infantry were recruited from Central and West Texas, ranging from Navarro to Bexar counties.

All units marched to the rendezvous at Harrisburg, and from there started the trip east. The companies averaged about 100 men each, and were composed of the cream of the state.{1}

Ten companies reached Richmond about June 1, and were organized as the 1st Texas Infantry, with Lewis T. Wigfall as colonel.{2} Hugh McLeod, from Texas, was appointed lieutenant colonel of the regiment.{3} A. T. Rainey, from Texas, was appointed major.

The first units of the twenty remaining companies reached Richmond on September 12, 1861. It was quite a task to take a unit from Texas to Richmond. First, they marched from their home stations to Harrisburg, thence went by rail to Beaumont, then another march to points in central Louisiana, then by water to New Orleans, and the final lap by rail to Richmond. By the time they reached Richmond many, if not all, of the weaklings had been weeded out.

While stationed at Richmond the units were in a camp called Camp Texas, located on the York River, below Rocketts.

It was the universal custom during this period for volunteer troops to elect their own company and field officers. In the case of these Texas troops, however, the Confederate War Department reserved the right to appoint the field officers. This caused quite a bit of feeling at first, but was finally accepted. It was a blessing in disguise.

The president of the Confederate states, Jefferson Davis, addressed the troops at Camp Texas, and among other things he said: The troops of other states have their reputations to gain; the sons of the defenders of the Alamo have only theirs to maintain.

The twenty companies were organized into two regiments, the 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments. These two regiments along with the 1st Texas and the 18th Georgia were organized into a brigade on November 12, 1861, and were known as the Texas Brigade. Lewis T. Wigfall, colonel of the 1st Texas Infantry, was promoted to brigadier general and assumed command of the brigade. Field officers of the regiments were appointed as follows:

1st Texas Infantry

Col. A, T. Rainey

Lt. Col. P. A. Work

Maj. Matt Dale

4th Texas Infantry

Col. John B. Hood

Lt. Col. John Marshall

Maj. Bradfute Warwick

5th Texas Infantry

Col. J, J. Archer

Lt. Col. Jerome B. Robertson

Maj. Q. T. Quattlebaum

Lt. Col. Hugh McLeod died about the time Col. Wigfall was promoted.

The 4th and 5th regiments left Richmond in November, 1861, and proceeded to Dumphries, Virginia, where they joined the 1st regiment.{4}

Gen. Wigfall was elected to the Confederate Senate from Texas, and resigned his commission in January, 1862. Col. Rainey of the 1st Texas was the senior colonel, but Col. John B, Hood of the 4th Texas was appointed brigadier general and assigned to command the brigade.{5}

The brigade was the only representative of Texas in the Army of Northern Virginia. In addition to the 18th Georgia Infantry, after the Seven Days fighting the seven infantry companies of Hampton’s South Carolina Legion were attached to the brigade.

The winter of 1861-62 was spent by the brigade in what practically amounted to winter quarters on the Potomac River near Dumphries, Virginia. One of their duties was to support the masked batteries at Cockpit Point. Huts were constructed to live in. There was much sickness, such as mumps and measles, as is usual with green troops, and the hospital facilities were poor. It is said that at one time the 5th Texas Infantry, out a strength of 800 men, could only muster 25 men fit for duty. Discipline was apparently lax. Men crossed the river on the ice at will.

Following the custom of the time, the men of a company were divided into messes of about six men each. Rations were issued to each mess and they did their own cooking — the most inefficient method of feeding troops possible. At first the soldiers were apparently well uniformed, judging from photographs, although it seems that each man made the decision as to whether he would wear a cap or a hat. Men made social calls on officers in their quarters freely. Many of the men were young, some being not over fifteen years of age. Whist, euchre, poker and checkers were the games usually played. The 4th Texas Infantry had a brass band, the bandsmen being detailed from the line companies. When in combat, bandsmen acted as stretcher bearers. The most popular songs were The Girl I Left Behind Me and The Bonnie Blue Flag.

The men of the brigade were rugged individualists and didn’t like the idea of not being allowed to elect their own field officers. They were rather hard on the assigned commanders. R. T. P. Allen of Bastrop was the first colonel of the 4th Texas, but the men didn’t like him and he left after serving only a few days. An officer assigned to command the 5th Texas appeared in camp mounted on a superb charger. Riding a fine horse was all right, but the new colonel made the mistake of announcing that he could handle these boys all right. When his charger was led out the next day to be saddled, it was discovered that during the night the horse’s tail had been cut off. The new colonel left camp shortly afterwards and was never heard from again.

On March 8, 1862, the brigade left its winter quarters at Dumphries and marched south, crossing the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg. There they remained one month, and at this time the brigade was assigned to Whiting’s division. The other brigade in the division was Law’s. The strength of the Texas Brigade was 1,922 men. Early in April, Whiting’s division moved by rail from Fredericksburg to Richmond. From Richmond they marched to Yorktown, and joined Magruder’s command at that point.{6}

3 — Yorktown Campaign, Eltham’s Landing

The march of 60 miles down the peninsula from Richmond to Yorktown required seven days; the roads were almost impassable from mud, and heavy rains continued. Arriving at Yorktown on April 15, 1862, Whiting’s division, which included the Texas Brigade, was assigned no specific duty but were placed in the reserve. A few members of the Texas Brigade were detailed for duty in the front lines as sharpshooters. Apparently there were two types of rifles in the brigade at this period, the Minie and the Enfield.

