Tr .acnrf- RoOlLl- . . George Washington Flowers Memorial Collection DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY OF COLONEL FLOWERS .sure Room PBR. 'v^ --^ 7 7 7 <^ Oz-^-^y^^-e^ /<^/^(.i^<- c^- ^ ^-^ ^-.^v^.' ■V~^n ..t^u^^jT^^^H^-^^^^^ ^ . 1^1 . /^^^^ — / ^^TTrv. il-*^ '^ "^"'^ *■ ' ^Jt-tA*- /^X^K^<^^T^ CtHA <5L yj a i^ ^ —-' ''-C- /awA.aX/: |Lu-«^oC QJ^^^^Q cW^k,'»^^*'<>^*~^ o. <2-«-/u^ '1C*Aa*-1. r'^-*''*^ ^^ '^^ ^! ■ ^ -~^L/«.«>/wf' ^ NAMES, DATES, PLACES, &c., CF BATTLES L\ WHICH THE BRIGADE HAS PARTICIPATED. I.ETTKR DATTl.ES. OF BAT. fal Verde A 51oncttR B Jolvc'Ston C iisiand D franklm E Vermilion Bayou F irashear City G 'ort liutlei' H .alourcho I 'orilocbe K liirbcaiix L lan,-field* M 'leasant Hill N ouett's Ferry O [ansura P (>llow Ravnu Q Texas Louisiana Feb. 21, 1863 March 'IS. 1SG3 .lamiary 1, 18C3 April 13, 14 '63 April 14, 1863 Apr!) 17, 18C3 June 23, 18(i3 June 28, 1883 July 13, ISUS Sept. ai). 1863 Nov. 3. 1863 April 8, 1864 Apiil9, 1864 April 23, 1864 May 16, 1864 May IS. -ISM. C05!D I! CHIEF. BltlG. COMD U H. H. Sibley ■Scurry Magruder Taylor Riely Taylor Taylor Green Green Green Green & Taylor Wharton Wharton Green Scurry Uioly Riely Hampton Green Green Green Green Bagby Bagby Bagby divided Bagby Waller Hardeman i:i:ii ■ ScurJy Ragiet Harcim.in Hampton Leastre HamtKon rosea Hardiman Ham >ton Hamitau Hart jmaa Ham^toa Hamjtoa Hardiman CrosfjD Hamilton McNeill Shropshre McNeill Green Pridgeon Shannon Shannon McPhail Killoiigi McNeill McNeill McN'eill McPhail MtPhail McPhiil Sutton Hoffman Hoffman Bagby Herbert Herbe.'t Herbert Herbert Kirksey Herbert Herbert Hotfman Hoti'man Hoffman Hoffman Waller Boone Bjouc Boone McDade Waller McDade McDiide McDade 2650 1050 5860 4827 840 83U 1560 1500 1400 2400 3600 9000 1400 5300 8500 8400 Canby Slough Renshaw Banks Grover Emory Not known Whitzel Dana Burbridge Banks Banks Banks McClernand A.J. Smith FOKCKS KILLED WOUN D SllSSIXG 7680 3080 C88 38,000 9800 8800 1890 6500 1260 5000 I'i.OOO 34,000 32,000 31,000 15.000 619 261 83 424 434 173 76 39 631 95 480 680 18-20 170 215 382 36 1795 None 250 490 GOO 2869 280 II K M A K K S . H'e History, Part U Riely killed. Gobbled the 'concern.' One of the "things." One of the "victories." Brilliant affair." The "Bull Run" ofLv. See History, Pari lU- •The reader is referred to the various official reports of the above engagements jiven in the accompanying volume. At Mansfield, Col. W. P. Hardeman is justly entitled to the credit of commanding the Brigade, for the )llowing reasons At 9J o'clock, A. M., Col. Bagby, who was in the rear of the Brigad.; commanding, received orders to move the Brigade further to the left, and take up his position on the Gravel IliU road, which order he imself obeyed. Before reaching the place designated by Gen. Green's order, orders visfe received to countermarch, which order was executed by Col. Hardeman. The battle was over before commanders were again changed.. This table gives only the battles. A table containing the skirmishes will be fowf in the appendix. At Pleasant Bill the Brigade was divided. Hardeman, with his Rogiraent and Col. Terrell's, operated ou the cx4ieiuo ijbt The other Regiments of the Brigade were to the left. Tba index letter of a battle will be found to the names of all who were killed or TOundeJ in that engagement . .nuy..")!/. !-|^fJS r- Tal.l. Sliou.ns Di-inn..^ .( M;:rrl:- od Dir^fl Hr.Bo^ frum D.ile ot U.»ani/aUuu i« Pn'viit Datr. 1 .-1 <, ■ ■ 1' ( ( 1 \: ). 1 'l llnanntma ■ ■■» i oImHSInI* \!>jor ni'Tm4i iTHM <■) Vmt>>f Col. TUrd' ' lael Mrrl>pni :l*nl«mui k'ol. U»mp l.in.-l Wlllr A ii> eoj - I |\ri)ff M|Mi I <->puioifot>»i* «■ Ul ItaCol H«mpliin l('«pi. (:«Uc'i.. I ' |<'ipliir\rL.l>.-c V A CAMPAIGN JZ, /, ^_^ FROM SANTA F E ■ro THE MISSISSIPPI; BEING A HISTORY OF THK OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE FROM irs FIRST ORGANIZATxON TO THE PRESENT TIME; ITS CAMPAIGNS IN NEW MEXICO, ARIZONA, TEXAS, LOUISIANA AND ARKANSAS, IN THE YEARS OF 1861-2-3-4. By 1 HEO. NOEL, 4th Texas Cavalry. SHREVEPOKT, La.: PlWEVErORT NEWS rRIKTINO ESTABUfllMEyX— JOHN DICKINSOK, PROrRtETOR. 18(35. TO TUB MEMORY OF THE LAMEJTTED AND IMMORTAL T03VE ca-^LEEJisr AND THOSE OF THE "OLD BRIGADE" WHO WITH HIM NOW "SLEEP THE SLEEP THAT KNOWS NO WAIQNG" IS THIS I^IXXLE VOLTJIVIK AS A Tribute of Hespect MOST AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED B Y ' T H E -^I\-. uiHuiaea. Having no other aim in view than that of truthfulnRss, this ^ • presented to you not for your criticism, but, if possible, to hay the reading worhl and our friends in th. " Lone Star State " an account , oi Avuat we, as your sons, have done since we espoused for the achiove- ,^^ -» 'D..J r, -^ ... . — — ... work is hay before / ^ ^'— ^ ~u^ u^^^.^^ Z-^- ^ VC /> «> c- «• CiA^^^y^-^ ^- ^A sented, it took its rank and Irf terns company " A" 1st llegimcnt Sibley's Brig- ade. On the following day A. J. Scarborough with his " Davis ItiHes" was also duly sworn into the " defence of their country," and also ,'i*^- tacht'd to the 1st Regiment as company " B." About this time James Riely, of Nacogdoeue.«i was conmiissioned as Colonel. William K. Scurry of iJcA^'itt, and H. Rnguet, of Nacogdochfs, were appointed as J^ieutcnant Colonel and Major. By the 20th of September the lull com- pliment of companies had been mustered into tin; service, and the 1st Regiment was organized, without however, the privilege being left to the men to elect their field olKcers — a right guaranteed to them by the ■wise laws of our new Confederacy. Gen. Sibley had his own say so by some unknown reason, and the organization of field officers stood as above : 2d Lt. Elsbery R. Lane, of company " B" was appointed Adju- tant and W. B. McMahon of the same company, Sergcawt Major; H. E. Leobnetze, of coaipany " C" was duly installed as Assistant Quarter- master, and Wm. Soutjiworfh, J. W. .Matcliett and Taylor, chiefs, 1st and 2d Assistant Surgeons, all of which elections were, no doubt, made by the Colonel with an eye singly fixed for the good of the service, not- withstanding Southworth, who had gained a great notoriety amongst the boys as being wor/// nothing, left us at Fort Bliss on ©ur return from New Mexico, and that without a sigh or regret, on the part of any of those whose lot it had been to apply to him for medicines or treat- ment. Shortly after the completed organization of the Regiment, which was eflected at the camp first established by Capt. Uanlemau on tho Leone, tho Regiment was moved from there to camp '' Sibley" on the Salado, live miles i'rom San Antonio on the Austin road. Here we will leave the 1st Regiment— drilling if you please — while we take ft peep at what the h«ro of heroes, Tom Green, is doing tow;u*ds the organiza- tion ot the 2d Regiment at camp " Manassas" on the Salado two miles above the 1st Regiment's caujps. Not having a muster roll of the Reg- iment bcifore me, 1 am unable to say when the first com[)any under Capt. Shropshire, of Colorado, was mustered into the service ; it was done, however, in a very short time, as was the case with the 1st Regiment. All the compauies were nmstered in by Col. JIcNeill, who it will be Heen was assigned to duty with this Regiment as J^ieut. Colonel. S. A. Jjockridge, uf Gonzales, Major. C!ol. Green made a judiciou.s and good OL© SIBLEY BRIGADE. 7 seleotion of staff officers, as follows : J. D. Sayrs, Adj't.; C B. Sliepard, Sg't. Major, botli of whom will lu^reaftev be spoken of. M. B. Wyatt, A. Q. M.; J. IT. Beck, A. C. S.; F. Bracbt, .^'urgcon, with J. M. Bro- naugb and J. R. McPhail, as Ass't. Surgeons. Drilling as Infantry in the morning and as Cavalry in the evening was the order of the day. On the 4th of October Capt. Jordan's (now Thurmond's) company, was mustered in as company " A" of the 3d Regiment under Col. Wil- liam Steele, who was also a captain in the United States cavalry ser- vice, and was ierving with Gen. Sibley in New Mexico at the com- mencement of the war. A. P. Bagby, of Gonzales, another West Point graduate, was made Major, not hoAvever, before J. S. Sutton an old Texan officer and a man universally esteemed by all, was appointed Lt. Colonel. On the 8th of October Capt. Hoffman's company from New Braunsfels, was received and mustered into the service. On the 24th, Burrow's company was sworn in, as was also Co. " D," xmder Capt. W. H. Cleaver ; the work went briskly on, and on the 26th, company "K." under T. O. Moody, was mustered in according to the latest method, and on the same terms as was Capt. Hardeman's company " A" First Regi- ment, all for " during the war." Now that the Brigade is organized, reader, were I sure that you are at present, or ever was a soldier, much time, ink and paper might here be saved, by my referring you back to the days in which you were first in a soldier's camp. Ours were not particularly different from that of any others, yet Ave had many novel- ties to encounter, as well as many novices to meet them with. We had drills, drills on the most improved methods. Scott and Hardee was consulted on all occasions, as well as was the country's good, in discip- lining the " Saplings" who by reasons of their zeal were easily " bend- ed." Each Regiment (and it I mistake not, each company) were fur- nished and armed with a bitgle, and from the fact that we had many blou-ers, a bugler was easily found, who according to the orders and mandates issued from Headquarters, was blowed on all occasions when something new or " fre^h" was on hand, besides having full rations and a plenty to eat, we nevertheless had some grumbling on the quality of the beef as well as the quantity of Coffee, all of which we got most glo- riously over in the course of time, as I shall endeavor to show in pages yet to be written. That idea which was at that date popular amongst those of us who never had sought to pay homage to Mars, that guards were only kept up to protect an army or camp from the enemy, and never only in an enemy's country, soon gave way to " stubborn facts" and " genuine realities," for let it be known that "we had a guard to stand at night" as well as in the day, not however, " to keep the In- dians off," but to break the " greenhorns" in and to teach them " how- it goes in war." The strictest guard that we ever had around our campwas while we were camped on the Salado, a thousand miles or more from a foe. We had a camp guard, a picket guard, and every- thing was so guarded;that one had to be on guard when he spoke, lest he might offend the " rank" which as we have long since learned, means only those who wear the "stars and bars." b A uisToiiY uF 'ri^^fc: Wo had " mil calls" by mornintj and by night, as also " tattoo" aud reveille" according to the forin.s prescribed on page 2299 of the revised- edition of the military statutes, all «tf which, when thoroughly understood by us, had, if anything, a tendency to make camps attractive to the boys, who Hcvor so much as the ught of a " furlough," and scarcely ever of home, and then only of itw being a place for the women aud children and other nan cainhatants, such as those who may now be seen iu the various departments where danger is afar off. Now for a few words on the subject o{ arms and we are off for the land of promise, where the foeman's steel is to be met. The public must know what the Yankees, were made to know at Val V^erd, i.e. that we were armed, nature furnished us with two " to come in on," and we each furni.shed ourselves with one, some two, by reason of having a double-barrel shot gun. When we left San Antonio we were armed with squirrel-guns, bear guns, sportman'?-guns, shot-guns,| both single and double ban*els, in tact, guns of all sorts, even down to guns in the shape of cannons called "^louiitain Howitzers," four of which wore at- tached to the First Regiment under the command of Lieut. J. lliely, manued by a detachment of men from the different companies in the Reg- iment. A battery of four similar pieces was attached to the Second Kegiment under command of Lieut. W^ood aud Fulcrod, manned in the same manner that llieljs' Battery of the First Regiment was. Lhider the rule taught me in my early infantry " one thing at a time," while on the Artillery subject 1 will finish it. At Val Verd these two bat- teries were consolidated and did noble duty. Those who had volun- teered to man them proved themselves to be men possessed of as much bravery, gallantry and courage, as zeal. It was for gallantry displayed at this place that Serg't J. E. Hart was made Adjutant of the Fourth Texas Cavalry (First Regiment), while Privates Clark, Moody and Donahoe still hold their old positions in the army. On leaving the Territory these guns were consigned to the mother earth for safe keep- ing as well as to be kept from fulling into the hands of the enemy. John Riely of whom I shall speak hereafter, was afterwards promoted to a Captaincy and assigned to duty as A. C. S. of the First Regiment. Now that the Artillery is silenced, 1 will return to Sau Antonio where the Brigade was lately left drilling, dress-parading, &:c., as though the whole welfare of the country depended upon that job being per- fected. On the ever memorable 7th day November, 1861, in obedience to orders, the advance division of the Brigade took up th(! line of march for New Mexico. That morning will ever bo remembered by every member of the First Regiment. At the usual hour in the morning, " boots and saddles " was sounded by our bugler. Our baggage had been weighed the day before (fifteen pounds to the man) and our wagons loaded ; fifteen minutes more and the '' assembly " sounded forth clear and shinll upon the morning air, while our camps presented a scene of bustle and confusion. In less time than it takis (o tell it, the Regiment — then full — were in their saddles, aud by such manoeitv- OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 9 ring aud evolutions as is only know^ii to those whose fortunes are the " fortunes of Avar," the First Regiment was formed, by the command of Col. Reily, into a solid square." At the command "Attention, Bat- talion," from the man who had the authority to call it, silence reigned supreme. Would that I wer(3 able to give you, kind reader, even the substance of the remarks made by him. They were made to the point, and affecting, insomuch that I well rememb(T seeing men that morning shed tears, who often since have braved danger on many bloody fields of carnage. He told us that we were on the eve of leaving a land that many of us might never again see, — which was so — that on that daj' we bid adieu to all friends, home, and happy firesides, to try our fortunes in the field in the defence of our country's honor ; that wo were soldiers together, aud that a people, who in after years would prove grateful to us for our acts, e.xpected much from us. Much was to be done ; much would be douo, and that he felt confident of the re- sult. Much that was said has long since been forgotten. After closing his remarks, he drew off his hat and requested all to do likewise, when, in a solemn, pious and fervent tone, he offered up to the High God, in the behalf of the cause, of those under him, of those around him, and for himself, one of the most fervent and eloquent prayers that it has ever been my lot to hear. Every one was moved to tears and solemn thoughts. In a few moments the command came, " by fours from the right, march." Reader, we were on the way to that cold and barren land. Grand, indeed, was the sight presented to the view of the looker-on, as we were stretched out on the line of march on that cold, frosty morning of November. For the first few miles everything was silent. Those who were of a serious aud sober thought were allowing their thoughts to carry them back home, and to dwell with loved ones there ; whilst those of us who had but the world before them, were being delighted by the grand martial display our lines made as we rose and descended the hills on tlie road leading to San Antonio. In those days the First Regiment had no brass band to enliven the soldier's thoughts and soul, and as we drew near the city, the hearts of the caval- iers grew musical, and with one general acclamation a call was made upon White, Halle &, Brother for " vocal strains of harmonious tunes." The called for music came, and such music as it was will m-Vr be heard ngain, .-is was heard by the rocks and hills in the environs of S;ui Anto- nio that morning. "The Texas Raager" never sounded half so beau- tiful or appropriate as it did at that time. In the due course of time we were again formed in solid column in the main plaza of San Anto- nio. [The author has a picture of this parade which, were it possible to procure the services of an engraver, he would present to the reader.] A flag was presented to the Regiment by somebody — name long niuco forgotten--Ln the name aud in behalf of the ladies of Nacogdoches. Rint took up the line of march on the 8th. Nothing particularly strange or eventful trans OLD SIBLEY SKlGxVDE, il piled, unless it was in the grand display made hy tlio two companies who woru armed with lances, each lauco or spoar having a red Ihig, S by 17 inches. The sight was truly grand as they marched thruugli tho streets of San Antonio, bound tor (he "Held." Tho Uegimeut marched together until they arrived at fcjau Philipe Springs, where it was divided iu three divisions. Tho lifst consisting of Companies , undo;- SLijor Lockridge ; tho second of Companies C. E. — , under Capt. McCowen, and tho rear by Col. Green. la this way they marched until the)'- reached Fort JJliss where they all met and reiuained for a few days. At *' Dead Mans Holes" a young man by tho name of J. Tobin, belonging to Com- pany " (t" was killed — murdered I might more properly say — by a man named Harvey, who by nature was one of the — peculiar kind. At Fott Bliss Col. Green called a court martial whieh sentenced " J. Har- vey to be shot to death with musketry." Ho was the lirst and only man belonging to our Brigade that has been shot. How true I know not, yet it is said of him that ou being placed before the guard that ho pinned a small peace of white paper ou his bosom, directly over his heart, and bid every man to aim at that, saying that he neither feared death cared to live. After remaining here a faw days the llegiment moved its camps to Willow liar. Here ;igaiu they halted for a few days, when they took up the line of march and joined tho First Regiment at Fort Thorn as we shall see present y. To the obliging and energetic Lieut. L)owden of Company " A," of the Third Kegimeut, I am indebted for the following as concerns the sfarf made by Col. Steele's Regiment. The advance Companies '' A." " 13." " F." " II,,, and " I." left camp Pickett, situated a few miles above camp Manassas on the Salado. under the command of Lieut. Col. Sutton. Nothing particularly remarkable, strange or interesting is connected with their departure, as I am aware of- The above iiro Companies left Saa Antonio ou iho 30th of Xovember. Companies " C." "D." " E." and " G." left Sau Antonio on the 15th of December under tho command of Col. Steele and Maj. Bagby. Company "II." (Captaiu Moody's) was left there to escort the Brigade Bay-master. Capt. W. 11. Harrison. On the 6th of January, 1S62, Company " E" was left at Fort (lark on account of sickness. Strange as it may appear, tho ^leaslos broke out in this company after it had commenced the march, and notwithstanding it was marched with the other companies for eev- eral days aiter tho contagion had made its appearance, yet it did not spread. By refeiencoto tho table of those died cF disease, it willbesee\i that from the 20th day of December, 18G1, to tho 12th of January, 1S(J2, this company lost 15 ni^n, all of whom died of that loathsome and pain- ful dieioso ; many whoso highest ambition would hare been to have talleu on thefield of honor, iu the defence of their country, were thus called from "hence to that bonnio from whence no traveler ere returns." "Oh! death what a monster thou art." Tho beloved of tho loved ; tli.) cher- iihwd of th« hravf ; tin* hero who has brav«d danger on many fields, as 12 A HISTORY OF THE well ap fhope whose bouIf wore to God donated, all, all by yon nre cplled and ynur summons is always obeyed. The first five compnnifH of this Regiment, under Lieut. Col. Sutton, made an ahnost unprecedented inarch from San Antonio to Fort Thorn, in New Mexico, at which place they arrived in time to have a few- days rest, and then join the Brigade; connected with which was Bay- lor's Regiment, (now I'yronV.) and Hunter's and Phillips' Battalions, of Arizona and New Mexico troops, and will hereafter be known as the •'Army of New Mexico." Numerically, our army was not as large as Lee's or Bragg's were at that time, yet we claim to have performed great and daring deeds, of which we will speak of "y>« Ac tempo." This, I assure you, kind reader, is my very "been wsny'est" Spanish, or rather Cagen Mexican. At Fort Bliss the First Regiment all got together, and then in bod}- moved into the Territory of Arizona. We crossed the line on the 12th of December, and established a camp iu sight of the large white land mark on the mountain on the opposite side of the Rio Grande, which had been put there by the United States engineers, some time in ISrS, to denote the place where Mexico — Chi- huahua — goes no further north, and where the possessions of the United States ceased going south. The following day we moved to Camj) Lesure, where we remained a few days, and moved up the riTer to within a few miles of Massilla, where, on Christmas morning. Col. R(uly turned over the command of the Regiment to Capt. Scarborough, he being the next in rank. In doing so, he made another speech, bid- ding us adieu, and informing us that his country required his sers-ices elsewhere ; that although it was with reluctaney that Ik- bid us fare- well, yet he did so under the full conviction lliat he woidd again meet us. By this time the Second Regiment and the advance squadron of the Third had arrived at Fort Bliss, where Gen. Sibley had established his headquarters. Forage there was none ; commissary supplies were gelling scarce; the cold season was coming on; clothing was being needed ; all of which the country afforded non<*. Our Quartermaster brought no supplies with him, and none was to be had in thi) Territory'. Roily had the precaution to appoint a sutler, whose train was pressed into the service on its arrival at Fort Bliss by order of Gen. Sibley. At Fort Davis the Second Regiment supplied themselves with the better portion of his clothing. In this state of ixffn'ui it became immi- nent that a forward move should be made, since the expedition was filled up with a view of capturing everything that was needed from the garrisons at Fort Crai^^ Albuquerque and Santa Fe ; inconse- quence of which it was not thought neces.'