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Thursday, May 07, 05:15:21am [ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, [3], 4 ]

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Date Posted: 09/19/04 12:07:20am
Author: Doug Cooper
Subject: Review of our regimental history

As a way of review and to start a dialogue on our impression, the following info is gleaned from This Band of Heroes - Granbury's Texas Brigade by McCaffrey, Crute's Units of the Confederate States Army and Lundberg's new book The Finishing Stroke, Texans in the 1864 Tennessee Campaign.

The 15th Texas Dismounted Cavalry was formed in Dallas TX in March 62 of men recruited in the North Texas counties centered on the Fort Worth/Dallas area from Red River county in the northeast to Collin County near Dallas to Wise and Hood Counties northwest and southwest of Ft Worth. Capt Houston, our company commander, was from Clarksville in Red River county, the home of Co K. Co D and E appear to have been recruited mostly in the Collin County area around McKinney (just northwest of Dallas and not far from Royse City Silas) and Forth Worth.

They served as cavalry until July 62 and then were dismounted to fight the remainder of the war as infantry, a fate that befell many Texas cavalry regiments. Being a big place, Texans did not like to walk to war and the 15th was not happy at being relieved of their horses. In one of the more ignominious episodes of the war, the entire brigade of which the 15th was part was captured after a short fight at Arkansas Post Jan 11, 1863. They spent the next 4 months at Camp Butler Illinois before being exchanged. While at Camp Butler they fared tolerably well except for an outbreak of smallpox. The exchanged prisoners were landed at City Point near Richmond Virginia and spent a few weeks recuperating in Richmond and Petersburg. The men were paid a year's back pay and the officers ordered new uniforms. They found themselves in the lines defeding Richmond during Chancellorsville but were soon sent west to join Bragg in Tennessee (Tullahoma).

Here they were combined with the 6th and 10th Texas Infantry as one regiment. In an interesting note I did not see before, they were issued here captured tents (shelter tents?) and equipment and CS uniforms (probably Columbus Depot). After the debacle at Arkansas Post and the months in prison, the reputation of these regiments was not good and they were abused by the Mississippi and Alabama troops until they proved themselves in combat. Pat Cleburne took a chance on them, accepted them into his division, consolidated several regiments and placed Gen Churchill in charge who whipped them into shape rather quickly.

In March 1864, Granbury took over and they became known as Granbury's Texas Brigade. Granbury, a Texan himself, reorganized the brigade and the 10th TX was detached to serve alone again. There were not enough men in the 6th & 15th to enable them to stand alone so they fought the rest of the war together. The 15th was the left wing and all 10 companies were combined into 4 - we are in company D-E-K, the 7th Company. The 6th TX was the right wing (6 companies).

They fought well at Liberty Gap, in the Chickamauga, Chattanooga (distinguished themselves at Chattanooga and Ringold Gap especially) and Atlanta Campaigns but were badly battered. They were very tough, but pretty worn out by the time the invasion of Tennessee began in Nov 64. Many of the men were skeptical of Hood but were delighted to be moving again into Tennessee and away from Sherman's army. Better food, new uniforms and the prospect of better times ahead buoyed their spirits as they crossed into Tennessee. The weather was awful however and one of the coldest anyone could remember for November. In command was Major Rhodes H. Fisher of the 6th Texas.

They would march to death and glory at Franklin and Nashville. Granbury would be killed and his brigade wrecked at Franklin, after breaking into the federal works at the end of the most desperate charge of the war. Many of the men who broke through were killed or captured and spent the rest of the war in Camp Douglas, a not altogether bad fate. The remnant fought well at Nashville. A few made it all the way through to North Carolina, surrenduring April 26, 1865 with Johnston.

These Texas troops, like most Texans, were rather rough and uncouth and not exactly fond of discipline. They were hardy, good marchers and fierce fighters. The officers were often men of property and/or education. There appears to have been little upward mobility in the ranks due to the practice of consolidation. I don't have much on McCracken, my name sake, other than he was 29 and from the McKinney area.

There are numerous references to the troops bombarding the home front with letters asking for winter clothing, esp. vests, socks, shirts and overcoats. As federal troops never entered most of Texas, the home front was in pretty good shape the entire war and supported the troops handsomely to supplement the govt uniforms. Remember that the entire regiment was supplied with new uniforms at Tuscumbia in early November, so we were looking pretty sharp at Franklin, less so by Nashville. Homespun overcoats, socks, vests, shirts and such would be in evidence, likely received at Atlanta and Tuscumbia and Florence AL from home.

Another interesting vignette was the combing of the hospitals for convalescent soldiers just prior to entering Tennessee. The 15th TX had several men rejoin the regiment from hospitals, like the one in Corinth, MS and report to the regiment in Florence, AL.

As far as mail goes, they recieved and sent allot just prior to stepping off into Tennessee and may have received some in the lines at Nashville. Address your letters to:

Pvt X
Co D, E or K (see the roster below for your company number)
6th & 15th Texas (written that way on the flag)
Granbury's Texas Brigade
Army of Tennessee

I will be adding some first hand quotes, some of which are seen way below this post on the board. Am trying to get a copy of Lt Robert Collins book (Co B, 15th TX).

Pile on with more info.

Doug

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