Magruder began his retreat up the peninsula on May 3. The Texas Brigade, being detailed as a part of the rear guard, did not leave until the 4th. The roads were atrocious and it continued to rain. The brigade passed to the right of Williamsburg and went into camp.

While at Yorktown the non-commissioned officers and privates of the 4th Texas Infantry presented Gen. Hood with a fine horse. Sergeant Bookman of Company G made the presentation speech.

On May 7 two regiments of Franklin’s Federal division landed at Eltham’s Landing on the York River. This was a small landing near the village of Barhamsville. This force was on the flank of the retreating Confederates and threatened to cut off their long wagon train and artillery unless promptly opposed. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, who now commanded the Confederate forces, desired very much to capture the two Federal regiments that had disembarked. He issued the following orders to Hood: A force of the enemy estimated at from three to five thousand strong have landed on the York River, and are ravaging the country. Your brigade must immediately check the advance of this force. Feel the enemy gently, and fall back, avoiding an engagement, and draw them away from the protection of their gun boats. An ample force will be sent in their rear to effect a capture. If you can drew them a few miles from the river their capture is certain.

Hood started on the morning of the 7th, leading his brigade toward Eltham’s Landing. He marched fifteen or twenty yards in advance of the leading element of the brigade, the 4th Texas Infantry. As the column of march approached a cabin located on the crest of a ridge that had a rather steep slope toward the York River, they came upon a Confederate cavalry picket, who was sitting on his horse half asleep. The column continued the march. As Hood approached the crest of the ridge he was confronted with a long line of deployed Federal skirmishers. The steep slope toward the river had obscured their approach.

As the brigade had never been in action, Hood was afraid there would be indiscriminate firing if he let them march with rifles loaded; so at the beginning of the march he had ordered that rifles be carried unloaded.

The Federal skirmishers fired on the column immediately. Hood dismounted, ran back to the head of the 4th Texas and gave orders to the regiment to deploy and load. A Federal corporal standing very close selected Gen. Hood as his special target. He brought his rifle up and took careful aim at the general. Here was a predicament indeed — the brigade commander about to be killed and not a loaded rifle in the brigade. All at once a shot rang out from the ranks of the 4th Texas Infantry. Pvt. John Deal of Gonzales, Texas, a member of Company A of the 4th, didn’t believe in going into battle with his rifle unloaded, orders or no orders. The Federal corporal fell dead from Deal’s fire, and he had without question saved the life of his brigade commander. It would be safe to assume that Pvt. Deal was not punished for disobeying orders.

In the meantime the brigade deployed, the 4th Texas on the right, the 5th on the left. They attacked and drove the Federals one and a half miles back to the river and the protection of their gun boats. The Federal loss was about 300 killed and wounded and 126 captured. The Texas Brigade lost 37 men killed and wounded.

At first glance it appeared to be a highly successful skirmish, in this the first blood-letting of the brigade. However, Gen. Johnston was greatly annoyed by Hood’s actions. He ordered the staff officer who had given Hood the original order to report exactly the order he had given Hood.

Just as the staff officer finished repeating the order, Hood rode up, no doubt expecting to be complimented by Gen. Johnston. The general asked Hood to repeat the orders he had received. This he did. Gen. Johnston said to Hood: Gen, Hood, you have given an illustration of the Texas idea of feeling the enemy gently and falling back. What would you Texans have done, sir, if I had ordered you to charge and drive back the enemy?

Hood replied, I suppose, General, they would have driven them into the river, and tried to swim out and capture the gun boats.

With a smile, Gen, Johnston replied, Teach your Texans that the first duty of a soldier is to literally obey orders.

The fight ended at 2 p. m. and the brigade soon resumed its position as the rear guard.

On account of the deep mud and heavy rains the march to the Chickahominy was a sorry exhibition. It was march a few steps and then wait. All discipline was lost, units became mixed and there was much straggling. In fact it reached the point where it was every man for himself. However, by 10 a. m. on May 8, the units were assembled and discipline restored. The Chickahominy was finally reached at 1 a. m., May 10.{7}

4 — Movement to the Valley of Virginia, Gaines Mill

After reaching the Chickahominy, the Texans saw no real action until the battle of Gaines Mill. They did a bit of scouting and probing of the enemy and much marching, but that was all.

On June 1, 1862, the seven infantry companies of Hampton’s South Carolina Legion were attached to the Texas Brigade. The regiment was commanded by Col. M. W. Gary. The regimental commanders in the Texas Brigade were now as follows:

1st Texas,—Col. A. T. Rainey

4th Texas,—Col. John Marshall

5th Texas,—Col. Jerome B. Robertson

18th Georgia,—Lt. Col. S. Z. Ruff

Hampton’s Legion, Col. M. W. Gary

On June 11, Whiting’s Division, of which the Texas Brigade was a part, marched boldly through Richmond to the railroad station, where they entrained. They went in the daytime so that Northern spies would be sure and see them. Information was given out that the division was going to reinforce Stonewall Jackson in the Valley of Virginia. The soldiers were not given any information as to their destination. In due time the division arrived at Lynchburg, where they remained two days. They then boarded another train and