^ary to start wiih more pro- visions from San Antonio ihan would actually subsist the command while on the route. A grand idea this ! On the 14th day of January (Jol. Scurry received orders from Gen. Sibley to take two companies of his Regiment and with Maj. I'yron's command to move on and take the Federal garrison then stationed at Alamosa, which was thirty-two miles below F<>rt Craig, on the Rio Grande river. Oa the day follow- OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. insr, Corapai^ies F and H were selected and placed uuder the command of Capt. Hardeman. The command left Rnblario on the following das , and after marching sixty miles without t-earcely halting they found themselves before the walls of Alamosa, which was duly sur^ rounded by our forces, and all precautionary measures and orders were taken and given to secure the prize — then sleeping, as the boys thought. But judge of their disappointment on "closing in" to find that wind of the move had been received, and the "birds had flown" to Fort Craig, and nothing but a few "greasers" were left. Our boys bivouaoedon the field, greatly disappointed, which was increased when day came and they were permitted to see the flour, sugar, rice, coffee and beans scattered broadcast over the streets of the dirty looking place. Whilst this was going on, another expedition, under Major Ra- guet was giving chase to a party of the Apache Indians, who had made a descent upon our camp while at Willow Bar and stolen 75 or 80 mules and about the same number of horses. Company A, of the First Regiment, Avas picked upon for this jaunt. The chase commenced about 8 o'clock in the morning. By ten that night the party was in the Oreganes Mountains, about fifty miles distant. By daylight in the morning the party was up and on the go again. At 11 o'clock they reached the world renowned San Augisteu Springs, made doubly noted from the fact of its being tlie ancient Mexican silver mining district. After Avatering and gvvin;^," tlie horses a few moment's vest, pursuit was again renewed. At sundown, from the summit of the high mountain which we were on, over which tlie Indians Avere trailed, wo could see with the naked eye for many miles in the disitince. A grander and a more lovelj sight or picturesque landscape vieAV never met the eyes of the amazing and amused croAvd of half starA'ed humans that then view- ed the valley wMch extended on the one side far off to tlie south and 60Uth-< ast, whilst on the other side the view of the Rio Grande valley to the nurtli-west, and that of the Bonita and Pecos to the north and uorth-(#ast, looked like the trackless ocean, whilst the mountains on the west side of the Rio Grande, Avhen viewed through the Major's spy- glass, looked like the foaming billows of a raging sea as viewed from a ship as the etorm approaches. Here the chase Avas given up, and we commenced to beat a retreat. In the far distant west we could see the cities of Massilla and Donna Anna ; short of thoHi there was nothing on which a human could appease the gnawing hunger that was then prey- ing upon our very vitals. Without water and Avithout rest the distance liad to be made. At suudoAvu the retreat commenced. Cold, dry and hungry Ave went forward, forward, Avithout turning around to give one lingering look behind. About midnight the river Avas leached by the advance portion of the party. By daylight the last man came stagger- ing in, more dead than alive, more crazed than rational, for the want of both food and water. Several horses Avere left on the road, unable to come any further. They Avcre left by their riders, in order that their own lives might be saved. On ro.ichingthe river Maj. Kaguet, beingap- 14 • A IIISToiii' OF TnE prized of iliGf.icl that the'small pox was prevailing at Fort FiUniore, dia? patched Li(-ut. Roberts to that phice for commissaries. Thr«>o days full r.'itions of Hour, bncon, beef and onions were drawn and taiing found lacking in the performance of his duty. Dark even as it was, in a few moments scarcely a horse was to bo seen in camps, while some were taking the animals out to graze, for be it known that forage was a thing never thought of, much less issued to the men. — Others were busy in preparing breakfast — dinner — in fine, cooking every thing they had, trusting alone to God for more when that was gone, as our C. S. train was well nigh empty. At 7 o'clock, Headquar- ters bugler sounded his trumpet, which was as much as to say : blow buglers blow, and congregate oh ! ye rebels, a forward move is about to be made, and be jtrepared oh ! yc knights of a glorious cause. The sounding of the trumpet had its desired eflect, and in a few moments the cooking utensils, boxes and camp equipage had been collected and housed up in the wagons. The horses had been brought in and ready for the next blast from Junior Gabriel's trumpet, M'hieh in a few mo- ments sounded "boots and s.-iddles." On thol.Oth, the command moved to within S miles of Fort Craig. Mere they camped for the night, and after sending out a strong picket towards the Fort and a .«trong reservo to it, the majority sought rej)ose in quiet slumber, while all the junior Head-quarters meet at suj)erior ditto, when a council of war was held. Not being " a favored one" and a member thereof, I shall not attempt to give thif result of their deliberations and their conclusions. Suffice it to know that a campaign was jigreed and resolved upon. Sun-rise of the morning of February IGtli, found the "Army »>f New ^Mexico" in *-' battle line," the right wing resting on the Itio Crrande, the centre Mretched across tts valley, and llie left on the "]\l:issa" or table land. A position for our artillery, with a h'w hundred nharp-shooters, armed with double barreled shot-guns, as a support was formed and posted as OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 17 k rt'servp. A few moments of anxious suspense, and corrting around the bead of the river could be seen a courier fairly flyinp; through the air, as though the weal of a nation depended upon liis reaching- Head- quarters in a stated time. As he dashed by the lines the words from his lips, " they Coming boys," caused some little tmotion down the lines as it was repeated in answer to the question asked by ©very one: " what did he say V The blowing instrument was again footed, which toof. lite toot was interpreted by Orefu, Scurry and Co., as to say : "for- Avard march," then again came " double quick, gallop, march," and for- ward bounded the long line of Cavaliers at a sweeping gallop ; no oue'd voice being heard sav(; occasionally the command " right dress..'' TJiu.s they went until the bead of the river was reached, when lo, and behold, and" army of blue coats was seen, the first that ever met the eyes of ^5ibley's Brigade. Does auy one doubt but what queer emotions then rankled in l,h 3 bosoms of many, in both armies. When within SOO yards of the enemys battle line, a few long ranged I\Iiniiie guns ^vero fired by them which caused the command Halt, twice repeated, to be issued fiomour commander. "My feelings- at that vr.oment no tongue can ever tell." In the centre of the enemy's line, we sav^"; them give way to the right andJeft. What next, a dead silence prevailed through- out our lines. In a moment moi-e we seen, ay, heard the dead rumb- ling sound of wagons, flying, almost as it were at lightning speed, over the hard eurth ; then a blast of the enemy's bugle, and the tale Vvas told. " Artillery! Artillery, was cried down our lines. In a moment " mid dread silence," and the machines were unlimbered and in position. Next a jet of smoke and boom, boom, and the very air was filled with gravo yard sounds, as the missiles of death Hew hissing by. Every tenth man was ordered to the " front", where they were ordered to S5tay at ''all hazzard*." Our battle lino \yas then withdrawn out of range of the enemy's gnns, which when done, they Ceased firing, limbered up, and drove to the rear. Now came the strategiUic moves, and grand was the display thereof. To the entire satisfaction of all concerned, Gen. Sibley proved himself a wily chieftain ; yet Mr. would-be-general ap- pears to think that if the enemy had charged our position that they. " would have give ns particular h — 1," at least he so expressed himself to the writer, but sinco he is no General or Colonel, neither a Major or Captain, his say so can't bo taken as good adithority. About sun down the enemy commenced withdrawing their forces to the Fort, leaving a strong picket line, which wc also did, and likewise retired, not to our Fort, but to our strong hold. But one man was wounded on our sidf , (his name in the t.able of tin; wounded will show), bow many on that of the enemy never has been known to us. On the following night and day our engineer, sapper and miner corps were busy in finding a foul in the river that th^• arny might cross to the o])posito (East) side. Nothing unusual trftuspirt'd on that day ; a lord wa.-. found .and on the morning of the 19th, the army commt^nced crossing. By night the job had be«u completed ; camp was ogtablished about one and a half milos IS A HISTORY OF THE nearer tlie Fort. Then on the previous night, the men sleeping on tjieii anns, without unsaddlinjr their horses? ; order? were given to hav«' (hn-e davs rations conkfd. against day lightof the niorningof the 20th, which order was complied witli. as faras it was in the power of the men to do. Rations were then quite shorr, in so mucli thai some had none at all. Ten thousand times ten thousand conjectures were atioat nuiongst the men, and questions innumerable, asked in relation towliat was about to be done, and where we were going. Day light found our little army in their s: ddles. The command was divided, in the centre of which our wagon train was plnced. In that form tlie lino of march was taken up, and following the river back, we marched until wo crime in sight of the federal Fort, where the head of our column turned up a cannon obliquely to the right. " Where now V incjuired an individual whose propensi- ties to ask questions were greater than that of a Dutch .Tew tin peddler. The enemy seeing our move, sought to intercept them M-ith, by at first i«euding out their cavalry U) intercept our line of march, or " cut our communication," but on seeing that we moved " in body," and were prepared for the worst, let come what might, they retired after skirmish- ing some little with a few of our long ranged guns in the hands of our best shots. No one wa.s killed or wounded on either side as I have ever learned. Against 12 o'clock, M. we were six miles east and flirect- ly oposite Fort Craig, on a high mountain from which the Fort could be distinctly seen with the naked eye, Avhile with a glass, every thing in and around it, in the shape of a man was pfnfectl}' visible. It would not be presuming too nuich, to have an idea that every one in the Fort were watching us, and our every turn and move with patient eyes. Up to this time, ourjournay had been performed with but little trouble, but now comes the " tug of war ;" deep ravines (.cannons) were to cross, and high hills, mountains were to climb, after w^hich was done we were then far enough advanced above the Fort to commence heading in towards the river, which course was taken about ten o'clock at night, the river was nigh ten miles distant, over a level sandy plain, in which the Avagons would settle nearly +o their hnbs. Our teams were fast giving out, both for the want of food and water. Our horses were in a like condition, while the wantof the same was being felt by the men. After Iraverling all night, one half of the command at a time with the trains sc.inio pulling, pome pushing, and no few curbing, others Avero on tho look-out ; daylight tound the advance portion of tho Brigade within two miles ol the river, the Fort being in the valley below and behind higher hills than those on which our army Avere, it could not be seen. Famish- ing alnio!;t for the want of water, our advance ptished forward for the nv(u-, then plainly in view. When the cr«st of the table land had been gained so that the a good view of the valley in the direction of tho Fort could be had about the hour ol sun rise. Imagine reader what meet the eyes of the first one who looked in a .southward direction. No cornier was iiecessary to hear tho news back that they were coming ; liki' wild-fire it ffow, many were wont to leave (li« train and go meet tiljl) Sllll.KV HKKtADK. 1!i them, whilo others there were Avho firmly belimerl in having •' ;i hasc." This was ♦he ever memorable 2ist day of February, on which was fo«ght — THE BATTLE OP VAL VERDE— GREEN VALLEY. The bcitde commenced at 9 A. M. The enemy having taken their position in the valley between us nnd the river, and it being impossible for us to either dislodge or flank li. m, an open field fight was the order of the day. The enemy evinced no disposition to attack us in our position knowing that we were suffering for the want of wafer, and that we' were either compelled to fight them on their own ground or perish, they were content to allow us to make the first " pass," which we did by opening on them with Teel's, Riely's and Fulcrod's Battries. After dancing to our music for a short time they commenced (o move on our right wing. Being repulsed in this they determined to dislodge us by their artillery, which they brought from the opposite side of the river and placed in position some 600 yards in our advance, quite out of th^ range of our small pieces andvSquirrell guns. For a sliort time they pified a lively air for us. A cavalry charge was ordered on our right ; tw(> companies of the Second Regiment were the ones picked upon. " The Lancers" were drawn up in line of battle ; a charge was sounded, with ohouts they bounded forward. Scarcely had they advanced to within one hundred yards of the enemy's infantry coluuni ere twenty-nine horses lost their riders, and back the squadron came. In a few moments afterwards a charge on the battery was ordered. Seeing the column advancingjon the battery, Colonel Green ordered the whole line to charge. For a few moments the strife was terrific beyond description. The bat- tery WHS taken, but not until every man belonging to it was killed. — Such desperate fighting on the part of the enemy has never since been witnessed. Captain McCray, who commanded the battery fell pierced with many bullets whilo vainly trying to urge the infantry support for- ward to his rescue. In this charge we carried every thing before us. routing the enemy, we drove them to the river where they "took water" on short notice, more like a herd of frightened Mustangs than like men. Many of them were killed in crossing the river. In the charge upon the battery we lost the most of our killed and wounded. * Lock- ridge and Von Heuvell were killed and Sutton here received his death wound. The enemy formed on the opposite side, of the river. Colonel Scurry collected all the cavalry together in order to niak(^ the victory a complete one. On his reaching the rirer, and as he was just in the act of cro.ssing, the enemy sent a flag of truce to our Commander, asking to bo allowed to bury their dead. Under cover of the truce which was granted them they saved themselves by sudden flight to Fort Craig. ^lany wwre disposed at the time to censure Colonel Green for receiv- ing the flag. Yet as the enemy lost the day by crossing the river with their artillery, we would doubtless have lost much of our gains had we have crossed over with oox cavalry. This C^ilonol Green readily snw^ ao A MlS'J'oljr ()[' T1!K and now iliose who were thcit thu first to blame iiim, arj lb ^ lirsi l^ loramcnd him for his gc^iirralship on the occasion. ]i"sides th* battery we captiuC'i larjjft (juautiiics of provisions, and small arms aud accoutre inonts. K Very Yank, had one or more canteentiand (Invad baskot) hav- ••i-sjick, and every one disrobed hiipself on leaving the iicld. Many of thfir canteens were filled with whiskey, and it is said that those of the battery were tinctured v.ith I'atlnr. (>ur half starv<'d boys " {gorman- dised snmj»tuonsly'" on yanke.' lij^ht bread and other most deiicions eatabhs. That nif^ht we bivouacctl on the lield. The batthi being over, a victory having been achieved, the dead buried, and thn wounded cared for, m'c will proceed Avith the advance division of the Brigade, consisting of campanios of the Second Regiment, under tho command of Lieut. Col. H. C. McNeill, who re- ceived orders on the evening of tho — ~, to move on up the country with but as little delay as po.^Bible, and take possession of the town of Secorro, near 25 miles above. The order was obeyed with apromptnesa deserv- ing of much credit. Oncoming near the place, a few yanks came out and oflered light, which was given to them on their own terms without the loss of blood on our side, and but three killed and two wounded on their side ; seeing which they quickly betook themselves to flight, leaving a sacked and burned town to fall into our hands. Here oiir advance haulted and commenced iitting up a Hospital for tln^ reception of our sick and wonnded. A few .supplies were found where the yun- kces had hidden them, together with a eo?isiderable (juantity of medi- cines and hospital necessaries, all of which came in good lime. ()nr Medical Purveyor, Dr. (Jovey, here established a General Hcj.'^pital, himself the chief .surgeon, assisted by Dr. Samuel 13. Manny, a private in company " A" of the First Regiment, who for his ability as a ])rac- tioneer, his devoted kindness to tho sick, wounded and weary, as >vell as for His unbonnJed j)opulaiity, was shortly afterwards promoted to Assistant Surgeon. On the y4th, the army arrived from below and camped a few miies above St-corro. Here itwasthat Lieut, (.'ol. Scurry, commanding the V'iv.st Heirimiuit played tho part -of a skillful brave. Oin- horses for the want of iorage had been dying at the rate of an hun- dred per day. 'J'he artilliM-y was abmit to bo left; tlia largest half of (!ach lugiment l):id lost llicir horses, anel lor the patriotic purpose of rendering more (fineiint llie service, the First l^egiment were induced to turn over to the Quarterm.ister their horses and equipnients, to b(^ paid for, per pledges of Scurry and — , approved I'rrhrrly by (xen- cral Sibley, at their a])pra'scd value. This aa as the last or it, save tpc- casioually a few passing remarks made of it by tho victims. Col. liiely long- afterwards made endeavours to collect it, but all to no avail. — Coloncd Kardtsman also made several unsuccessful attempts. Somotinje in June 18(J4, shortly after General ^Vharton assumed command of the Cavalry corps of District of "West Louisiana, Captniu Ale.vfindor ad- dre'scd a memorial to the General acquainting him of th(> fact, and prayin^f^that measures Riivrht b.- lahen by him which woidd insure thi' OLD ?113LET BtKJADK. 21 Sfpcody collection of the claims for the benefit of those, who by law and uature could but look to hiin for their rights. In reply the , CTeneral jtssurcd the command that evfny thing within his power should b« done towards getting their pay, and that he had made endorscjments on it and forwarded it to Department Headquarters, Avhere it now rests and will foreA-er lay, nnthought of, unheeded and uncared for. 'i'his goes too plainly to show the manner in which things are conducted by those whose business it is to look after the comfort, well being and good condi- tion of the army in the field. While on this subject I may as well hero digress further from our line of history, which will be duly taken up »n another ]iage, and speak of thin Department (pay) in general as con- nected with our Brigade. By them itAvould have been considered an unpardonable sin to liavo been paid ofl'in any issue at any time when it was worth anything. The Brigade was first paid oil" some time in ^lay, 18G2, u)) to the 23d of ])ecember, IS61. It was next paid in February, 1863, (i> the 30lh of November 1862. Tlien again in Louis- iana .some tiuK* in November, 1863, up to July, 1803, and the last pay- ments received by them was up to October, 18G3. Money is easily made, and why iti it that any Begiment, Brigade or Division should be a year behind in pay 1 How comes it that the soldiers in the field are not paid in preference to paying the army contractors and thieving speculators? Why is it that 'f post duty'' men and the feather-bed soldiers are the first to receive pay ? Why is it that the Ilo.'^pitals — Fi(^]d Hospital — are not Kut)plied with money, and the iield soldiers ])aid while the money is worth something ; before the accursed specu- lator's pockets has been fiU.'d, and by his nefarious rascality and wicked designs against the good of our cause, country and people, its value has becmne so depreciated th.-U a duty doing soldier, when he gets it, can scarcely buy a meal of victuals, or go one hundred miles through even the patriotic State of Texas on two years pay. How can it be possible that our friends in 'JV-xas could ever expect to sec any cff iheiv friends belonging to the army — the field army — home on furlough, when it is utterly impossible to travel as an honest man with "a soldiers pay." Keturning now to where the Brigade was encamped on the Rio (Grande in the 'IVrritory of New Mexico, not many leagues from Socorro, wo will see what has bwn done there for the benefit ot a " bleeding coun- try." \\\{\\ the dismounting of the First lli-giment, and with their horses, mounting that portion of the Second Bcsgimenl, who through the casualties of war M-as on foot, as W(dl as fitting iip for the two batteries, I'eel's and the one captured, known as the Val Vwde Battery, a fine outfit of horses ; had perfected both of these arnio of th(> service, and made one infantry corjis, whicli with the battaiion of the J'hird Regi- ment, who were shortly dismounted by their own free will and accord, constituted the largest portion of the grand army of New ]\Iexico. — Colonel Green at the head of 400 cav.ilry crov^scd'over to the West side of thu ItioGrandej whiln Co). McNeill with an equal number remained on the Fast sid-. In.-i f.-v.. rl-ivf. the ;fri»v >\ ;ifc ;i'_'aiii on the move north- 22 A iJiS'j (iifT or I III-: ward. The enemy who wero then in a manner heleaprucfl inFort Craij^, had evinced nn disposilion whatt vt-r tu molest us. or contest the gmnnd with u», since the drnbliinp: they rei-eived rI our hands on the momora- ble 21st. A forward move was made. AUmerjuerquo w;us full ot' both Bupplies and (Quartermaster stores, the very tbiii^ needed by our boys. McNeill commahdinp was ordered with Major Pyron's, a part of his and company "A" of the Third Hegiment to move with all possible ha8t(" to that place, while Colonel (ireen on tho opposite side would move with him. At day lipht mid shouts and cheers the cHvalry com- mnndu moved ofl" at a brisk pace, followed by the artiliK'" .dose behind which came the " foot pads," as they designed to call themselves. Lieut, ])(iwden who wa.s a participant in the glorious atfair, in a letter to the Authrir says : " Our march from Socorro was accomplished without any thing of marked interest transpiring-, save occasionally a few astonished looking Mexican women, who were seen gazing with wonder, surprise and amazement at the " ruhcllc SoUlouxn." Not a blue coat was to be seen on the road, and not until within one mile of Albuquerque did we see any of their works. As we came in sight we beheld three largo columns of smoke assending. as it were, to the very heavens. This told the tale for us. Our advance had beeji made known. On our approach, instead of giving us a fight, the garrison, which consisted only of cavalrv, applie.i the torch to all the government houses and property in the place. 1 remember having seen an estimate in a Yan- kee journal of the loss at this place which amounted to ^S. 000, 000, If U could have been poHsible for us to have hindered thie. the Confederate Army of New Mexico would never have experienced any inconvenience for the want of rither clothing or commissaries. On this no doubt General Sibley bad an eye singly fixed long before ho reached the Ter- ritory ; and had the property, that was thus destroyed, fallen into our hands, Fort Craig with its entire garrison would have been compelled to surrender. J^ut again to Mvy to un and in short notice we were all well clad. C'aptain Ther- OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 23 mond immediately sent into tlio cotumaud there at Albuequerque 25 wagou loads of cominissarit'S and 29000 rounds of Ammunition, all of which was captured at this Post." Major Pyron continued on up the country to Sante Fee and above, closely followed by the Brigade, all save Capt. Ooopwood's company of Arazuna Rifles, and Capt. llardeniand's company, of the First Regi- ment, who were left to garrison the Post at Albuequerque. Pyron in the advance with companies A, B, C and D, of the Second Regiment, under the gallant ]\lajor Schi-opshire, brought on the eiigagemeut at .Johnson's Rancho, known to us and our History as — THE BATTLE OF GLORIETTA, Which was fought on the 2Sth day of Mnreh, JSG2, with the ;'ol- lowiug Companies, Regiments and parts of Regiments, commanded by Lieut. Col. Wni. R. Scurry ; Of the First Regiment, Companies B, C, .D, E. F, G, H, I and K ; of llie Second Regiment, Companies A, B, C and D ; of the Third Regiment, Companies B, E, F and I, together with Pyron's command. The battle commenced at an early hour in tlie morning, by the" enemy making a simidtaneous attack on our right, lel't and advance, as we were nvarching through the canon from which the battle took its name. As the "table of battles" will show, the ent my's force under Slough was more than treble our uumbers. The onset was most ter- rific. A moment ai>d the engagement became general, by our boys charging up the high cliffs on both sides of our line and bringing on a hand to hand engagement with the enemy, who occupied the heights and positions behind the cliffs. The conflict was desperate, but few of our men stopping to reload their pieces after they had fired them. Here for the first time in the history of the present war was H that guns Averc used as clubs, and knives were used as a weapon of v/arfare. For two long hours the battle raged with unceasing fury, with a despera- tion unequalled by any engagement of the war. The enemy fought with a desperate determination. With demoniac yells our little army drove them by inches at a time, as it were. Seeing that we were de- termined to do or die, the enemy's lines were finally broken, and that, too, with some little confusion. Their two thirty-two pounders, which had been doing us no little damage, were captured, but in consequence of our inability to remove them they were taken off the field that night by the enemy, who were allowed to come back and bury their dead — thus another violation of the flag of truce. On that night snow fell near one foot deep. Many of our wounded died from the effects of the cold. The lists of the killed and wounded will speak more plainly of the desper.ateness of this fight than I, who was not a participant, can. The Yankee account of it makes it one of the most desperate fights on record. Would that I could .'-peak more of it. Those braves who fougbt there deserve much of tht^ir country. The noble dead deserve more than a passing notice at my hands. Iti A HI8T0KY OF THE Mnjor Ragjuat, of tliP First, ami ^Lij. Shropsliirc, of th(> Soconil Ref^imonf, wt-ni both killed Ium-c. Capt. Buckholds was found dt-atl closi' by tbrce dead Federals, >vlio had undouhtedly been killed by his knife. He whs killed by ft sabre thruati the one doinp; it beiiip^ killed by the, Captain with hia pistol before hfi expir^d. Ihrouj^h the kind- ness of the obliginj; and justly popular Adjutant .1. Collins, I have bwn able to lay before you, kind reader, the followiiiij' address — the only official "word" tb.it I have been able to Keceive of the battle since niv journal was stolen at I'leasaut Hill : HEAn-Qi'AnTh»is Advance Divison Army ok Nkw Miixiro, ) Canon Clorietta, .March 29, \bii2. I Oenkrat, ORnBR )^ No. 1. J Soldiers — Yon have added .inother victory to the loii;^ Il,-^t oi hi- umplis won by the Confederate armies. By your conduct you have given another evidence of the daring courage and heroic eiidiiraiui' which actuate 3'ou in this groat struggle for tho independence of your country. You have proven your right to stand b}" the side of tliose Av-ho fought .and conquered on the red field of San Jacinto. The battle of Glorietta— ^where for-ix long hours you steadily drove before you a toe of twice your nmnuers — over a field chosen by theuiselves, and deemed impregn.ablp, will take it-; place upon the rolls of your country's triumph?, and serve to excite j-our children to imitate the brave deeds' of their fathers, i») every hour of that country's peril. Soldiers — 1 aui proud of you. Go on as you have commenced, and it will not be long until not a single soldier of tho United States will bo left upon the soil of New Mexico. The Territory, relieved of the bur- dens imposed on it by its late oppressors, will once more, throughout, its beautiful valleys, ''blossom as tho rose," beneath the plastic hand of peaceful industry. By order of Lieut. Col. WM. R. SCi:ilIlY. Commanding. Ei.LSDRRRV K. La,\f,, Adjutant. After the battle of Gloriotta had btun fought ai'd news of it had been received by tho Federals at Fort Craig, Canby, then connnand- ing, on he.aring that Federal reinforceniouts were rn route from ^lissou- ri, and would in a few days be .at Fort Union, which was but a short distance from where the late battle had been fought, premeditated a forw.ird move in tho direction of Albuequerque and Santa Fe, and by making a simultaileouB move on us from below, in conjunciion with Col. Slough'B forces I'rom Alissoiu-i, that wc would be conipelled to suc- cumb to the pressure. Gen. Sibley's head(|uart<"r8 were a few mileF above Albuequerque. On the ."Jd of April (.'anby's forces left Fort Craig. The advance under M.aj. Duncan, ariived at Socoro on that evening. Tho news of the move was conveyed to Gen. Sibley. Col. '"-r^en. with bin regiment, Wits :\ sliort distance below Sauta Fo. (Ju OLD SIBLEY BllIGADE. 15 the morning!: of the 6th the Federal forces, 1500 strong, appeared be- fore the -VN-ails of Albueqnerque. (ireen had been dispatched to on the previous day to move with all possible haste to the relief of that place. His marches will attest to the maimer in which this order was obeyed. The First Regiment (dismounted) and the Third, who were camped a few miles above Col. Green, received the same orders j and such marches as they made are not to be found in the annals of modern his- tory. The heroic little gan-ison, under llardeman and Coopwood, had done their duty. Fifteen hundred of the enemy, >vith all the improve- ments that late inventions had made to arms in u?e, as well as in can- non, were for thirty-six long and sleepless hours kept at bay, and finall}^ repulsed by the gallant little garrison, which, at the outside, did uot number over 190 men, one-half of whom w^ere armed with shot- guns, which were of but little use. Col. Green, and the ini'autry under Col. Scurry, arrived just in time to see the vandals flying, at Bull Kuu speed. It would be but wasting paper for me to attempt to give any- thing like an account of the joy expressed by loud and prolonged shouts which filled the air as Green was seen coming in and as tlio Yan- kee artillery was seen to "limber up," and the firing cease, as the long, blue lines of infantry were drawn oflf at double quick. For the heroic gallantry displa^'ed on this occasion, Capt. W. F. Hardeman was pro- moted to Lieutenant Colonel, and assigned to duty as commander of the First Regiment, vide Scurry, promoted to Colonel. Leaving the First, Second and apart of the Third Regiment here, v/e will now go back in the direction of Santa Fe and above, and see what thr.t gallant baud of brotiiers, under Pyron and Thurmond, are doing, in the wa}' of repelling Col. Slough's advance. On the lith they had quite a skir- mii^h near Santa Fe. Closely pressed, they were again compsdle-i to give them fight, which wan done without the loss of blood on our part. (Jn the J 2th Pyron arrived at Albuquerque. Something was now to be done ; with an army below and an army above us, either of which was twice our strength. Our army was in Albuquerque. Vve hrul fif- teen days provisions — full rations — 35 or 40 rounds of ammunition ptr man; all tolerably well clothed. Now cornea the tug of war. To fight •would be foolii^-hness, not that we could not whip either army, but that we had no way in which to take care of i-ur wounded. Wo had ammu- nition quite enough to figlit and whip Canby's forces, but not enough to whip both. Our army numbered but 2680 efi'ective men, whilst that of the enemy's, under Cauby, was 4800, and 2200, under Slough. They htdd the positions on us, and had all the advantage when it camo t > arms and artillery. A council of war held ; a forwaid move was agreed upon. But ii'w of our army kntiw the exact critical comliiion in which we w»;re in. Here I must again refer the reader to the account in par: given by Mr. Howell, of what followed : The retreat from Albuquerque commenct-d on (he 12lli of April, the First Regiment and a. battalion of the Third moving off first. The Second Regiment and Pyron's command, under Col. Green, remained 26 A HISl^OUY OF THE tmlil the next morning. Tha advance croBsed from the oast side ovrr to the vest of tlu* Kio Grande, and ])roceed»'d down tlie river as far as Las L;iuas, >vlu're it awaited the arrival of Col. Green with the rear and Brijj:ade commissary train. &c. Leaving Alhuquerqne iu the morn- ing, he arrived t Judge Beard's, who with his family were prejiaring' to leave the Territory. Col. Green determined to wait during the night near his premises ; and on the loUowing morning everything was iu rt'udiness. The line of march v.-as taken up with a view of crossing the river near by ; but on trying, the ford was found to be an impracti- cable one, on account of quick-.- ind, which renden-d it even dangerous. Col. vreen, on being informed that the lord between Peraho and Las Lunas was a good one, at once determined to move down to tliat cross- ing, which he did, encountering a very heavy sand betl for five iiiilea and rendering it impo.-;siltle t get the AViigous further than Governor Conclly's rancho — or l\'ralt4 — where he camped for the night i'l a Btroug position. The heavy wagons failing to g)rniug he was surprisied by the enemy, wha saved the mules and burned the train. Oe.r picket near by ^vel•e also surpri-sed and some of themcaptund. At eunrise Gen. Canby's forces appe.ired in front of our position, on tlie ea.-^t, aii.nng the sand hills. Their force, at t!ie lowest et^timute, was con)puted at 5000. Soon brisk and sharp skirmishing .commenced along our wh(dn ine. Our artillery and that of the enemy's exclia.iged the vrry w.irm- est complimen'.s. ILmc it was that the Val Verdu BaLu^ry wa.-. first tried by us. Such shot.s as were made by it on this i)ec i; ion are but rare occurrences in the history of artillery iiring. Every mm beK)ngiog to it proved himself a hero. Nettles here first distingUisiied himself as an artillerist, llumo, for his gallantry, M'as afterwards promoted. When it is remembered that Col. Green's whole force numbered only .OoO eflectivo men, witli but four pieces of artillery, and him regularly besieged, the mananivri. g and gallantry of the troops and their com- mander win be more du y appreciated. 'I'he <'neniy tried iu vain at various points to break our lines and force an entrance, and diive \is from the position mo held, but were foiled in i'\ery attempt by tli:; gal- lant little garrison, until 9 », 'clock, A. M., when the slieuts (rnalia of war, was in full view, just opposite and across the river trom us. In this way tide two armies marched the entire day, fr.'quently within ono mile of each other — all the time in full view. Occasionally sharp-shooters exchanged compliments across the peaceful bosom of the river, as it glided on "its winding ways to the sea." When one halted, "no matter how short tho halt, the other ditl likewise; neither, however, showed any disposition to engage in deadly combat. Thk Rktrkat throuofi Tin: MotriNTAixa of New JilEXico com- menced at 1 A. M., April 18th, 1862. It will bo rememliered that on the 17th the hostdo armies marched in full view and directly opposite- each other down the Rio Grande, the Federal forces down the East bank, whil^ the thinned ranks (from disease and bullets) of the Sibley Brig- ade, marched down the V/cst, with the infantry of each party leading the advance ; then the long trains of wagons, artillery •&;c., and last the cavalry. One party ma.ched or halted simultaneously with the other ; neilh;ir desiring to bring on an attack, but both apparently willing and tea ly at any time to engage in "fierce strife." At 4 P. M., when near- iijg the narrow pass through the mountains near La loia, both armits t-ncamped in full view of each other. Gen. Sibley knowing a collision to be unavoidable should he continue his march tlown th(! river on the following day, and that the forces from Fort Craig would be in his 'rout, while Sloughs forcoa would press him in th« rear. He called !_f 28 A IIISTORT OF THE a council of war and it wds determined to uiako a detour of Fome 100 miles around Fort Craig, returniu;:^ to the Rio Grande at or near Auiilia, 3 J miles below Fort Craig. Ca[)t. Coopwood know the route, and though wagons were to bo distroyed, and uiountaiua to ascend and descend, a trackless waste of ]00 miles to be traversed with water to be found only at certain points, distant from each other frequently 30 or 35 miles, still when the order was received to " wear what you can ; provide seven days rations ; dehfroy the remainder, and carry your guns and ammunition if you carry nothing more," every man immediately com- plied with the order, and at 1 a. m., April 18, 1862, whilt^ the camp tiros burned brightly, and the more so from the liberal admixture ot clothing of all de.scriptionn, provisions, pieces and " parcels' of wagons etc., with the artillery, cai.ssons, the caravan moved oS. T"« ^aid that at the council of war held home officer or oiricers proposed to des^troy th;* artillery, but to prevent that Col. IScurry pledged the services of liiiHself and regiment to carry it through. Whether he did this or not, could he and the heroic men of his Regiment been seen, as I saw them, toiling at those pieces o( arti.lery (Val Verde Battery) would be proof suiacient. But more of this anon. As I said at 1 a. m. we moved oft' to the M'estward. Marched until nearly tlay-light when wc halted, slept and rested until sunrise, when we again so' out for water. Arrived at 10 A. M. at a mountain creek ; water brackish but how refreshing ! — None can tell save those who like myself were feeble from eflectis of sickness and compelled to make the long marches from one point to another on foot, llere a portion of our caissons were destroyed, and the celebrated " Mountain Howitzers" of V^al Verde and Glorietta fame werti consigned to the Molluir earth. Buried in this mount.ain pass to prevent their falling into thehanils of Canby, Slouch &; Co. The guns captured at Val Verdt; alone were kept, with caissons 6lc, to be taken across the " App(fniiin's of Ni'w Mexico." A tew wagons belonging principally to Brigade Headquarters were also spared. Our rations, blankets, one frying pan, cofl'eo pot, a faw tin cups to each mess were carried on pack mules and a driver following on foot to keep Baalam " in ranks." And now reader just substitute mules fer camels and a dreary, barren, desolate, mountainous and " trackless waste," for the great Desert of Africa, and you have it. A caravan indeed ; not, of ad- venturous and money set king individuals, but a caravan of care worn, disappointed, feet sore soldiers. Viccoi'ious on every battle field, but defeated from want of suj)plies and great distance from assistance both in way of supplies and reinlorciinents. It will not be necessary kind reader, for you to follow tnc through the occurrences of each day in or- der to arrest your sympathy for the greatly fatigued, sick and suil'ering soldiers of the army of New iMcxicu Let it Huiliee to give you some- . thing lik(> a general account of this, " the second Napoleon's crossing the Alps." On the llitli of A[»iil, afier all incumbrances had been re- duced to the Val Verde Battery, a i\tw wagons, the sick &c., wo moved oflin a southerly direction, marching over mountain, valley and plain. OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 29 The column which on firet setting out in the inoming, was perhaps, scarcely one mile in length, towards the close of day would be at least ten miles long, owing to the sick ; broken down horses and men of the vommand. Frequently tlie cavalry would be halted to await the pro- gress of the artillery over some deep cannon, or up or down the sides of the mountains, where often the horses were taken from the pieces — it being difficult for horses to climb some of those mountains ev»'n with- out any incumbrance — and with long ropes attached, the noble men of the First Regiment by dint of great perseverance and endurance, as- sisted occasionally by members of the other regiments, on foot, and who happened to be at a difficult point. Too much credit cannot be accorded to those untiring and patriotic officers and men for their no- ble service in rescuing, as it were, from the grave, those pieces which have so often, since, on other fields of carnage, belched forth the mis- siles of destruction upon onr enemies. Much credit too is due the cav- alry portion of the caravan. Their picket duty vvas heavy, besides the great distances frequently walked before leaving camp in the morning, in quest of their horses, set at liberty the night previous in order to obtain something like a sufficiency of the dry, short grass to sustain life. The mounted men too, many of them will ever be gratefully re- membered by many of us, who very feeble from eflfects ot sickness, on foot, feet blistered and in many instances bleeding, parched tongues and broken down from fatigue, anfvinp: thirst at 9 a. m.. nnd soon aficr our hunger by cooking •Ml.'.]) jacks" and 'or.iiliiifj hi'i'f. Heni vre ri'm.aincd until near sunset, wh«'U ihc* ;iriih*ry and wm^'on.**, a.s usual, wur«< corned up tlio inount.niu and all encampod f.>r the ni-^ht. At 9 P. .M.. Col. Steele witii Battalion of 3d llngiinent met us. h:in;ring desp.atches and letters from Iiomti and loved ones, not he.itd f. oui in many month?. At fh»« hour of mid- night many, many a wojirv Jiud j^ick soldier could have been seen sitting around a li'tle bl zl' of tir — lorced to blaze by some friend " fanning" with his hat — rending letters from his raotiier, sister, sweetheart or friend. This was truly a niTrht of rejoicing with the army of New Me.Kico. Lett'TS from honv, and informed by Col. Steele that we could caf-ily reach the Rio (jrnndo on tho morrow, and that a large supply train was en route to our assistance. This was glorious news. No cneinv now between us and our supplieiii and fVit'nds. And on the fol- lowing day, as the broken dnwji " foot pad" hove in sight of the noble Ilio Grande and itHt»«riilo valley, ho war? led to exclaim " How beauti- ful !" " How fortunate to again be permitted to encamp on your banks!" " No more sr.ilering oti .■•,(•;• )'ini of water &,c." Such exclamations were frequeiitlv heard, espeeiiMy .^uiong thr.se or ns who brought up the rear on "foot back." The tlnui^ht too of eupplies soon reaching us v/'as encour.'giiig, for our seven days rations had now aln^ady lasted nine days, and it would be at le.ist thre<' days before we would meet the train. Thus a inarclx commenced April IStli, equalled by none of this sanguinary struggle, was effected without being harra.E. 31 among the prouJest and happiest momt'Uts of his aftpr life to meet with and recount their deeds of daring, and horrid sufferings whilst to- gether in ^ew Mexico. In this ho afterwards pvoviid himself stincore. Let thoss! of his old Keginient who were with tht-i& command at the memorable battle of Mansfield, attest to the manner in which he express- ed his joy on seeing the old fourth Texas Cf.valry (First Regiment) come dashing by hiin at the head of his brigade of infantry. That was at a moment when the tide of battle grew lii.T^h — when man's true noble- ness and greatm-ss is tho eiisier made apparent — and Scurry was him- self. But let us return to the mouth of Sheep Canon, five miles below the little town ot Alamosa-, on the Rio Grande river, where the army of New Mexico were encamped for the night of April 2Sth, 18G2. Weary, tired, sore-footed, more sick than v,ell, and half-starvKl, they wre to be seen : some washing, some sle«'ping, some caring for the sick, and some dying, whilst but few were cooking the ribs of some work oxen that had given out and wer • killed by the men who were the nighest starved. Companies D, E, G and — , of the Third Regiment, under Col. Steele, had met lu3 command out iu the mountains, some twenty-five miles from the river. They had four days full rations witli them at the time, which they divided to the last mouthful with the boys before reaching the river. I met the advance some ten miles further on than Col. Steele did, with the mail and dispatches to Gen. Sibley. It wns nearly dark when Cul. Ri(-!y and myself came to where the Brig:ade had just as- cended their last high hill on the Alamosa Creek. Such sights as I there saw is yet f're.-5h in my nn-mory. It would be impossible for mo to give anything like a graphic account of what I saw. Here it was that I saw grown manhood shed r tear; where suffering in all its types was be seen. Co!. Kiely's eyes r.ai water as he grasped the hands of Cols. Scurr}' and Hardeman, and greeted with a warm "how are you" and "howdy" eveiy one whom he met. We were thirty-five miles from the riv^r. Believing myself as able to walk as any one, 1 loaned my horse to my young friend Collier , and resolved upon takii:g it aloot, telling him to ride on to the front and get to the river that ray horse might i,ot suQer for water longer than necessary. Long ere I reached the t^iojiping j)lace, my feet were blistered, arid I would have "caved" had it not been lliat liundreds were still going forward who had traveled f<;r many days at that rate, and who Avere by odds in much worse plight than my.^elf, when it came to sores, to say nothing of hunger. . It is not my object to criticizes the generalship of any one in this work, yet I must hrre remark, as an evidence of liow b.idly we had whipped Canby and his forces whilst in New Mexico, that had he been disposed to light, In; surely let his good chance slip him here. Had he mo\-ed down the river — which ho could have done, with all eas. — to where we struck it, thirty-eight miles below Fort Craig, something would have been done, to say the least of it. Bnt now to the march for Sa A lllSTUKT UF THi: broad and meat — Fort Bliss, Texas, 150 mili-s. Di.-pa(clips had b<»en sent to tlie commanders bi-low to senft al Roblario and Donna Anna; tlie Seond at Las Crusias and Massilla. Tliurmond's company of the Third were sent out on a scout to the San Augustine Springs and beyond. Before returning many rattlesnakes, crawling insects and "varmints" were devoured by them, in order to keep lite, soul and body together. The First Regiment was sent to Franklin and Fort Bliss. Gen. Sibley's headquarters were establishe 1 at the latter place, at the residence of Mr. JM;igothn. On his arrival there he issued ;in order promoting Lieutenant and Adjutant Sayc.s, vjf the Second Regiment, for his gallantry at Val Verde and I'eralto. to a captaincy, and authorizHd him to have men transferred iroiii each ;)r any of the Regiments to the Val Verde Battery. The Captain luif. i no difficulty in organizing his company, which was finally CDinplotk- J on the 14th day of May, by the men el-'Cting the .oil )win^j o^Hc'^i-s : J. D. Sayers, Captain ; Nettles, 1st Lieutenant; Hume, .Jr. 2 i Livvt- tenant ; Fulcrod, 3d Lieutenant, all of whom have distiiigi.ushed lh<'ia- selves on many occasi iis since. The Battery preci.;Jed the c«nnmand down the country. It arrived at San Antonio some time in June, and, unlike the Brigade, was not furloughed, but proceeded on to Marshall, Texas, where Gen. Sibley's headquarters were. After remaining there a short time it went on to Louisiana, where it arrived several weeks in advance of the Brigade, and was in some warm engagements with the enemy before we arrived. With Waller's Battalion, it took the U. S gunboat Diana, on the 8th of April, 1863. Covering itself with glory, it participated in the battles at and around Camp Bisland, where its youthful captain, J. D. Sayers, was dangerou.«Iy wounded in ihe thigh and head. Nettles commanded the gunboat Diana in the light. For the gallantry of himself and men he received the applause of ihe whoh) army. Hume commanded the Battery at Vermilion Bayuu, where with but one section he kept back 8000 of the enemy, and com pi lied them to take from the lield their celebrated Nimm's Battery oi Na oieoa guns (this Battery was afterwards captv.red at Mansli id). At Bayou Burbeaux, Fordoche and the Lafourche, again it pariicii^.ited. I'iiea to Texas in the Fall of 1863; back again to Louisima in the Spring of 1864, where, at Mansfield and J^hasant Hill, it u<»biy austainefl its high reputation for gallantry. At Mouett's Ferry it exchanged but few shots; but at Mark.sville and Mansuria better shots were not n^ido than were by this Battery. At Yellow Bayou it so.iuded h.ud, and again heroically played its part. The table in the appendix will .show their killed and wounded. (Jn account of their horses being broken dowo, the JBattery wai Uft in Louisiana ia the Fall <»f 1»G4, wh»« ^m ■Ji 'A UI3T0UY OF THE iirigntlf went to Aikasp.-is. Nrnv that thi» Vr.l Vonlo is throng;]! with, we will return to tho ilrijjade wIutc- it wap when wn lelt it.. 'I'lio First llfgiinent was quarlfred in Fniiikli;j, and carape'l (Ooin- p.'iiiii/s A, li, K and G) oi)« uiilu IikIow Fort Ulif*. Nothing of much interest or iiQj>ort;inc«i avcuned while here. E\ ery one was Inokinp patiently tor the tinu» lo come when we wouM fake up the line i.f ni.irch for .San Antonio, since it hmi hecome known that that was our "sure destiny." On the niornino: of the 5th of June the fi)llel'ure 10 o'clock, who were soexhausttil as to bo unable to go any farther. Tho only thing in the shape of inediciiies that was along brlongfd lo a pri- vate individual. His stock consisted of two ounces of !,uida)unn, one ounce Essence I'ep|»ermint and three ounces of .Sj)irits of Cliaiuphor, all of which he divided with his sick companions. On le.iving Fort Bliss we were compelled toji-avc many of our sick, the greater part of whom died. As much to illustrate the ungratefulness of a part of (he lunnan race, I must here make mentiuu of a little circumstance connected with my own personal history. On leaving Fort Bliss 1 was so fortunate as to be the proprietor of a horse. A young man, a Mr. . to whom f was a stranger, yet forhisuviral demeanor and deportment, I had lonncd a feeling of friendship f'r hlui wliih; sick ; and on leaving, 1 sold him my horse, which he was uiiabie (o pay for. He was left at Fort Lacas- ter where he died. Afterwards his father who was ;i very w»'althy man at a time, Avhen money was money to t^very soldier, ilisputed (he ac- count and refused to pay it ; and besides walking fropi Kl ]';isso (o San Atitonio to accommodate his son, and if possible, gt^t him home, I was obliged lo discount liia son's ii«te in ord«r to realize something. This OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 85 is the way with tho world, witli the Rev. Mr. , any how. On ar- riving at Fort Quitman wc haliotl for one day, and Lieut. Barns with a party was scniton to Eagh^ Spring.^, the lirst watering phico after leav- ing the river, 36 miles, to have tho springs cleaned out, in order that water enough for the command m-ght be had on its getting there. At three o'clock P. M., the lino of march was again taken up. At dark a short halt was made at the head of the cannon. We had thus come ten miles up a gradual assent through a cannon, which is well deserving of the name it bears, cannon of death. Daylight the next morning found our little army on the march. The adv;^,nce member of the " foot pads" arrived at Eagle Springs about 2 p, M. Be it known that we did ndt march in line, but every man for himself and the wagons take the hindmost. At this place a ration for two days of beef and bread without salt, was cooked. The water bar- rels were tilled, and at sun down tlie march again renewed. At day break we arrived at the Van Horn well; the Indians had filled it up with carcasses and dirt, and our advanc, under John Barns, did not attempt to clean it out. We had thirty-eight miles now to make with- out water ; the v,'eather was excessively hot, our boys were already broken down ; our t<'ams were fast "caving;" tln^ road lay over a bound- lesi=» prairie. At 11 o' clock, a. m., a short halt was made to rest the team. Here the last of our water was driink ; twenty-eight miles yet to go. Hot ! hot! and no shade, vine or cloud to hide the sun or break its parching rays from on us. Here it was that v.^e were again made to suffer, such sniTerings too that many of us, myself for one, never be- fore had to experience, and God grant that we may never again. Many there were wlio gave completely out, and threw themselves down by the side of the road to die. Many kept on forward' with their tongues so swolen that they c»uld not articulate a word, more crazed than ra- tional, 'hey looked like frantic mad men. I remember feeing one man shoot a beef stear, that had been left by the herdsmen in their frantic flight for the water, and cutiiig his throat vnth his pocket knife drank of the animals blood to quench thirst. This I was aftei wards tol<: in- creased rither than diminished his thirst for water. The sun was nearly down, and fairly in viev.' was the hills at the foot of which the springs were situated — called the Del Mertia — Dead Jlans holes — yet they were fourteen mih's off. "(Jreat God have mercy Jipon us," I heard exclaimed by one of my companions as he lay down to die or be killed by the Indians, as he fold me, more in .=;iglis than in Avords. I myself laid down resolved upon jneeting the same fate, but life, oh! bow ](leasant ! prompted me to " try, try again." When witbin eight miles Lieut. Barns — who now sleeps tho sleep of death — met us with a wagon containing water. No on<« save those who have experienced it, has any justconce])tion of how refreshing that first quart was that restored life to many. Here it wa.'< that the soul of B. G. Allen was called frem henco to the G(>d who gavtf it. By Ua scU M A HISTORY OF THK and alonp, many Icagnea from civilization and his happy homo. HIh body now lies niould»;ring in the cold oarth. The Fpot i-^ m.irkod by a large pile of stones. Tears, man-hood tears wrre shed over his bier, as we quietly perlormed the last sad^jrites to " Collier." "IToI livinp nmn bchoM tlicir di'od?, And Rt'«^ tlK'ir numelos" crrilvc ; Th«"ir numes aredropt nt roll cfttl now. Nor will lliey anxwer more ; Yet will ihc\r deeds of va'.or live, Uemeraborcd as before."' After resting here one day we proceeded to the Barrel .Springs ; and the next day Fort Davis, wln're a part of our supplies were m t. Here we "gormandised aumptiously" on fat beef, the first for many a long day. Nothing of va.st importance occiUTed from th<.'n until the second of July. Early in the morning of which Ave left the Uoward Springs, forty-five miles to be made before reaching the next water, at Beaver Lake, at the head of iJevils lliver. At day light on the moining of the 3rd, twenty two miles west of the above named lake, lo ! and judge of our surprise on meeting the first train that was sent by our friends to our relief. I am g.ving a history of the Brigade of what it has done and of •what has beeu done for it, el.se 1 would aj)propriato several pages hero in giving an account of company "A" joy and happiness on meeting what their fathers, mothers and friends liad S'lit them, in the care of those patriotic, gray-haired .sires, Asa Wright, Eustace and their youn- ger friends, Francis Barns and Tinney. Clothing, soap and other cleansing arlicles, such as combs, &c., were by them received, to say nothing of the good, fresh corn meal, sugar, salt, bacon, colTee, and some little of the "crcter,'' together with some tobacco, the first seen by many in several days. Thus six wagons more were added to our train. It aQ'ords me pleasure, as an outsider, (o say that the boys were in no way disposed to be selfish or close-fisted with what they had received, but uivid''d freely and lo tlm last, with those of their companions whose friends had forgotten tiiem in their hour ol need, or had not yet had the time neces.-iary to meet them. From here on to iSan Antonio i-very tliijig went on finely. At iJenis, the most of the Brigade meet their friends with supply Iniins, with clothing, «5c.c-.. At iSaJi Antonio the Brigade wore ail iurlou^'hi'd lor GO days to go home and re-mount and le-outlit ihenjseh'es, ^nl)j(■et, however, to be called into camj) at a mo- ment'p warning. Those who had homes went to them, while those who had none, it is sujiposed, (lid the best they coul.l. Since the Govern- ment }>aid nothing, unle. no doubt has rocoivi-d considi-rabie. Th(!r;? aro many m«n belo-.jging to this Hrigade who have had their cot- ton pres.Sfd from them, and ha\ o neV'er received one cent in return for it, or never drawn one stitch of clothing fmrij the government ; and althougli tiiey have fought in every battb^ and have always had a gr.n, Vet neViT a grain of powder, le.id or caps have they used tli;it was im- ported by cottcm or the "L'otton liureau." What becomes of it? AVhere dues it go to? aro ([uestious now seriously asked by \\\o. soldier in the field, who has siiHere;! by means of its being pressed from him at home, and is now sutVering iov the Avatit of thai wliieli those who took it promised to furnish. In the face of all the.se things, v.ho could doubt our ultimate success, when banded together is our army in the field, and not even suchvilu treatment of their sacred rights and property as this is able to make them forget the duty they owe to their country, which is more calculated to make men become lukewarm to our noble cau.e;i than anything the ehemy can do to us. But now that the Brig- ade's sixty daVs furlough has ex|)ired, we will bid this unpleasant sub- ject adieu, and for I'art I of our lii.>tory prepare a farewell. Reader, W(f have been to New Mexico aud Arizona. We have borne alolt our battle iliig on fields made famous for our daring valor, and now as a farewell I will here give you the last rddre.'is of (Jeneral Sibley, on the elf»se of the campaign, reserving also .space for his otli- cial report, should I be so fortunate as to r«'ceiv»> a copy of it ere this is sent to the p\dili.-her. 'JMie following address slumld have been dated Fort Bliss, Texas, May 14th, 1862 : Soldiers of thi^ Army of Nnw Mexico : — It i^^ with unfeigned pridd and pleasure ih.-it I lind myself occupying a position which devolves upon mo the duty of congratulating the Army of Ne wMexii* upon the successes which have crowni^d their arms in the many ei»connters with the enemy during ^he short but luilliant campaij^u which has just ter- minated. Called from your homes almost at a moment's warning, cheerfully leaving friends, families and private aftairs, in many cases solely de- pendent Ujjon your presence and personal attention, scarcidy prepared for a month's cam]taign, in the innnediule defence of your own firesides, you have made a nuireh, many of you over a thousand mile.s, beforo ever reaching the field of aclivt! operations. The boastcul valor of I'exans has bt^iu fu'ly vindicated. Val Verde, Glorietfa, Albucjueique, reralto. and last, though not least, your suc- cessful and almost unprecedented (n'aeualiou, through mountain passes and over a lrach>«s waste ©fa hundred wiles through k fam'ishing c»ai- OLD SIBLEY BKIGADi:. 39 try, will be duly chronicled, .-incl form one of tlrj brightest pages in the liistor}' of I lie Second American Revolution. That 1 should be proud of you — that every participant in the cam- paign f.hould be proud of himself — who can doubt 1 During ihe short ])criod of inaction which you are now enjoyinff, your (general indulges the hope that you will coiisfantly bear in mind that at any moment you may be recalled iirto activity. C4od and an indulgent Providence have guided us in our councils and watched our ways : let us be* thankful to Him for our successes, and to Hun let us not forget to offer a prayer for our noble dead. ir. H. SIBLEY," Brig. Gen. Commanding. 40 A nisiouT or the I^.VltT II. Brigade Rrndrzvouscd at Mi/lintn, JLj/ipstcad, and drilled — To Hous- ton and bark — To Jlouston and (ialvcston — Gri(n and l)agby — Gunboats Neptune and Diana — Gaheston taken — MarcJt to Louis- ifjjifi — Batths of Bisland and Frank/in — Tbc ritriat to Nibhtt's BluJ}'— Back to the Bat/ — Taking of Bra shear City — Fott But- ler — Lafourche — Morgan's Ferry Fordochc — But beaux — The Third Rcfrimenl surprised — The Run of 2oth of Xurefibtr — To Texas — The Juurtiey — Exchavge of prisoners — Their siiffirings — Houston, Camp Lubbock and Harrisburg to Virginia Point via Sandy Point to Columbia — To Hempstead. Some time in October, after Gen. Sibley's return from Kichmond, (Jol. liii'ly, waR placed in coiiiinaiid of llie lirigade, receivt d orders to rendtzvuus at some central point, and witli as little delay as possible to marcli to Ivouisiana and nport to Gen. Taylor. Accordin.^ly on the 2Sth day of October, Col. Jlitiy issued an order refjnirin}; tin- Brig;a'ly to meet at Port Sullivan, Texas. A few days afterwards another order was proinulp:ated, requirin^r it to meet at Hempstead, or thereabouts. Tbia order was obeyed v.ith great promptness on the part of all By the 1st of December every thing was in camji. drilling, standing guard, and reorganizing, regardless of the wind or weather, which was ot the very worst type imaginable. "Without tents, and many without a sulfi- cieut amount of clothing, the suiferiugs of the men can better be imag- an-ined by the readers than described by me, when tiiey are informed that for three weeks, with scarcely any intermission, it rained, b'ew and froze at time.-;, insomuch that many there were who had scarcely hud a dry stitch of clothing on them for that whole time. On the 2bth of November. Gen. Magruder having arrived and tiiken command of the District of IVxas, New ^lexico and Arizona, some- thing was to be done ; and accordingly we were quickly on the march for Houston. Upon arriving at that jtlace, the Second and Third Jl( gi- ments were sent back to lienipstead, and the First to Cypress City. Here for a few days they again rested, until tlie plan of retaking (Jal- veston Avas thoroughly concocted. In the meantime the work of pre- paring our fleet went bravely on. By the 20th of December the steam- ers Neptune and Bayou City were cotton clad, and the Brigade was once more brought to Houston ; this time, however, without our horses. The whistling of the locomotive, the rumbling of the cars, the blowing of the bugles, at half-pa^t i o'clock on the morning of the ?*th of Da- OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 41 cember, 1862* will long be remembered by those of the Brigade who were then asleep at Cypress and Hempstead, Texas. By two o'clock everything was in readiness, and in a few moments we were bounding forward towards the scene of iicfion. By daybreak we were in Hous- ton — three long trains — three full reginienis — all shouting, cheering and yelling, as though "old Nick" had sent them to perform a duty which could not be done without a — ~ of a sight of noise. Freight- meH had no greal trouble in unloading their cars, which was quifkly done; and after giving two "inhuman yells," the ^/^/w^.v moved off at full run, as though something had b?en forgotten. While this was going on, a "fall in" was announced, and again we see the Old 8ibley Brigade in line, ready for a march to — through the streets of Houston. As we passed thruugh the city we were a little amused on seeing hrge posters stuck up over the city, calling for 300 volunteers to man the Neptune and Bayou City. A brass band (De Bray's, I believe) was being paraded throngh the streets followed by 186 boys, 2000 negroes and servants of all sorts, and two or more exhorters, calling upon the citizens, clerks and other civilians to come forward now in the hour of their country's need, and volunteer to take , which I did not un- derstand. "I'inkney" suggested — breakfast. With but as little noise as possible, we took passage on the Galveston Bailraad, as we sup- posed for its terminus ; but al.is! we were doomed to disapi)i)intmeut, and were halted ar llarrisburg. The advertising and drumming prc- ce.ss to get recruits tor the service, was not a paying one, and turned out to be fruitless in every respect ; .seeing which, Gnen profiVred his services to command the fleet, if he would be allowed to take his own men and pick his own officers, which was accepted on the part of the "powers that be." Col. Bagby happened to hear of it, and nothiug must do hut for hira and a part of his Regiment to man one of the boats. To this Green consented, and their regiments being close by, the required number of men were quickly got. The First Regiment and its officers never heard anything of it until the game Avas blocked, and bad no show to be represented. It was not because they would not go. Lieut. Grain, with some fifty of the men of the First Regi- »ient, tned «'very conceivable Avay to get on ; but 'twas no go. Lieut. Col. McNeill and Major Hoffman then moved their regiments down to Hariisburg, where the First was encamped. On the IJlst Green, with his fl.'ft, moved down the Buffalo Bayou to Lynchburg. On the Same day Gens. Magnider and Scurry, with Col. Riely, went to Virginia Point, leaving Col. McNeill in command of the Brigade. At 3:30 o'clock on the morning of tht; 31st, (Jen. Magruder sent to Col. Green, then at Union Foiuf, the following significant dispatch : "Col. Torn Green, Commanding Boats : "All is ready. The ptorming rangers of the land send greeting t© the Btonning rangers of the sea." (I:]. Green, in hi» official report, say* that ht r«aot, just on the turn in the direction of Broadway. It was as dark as dark could well be at that season of tho year, and I feel that I but express the opinion of all who were there in s lying that it was the most beautiful sight that ever met our eyes at any "bloody encounter" that we have ever participated in. Some three miuufes or more elapsed befort; the enemy's fleet risplied, and then — pause for a moment. Great Heavens! a flash, and the whole surface of the water was light(.'d ; and like lightning it kej)t flying from right to left M'ith such rapid succession that one could scarcely discern the j)auses or intervals between each broadside. Then canu; the thunder- ing sound — no. thunder bears no analogy to the sounds that there met our ear.- — ihe ground on which we stood fairly ijuaked, as broadside Tifter broadside wa.>-; poured into the city. At fir.st the enemy used hhrapnell and grape. As day dawned and they saw that our batteries on Kuhn's whan had been eaVctuaily silenced, they commenced throw- ing shells of all size.s and shapes. As we were tnrning in from liroadway towards Market Sijuare, by some unknown nu-ans the enemy became apprized of our whereabouts and of our move, judging from several shots they directed towards the head of our column. Some as- sert most positively that the first shell did not miss the head of our low- est man more than five feet. 1 remember very distinctly feeling "the wind." Uad it been but a few feet lower, with the correctness of its range, it would ha\e killed, God alone knows, how mauv, as it passed directly over the heads of our ("Ktire line. From this we double- quicked and took position behind the Custom House. Three well directed shots pierced that building through and through wliile wo were there. Col. McNeil! with his regiment, whs ordered to man a large 9 inch Columbiad that was half way in position at the railroad depot. At 7 o'clock tho enemy's fire became lighter. In a moment more, and tin; word "Green's coming !" "His fleet's in sight!" Now the firing on the city ceased. A fow moments dead and dread silence, and boom, boom, boom, the sound uf broadside af'ier broadside echoed aeross the bosom of the bay. For tho fight with the boats on tho water 1 v.ill again refer to Mr. Howell, who was a partici2)aut in the fray. OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 43 The guuboit expedition in the recapture of Galveston cousistefl of the steamt-rs Bayou City and Neptune, filled up and clad with cotton, accompanied by the John F. Carr, as a tender. The guns on the Bayou City and Neptune were manned by Company B, Cook's Heavy Artillery, Capt. Weir commanding. The marinevs on the Bayou City consisted of members of the Fifth Uegiment, Col. Tom Green com- manding; those on the Neptune of the Seventh Uegiment, Col. A. P. Bagby commanding. At 12, M., December 31st, 1862, the "chosen few" left their respective encampments near Harrisburg, and proceeded to the wharf at that place, where they soon went aboard, and each man was a.^signed his position on deck. The flotilla moved off at 2 P. m., following (of course) the meanderings of Buffalo Bayou. We halted one hour at Lynchburg for wood, and again started for the scene of action. Many a heart beat with emotions of anxiety, and in many in- stances painful suspense, though with confidence in the end. No one doubted that where the hero, Green, led but that victory was theirs. These men had braved danger on land, but never before on sea. The thought that perh;ips when victcry was theirs that a fatal shot might Bend them to the bottom of the briny deep^ Still (hey all moved for- ward, confident and anxious for the time to arrive when they could prove to Yaukeedom that "cotton was king," and that cotton-clad boats and Texas horse marines were not the insignificant "tricks" our enemy chose to consider them. At 12 P. M. the fleet passed Half Moon Shoals, and proceeded within five miles of the "Island City;" but receiving no aigoal, it returned to the Shoal and awaited the opening of the scene* At half-past 4 a. m., January 1st, 1863, at the firing of the first gun, already referred to, the fleet again set out for the scene of action; and who can ever describe the emotions of the men aboard those vessels, as they approached nearer and nearer that beautiful though terrific scene. Sheets of flame, screaming and bursting shells, showers of gi ape, and the report of heavy guns, all served to render it one of the most terrific, as well as beautiful, scenes that ever met the gaze of man. Still tho boats move boldly and defiantly towards the Harriet Lane, which was moving directly towards them. Boldly the combatants advance. The Neptune moving to the larboard of the Harriet Lane, and inteiuliiig to board heratonce, was struck somewhere near '"midships" and sunk to the bottom, though in shallow water, .and her crew were sj)ared a con- siderable swim by remaining on the hurricane deck. The Bayou City, nothing daunted, came to the rescue. Having burated her best gun, which explosion killtid tho lamented and heroic Capt. Weir, a braver man than whom never commanded a piece or batteiy, the Bayou City- ran up, grappled the Harriet Lane, and at the command from Greeu, his gaflaut boys leaped aboard, cutting the netting, and in a moment the boasted vessel was theirs. The others hoisted a white flag, and ignominiously ran out under its protection. Commodore Kenshaw, commanding, blew up his flag ship, the Westficld, and, it is said, him- self with it. Two schooners weru alio captured, laden with ooal and :» A niSTOKY OF THE provisions, and lost and be>t of all. Galveston, tlio lovply Island City of tlie Soiitli, was ^e^^cn^•d from f< dc'i-.a! rale. The B.iyou Oity was only slij^litly dama{;pd, as nlpo w.js the Harriet Lano. Cap:. Wainwrigbt, c nr.nandlnf^ tlie Lane, and many of his crew w»ti' killed. Tlit^ Nep- tune lost seven mi>n killed, priiieipally of the Third R.giment. I trust to lie able to furnish the reader with the names of those who composed the "forlorn hope" in the ntaking of Galveston. I sought every op- portunity to obtain copif.«; ff Col. Grenn's and (!en. ^lagruder's oflicial reports of this afTair, but signally failed in every attempt. The Battle of Galveston bi'ing over, and our killeil and wounded being c.ired for, our Brigule was moved out and cauiped near the Gal- veston Gass Works. Htre we remained for a fVw day?- Volunteers to man the Harriet Lane was c;illed for ; the full compliment of men were quickjy madt; up from our Brigade. The machinery of the boat had heen so badly injured, that on trial, it would not work. The vol- unteers were sent bacK fi th ir commuids without receiving a thankeij for doing what the}' liad much less any of the good yaiikee comtnissary and edibles on board, which Commadore , aj propriated for his own table. I have reference to the m.an who accused a p irt of out Brigade of acting cowardly, but was unable to sub.stantiate, or stick irp to what he said when Captain Burrows, of theTliird Kegiment. called upon him for an explanation. Oi: the niglituf the I4tli,we In-ard heavy firing at Sea in a south-westerly direction. ( fids us wi' af.erwards learned was the C. S. Steamiu- Florida wlnfi she sunk the U. t^. Steamer "Hattar.'iss.) On the l(3tli, the Brigade was again on the go, this time for Hempstead, llx'uce for Louisiana. Arriving at Hempstead on the 18th, the First Regiment were moved to Navasota, the other two in their old camp-. Here we drew a few clothi;ig and some few blanUels, the first ever drawn by the Brigade. On the 29th, we were paid off four m:>gby and Major Hoffman, all meeting near Chenuyvillo, Louisia.na, about the 1st of April. Oo the 8ih the First Regiment were camped on Bayou .Sal •, o!i the plantation of .Mr. Hud- son, where Col. Riely's Headquarters were established a few miies from Cloutierville. The Second Kegimeiit was camp.'d near the above place, while the Third were out " sloshing around" alter jnyhawkers, and volnnteeriug to man the gun boats VVebb and Grand i)uke, and OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 45 (I if I mistake not some of the "s^nll^'nt kniglits got their foot into it," shortly aftrr arriving at this place. Waller's BATTALroM of Thxas Cavalry was attached to the Brig- ade, and has since hcvn "one of us," participating witli us in all our hardships, and sharing with us that glory, if any we have acquired. This Battalion was organizt^d at Hfinpstead, T(!xas, on the 1st of June 1862, hy electing the following Hnld officers : Ed. Waller, Jr., Lieut. Colonel; H. II. Bopng Major; 1). C Proctor, Adjutant, Joe. Nurer, Sergeant Major ; J. iOIersh field, A. Q. M.; W. Hincs, A. C. S. ; Dr. R. C. Watson, Ass't. Surgeon, and Samuel Ferguson, Steward. The table of officers of each Regiment given in the Ajipendi.x, will show each company's organization as it was tht^n ; as also now. " It took up the line of march for l^ouis^ana on the 3d of July, 1862 ; fought the battle of Bonnot y magic, the Centre and left, together with the gun boat " Din.na," took up the earth quaking noise, echoed anew by the volleys of musketry which deafened the ears of all. "The shock of battle" was then over, 'i'hiity-nine pi(!C03 of artillery on our side opened the ball at half past 1 o'clock, P. .M. ; four thousand musketssup- ported the music front l)eliiiid our breastworks. Sixty-two pieces of artillery on the part of the U. S., closed the uctiou at dark, after six- teen thousand live yaiikees had danced to our music for two and a half long liours, and finely Were compelled to retreat without accomplishing any thing, lest it be considircd accomplishing wonders by having two hundred of their hirelings killed, and near live hiindri'd wounded ; and then didn't half try, as they did not come nigher than sixty yards of our works. Waller's Kattulion \ three miles above the town of Franklin, which when reached, would, in their opinion, render it utterly impossible for our army to retreat or escape. At half past 10 A. i\i., Ool. Riely received orders to move with all possible haste with the First Regiment and the Second Louisiana Cavalry, and one section of the St. Marys' Battery to meet Grover ; then advancing from Grand Lake, which order he obeyed, making a distance of nine- teen miles in one hour and twenty-five minutes. BATTLE OF FRANKLIN. Never will we forget the patriotic display made by the noble ladies of Franklin on our passing through their town at full speed, bounding forward to meet the enemy, then within a few miles of the place, and advancing at a rapid speed, as we were informed every few moments by the arrival of a new courier, "just from the front.'' The enemy were met three miles beyond the town of Franklin, at half past 12 M., by Captains Crosson and Linn, of the First Regiment. A warm skir- mish {So. 10) ensued. This should have been classed as a battle. At sundown the enemy's artillery was brought up. Darkness closed the contest. Our little army bivouaced on the tield. From below at Bis- land yet came tho rumbling sound of our big guns, ("old IJooue,") which plainly told us that all was not quiet there. At 3 o'clock on the Lioruing of the 14th, our scoufa reported to Col. Riely th t tho ■enemy were crossing the bayou, with a view of taking possession of the Mew Iberia road. The long roll was quickly sounded, and in & few moments we were on the march. Daylight found us dismounted and in battle line. As our artillery — one section — came up, an advanc* A HISTOin OF THE wasfoundtnl, wliidi wns made firftt through an open field some three hundred 3anli5 wide, then tlir-Miich a tract of thickly timbered bottom for a (juajtrrof a mile to the e(i<;i; of aiiotlnr ti.lfi, in which Grover and his nine thoiisand wi-w. pusttd — al.-^o in line of battle. As we :ip- proaclied (he fieM our battery dashed by us at iull t^peed, and in u few ino-nenis it was in position. Tlion again the dtadly sound and chibh of arms broke the stillnesis of the morn — " Londi'f. and yet more loud. I lioar the alarms Of biimiin CPU'S dihiinef, und cla»faiiig arms." It wa> hut a few moment.! until th.; engaj^ement became general. The Fii.<;t Regiment, <<'ninian and here they come again." Another fight, and another run. At Washington, by softie means or reasons not known to me, the Brigade was divided. The train, with all the sick and dismounted, took the road leading to Alexandria, and from thence to Natchitoches. Wal- ler's Battalion also took this road. The Brigade, under Green, "filed to the left" and went in the direction of Niblett's Bluff, at which place its advance arrived some time in the first of May, living on poor, blue beef, without salt, for upwards of three weeks. After lying at this place for nearly two weeks, without anything to cat save what they could find in the piney woods, the good conirai^^saries of Magruder's district had the kindness to send us a car load of provisions to the re- lief of Green's men, who "ain't worth a d — n for anything else but fighting." I was not along at this time, having been left dangerously sick at Washington. I was taken a prisoner on the 23d of April, the day on which the enemy took possession of that place. I hope that I »nay not be considered egotistic in speaking of myself as ''I," "me." .fit A HlS'i'ORT OF THE 6lc. Sans pfpiH, sonddt. Consequently I sball not speak of mj im- prisonment, or of my ndventiircs ere I was roloas.fl, under pamlc, at City Point, Va., on the 6th of July, 18fi3. and from there back to my command in Louisiana, by way of my father's residence in Western Texas. Suflice it to say that I. like most all others who have been so unfortnnate as to fall into th ' enemy's hands, was calumniated, slan- dered, not by my honorable compauioha in arms, but by a home insti- tution — (hi! like of which I have spoken ot before — who never has nor never will smell gninpowder in this Avar, unless some friend should hap- pen to shoot a partridge in his presence. My imprisonment served to teach me the same lesson of the Yankees that Congressman Ely was taught by his conflneinent in Richmond, as he expressed himselt after his release, that "we arc lighting a people desperately in earnest," not alone on our subjugation, but also on the overthrow of our institu- tions, and the general destruclion of our country. The pa}' of a Yan- kee mercenary is nothing when compared to the prospects ot his pil- laging and plundering one Southern citizen's residence of its plate and jewelry. "While one fights for T^nion. two fight for Greele^^'s doctrine, and three for booty and plunder; 'iMie first class fight for concjuest, victory and glory. After talking some time with Gen. Banks, he ad- hiitted the prospects of our ultimately accomplishing the end for which we fought; but, says he, "we will overrun and destroy r.o little of your country before that day comes for you." Such, indeed, has been char- acteristic of his policy irl his iiivasions through Louisiana. The war spirit in the North is kept Up chiefly by their lying press, and by their authorities not allowing papers to be circulated in the army. But to the Brigade. On the 18th of i[ny tlie Brigade left Niblett's BlnfF. again for the scene of action. On the 20th the retreating army of the enemy wa3 overtaken near New Iberia. A short bitt spirited skirmish ensued, followed by a long run, both aiming to reach Franklin, which place Gen. Weitzel reached first, and thus saved his army and booty. It is said that if Green's plan had been heeded, that the entire outfit would have fallen an easy prey to the Brigade. The enemy were chased to the Bay, where, under the protection of their gunboats, they were safe. Thus ends the Spring campaign of Louisiana in 1863. For its fruits we have but exp»'rience with which to guide our future course. For the defeat at Bisland, (as many have been pleased to call it,) no one was particularly accountable. Gen. Ta3'loi- could not have done more than was done with the forces he had ; yet it is thought that had Gen. Sibley's policy been carried out, the result would have been vastly dilTerent. IIo wjvs opposed to fortifying lower down on the Teche than New Iberia. In this ho v.-as overruled both by f!en. Taylor and pub- lic opinion. On the retreat Gen. Taylor placed Gen. Mouton, a junior officer, in comiuand, over G mi. Sil)ley, and ordered Gen. Sibley to takei command of the train. Why, none knew. Gen. Sibley was after- ^ardij mad'j to bear, il^ possible, all the blame of the unavoid'ible ca- OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. «^ iaraity. "Big fish eat little fish," &c. Sibley was placed under ar- rest, a court of inquiry was called, and he was honorably acquitted ; yet he was not restored to a command, greatly to the dislike of both citizens and soldiers generally. And now that our history parts with the one from whom it and the Brigade takes their name, in bidding Gen. Sibley an adieu, we do so under the full conviction that we have parted with a high minded, noble, valorous and gifted officer, endowed with a principle too lofty and honorable to deign to any acts calculated to wrong any one, let him be whom he may. But now to our Brigade, under (Jreen, (by whoe^e name it will be known from this forward,) for a season of campaigning throughout Louisiana. Returning from the Bay — where we last left them — the Brigade was camped some four miles above the old Bisland battle field, where it reraai ned for some few weeks, making preparations for an onward move in some direction, known to none save Gen. Green and those over him. By night and by day the work of collecting together and making small boats went bravely on. For what purpose this collecting such a number of boats and skifi's and the like none knew, and no one seemed to be very inquisitive about it, all apparently being satisfied that Green knew what it was f«»r. In the meantime Gen. Mouton, com- mandant of the force#* south of Red river, arrived and assumed com- mand. Active operations could now justly be expected, I can giv« no better account of — THE CAPTURE OF BRASHEAR CITY, Than to give Gen. Green's Officialreportofthebrilliantaffairwhic.il is herewith given verhaiim ct literatim, as also Mr. Howell's discrip- tion of the " Mosquito Fleet." Mr. H. appears to have a natural weak- ness to join in any and all water expiditions and " forlorn hopes," A« it will be remembered I was a prisoner at this time in New (^^rleans. — For a long time the " Era" and other Yankee tools in that city, in vain tried to deny the fact that Brashear City " had gone up.'" On the night of the 2Stb, when the news was positively confirmed in our prison by the arrival of a iew prisoners belonging to Pyron's Regiment, one continuous and prolonged shouting might have been heard even across the river. We became so boisterous and noisy, that the 26th Mass., who weit^ guarding us, was compelled to call for rein- forcements. On the 30th, fearing that Green, Taylor & Co., might move to our aucistance and relief, they boxed us up in tlie hold of the Bteamcr (Jatwaba, and consigned us to the care of l^ntler. at Fortress ^Monroe, who labled us " prisoners, with care," and delivered ns at City Point, Va., on the 6th of July, under Parole. HEADQUARTI' RS, FIRST CAVALRY BRIGADE, ( 0.\' THK Lafoukche, La., 2Gth of Jlnis, 18G3, ) Gkveral : — Early in this month I was ordered by you to the lower '.f eche for the purpose "f reconnoitring thf * ne my at Brashwar City, au(j 5» A HISTORY OF THE to collect together nrnl fit up light boats preparatory to making a descent upon tho enemy if" practicable. While engaged in tho execution of these orders, you came down and assumed command, orderinfi^ mo to advance towards the Bay. On the night of the 2Sd inst., in accordance with orders, I moved to Cochran's sugar house, (two miles distant from the Bay), with the 5th Texas Cav- alry, 2d La. Cavalry, and Waller's Battalion and the Val Verde Bat- tery and a section of Nichol's Light Battery. Leaving the horses at th^t ])laco, I advanced the trocips — above mentioned — on foot before daylight, to the village of Berwick, opposite the enemy's encampment. At tho dawn of day, finding tlio enemy quiet and asleep, I opened fire upon them from the Val Verde Battery, the first shot exploding in the centre of his encampment, causing the greatest ponfasion, the distance being only about 900 yards. We fired forty or fifty shots from our Batteries before the enemy replied at all. The first shot fired by the enemy was from his gun boat, which was at anchor in the Bay, a short distance below our position. After daylight the gun boat advanced towards us, as if to contest with our Batteries — the position we occu- pied on the water's edge. But a few well directed shots from the Val Verde Battery drove the bout back a mile below, when she opened upon us. The shot of the enemy was so well directecl4hat we found it nec- essary, several times t(j shift the position of our guns and caisson. The heavy gun on shore which first opened fire upon us from the principal Fort above Brashear, with the garrison of that Fort, was brought down nearly opposite my position, and opened fire upon me. With tho run- ning of the gun boat and throwing out this heavy gun, most of the gar- rison of Fort Buchanan left the above — — to the approach of Maj. Hunteri' command, in our little flotilla to Segras Island. 5Lijor Hunter who had moved from the mouth of the Teche during the night of the 22d, on board our Mosquitto fleet, landed unperceived and unsuspecting to the enemy above the defences, and making his way through the swamp, about 7 o'clock on the morning of the 23d, attack- ed the enemy in his r«ar, while I was occupying him in front — com- pletely surprising him and routing him. Tho enemy surrendered their defences and the town of Brashear about 7i o'clock on the morning of the 2.3d. Major Hunter's couunand consisted of about three hundred men from Baylor's, the 5th Texas Cavalry and Waller's Battalion and the 2d La., (picked men), After crossing a part of the troops, I was ordered to pursue the enemy to the Boouf. During the evening of the same day 1 had an animated skirmish with him at the Ramos, where he had burned both the railroad and all the public bridges, and was well fortified ; but finding that 1 had flanked him with a portion of my command, on the east bank of the Ba^uf, he quickly retreated. I threw a small detachment over the Romas on tho night of the 23d, and moved them as close as possible on the enemy, then on the Banif. ('okn^l Major's command being behind the enemy, and it being dilliculL foi Ir.m to ,"sc*pe, about four hundred strong surrendered abopt daylight ou the OLD SIBLEY BRIGADj:. 63 jnornipg of the 24tli, Our troops during the three days campaign did their duty on all oceasions. The result ef this brilliant aflfair of arms'" is very great. Besides the killed and wounded of the enemy, and eigh- teen hundred and odd yankee prisoners, and two or three thousand ne- groes — which they had stolen — and three millions of dollars worth of Commissary stores and Quartermaster's stores; we havtue-captured one of the most important positions on our seaboard, which commands the Kew Orleans and Oi)olousas railroad, and our brilliant success has greatly demoralized the enemy. I am. General, very respectfully. Your obedient servant, THOMAS GREEN, To Qen. Alp. Mouton. Brig. Gen. Oomd'g. THE MOSQUITO FLEET. Termed so by the members of the "forlorn hope," or those who were engaged in the s'^orming of Brashear City. It may he necessary to explain what vegsels constituted this fleet. They were the "Tom Green" and fifty-two others, which either had no name, or if they did, I don't remember them. The fleet consisted of 53 skiffs, bateaux, dug- outs, flats, &c., collected along the banks of the different bayous. This work occupied several days, and all, from the "powers that be" down to the private, were engaged in endeavoring to find the meaning of such preparations. Oar boys had fought on land and on the cotton clad boats Bayou City and Neptune, but when it was suggested by some one that they must now fight from on little frail barks like those, the idea was considered absurd. But we were not to be kept in anx- ious suspense many days, for on the evening of June 21st, 1863, por-; tions of Baylor's (Tex. Cav.) Regiment, Waller's Battalion, Second La, Cavalry, and Clough's company (C) of the Fifth Texas Cavalry, num- bering in all about 300 men, were ordered to provide three days rat tions of flour and bacon, (sure sign of a tight in our Brigade to this day,) and with good arms, 40 rounds of cartridges and one blanket to the man. report, on foot, to Major S. Hunter, of Baylor's Regiment, near the junction of the Teche and the Atchafalaya. We now were led to believe there was fun ahead, though having no correct idea of where we were going, how long we were going to stay, or when we would return. Arriving at the Major's headquarters, (in the rain,) we were ordered to take shelter in an old barn close by, and await the arrival of other vessels — those on hand not being sufficient ta transport the entire crew. Wo remained h re until the evening of the 22d, when about sunset we got aboard, and with cheers shoved off, Jeavingthe bank < rowded with friends (of the armj) who had come to sec us take our departure from terra firma. Truly it was a novel pcwne. Fifty-three skiffs, dtc, all crowded and loaded down to "the guards," and marching first by twos and then promiscuously down the beautiful Teche to the junction, thence up the Atchafalaya into and *4 A HISTORY OF THE across Grand Lake, thenco tliroupl) passes in tho timber and OTer two or tlircc, other lakes, (the names ot which I have long since forgotten,) and while near the centre of one ot these, lights suddenly appeared in the distance on the water, and in a moment all was silent as death. Tho fiulilla was halted, so that even the oars — uiufHed with moss — could make no noise. Soon, however, but when all wen? in constant expec- tation of being sent to "Davy .Jones' locker" by a broadside ol grape or other weapons of gunboat warfare, a signal was given which assured ns'that it was the lights of our transports en route to the Hay, instead of Yankee gunboats, and we again moved olf for Flat Lake, the water of which was «o shallow that tho boats frequently touch. 'd bottom. '1 he boys had by this time become weary of rowing, though the occu- pants of each boat took it by n-liefs. Tke "Tom Green" was tho lar- gest of the fleet, and carried fifteen of us. She had double oars, and with three reliefs of four men each, and a steersman for each rtdief, it will be seen that every man did his duty. Tho labor of some of tho crews of the smaller craft was much heavier. I remember seeing fre- quently during the voyage two of Waller's Battalion, who embarked in a dug-out, and cousequ-ntly were compelled to pujl at tho oars all the while, and when out of sight of land and the wind rather high, they Were often asked "when the nest relief camo on V liut there was uo relief for those two until land was reached. The night being very dark and the boats, on account of the wind, being dillicult to control, and especially as our boys knew little of naval atiairs, a portion of the fleet with nearly 100 mm were lost and did not arrive in time to par- ticipate in tho storming of the city, of which 1 shall now speak. At daybreak on the morning of June 2'3d, we landed on the eastern shore of Flat Lake, dried gun tubes, loaded pieces, and set off for sceuo of action by single file, tlirough mud, water and the tall palmetto. Reader, you have perhaps iieou amused, and at a time when you were conscious of no danger, but could you have seen thi' crew of the Mos- quito Fleet wading through that mud and Pahnotto, and though the artillery of Green and Yankeedom were exchanging very warm, aa Well as very loud compliments across the Bay, and every discharge distinctly heard by us ; and could you have heard the many remarks — droll, witty and amusing — you could not possibly have repressed a smile at least, though you kn !W you ^vere fast approaching thous- and Y'ankee bayonets, fortilications, artillery, &c , and that you were now entirely separated from friends by water. After marching foqr milos in that swamp, we suddenly emtsrged from it into a large field, where we came "front into line" in full view of the city and the boom- ing cannon. Here we threw down blankets, provisions and every en- cumbrance. Major Hunter then, in a few brief remarks, reminded us of our condition, and that we mu.st now either storm tho place and tako it, or all surrendtjr to the Yankee commandant of post. Wo then moved forwaid, in lino, in direction of the main tort some distance, when it WM8 determined to change tho plan of attack. Capt. Clough, with hi§ OLD SJBLET BSIGADK. 55 company, was ordered to move against the heavy siege battery, near the Raihoad depot, with detachments of Waller's Battalion and Second Louisiana for support ; while JMajor H., with remainder of force, moved against the fort. So closely was the enemy watching Green's move- ments across the Bay, and not dreaming of an attack in rear, that Clough's column approached within 300 yards of the encampment with- out being suspected as rebels. Just at this time a captain of artillery came down the lines, (Yankee,) and supposing txs to be the railroad hands coming in to assist in the defence of the place, he pulled off hia bat and beckoned us on. Some of the company supposing this to be a challenge to "come if you dare," and though orders were expressly given "not to fire until you get among them," fired at the gentlemen, killing his horse, and with one accord all with a terrific yell set for- ward in a run, and soon were among the tents, capturing all the sick and those who had not yet completed their toilet. The men on the look-out came tumbling down, and the batteries ceased firing on Green. But about 200 "blue coats" concentrated along the track and behind the cars, and for a time halted the company. Soon, however, Wallm-'s and the Second La. detachments came up, and wilh one more yell and charge the day was ours. Major Hunter's column capturing the fort without any resistance, and the garrison of the entire post fell into our hands, with the exception of the Colonel commanding and a few officers who escaped on a gunboat. The supplies of quartermaster, commiB- eary and ordnance stores captured were immense, besides 2 locomo- tives, 80 cars, 1800 prisoners, 12 siege pieces, many small arms, and, as Gen. Banks expressed it, "obtained possession of the key (Berwick's Bay) to Louisiana and Texas." Our (forlorn hope) loss was three killed and twenty-one wounded. For detailed account of Gen. Green's operations across the Bay, during the action, I can with much pleasure refer the reader to his official report of the brilliant aflair. On the 2Gth Green received orders to move on Thibodeauxville, which order was executed that day and night by making an almost un- precedented march. No enemy was found at this place. Gen. Mou- ton arrived that evening. Gen. Green was ordered to send one regi- ment of his Division to Raceland, on the Lafourche, and witli the bal- ance of his cavalry proceed without delay to Donaldsonvilie, on the Mississippi river, and take poss«3S.sion of the Federal fort at that place. Waller's Battalion was sent to liaceland. Gen. Green, with the Divis- ion, (his and Col. Majors' Brigades.) took up the lin(! of march at half- past 7 o'clock p. M. After njarching the entire night they were en- camped iu nine miles of the fort (Fort Butler) about sunrise the next morning. Luring the 27lh the jaded troops and horses were restedj and all the information which coull be procured in relation to the situ-i ation of the fort and its defences was being collected. A pontooii bridge, made of sugar coolers, was placed in the Lafourche, and Stone's Regiment was crossed over to th« east side of the bayou, with orders to advance on that side torarils Donildsonville. During the night of «6 A IIISTOKY OF THE the 27tb thf cdtnmand was ndvanccd to within one mile an^ n half of the fort, wh<*n it av.os dismounted, Gen. Green having determined apou the j)lan of • Hsanit; "I called," says he, in his dfficial report, "the officers commanding regiments together, Jind explained to them sj)ecifically the position each one was to occupy in the assault. Mj^nr Shrninnn. with the Fifth T. M. v., (Second Regiment,) was to perform a circuit around the fort, reach the Mississippi a mile above, and advance dewn to the stockade bf upright timbers set in the ground from the water's edge to the line, and there make an entrance. "Col. Hardeman, with the Fourth T. M. V., (First Regimeat,) was to move up the road, up the line of the Lafourche, and simultaneously with Shannon to make an entrance through the stockade' and assault the garrison within the fort. • •••••• "Both Shannon and Hardeman were charged that they were ex- pected to take the fort, Avhik* Phillips, Lane and Herbert, with their regiments, were to envtdop the works, moving up around them to the brink of the ditch, and shooting down the cannoniers and the sup- porters of the same behind the ramparts at the distance of 16 or 17 feet. After a full explanation the commanding officers of regiments of the plan ot attack, and i'urnishing Shannon an of his regiment moved around tlie stockach-, through the water-^— which Was not deep — into the foo-t. "Hearing the small arms of Maj. Shannon, I ordered an advance of the whole linr near Mr. Naches' plantation, on BigUane, and were drivon back to Bayou Ue Glaize. On the next morning our artillery was brought up and after wasting but a few rounds of shells, n crossing of a part of our cavalry was effected. The enemy were driven Lack and the liiigado was crossed over without molestation. Septem- ber the 7th found our boys again' in battl<< line and in hostile ai'ray to the troops of the " best nation, of the world'' at — MORGAN'S FERRY. A little battle was fought ; the enemy were again repulsed and driven back with great loty fell back to Mr. Catlett's, on the Fordoche, where they held fjuite a strong natural position on us, insomucli that our advance under of some 25 men, chielly from the First Regimi'nt and Waller's, were compelled to fall back to a Bayou, some two miles distant, where our out post was established for the time being, la trying to roconnoitr* OLD SIBLEY BKIGADi:. G3 and to find out the enemy's position and strength. There was not a day passed by without more or loss picket lighting, but with few cas- ualties. It was General Greens firm belief — ■vide his official coiumunicatious to Gen. ^lonton — that he could "drive the yankees into the I^Iississip- pi, or make them take to their boats." Gen. Moutou forced an advance up the Teche. Major's Brigade was taken away from Green to repel a supposed invasion up that stream, which they did without the loss of blood. Green on learning that the Teche invasion was all a " hoax," applied for Major's Brigade to be moved back to its old camp, iuforiu- iug his superior that sugar coolers quite sufficient had been collected to cross, if necessar}', 10,000 men over the Atcliafalaya in a few hours, and that he contemplated a forward move On the moru'ng of the 21st, his request was complied with, yet not without a certain degree of re- luctancy, which had niarked Gen. Mouton's official bearings since his disastrous afi'air before Fort Butler. On the morning of the 2od of September, a j'ouug man by the name of N , made his escape from tho Yankees at Morganza. He came to Gen. Green's Headquarters to " make known his secrets." At first the General received him rather coolly, but on hearing his tale, the young man was furnished with a small scouting parly which he promised to convince of the truthfulness of his assertions, which were in substance : that the enemy were " at Mrs. Slerkng's and JIrs Catlett's, on the Fordoche, withaforce of 12 or 1500 men, v ith one ]3atte.ry. Mrs. Sterling's was one mile in the rear of Mrs. Catlett's, on the road to Morganza. At her house the infantry was camped ; the cavah-y and artillery were posted at Mrs. Oatlett's. Early the next morning K and his party of five men returned and fully confirmed the statement made by him the day previous. Where- upon General Green wrote to General Mouton that he had " determined upon an assault." By night and by day the work ofpreparir.g to carry into execution his intentions went on; yet not without many draw backs. Tho steamer " Minerva," was to have been there to assist him in cross- ing, &c. On the 26th, he wrote to the commander of the Sub District, tha* " what ever is done here must be done with celerity." At 10 o'clock that night he writes to Col. Major : •' I have determined to at- tack the enemy as.soouas it is possible for you to have a regiment on their flank." The reader must here be told that ior ten days and niglits, neithei the sun, moon or stars had been seen by the denizens of the •' tented field" and "swampy forests," that it had rained without scarce- ly an intermission, during that whole time. No words within my knowledge which Webster u.ses in his Quarto, could portray to the rea- der a correct idea of the state of the roads, orthe real hardships endur- ed by the men, all too, without a murmur; "like officers like men," all suffered and all equally did their duty. On the 27th, at 12 o'clock in the night, everything being ready, a forward move was ordered. Three days rations had been cooked ; three days forage and provisioHS wero left at the camp together with a detail— mcstly tlic sick— of men to Oi A HISTOKY OF 'J HE lakecliargp of tbe c.unp and horecs No betterdescriptiou or what fol- lowi'il cMi he given tl.nii that givt-n hy General Grem in* his olVicial re- port, which ihioiigli tin- JiiiHlncPs of Colonel McNeill, I am enabled to give ti» ihc reader, and that without comiuents. His lirst report an- nouncing tlic victory, written Irom tho field runs as follows: " !Mnj(ir-^I have the honor to announc*; that my plans originally communicated to you have bt'cn successfully carried out yeslerdav, and another victory achieved over our enemy." Then codhs his ofljcial leport: HuADQi'AinKUs FoRriis ox Atcuafala\ A, > Camp McKridc, Oct. :.', 1SG:j. j Major Louis Bush. A. A. G., Opelousas : Major — I have the honor herewith to tepder a full report of the action on the 20th ult., at the JTordocho Bridge and Mris. btorling's place, six miles from ^lorganza, on the Fordoche. At midnight on the yGtii a communication was addressed tp Col. Major, commanding ^lajor's lirigade, (encamped on Big Cane,) to send one of his best regimcnls to J.yons" Feny, on the Atchalalaya, on the fulluwing day (27th) and to cross at that ferry and march to Lavonia by the night of the 28th, and on the morning of tiie 2i,)th to move up to the Fordoche, near the Lricli::^ on the Morganza IState road. This order was promptly complied w itli, Col. Major sending I'hilHps' Keglmeut, commanded by Major Frazier, of the ArizoJia Brigade. On the 27th the necessary orders were issued to the several com- manders to make preparations on the 28th for an advance cu tho enemy. The crossing commenced at 3 o'clock P. M. on the 2Sth, WallerV and Bountree's Battalions leading with their hor.--es, followed by iSimms' Battf^ry, all of which were successfully crossed before dark. Speight's and Mouton's liiigades of infantry M'ere next in order; the Fourth, Fifth and Seventh Regiments of T. M. V., dismounted, crossing last. All Avere safely landed on the east bank by 1 o'clock a. m. on the 29th. The vain commenced laliiiig at dark on the evening of the 28l1i, and continued with only temporary cessation until tho night of the oOth. At daylight on the morning of the 21)th the troops Mere ready for the march. Col. Henry Gray, commanding j\]outan's Brigade, was ordered to take up his lino oi' march (Speight's Brigade having been added to his command, together with iilteen mounted men from Wal- ler's Battalion, under command of Lieut. Weisiger, Co. A) by a trail through the swamp which intersected tho Morganza State road, some four miles from that place, and between the enemy's forces at Morganza and their advance at Mrs. Sterling's and the Fordoche Bridge. Coi. Qray was ordered to attack the enemy's advancu at once on reaching the intersection of the road, which he did by ordering Speight's Brig- ade, under Lieut. Col. llanison, to the attack. * # • * * * * OLD SIBLET BRIGADE. Q6 The balance of the troops, cousistiiif^ of Waller's aud Rountree's Battalions of Cavalry, Simm's Battery, the Fourth, Fiftli and ."rieventh T. M. v., clismounti'd, took up their line of nirach by the main iStato road to Fonloche Bridge, -which point was reached by 11 o'clock. An advance of cavalry was sent forward to the bridge, and were fired upon by the enemy's picket at that place. Skirmishing continued here for half an hour, when the firing was heard from the rear at ilrs. Sterling's. Willi one section of the batter}', under Lieut. West, the Fourth and Fifth Regiments I deployed through a pl.lidniplete, two new ambuimces and one hospital wagon, new and filled with medical stores, and two stands of regiuiental colors, belong- ing to (he Niui^teeiith Iowa and Twenty-sixth Indiana Vol. Many sni;dl arms were saved, and {'\L'\-y man with an inferior weapon was supplied with a good and efficient one. Maj. W. L. Roberts, Cliief of Ordnance, was on the field, and was doing all to secure the fruits of the victory that could be done. Tiie wounded were sent rapidly to the rear, under the direction of Chief Surgeon Geo. Cupples, who had made every preparation, and by his active supervision saved the lives aud conduced greatly to the com- fort of the wounded. Too much praise cannot be awarded to him for his efficiency. After burying the dead tho lino of march was taken up for ^[organ's Ferry, Col. Gray, with ]\Iouton's Brigade having been called in, and I'hillips' Kegitnent of Cavalry sent forward toward's Morganza to re- pulse and check the enemy should they advance. 66 A HISTORY OF TJIK The artilkry roaclied tlin bank of the Atchafalaya at 7 o'clock P. M., and commenced crossing. Owing to the state of the banks, and that only one forry flat conld be used, it was nearly daylight before their crossing was completed. ]yiany of the infantry and dismounted men fell by the roadside, com- pletely exhausted, but all were safely crossed the morning of the 30th. A small steamboat having arrived, was used in crossing the infanti-y. 1 cannot award too much ])raise to the troops of my command for their rapid movements, under the discouraging effects of a heavy rain and roads knee-deep in mud, and their willingness to attack the enemy. Col. Henry Gray, with bis command proceeded to the point desig- nated in bis orders with all the speed possible, having to ])as8 through the swamp by a trail, which was pointed out to him by Lieut. Cam- mack and Private Newsom (whose services were invaluable) a.s g-uides. Col. Gray was also accompanied by Gen. Lewis, as volunteer aid, rou- dering him efficient service. To Lieut. Col. Harrison, commanding Speight's Brigade, and Cols. Speight and Clack, and ^lajor Daniels, who led their commands most gallantly to the attack, all honor is due, and to the officers of their sev- eral commands, who displayed great coolnes.s in the action. Many of their men had never been under fire before, but moved like veterans up to the enemy, under a heavy fire, and succeeded in driving him from bouse to house up the levee, when Major Eoone".-- charge was made. The? heavy loss sustained by Speight's lirigade shows the des- perate nature of the conflict, and it is not out of place to mention here, even when all distinguished themselves, the gallant bearing and ac- tivity of Lieut. Jones, A. A. A. G. The charges madtt by Majors I^oone and Rountree stand forth to be rewarded in the annals ofliistory. The lamented Lieut. Spirey, of Co. I, Rountree's Hattalion, was killed in the charge. We deplore his loss, being one of the most energetic officers in the brigade, and of true courage and discretion. Col. A. P. Bagby, in command of Green's l>rigade, brought Li:* men most handsomely to the charge, and kept them on hand ready for any emergency, and by bis activity rendered much valuable service. Col. J. P. Major's connnand, consisting of two regiments and the Pelican Battery, were stationed on the west bank of the Atchafalaya, to protect the crossihg and act as a reserve in case of necessity. Col. Major accompanied me, and gave grtat assistance, acting with his usual gallantry. And to his officers 1 am indebted for prompt action when called upon. My own personal stalV, A. A. A. Geu'l Wells, Capt. Sheppard, A. D. C. Capts. Calvitt and Me.Vnelly, volunteer aids, were active and efficient, and rendered me much service. The gallant dead have proven their devotion to our cause, and tho wounded in their silent sufferings have shown that fortitude wbicK a good cause alone could have imbued them with. Notwithslaudlug the OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. «7 Revere march, the troops are ready and auxious to again meet the in- vader of onr soil. Below I respectfully submit a recapitulation of the losses sustained in the action : Killed. * Wounded. Missing. Speight's Brigade 23 71 7 ]\routou's " 1 7 3 Waller's Battalion 2 Rountree's " 2 3 I am, JLnjor, very jespectfully, your obedient servant, THOS. GREEN, Brig. Gtn. Commanding. After this the most brilliant of all brilliant affairs, the Brigade, as well as the whole army, was brought back to their old encampment on the west side of the Atchafalaya, when for a few days the boys were again allowed to rest from active service, during which time General Green bad occasion to issue his twenty first General Order, requiring something to be done by the company commanders which they had not previously been in the habit of doing, what 1 I now forget — with which he issued the following: oin.oxjiji.iauEi.- HEAD QUARTERS, GREEN'S BRIGADE, ) Camp McBridb, La., Sept. 23d, 1863. ) To the Officers and Men composing this Brigade ; In addres.sing you at this time, it is not for praise after one of these victories over the enemy's of our land, for which you have become fa- mous ; ncr is it for censure, but it is only an earnest solicitude for the wellfare and well doing of the command. I would see a spirit of pride cherished throughout the command, from the highest to the lowest, nut only as soldiers on the field of bat- tle, but also that discipline in camp so necessary to make the perfect soldier. We have, as a command, gained an enviable reputation as soldiers for fighting, let us also attain the same reputation in our camps and on our marches. Let each officer feel a pride and his duty to carry out effectively the Rules and Regulations of this Department ; and to each non-coinmipsioned officer and private I would say let them be a noble emulation who best shall perform his duties, so that new laurels may be added to these already gained in the estimation of our countrymen. As 3'our commander, I feel a pride in your past deeds, and for the future, r feel confident that this appeal will be responded to, and the evidence of its benefits exhibited in the first encounter with the enemy, and in the t>atisfaction of the whole command. THOMAS GREEN, Brigu-Gen. Cond'g. 08 A HIsroKV OF THE •' Wlion Greek meets Greek ilu'n comes the lug of war," and when n DulrbiTian meets lager beer then coroes drinhinjr, as will bo Reen in n phort time. Our day of strife was not yet over. The foe were advanc- ing in another tlirectif n and ihcold Brigade were again called to their 8aas, on the yist, they were again brought to a IihuU by the Brigade, under Col. A. 1*. Bagby. Here the enemy was firht aj)prised ot the disastrous deleatthat the colnmu which was moving in conct rt with Franklin had met with at Sabine Pass, and they resolved to ho'd up a little until another camp-tign could be jilanned/j Accordingly their main force was withdrawn to Vermilion- ville, leaying a forct^ of .0000 on Bnrbeaux Bayou as a r serve lor liieir picket, which they left on (Jarrion Crow. In a i\'W days Gen. (jre.*n liecame apprised ol the true condition and situatnui of allairs, and to use his own favorite ]dira.M',,hu "determined ujn»n an attack." < )l wliat iollowed here, I give bis own rej)i»rt of tin — BATTLE OF BUREEAUX. ' ili.Ai) (Jt AIM KR.s, Divisnj.\ OK Cav.m.kv, ) Opelousas, November 4th, 1803. ) ^Iajok: — After Iiaving retired from Opelousas, Oct. 20th, 1863, OLD SllJLKY BRIGADE. C>9 with tlio Divivsion of Cavalry undin* my command boforo tlie advancing; cnem}', in three columns, to-wit : ]\rajors Uri.trade up llie (Jliicot n.iad, nnd Ba-jliy's and iho artillery up the ]3a^uf and B\g Cane roads, to a point AvJjere Tirage could be jnociired for our horses. Only a few days rest intervened, when my scout? reported that the enemy had fallen "back from th«i vicinity of Ojielousas nnd Barne's Lauding, at which place they had encamped in cousiderable forc(\ Upon this information being conveyed to the Major General Com- manding, I was ordered to pursue and harass the enemy with my Di- vision of cavalry and three regiments of infantry, then on out post duty, to-wit : Cols. Roberts', King's and Speight's, the latter commanded hy Lieut. Col. Harrison, and three sections of artillery. In pursuance to orders, I took up the line of march in the direction of Opelousas on the 1st., and overlook the rear guard of the enemy on IJayou Burbeaux, seven mih^s bf-low that place, consisting of two Brig- ades of infantry, commanded by Gen. Burbndge, of the 13lh U. .S.army corps, and three regiments of c^valiy and two batteries. Alter having suflicieutly reconnoitred tlie position of tlw. enemy, I determined to at- tack him, and made my dispositions accordingly. Colonel Roberts in command of ihe three regiments of infantry — before menfioncd — was assigned to the command of our left wing, arrtl was directed to sweep down the Bellevue road and occupy the timber below the enemy on the Bayou, and assail his right flank. C(,l. Major with his Bri cade of cavalry constituted our right wing, ■while Colonel Bagby with his Brigade of cavalry occupied our centre. Two of his regiments, the 4th and 5th, were dismounted and acted as infantry for the occasion, of supporting our artillery, which consistfd of a rifle section of Daniel's battery and a section of the Val Verde, com- manded respectivel}^ by Lieuts. ILamilton and Hume, both sections be- ing placed for the occasion, under command of Lieut. Morse. These dispositions having b(?en made, and the ground assigned to Brigade commanders occupied, I ordered an immediate advance. About 11 o'clock, A. M., of the 3d inst., Col. Roberts drove in the enemy's skir- mishers on his right flank, and commenced the; attack. Our infantry was engaged for lialf an hour before our cavalry and dismounted troops with the artillery was closely engaged on our right and centre. C)ur infantry was most stubbornly resisted by the enemy, but they gallantly and steadily moved forward without, for a moment faltering, under a most terrific fire of artillery and musketry. Our artillery was brought up within four hundred yards of a line of the enemy's infantry in front oftheir encampment, and fired a few shots into tliem, but about this time our cavalry under Colonel Major, on our extreme right dashed in- to the left flank of the enemy, while Col, Bagby with Herbert's {7th Texas cavalry) regiment, and Waller's Battalion mounted, and Harde- man's (4lh Toxivs cavalry), and ^fcNeill's di.^mounted, charged them in front, making one of the most brilliant cavalry charges, on a partially concealed loe, on record.*^ Our gallant infantry under their brave offi- 70 A Jll^ioKY OF Tin: cers iiad given tlio enomy sucli a ili.istisement ou liis right flank, push- ing l:ini back to hip encampmcnf, t'mt tbe wlioh^ federal i'orce gave way ;ts soon as tli'^ eui;ag«ment bfcmi" pincral and clo-c TLo victory was compK'to. The fruits of wliicli arc about two Imndrod and iifty of the fucni}' killfd and wounded, one hunrlred of whom are estimated killed, and over six hundn-d prisoners, thirty-two of whom are officers. Pris- oners were taken from the following regiments : 67th Indiana ; 23d Wisconsin; S3 Ohio; 96 Ohio; GOth Indiana; 1st Louisiana cavalry, and two batteries, besides a large quantity of improved small arms and ac- coutrements. Three pieces of ar'.illery fell iuto our hands ; we dnly had horses however, to bring off one piece, a fine I'.nrrot gun and cais- son ; morit of the horses of the enemy's guns being killed. Two hours after our victory, Gen. Weil:cel. of the 10th U. S. Army Corp.«, came up with a division of infantry of three brigades, from Car- rion Crow bayou, three miles distant. Deeming it imprudent to fight this large additional force, after a warm skirmif^.h I withdrew .slowly and without loss, the enemy not attempting to follow me. I cannot .say too much for the gallantry of the otUei-rs and ukmi un- )iamenced attack, And soon they d!-ovo the Yankees back. Green's lips with joy began to smack, On his mule, on his mule ! The First and Second did dismount, Off their mules, off their mules ; No time was there their force to count, Nor their mules, nor their mules ; But boldly pushing thro' the weeds. Spent not their time Avith words, but deeds ; Caused many a Yank to count their beads, On their mules, on their mules ! Two Regiments further on the right. On their mules, on their mules, Caused many a Yank the dust to bite, OiF tiieir mules, off" their mules. Their names was ^ladison's and Lane's; They gave the Yanks the fits and pains. While some they held on by the manes, Of their mules, of their mules ! Our cannoniers did play. On th(!ir mules, on their mules, Off crowds of Yankees in their way, On their mules, on their mules. Our infantry did then advance, And bid the Yanks St. Vitus danco ; Here some e5ca])ed — must been for chance, Ou their mules, on their mules ! The l'"ankf es their distance did enlarge, On thfii' mules, on their mules. When Herbert led the Third to charge, On their mules, on tlieir mules. 73 A IIIS'iOKY OF TilK Tic cli.irgfd till' tiuoiis of Wisconsin ; For shot i!or shi 11 ciuvcl Ik; :\ piu, But cried, "my hoys, go in ninl win, Oil your ninlis, on your inuli-s !" Wlipn Franklin lifarl of Groi-n's Brigade, On their iniilc:-, on their inuies, 'I'hus to his aid-di'-c.inips hu* said : •■( ):i your uiulcs, on your uiuled 1 1 si'c that (iri'-n is at liis old pranks, lie's no rftspfct for ns poor Yanks ; Vm ort' to join i:iy old friend Hank.s ; Wliere's my mule ! whore's my mulo !" Aftir the battle our forces fell back to Carrion Crow bayou, and everything was quiet along our linos until the mornijig of the 11th, when the enemy took it upon themselves to feel our position, strength, &c. They were met on tiie open prairie with a determined resistance by the Brigade, under Cul. Hardeman. On the loth they evacuated Vermillonville, and at>er niglit on the same day our forces took "possession of their old camp. They burned the bridge over the bayou, (Vermilion,) which elVectually barred our pur- suing them any further, Jnuiiediately our sapper.-- and miners were put to work, and by daylight on tho following moruing the bridge was completed, and we were again on the move. The enemy going at full speed were not overtak^Mi until we struck their pickets otie and a half mile from New Iberia. Finding the enemy in force wo retired to Vermilionvillo, leaving a strong picket under Capt. 8tevenson, of the First Regiment. At 12 o'clock on the night of the 20th thi; Third Regiment, under ^laj. Hofi'man, relieved the picket of the First Regiment. The Major threw out his pickets on tho roads leading from New Iberia, as he was directed. The Second I.,a. Cavalry; which was orilered to picket a road out to the .Major's left, failed to reach the post assigned them, on which road tho enemy camu out and gained the road in the rear of the Third Regiment, which, when done, a simultaneous move with the whole army of twenty thous- and was nmde on -Maj. llofViiiau's encampment. A general "skeiladdle" eu.'^ued. Two-thirds of ihe regiment made their escape by flying in every direction. Some were saved from capture by wading into tho lake cIopo by and biding themselves from view under the rushes and weeds in the water. Notwithstanding this our outpost was yet kept at Camp l^ratt, some twenty miles from our main force on Vermilion bayou. Two companies at a time were required to |»icket the lines. On the 2Jth of November Companies A and E of the First Regi- ment were sent out under Capt. Long and J>ieut. J. C. Roberts, to be relieved on the coming morning by Companies F and 11 of the sanio regiment, and also Company C, under Capt. Alt::audcr. At daybreak OLD SlULEY BllIGADE. 7.T outlio moining of tho .-'Sth — as the coninvamlant had every reason to bcii«ve they wouW — the enemy commenced an advance. Our out- jiOEts, under Lieut. Ilobevts, were quickly driven back to the reserve ■pick'jt, and that in turn back to tho relief picket, under Capt. Alexan- der, who vras then the ranking' ofllcer present. A battle line was quickly formed, but to no use. They camo like demons, and <:ame not alone iu one column, but in three, each of which was twice our number. Tho coluiuns to our right and left were «een makiiig for the mouth of a V.no somo mile or muro iu our rear. No word of comuiand was neces- sary to guard tho men against certain capture. AVheeling-, ti»o spurs v/c:o put tii their horses, iu order to gain the mouth of the lane before th(j enemy, whi-ch was done about Hfty yards iu their advance, closely pr.rsued by tho column which were but a few moments ago iu our front, but now in our rear. At ihi:; critical juncture, as though by natural iastiiici, o«r men commeucod rallying around their commander, Capt. Alesiander. In s. few moments they were in and amongst us, with glit- tering blades and hellish yells. Their charge was made witii a despev atioii known only to those who have been under the influence of whis- ky and ether or gunpowder. As might bo expected, our m^-n broke, aud from there to Vermilion bayou — twelve miles — a lace was made, the llko of which has but seldom been seen in tl-iisv/ar. Iu this little aftair, v/e lost one killed, three wounded and fifty-Eix prisoners, whisjh, added to the loss sustained by the Third Regiment; a iow nights 'jrevious, amounted to 18G of tho best men of our Brigade. All, too, xbr picketing tho enemy's camp, and pressing theii* rear too closely. This, iudeed, was oao of Geii. Grreen's faults, if ho had any — a fault which would havo been tho means of every Yankeo being driven out of tho Departuieiit long ero this, had ho have lived and had his v/ay. There is uo ouo who know Geu. Green, but what would ad- mit" that he could do nioro with but a handful of men than perhaps any other commander on tho soil. Combined with his natural ability to command cither small or large bodies of troops, he was possessed of thai power of demanding respect insomuch tha!; his very presence would ofteu do more towards insuring success than all the blarney aud pompous display which others of his rank frequently persisted iu making. Of (rreen it can be said, ioi quoting yheridau Knowle*, that : *' Tu pcac! bo wa3^ lamb, I:i \jj.v a lam;:ierl'' Oil tho 2'Jih ot Xovember negotiations wei-o commenced betwoeu Ge:ieral Green and Tranklin, by which aii exchange of prisoners was agreed upon. We were exchanged for all of th.dr prisoners, aud hav- ing a large number, by 700, wo Wcro to parole tho balance out of our lines, and iu turn, tho United States v/as pledged to release all prison- ers Iu their po3scssion iu New Orleam belonging to the Traus-.Uissis- aipui Departmont. A thing they scoffed at after their men had b^ea 74 A IIISTORT OF THE r^'leapcd by us. Auotlicr breach nt good faith on thd part of Yankcp- doin, by which som^ 300 of our best men wore made to suffer a long imj.rif"'nmout in tbn city of N(!\v C'rieaus. liut adieu to the subject, ]irt'para(ory to leaving l^uisiana. Banks was organizing anotbt'r expedition against Texas, (ienoral Mnprudcr called upon General Smith for reinforcements from Louisiana, and it is said, that he asked for General Green's command. Wiuthcr true or not, his Division wa.>^ seh-cted to go, and accordingly on the 14th of Dec 'Uiber, lS(>r5, General Green in the advance started to T.ixas by way of Niblett's IJluif from Yerinillionville, arriving::; at the former place on the 20th, or about, having made a force inarch fr.->m the latter placi' through the swampy prairies of Louisiana. Gn the 2.')th — Clirist- masl m(,rniLig- — our advance reached the city of Ilou.^fon. All will reiDeuiber the suffering endurfd by the men of tho command, through the coldest spell of woatlmr tli.it Texas had experienced for many years. At camp Lubback our men actually suffered. On the 5tl>.,. as though barracks were too good fur our Brigade, they were moved to Harris- burg, where without tents or shelter of any sort, they M'ore couipelled to take it wet. So on the open prairie, Avith scarcely wood enough to cook with, for seven days the whole country was under water, not a dry spot was to be found on which to sleep, much leas build a fue to warm or cook with. Every night ico was formed on the ponds find horse tracks from one two inches thick, and as though this was not quite Bevere enough, on the '.»lh, the command — Brigade — was ordered to move to Sandy I'uint, in ]jrazoria county, across an open piairio on one of the coldest days that Me had yet experienced. On this trip many of the boys feet were so frozen that their too nails afterwards came off. Here the Brigade called a halt for a Meek ov ten days, Mhen it was ordered to ninve again, this time in the direction of Hempstead. That being the starting pointfor us to any m here. Vnnxy felt sure and BO exprcL^sed themselves, that M'e were again off for Louisiana; but not so. Our horses and train M-as left qear St. Philipee, and the comirand marched to th«' llailvoad at Hempstead, Avhero they took the (freight) tniiu, then -waiting lor them, and went to Houston ; from thence on the next day to Virginia Point. Here for one long, M'eary, cold and never .to bo forgotten month, our boys remained drilling and doing other camp duty, by odds mon; arduous then than to have been pertornjing duly on out-jtost, or in the iVont. On the lf)th of February, the Divis- ion M'as ordired to Columbia, iu Brazoria county, by M-ay ot railway throu"h Houston. At (volmnbia the Brigade were ciinped for only a few days. MheuM'o were ordered to meet our horses at Hempstead. H(^re ends part II of our History, and it is unnecessary for pa; er lobe M'asted in telling the reader that Me Mere, if anything, overjoyed at the ])rospects of returning to Louisiana M-ith our favorite chieltain to our favorite General — 'I'aylnr. li is hard for oU(^ to speak of his native St.ale, vet as a trulliful chronicbr of events connected M'lth oar history, OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 75 I nmst sajs that with tho cxcoption of a few inst^1^T III. To Louisiana — Baltic of Mansfield — Pleasant IIiU — Trip cm Pcarcul Jslayyl — Green hilled at Bhtir\s ha?idinff — Baghi/ — Hardejtion conwiands the Brigade — Battle of Monett's Fcrrj/ — Geticral Bee — To our Train — Fighting every day — Ejicviy at Alexandria — Ta the Hirer — Capture nf Ciuii Boats — Kvacnativg Alexandria — TI77- soiis Plantation — Choctaw Swainp — Battles vn JSlarhsrille Prairie — Mornlle — Yrllote Bayou Fight — The Brigade goes on the Bo'vf — McAnellfs Scont Cmjipany — To Black River — Vidalio — "* Waterproof — Ho! for Arkansas — To MonticcUo — To the River — Pine Bluff— Makes traeks for Leivisville — 7V/ Washington — Ar- kadelphia — Thence to Fulton — Goes to the relief of Priee — Wilh Stipplies — Back — Paid Off- — Starts for Texas — ^r. iVr. Sfc. Early on the morning of tlie 15tli of February, 1SG4, our aclvanco under AVallor took up tin; lino of march I'roir, llcmjistcad for Alexandria, La. The Scconil llcj^inu-nl closely followed by the Third, and the First marched on the following; da j . General Green liad received or- derfi to move Avitli all possible dispatcli, as the ent^iny yfcn^ advancing:, and would, in all jivobability, reach Isatchitoches ere we could, Avhich proved true. Col. Ib-ij^'by was sick. The conuuand of the lirigadc de- volved upon Gol. Hardeman. The Second and Third Reginu^nts under Gol. McKeill and Major lloilman, on arriving- at St. Augustine, received orders to make a forci^ march to Natchitoches by way of Sabino town and old Foit .Tefcsuj) ; that the enemy was advancing, aud that all de- l»ended upon them. Ths order Avas olteyed. Tho Ibiced march th(^y made will forever stand upon record to attest to tlu^ sjiirit in which they moved. Near IVirt .]e.ssuj) they overtook Col. Deliray with his l{egi- nient, obeyin;^ the same<»nler. On the morning of the ."BOth of March, altogether unexpected to tlu^m, tho onemy — whom they liad no idea were nearer than fifty miles — :nado a decent u])on their camps ; a iight ensued. Kvery one ncfed Ik roically. The enemy were (juickly re- })ult:ed, but bringing uji heavy icinforconR'Uts, our boys Avero compelled to fall back to thel3oiilde Ibidges. Here .in llu^ 2d of April, « desper- ate skirmish avcs fought by the Second and Tliird llegimcnls, together Avilh DeBrny'p ^who never had before been in a fight, but who fully vinnicatcu the valor of Tcxaus on this occaeion and Avonfor t!n>mselve3 the highest confidcuce of our old vetrans). Evacuating our position at this plact.' on the o^ of April, the forces fell back to Ploisaul Hill, and Oi.l) SIBLF.Y BRIGADE. 77- on the rnh, flic Secrad and Third ilo3;imGnt?; joined tlie halnnco of tho ^}r(ifrcido undor Baghy, .'it. Mansfiold. Lnno's I'lignde Avas sent, lo tlio tront on tlie Gtli ; on wliii-li day the follov.'inc; Cavahy or^'aiiizalion -was made hy Generals Sniitli and Taylor : ]\rajor Geiicral Thomas Green, Chief of Cavalry. 1st Cavalry Division, (Deliray's and Buehcl'sJ^riir- ades) mid(u- Ihiff. Gen. Bee ; 2d Cavalry Division, nnd(>r Brie;. Gen. J. P. Major (Green's old Division — Sihley's^ and Major's old Briprades). On th? morninp; of the 7th Lane's and Maciison's Ileg'imeiUs of the 2d Bnjrado (Lane's) of our Division, under Col. Lai;(.>. met the enemy two miles ."^oulh of Pleasant Iliil, on the Mansfield road. Here one of the mast desperate fights of the campaign took place, in proportion to the number engaged. For three hours the brave hoys under their vaL oreus commanders, Lane and Sladisou, held their own against treble their numbers. The enemy finding themselves unable to dislodge our forces, brought up ments brought up from the rear, they forced us to fall back to Young's Mill, some Iialf amile, where we were again formed, to bn again drove this time across the creek, which when done, judge of our J03- on meeting Gen. Green, who had brought up (ho Val Verde Battery to our relief. A few well-directed shuts from her told the en(!my that hereafter they vrouid have to fight for the soil they gained on us, which was tho means of their coming to halt. Wy bivouaced. They did the same. At 10 P. M. Gen. Green ordered Col. Hardeman to make a demonstration ou the enemy by charging them in their position. This order was obeyed with a promptness char; cter- islicof tho man he selected. The First IlegimeHt and parts of tho others were drawn up in line of battle, for what purpose thoy then knew not. The command "forward" was given. Then came the "keep quiet, and raako as little noise as pos.sible." Advancing some throe hundred yards, the fiash and crack of a Yankee rifle was tho sig- nal to charge. The enemy were surprised ami driven some h.-^lf a mile to their reserve, when tho chase had to be given up, and we returned at double-quick ta our old position, which we held until daylight of the morning ou which w.is fou^rht THE BATTLE OF MANSFIELD. At 9 o'clock A. M. tho enemy commenced their advance from Young's Mill. Our Brigade, which was in the front at that timt, uh- 7S A HISTOKV UF TJIH (lorBncjby, w.is ordt^r.'d to retire before the enemy without making nuy particular stand. Afltot retrealing eoine two miles, -vvt* came npoh Bet)V Division, which was in line of battle to tlic rijht uf the vond. AVe were Ibrmed on hi^' left. Two bafterii-s were jilaced in position on ilii' hili, some SOO yards in our rear. Walker's and .Mouton's Divisions of infantry were placed in the rear and to the ri^rht and k*tt of them. Shortly after thi.s disposition of the troops were made, Gen. Taylor, on Keeiiic:^ tht field, resolved to r.-treat some two niiks further before liu •would bring on the engagement. Accordingly, a retri-at wf.s sounded, and just as our artillery and iiifrnti'y were put in motion, the enemy's cavalry came in sis^ht, and alter a few moments fa.st tiring, liuchel's Hegimaiit withdrew. Coming cm the battle line iormed by DeBray, the enemy were repulsed. In the meantime our Brigade fell back to the position assigned for ]\Ioulon's Division of infantry, at which place we halted until they were posted, and "Walker had taken up his position on the right of the road, forming our right wing, with Mouton in the centre, and Green and the cavahy on the left. Our Brigade with Lane's, under Gc-n. Major, was posted on the extreme left. Whilst going to our position the enemy's cavalry made a charge on our lines, and wounded several of th(? First Regiment. We were (juiekly reform- ed, and after some little obstinate lighting, the enemy's cavalry wer» driven ofi' ihe field. Gen. Jilnjor was ordered to place his division to the left of Mou- lon's division ef infantiy, which order he obeyed, and ordered the i'irst llcgi ent to advance thiougii the timber in which the Brigade •was in and drive the enemy out of a field, Avhere they were reported jdanting a battery. A forward move under Capt. Orosson was made as directed, and the enemy were dislodged, as the General desired, though not without some desperate fighting, in which we had some ten or fit- teen wouuded, and killed several of the enemy and took seventeen pris- oners, from whom we learned that the whole Yankee cavalry force was close by. Gen. Green ordered our Brigade out further to the left, on the Gravel Hill road. It had scarcel}' started before an order was received to turn back, which it did, under Col. Hardeman, and on arriving at its old stand the battle opened. The enemy's artillery had been brought up to the edge of a field, on the opposite side of Avhich ^loutou's Divis- ion were posted. A charge was ordered over the fence and through the iield. Our boys under ]\Ioulon bravely faced death and danger to the mouth of tlui enemy's batteries. Fourteen pieces of field artillery, supported by 9000 infantry, rained death down upon our ranks as they were advanced upon them. Here it was that ]\Iouton fell. AVhilst the infantry Avere thus coming up in the front, our division moved on their right. Seeing that they were outgeneraled and fianked, the enemy, after making most a desperate stand for a short time, broke in real Bull llun style. Two thousand eight hundred prisoners aud sixteen pieces of artillery were taken at tbie place. OLD SICLEY BRIGADE. 79 For a short time tlie title of battle seemed to lull. Niglit was f;ist coming, and tinie to us was all important. Another forward move was sounded, and another most d(!sperate and bloody eugagement was fought around the peach orchard, llere the enemy were met with bay- onets and revolvers. Xear tliis place a portion of our Brig-adc; was tlrawu off and sent further to the left. Finally the enemy were driven from their strongliold in the orclmrd, and th(dr train of 24S wagons and ambulances fell an easy prey to us. Our Brigade was the first to reach it. Through tlie exertions of Col. Hardeman and Iiis men, the truiu was quickly (h'iven to our rear, aud the prize secured. Night closed the bloody work. We had driven the enemy nearly five miles, aud comphitely demoralized his army. • My table of battles will sho\/ the aumbers engaged, and the variou.s commanders, while amongst the names of the killed and wounded will be found the names or those noble braves who sealed their devotion to our cause on the ever memorable battle-field of I^lansfield. t- Capl. She nard. of Gen. Green's staff, was shot i'vov^ his horse by a Minie ball as inT w.;s conveying ordors fi^^sj^tlie General across the- field to GciU. Major, on the left. "^ iL ' • {> '? \.'SA "t' ^ n f "liest in peace, bravo warrior, ii ^^^ A ' '''~ TLy diiy of strife is o'er ; 0'''%J ^^Sk ^. • -t. Tlio ciaiig oi arms, the cannon's peal, - voiably for us. Green, with the dismounted cavalry haJ'charged and driven back the enemy's ri-rbt win;,'. Parsons, with the f.iissouri troojjs, in our centre, were driving everything before them. Just at this juncture, A. J. Smith, with his two reserve corps (the Ifth and ;iud 17th) arrived. They v.ere thrown against our right and centre, un- der Churchill. The shock was too great. Ten to one thy could not stand ; and back they came, to f>e rallied no more that evening. Ilar- deuian, with Terrell's Keginieut and his own command, had formed bthind a feuc?, where they endeavored to rally our Hying infantry, but to no avail. The long- columns of blue-coats, with banners flying, uruins beating, and glittering ba3'onets, as the last rays of the evening- sun s'.ioiie upon them, was truly as beautiful to behold as it was fright- ful to think of. AYliLn within eighty yards of the posiMouJield by Col. Hardeman, his eoniMiand lired, which volley broughtto the ground many a haughty invader. In a moment and the earth fairly (|uaked ■\/ilh the report of the terrific volley of musketry the enemy discharged at our men ; then, suiting the action to the word, they came at double- quick with "charage bayonets," but their game was not bagged. Har- deman quickly rallied the major portion of his command some six hun- dred yards distant from where they were routed ; all f o no use, for still they came. To those on our light it appeared that the day was lost, lost irretrievably tu us ; but not so. Gen. Green was there. Walker's old division held their grouml, until the darkness of the night covered th(! retreat of the enemy, who, as it appears since, were much more worsted than ns. April 10th, and we were on tlie uarch for Peareal Island, ahovo Natchitoches. Cros.^ing the bayou by that name on the niglit of the 11th, in a skirmish, some ten or tv.elvo of our boys Aveiv made prison- ers. Bcigby commanded on this expedition. Nothing worthy of note ■was accomplished. On the morning of the lolli, after we had crossed back to the main land, we heard the result of the heavy cannonading that we had heard on thop'-evious day. It vras at IHair's Landing, where the lamented end idolized Tjio.mas Guebn v,as killed. The reception of this sad news was the cause of many a tear to bo shed, notwithstanding many «t first refused to believe wiiat by them was termed "the report of OLD SIBLF.YB iilGADE. 81 of Greon'^ de>atli." It was not Ion***, however, before (he report v»-a.s tally coiijlrmHl. Tiiis was our dark day. None felt- the loss of iiim so keenlv as did his old Brigade. No one mourned it more than did the (JomTuaudiug Cxinieral, who, iii th;3 lullnoss i)f his heart, issued the fol- lowing : IlBADQUARTKnS DtSTRICT WeSTGRN LoUISIAN.A, ^ Mansfield, La., April 13, 18G1. ) Gknk:;M. OkdKRS, ) No. . ) Soldiers — A chief has falh>n. A warrior of warriors Ijas gone to his home. On the 12th inJ^t. f^'ll Thomas Green. After braving death a thousand times, the destroyer found him, where he was ever Wont to be. in the front line of b ittlo. His spirit has flown to the happy lioino of heroes, where the kindred spirit of Alfred ^[outoA awaited it. T'lroughout broad Texas, throughout desolated Louisiana, mourning will sa 'den every hearth. Great is the loss to family and friends; nuicli greater is the loss to this army and to me. Fur many weary months these two have served with me. Against the storm of battle ; by the lonely camp lire ; at the solitary oiatpost, my heart has learned to love them. Tlieir families shall be as mine ; their friends, my friends. To have been their beloved frieud and. trusted commander is the hi,rhest earthly honor I can ever attain. Soldiers ! the fall of these heroes shall not be iu vain. Inspired by such example, this army will achieve great things. Moistened by the blood of .M msfitOd, Pleasant Hill and Blair's Landing, the tree of national ind.'pendence will grow apac s and soon overshadow the land so that all may repose iu peace under it.=! grateful shade. The memory of our glorious dead is a rich legacy to future geuoiations, and their names will be remembered as the chosen heroes and martyrs of the chivalric Southern race. The colors of the cavalry corps of this ra-my will be draped for thirty days, in memory of the late heroic commander. R. TAY[.OR, Maj. C{en. Commanding. WEEP, TEXANS, WEEP. Lines ia nici:ii»L-y of J>laj. Cieai. TEsos. Grceaa, who \x'as struck in tltc forehead by a sliiell frozsi tSie enemy's suuboiit, Cliacls. Uawk, wSaicii resulted in iiis ^lume- diatc death, April l*.ltli. 3864. RY LOCDON B. WARD, CO. R, SEVF..\TH RVM. TKX. CAV. Weep, Texans, weep ! your own loved chief lies low,, Whose voice oft cheered while 'mid the camion's glow ; That voice, well known, no more will gre< t the ear, Wnich always filled the fo«mo;i'8 ranks with fear. S:> A IILSTUKT UV 'illk: Weep. Texans, weep! for our soul-cherishod fircen Ko more will be Tvlien' lieaitlePS foes are seen : Hits (oweriiij:: form, eutramiup: to the eye, "Will lead no more to certain victory. Weep, Texans, weep ! our briglitest star is gone, 'Mid the dark tempest, wbile the war clouds yav.n : •Its rays so proudly shone amid the jjloom, That darkling fear had net the smallest room. Weep, Texans, M-eep ! let manhood slied a tear For one so noble — to his men so dear — For sorrow's fount to lowest depth i.s stirred, While feeling sobs on every side are heard. Weep, Texans, weep ! tlie soldier dares to weep, While round the camp fire he his vigils keep ; In mournful wliispers he delights to tell The virtues of the chief he loved so well. Weep, Texniis, weep ! our matrons freely pour The briny drops Within their darkened door ; From breaking hearts low wails now constant flow. And bills and vales their accents sadly know. Weep, Texans, "weep ! our maidens' eyes are red From constant weeping for their idol — dead : Their lirro's gone — he who was all their trust — Their hopes lie shattered, trailing in the dust. Weep, Texans, weep ! our bayou sister's breast Is deeply moved ; her torn heart finds no rest : Uer noble !Mouton found with Green a grave, And she with us now mourns each others' bravo. Weep, Texans, weep ! a nation wide does mourn Its brave ones slain, whose patriot hearts did burn ; But greater sorrow cannot find a place Thau for our Green, the bravest of our race. From where the Brigade crossed Pearcal bayou it went to tho Dou- ble Bridges, where for two days it layed on its oars, awaiting some- thing to turn lip, which was quickly dune, though not so soon as it would have been had Green been living. Major's Division was brought within striking distance of Natchi- toches on the 19th. On the 2Uth a reorgaiiizatiim of (he cavalry com- mands was partly made. Bagby, who had been commanding our Brig-' adti often within the last year, was assigned to the command of a brig- OLD SIBLET BRIGADE. «8 ade in Bee's Division) and Col. Hardeman wns placed permanently in command of this Brigade. Heroat'ter it Avill be known to the reader — as it is now to the world— ^as Hardeman's Brigade. Gen. Bee was placed in command of the cavalry corps, with orders to march with hia (the 1st) division and Major's (the 2d) to Monett's Ferry, on Old river, hy way of Natchitoches, which place the enemy were reported as liaving evacuated on the pre^'ious day. Accordingly, on the evening of the 20th, with fonr days half ra- tions, the line of march was taken up at 12 o'clock on that night. The «nemy were found to be yet in Natchitoches, when the head of our column turned a littlo to the right and struck the road leading from that place t<» Alexandria, by the way of Monett's Ferry. This placed us in their resr on the road that they would have to travi of tlic supposed ndv.-.no:' ixom our rear. Many alt;ich lihime to (Jen. Hce for not doir;? more tlian \\j-,s dcvr at this place, which ho would havt* donu had it not heen lor the villain- ous lie that some of his scoiit.^ told him which at llie time w^.a admi.- sabh', ks Budli a move on tte part of the enemy was expected. Many aecu.>ed (Jen. Bee very wror.f^i'ully iu this affair. Uur retreat from the river commenced .'iLcut 4 o'elcck P. >>., and aiter travelin}^ thirty-tluee miles we haUeil for one day, havirj; met our commissary train, under Maj. Brown. On the next day, Ajiril .'jlith, we were again en route for the front. At Janus' Store, on Bayou Co- iile, the enemy's rear was overtaken. A skirmish ensued, Lut without much succe.^s, only that ili • enemy wer,-» forced to fall back al'ler lu:ru- iiijT everytliinp: in that n»'i;;!iborhood. On the >9th they were driven • to iMcNutt's Hill, live miles be3'ond whicli nnolher desix-ratolioht was made, in which onr Brijfaile and Parsons' did the chief work. On the next day Poli.2:nac's iiifa^itry, to^.-th<'r with our arfillery, arrived, and the cavalry was atiain sent forward. 3I;ijoi-'s Division was sent l^i Cheneyville, with onhvs to procoed from thence to ilod riveu, and again try our haud.s in tno enemy's ixar. • m ;. On the lat day of May, Stone's, Lane's and P>ajlor'R Res'imeuiR were sent over on the "river. Oapt. Alexander'acompnny, of tne First Regiment, was sent in advance, Madison's Begiment bringin;;: u]) tbe rear. TLa U. 8. transport Iv.nma, loaded with cotton and bound lor New OrU-ana.was captured, with 9() prisoners, and an amount of the "creeter." The boat had to be de.stroyefl before ail of its valuables couid be saved. Gen. !M::jor and 0(d. Jiardemaa, Avith parts of both brigades, made annther haul on the 3d, in the enplure ol'anotlier trans- port, the City B^'ile. Again, on the .'ith, a largor one was m;ide in the capture of two gunboats, a>os. 3 and 2G, of the so-called J\losquito i'lei-t, and another transport loaded with cotton, the John Wurner, all of which we were coujpelI<^d to burn, not however until three of the bett guns on the, boat.-^, tog'.ther with all the annnuniiion, were saved. By ^ this captme v/e tenilicd tye enemy at Aiexandna inscunucii that no further atteaapts were made by tkem to open communication witii their base at New Orh-^aus. The above was uoqh at tjmith's Lnnding, 20 miles below Alexandria. ,,.. i At Alexandria the ciie:i\y were r( ported as being*6n short rations. His licet was abovo tie laWs. Oco-half of his army was busily en- g:!ged in throwing up entrenchineiits, while the other half were en- gaged in building a dam or dyko on the falls, by which t lit; water could be raised high ouou;j,li to pi-iuut the fleet to pass over. 'I'his herculean job was complett J, and the boats were all pussod safely over oju the I lib of May. On tiio next day they conuuenced the', retreat. -On the Cth the enemy, lO.UOU strong, under A. J. JSmitb, caau^ out in OLD SI13LEY r.JllGADE. S5 llio diri^ction of Clieneyvillrt. W;; \v(M'e orJen^d to Gen. I>(h^'.s relief on the !ii .en. liagby was placed in coumiand of the front, a\ ith his brij;"ade in Bee's Division and our brigade, under Lt. Col. Hampton. Advancini; up the railroad, or.e mile, Ave were dissmounted (the SefO)ul Ke<'uly check- ing their further advances but also making them fly from beibre us as though they had "caught a tartar." In this affaij:. our loss was not very heavy, while that of the enemy was considerable. D;rkness si- lenced thj batlle. We bivonaeed on the field. That ni^ht tlu^ enemy retreated to Alexandria with their infantry, leaving their cavaliy, near 3000 strong, to protect their rear. Daylight on the morning of the 8th found us iu our saddle,s. The enemy were driven with but little fighting. At 3 P. IM we niceived or- ders to return to the river. After traveling all night Ave reaphed Smith's Lauding abcut daybieik en the morning of the 9th. On that day, i»s Avell as the lOlh and 11th, we rested from our labors. On the 12lh Ave received information that the enemy Avere advanc- ing, and that he had succeeded in getting his entire fleet over the falls. The fleet couiiistod of eight gunboats of the largest class and ^-Icven of a smaller caliL-re, and twenty-three transporte. Ou the cv«!aing of the so A llI.SToKY or THi: 12th (It'll. WL;u-to:i dispntclifil to us tii.it the enfinv IiaJ buraeil ami t?vacur.teJ Alrxamlria, ami that th«y wtrv inarchinp: iu ch>S(i hodv dowu on tlie wi^st banic ot tli<- river, supported by the Uoet. On the liiorninj: of the 13th his advaiic readied Stafford's phantation. Here the First Ueiriment, under Cv\. Jlampton, met them, about 3 o'clock P. M. A desperate , or rather on the edge of the Choctaw swamp, bordering on th(! prairie. Hero for a few hours our men enjoy- ed peace and repose. At IU a. m. we no longer heard the big guns of the fleet. That was ominous of a forward move on the part of the ene- my. About 2 P. M. their advance reached the edge of the prairio. A OLD ^IBLET BEIGA])E 87 clespernte hand to hanrl rencontre took placo between then) and somo of Lane's Brigade, wlio were compelled to retire. Falling back upon the battle line formed by our Brigade, they again rallied, and, all com- bined, wc gave them another round or so. After fighting with great determination for some time, and seeing the enemy's infantry being brought to tli.^ front and their cavalry being sent to operate on onr llanks, w ' retired some two «iiles to the rear of the town of ^[arksville, where our artill'My {2'o pieces) was posted. Our line of battle was formed by O-n. VVh.irton and Gen. ^lajor, as follows : Lane's Brigade on the left ; the artillery, supported by the Fir.^t Regiment, under Col. Hampton, formed the centrft and right wing, which rested on a lagoon. Not long after our line was thus formod, the enemy mado an advance, iu'st with their cayalry dismounted, in which they wer^^ easily repulsed by half their numbers of ours and Lane's Brigade, who were also dis^ mounted and some .SOO yards in advance of our battle line. Seeing themselves thus drove from the field, they lost no time in bringing to the front their whole infantry force —whici was, according to their own reports, 23,000 slj-ong — to bear on our right a)id centre, at the same time sending their cavalry, 7500 strong, to operate against our left. Sifeing his infantry coming, our skinnish line gradually withdrew be- fore them. The veterans of Lane's Brigade, nnder Baylor and Madi- son, were in their saddles. Silence, a dread silence reigned supreme ; such silence as is only witnessed before the shock of a dreadful con- flict — the calm on the sea before the storm. In an instant the deafen- ing roar of onr cannon grec-ted our ears, as they fired double-shotted canister, in response to the keen, clear sound of the bugle, which was the first thing to break the stillness of the prairie. Ere another round was fired the liiinions of desolation were Hying to their rear, as the loud and bantering shouts of onr boys filled the air. Simultaneously with the firing of our cannon, Lau'-'s Brigade charged forward, forward they boundiid, regardless of the i.umL»er before them. In a moment, and what 1 The clang of arms ! and sec them flying ! hear them yel- ling. Victory is ours. The sun is setting. The infantry are again coming. Lo ! sec yonder — boom, boom, an liundred times at once sounded the enemy's artillery, as a broadside of thirty-two pieces of ar- tillery were tired at once into the ranks of Lane's Brigade. To thp rescue ! our coluqins are falling back. Now the artillery ceases. Now the infantry advance. Darkness precludes the possibility of our seeing more. Listen ! hear the small arms ; sec the lightning flashes across the prairie. IIo ! view a desperate; fight after night, Faster, louder, and more sanguinary the battle grows, until a i\>\Y well directed shots fired fi-ora our rifle guns under Lieut. Joyce, of West's La. Battery, drove them from the field. Again we bivouaced on the field. The ta- ble of battles will show the losses on both sides in this affair. Ere daybreak on the following raoruing the booming of our gijne again called ug in battle lin«. On this day waa foughl th« is A TllSTOIlV OF THK BATTLE OP MANSURIA. Ritro.itinj:^ from llie position I'lat v,n ln-Mcn lht» ni^lit of tli- l^tli. nt 10 A. M. oil tlu» morninp: of llio l(3tli aiiotlinrliiu'of batrlo was tonnml. Col. Ilanlcinan conunanded fin; Division, Waller tli.- Dripjade. wliioli was )ila:.cd on ihe rijrlit ; our artillery iu tlio coiitro, masked l»y l^a^^liy's LrijradH, of iJee's 1 'ivision, CDiiimandud bj Col. Terrell ; Lane's Brifjndn on llie left, with Polin:n.'ic's inf.uilr^'' division as a support to the noted "Hull Battery." The cnoiny first charfjed Terrell's line whh iutantrv. They jjave way — na thej' were prt3viously ordered to — retiring in, ap- pirently, much confusion to thtj rear of our batteries, (Mc.Mahon's and the Val Verde,) who 0|M'ned on them with double-shotted canister. The en<*my beinpat close raiiu'e, the havoc and .slaup^hter in their ranks v.aspreat. liepul.sed i:i this manner, they quickly brought up tlnir ar- tillery, and in but a ^aw moments twenty-one pieces were i)la\ ing on our two batteries. Scarcely had thej- tired a round ere a well dire.t(-d broadside from our riiie pieces, under Lieut. Joyce, disabled three of their be.st guns. For a mument the lull in the firing on the part of tlie enemy was quite apparent. (,>uickly, however, it again began with re- newed vigor on both sides. The enemy seeing their inability to di8' ludgy us, again commeirced a Hank move on our Idft wing, which they came near completing. Our Brigade was ordered from its position cm the extreme right to the extreme left wing, which order was executed with all promjjtne.'^s and dis[)atch. Moving across the prairie right iu front and in full view of the enemy, we were their target at artillery firing for near one mile. Forty-two different pieces fired on us as wei were making this move. Arriving on the left of our batteries, we saw the Yaukt es eoming — "Wo hoard thom p^ivo thp yoll ; My loelings no tongiio can ever tell."' With hellish yells and glittering blades they came, as though demons incarnate could not resist them in their cavalry charge, which truly looked frightful. In the lapse of a few seconds w.' met tlnm. Although they in numbers were, two to our one, arm;- 1 with the best weapons of in')dern war:aro, and we with nothing but long JGn field riHes ; yet we repuLsed them. Thus our artillery was saved by (he gallantry of the men under ('ol. Walb'r, Capts. Crosson and IVilly McDade. (ien. AVhait.)n, who was on the fiehl, encourage ; his troops no little by iiis intrejjid valor and good generalship disjdayed in the mauanivering of th'Mii. lie ordered Col. Waller to hidd his p »sition until the artillery could be taken from off the held. The enemy seeing that all attempts to dislodge us by direct assault was, and would be, fruitless, brought up their artillery, and for twenty-five minutes the First Reg'ment and Wallt-r's Battalion stood under one of the most terrific .and galling cnjss- fires from nineteen nf the enemy's long-ranged rifle Parrot guns, planted not over 800 yard.? fmm them. The enemy had not only a point blank OLD SIBLl^Y BKIGADE. 89 rr.nge ol" us, but also a good view. Scarcely a slu;!! wais thrown by them but "vvhat bursted in our vtry midst. Hero for- the first time iu the nnnjils of modern history men formed themselves and fought wilh a desperation excelled ordy l^y the Spartans at Thermopylaj. Tliis day will long be remembered by every participant as being thu hottest ar- tillery duel that they hr,d ever witne.'-sed. I3y being overwhelmed — not whipped — we v.'ero compelled to leave the load leading to Simmspoit, on tho Atchafulaya, for which the enemy had fought so stubbornly, and take tho right hand one leading to Evergreen. ■' • On tho morning of the 17th Waller's Battalion and a [lart of t^io Second Regiment, under Capls. Blair and Terrell, dashed into the lit- tle toAvn of 3Iovoville and captured fifty-six prisuners, one lieutenant coloufl, two majors, and eight other officers. THE BATTLE OF YELLCW BAYOU Was fought on the 18th. Of this battle I am not prepared to say much, as I wn.s not a participant. It was fought by Gen. Wharton's directions, and the result goes to prove that it was one of "'those things" which will occur iu the course of human events. I refer the reader to the table of battles for further information. Gen. Wharton, I liave been told, attaches no blame to any one for the mishap. To say that T/e were badly whipped and worsted, would not be giving alto- gether a ti'ue version of the affair. I know not but what tho enemy los-t jis many both iu killed and wounded as Vi'e did. Tho figures given iiL my table are from the Yankee papers. I never was able to seo our ofli- cial report of this engagement, therefore I canuot say that I amcxactly correct iu my statement. It was reported that Gen. Smith, the Federal commander, was placed under arrest for making the fight, tlio truth of which I canuot vouch for. After picketing around on Bayou de Glaizo and in the neighbor- hood of Simmsport, we were moved out on B;jyou Cane, vrheru for a few days we luxuriated on the fat of the land, v/hich had been left by other armies — mostly cane for horses, and cotbiug for man unless it was got bj' cutting cypress trees, which would measure ten feet in diameter, t« find nothing but a nest of yellow jackets, instead of bees, and if bees, ^vithout honey. Some timt^ in the first of June our Brigade was moved to the Boauf, a few miles above Washington. Here is where I left them, and Avill now go across the Atchaf'alaya, on Bayou Grosso Tete, to fee after ('apt. McAnelly's scout company, aa well as Capt. Alf. Thurmond's company, of the Third Kegiment, on the enemy's flanks, around liud Kivcr Landing. Capt. ^IcAneliy, iu the campaign in New Mexico, was a private in the Second Kegiment. For his daring g.dhnitry on many occasions ton numerous to mention, ho w.as nron.ot«d by f! ct c'rief of chirftnns. Gen/ :h» a HiSTOliY OF 'iiii: (ireeu. to a captain el scouts. For bis iiifnpiil valor, 1ip won the liigli- OFt conlidence of both soldier and officer. At tbe takinj^; of Bra.sbear City tbe yomig captain — for be it< only ilO years old — witba party of some fifteen or twenty men, made a demonstration on a Yankee fjarri- f^on, numbering 3S0 men, ami by bis skillful niantvuvring tbey were all m.ide prisoners. Ap^ain, somewbere on tbe l.afourcbe. be made an- oLber large capture in tbe same way. Wbile at Virginia Point be was autborized to raise a company in tbe same way tbat tbe Val Verde was raised— by baving men transferred from tbe Brigade. He was not long in completing bis company, baving to refuse many applicants. At tbe battle of Mansfield he was severely wounded, anil tbe comisand of the company devolved upon bis lieutenants. Stone and IMtls, men of gal- lantry, wbo, like tbe captain, were promoted for meritorious conduct. At tbe battle of Pleasant llill tbe company did noble duty, each mem- ber making bimself a bero. At Blair's Landing tbey were again on tbe field. Then afterwards, as scouts, around tbe enemy's encamp- ment at Grand Ecore, tbey did most noble service. AVitb Gen. Bee. at Monett's Ferry, tbey were tbe first to inform bim tbat tbe enemy w.TS crossing the river above tbe position tbat be bad taken for them. Dodging the enemy's rear and iront whilst tbe command was on the re- treat, tlit^y again (iistingui.sbed themselves. Tbey were constantly in their saddles — more so {x^rliaps than any other command — during the whole retreat up to the battle of Yellow Bayou. A few days after this battle Capt. McAnelly, baving recuperated from tbe wounds received at Mansfield, joined hi:5 company, and was ordered to cross the Atchafa- laya and proceed to the J^afourche country, and report what the Y'an- kees were doing there. Shortly afterwards Capt. Thurmond, with bis company of tbe 'I'bird Regiment, was ordered to cross tbe same stream and watch the enemy's encampment at tbe mouth of Red river. Col. iiladi.'^on was ordered with his regiment to cross at Morgan's Ferry, and picket tbe enemy's camp at Morganza. Thuy (tbe enemy) "doubled team'" on bim in his encampment, near where tbe battle of Fordoche was fought, and a running fight ensued, the Colonel retreating in the direction of Baj'ouGrosseTete, knowing that he could not get out safe by going back tbe way be went in, in consequence of there being no artil- lery at the crossing to protect bim — truly an oversight. He fought as best be could as be retreated at a rapid rale. After swimming many small bayous, by which bis ammunition was rendered worthless, he swam the Atcbafalaya at Lyons' Ferry. i^IcAnully's company betook themselves to tjie swamps and cane- brakes, where tbey confined their operation until the enemy commenced their retreat, when bis men wca-o again assembled and once more were at work on their rear. Capturing a Y'ankee establishment a few miles above Plaquemine, the boys were all well clothed at short notice. They bfld scarcely completed the job of loading a pack mule with their plun- der, ere tbe cry of "here they come" was shouted by a dozen or more, in echo to the firiug of six-shooters, as the "First Texas Traitors" OLD SIBLEY BRIGADK. been admirable in all. Conquer your own vices and you can conquer the world. Our artillery has been the admiration of the army. Boldly advanc- ing, witiiout cover, against llie heavy metal of the hostile fleet, unlim- bering often within range of musketry, or remaining last on tlie iieldto pour grape and canister into advancing columns, our batteries have been distinguished in exact proportion as opportunity was afforded. Soldiers ! these are great and noble deeds, and they will live in chronicle and in S'jng as long as the Southern race exists to honor the earth. But much re:nains yet to do. The fairest city of the South languishes in the invader's grasp. Her exiled .sons mourn her fate in every land. The cheeks of her fair daughters yet mantle with the blush raised by the brutal tyrant's insult. Not a Confederate soldier returns to Isis colors from this sad Venice of the South, but recounts Avitli throbbing heart and tearful eyes, how, amid.st danger and insult, these noble women — angtds upon earth — cheered hi.s confinement and reliev.'^l his wants. 'J'o view the approving smiles of these fair dames, will be a soldi (r's pvotnb-st boast, the briglite.-^t leaf in liis chaplel-of laur'ds. Soldiers! t];is army in.nciie.s towards New ( Irieans, .•ind thougii it do not reach the gf^al, the liearts of her patriot women shall bound high with joy, responsive to the echoes of your giins. H. TAYLOR, f )fricial : M.ajor Oeneral, IT. IJ. lyrnuocK, Lieni. f rl. iV A. A. G OLD SIBLFA' J^RIGAl^K. *i3 TO THE crpssrns Ar%i> soldisks cr wiiAnxo^i'S cavalry COSPS. AlI.MV OF WkSTHRX Loj.'lSlA\'A, IS THE FlELD, ^ jiiij 24th, 1SG4. ) CtRXERAI. ORDKr.fl, ( No. . J For fovty-si:: days you liavo daily engagcnl (lie enemy, ah'.ays supe- rior to you in nnnioerf=. "When tlio beaten foe, wit'a four army corps of infantry and upwards of five thousand czvalry, began his retreat, you were formed in battle arrav in liis front, and Inmg upon his flanks and rear only to destroy, Iti his retreat from Grand Ecore to the Atchafalaya, you killed, wound- ed and captured upwards of four thousand, destroyed five transports and tare" d they Avere nn hour and a half before the engagement at Norwood's Plantation, (Yellow Bayou.) the rear guard of the en-'-my's array would have been utterly destroyed. As it wis, thirty of his dead were left on the field, sisty-five graves inscribed "killed in the action of the 18th of 3[ay," besides his wounded carried by him. As to the loss you inflicted upon him, from prisoners recently cap- tured we learn it to be eight hundred killed and womxded at the battle of Norwood. Your advance guard are coAy w.itering their horses in the Missis- sippi river, whither you will shortly follow. On short rations, and scanty forage, in the saddle day and night, you have neither murmured nor complained. In all your trials and clangors the veteran Second Louisiana Cavalry have been by your side; they have shared your dangers, and are participants in your glory. During the entire retreat the different batteries of artillery, either acting separately or under Col. ]3rent or Maj. Sinims, displayed the mo^^t marked skill and gallantry. They were particularly distinguished in the engagements Mansuria and Yellow Bayou. I, as your commander, honor you for your doedr, and llnnn ackBOW" ledge my appr^'ciation nf your snf cessfs. 04 A J116TORY OF THE GoTi. Tnylor cheerfnlly ncrnnls to you the meed of his approbatioa, aud in his own timt'nnd w;iy will signify liis admiration. A gratHful people will clurish the record of your gallantry. By command of i!.ii Gen. JOHN A. WHARTON. Assistant Adjutant General. On the 23d of June Gen. Wharton ordered Col. Hardeman with his Itri^ade to Trinity, on Black river. Accordin;rly the advance, under Lieut. Green, took u|) the lini' of march on the 24th, tlie brigade fcd- lowiiig on the next day. On tlie 1st of July we arrived at Trinity. The First Rei^iment, under Col. Hampton, was sent down the river to Johnson's Ferry, with instructions to keep an eye on the enemy out towards the mouth of Red river, and to watch the progress of Yankee navigation on the Mississippi river. The Second Regiment was sta- tioned in the town cf Trinity, and three companies, under Capt. Prid- geon, was sent out to picket at Cosgrove's place, on Cross bayou. The Third was camped a few miles below Col. Hardeman's headquarters, which' were at Gen. Lidd-dl's plantation. Waller's Battalion was doing provoat duty at Col. Hardeman's headquarters. Until the 2'3d of July everj'thing remained quiet on the river, save an oeca.^ioual picket light in Capt. Pridgeou's district, or a scout to- wards Vidalia to see whut the enemy wt^re up to. On the day last re- ferred to, orders weiT given to each regiment to cross over on the east side of the river and hold ihemsolves in readiness for a forward move. On that night amove was made, the like of which is but scddom spo- ken of either in ancient or modern history. Morgan may have done as much in the way of marching, or Marion might have made corres- ponding marches through the swamps of South Carolina in the days of '77, but it never has been excelled in this war. After making a dis- tance of thirty-one miles through one of the most dismal swamps of Louisiana, in one (tf the darkest nights on record, the Brigade found themselves four miles below Vidalia, on the Mississippi river, at day- brt-ak. Waller's Battalion, in advance, engaged' the enemy, and driving them from their po.sition, they captwed 13<3 mules, 60 horses aiifl s me 20 negroes, witliout the loss of a man. As it was only unanl for a raid, we immediately withdrew. A part of the Third Regiment with the Battalion, under Major Hart, turned their attention to a transport in tlie river, and just as they were in the act of boarding it, the enemy, treble their numbers, charged them, capturing two men and wounding one of the Third Regiment. For this piece of impudence on their part tliey were severely chastised. Twenty-three were killed and many WHre wounded. Returning to the river and to our old camps on the west side, JTP remained quiet again for a few days, until forage began to bo an OLD SIBLKY BKIGADE. 9:1 item, when another raid was concocted, in which Lieut. Col. Hampton was commander-in-chief. JMaking- his way to tlie Mississippi, he cap- tm-ed and brought out safely near one thousand sacks of corn, on which we subsisted for a few days, previous to our starting for Arkan.sas. On the 29th we broke up our camps on Black river, and after per- ambulating through the country lying on the 'I'ensas river, and from there to the Mississippi, up to AVaterproof, the line oi march for Arkan- sas was taken up, on the 1st of September. Nothnig of particular note or importance transpired on this trip. On the 11th of Sepfeinbor our advance reached Monticello. On the 27th the Brigade, under Coh j\IcNe.ill, crossed the Arkansas river fif- teen miles above Arkansas Post, and proceeded up on the opposite bank to within a few miles of I'ine Bluff. A portion of WaUer's Battalion and a detachment of the First Regi- ment, under liieut. Taylor, went in the direction of J^uvall's Bluff, oa White river, and engaged the enemy, who, after firing a few rounds, "skedaildled." At sundown we received orders to evacuate that section, recross the river, destroy the boats, and nuike a forced march for Monticello, where Gen. Magruder's headquarters were. Little Hock now, sure! In this Ave were disappointed. On reaching MouticoJlo, wt^ were ordei'ed to Lewisville, which order 'was obeyed with all promptness by making forced marches, regardless of wind or weather ; an i although much of the road h;.d lost its bottom — wiiich we did not try to find, as it had been searched for repeaiedly before without success — wo made the trip without the loss of a man. Camping at Lewisville for a few days, we were ordered with all possible haste to Washington. Washington was ij:enaced, as a matter of course, notwithstanding news came that the enemy Avere evacuating Li I tie Rock. On the 11th of October we started on another forced march, by or- der of . We landed up at or near Washington, where for one half of a, night we enjoyed jjcace and quiet, preparatory to making another forced march in the direction of Arkadelphia, from Avhich to return, after getting half Avay there, to our old resting place on Rusk Lake, near Washington. On the 27th the Brigade, still commanded by McNeill, was ordered to Fulton, Ark., on Red river, where forage could be had for the hor- ses. About this time the First Regiment was detached and placed on outpost duty. An order from "district headquarters" required that each man should make a rawhide bayonet scabbard and a belt ; no sol- dier was allowed to go to a private house on any condition ; no sick man was allowed to leave camp, unless to go to some infernal hospital ; no man Avas allowed to go further than one mile from camp on the pen- alty of death ; no furloughs were to be given on any condition : ua passes to be given for a longer time than six hours ; rolls were to be called three limes a day, and there was to be four hours drill each and and every day, Sundays excepted, be6id«s the dismounted men — those ••G A MISTOUY (.>:•' THE ■who li*, eutitlrd "The Cami^ the Bivouac and the Batth' FieUl," I take the I'llowiii^ extract : •"If tlie anny raises a inoimment,' t-aid Napoleon, 'let it be in honor of Larry.' And bo tlie f^ratitiule of the French nation has erect«'d a ttatuo pensonityinj; Larry, the j^^reat military .'iurge'in ; lie is represent- ed as arreh^liiif; with his luot the ball Avhieh is s^-nibolic of death." The medical ofticers oltliis Brigade, whose patient industry, whose faithful and untiring devotions, whose zeal and cner^'y and insjenuity have so many limes and lor so many lonj; and weary months hteu given, like thc^symbolic foot, to arrest the jirogress and the tfTect of the eneniv's balls, deserves at my hands the tribute of a passing no- tice, and though their humble labors, in the camp, on the battle litlds, at the iniirmaries, in the midst of the sick and the Mounded, tin- dead aud the dying, may not attract the attention of the multitude and "awaken the sonorous echoes of fame," yet a grateiiil people will re- meiuber and reward the glory of their devotedness and tlio heroism ol their humble labors. First to donations and then to them. Through the kindness of JSenior Surgeon Bronaugh, I have been furnished with the ibllowing information as respects the donations made to our Brigade for hosj)ital piirpnst s. Much credit is due this energetic and valorous snrfj-eon for the attention that he has paid to tht» receiving and disbursing the funds to the diii'erent rej;lments. By the statetnent herewith given it will hv, sei.'n that an efjual division of the amounts has been made between the throd regiments and liattalion. The late llev. Jir. Jones (eliajtlain of the Fir.>t Begimenl) during liis administration with us, apjiropriated no little of his time and atten- tion to this deparfment. At (ilorietta this noble man of (Jod was wounded while praying over a dying soldier. 'I'hus he was forced to Tindergo treatment in one of our iiidd hospita's, which made hiui most conversant with the wants and suiferings of the wound^^d as well as the sick, and true to the noble natun; Avhieh was liis chief charact« rihtic, lie was never forgtMful of the lesson he was made so conversant with, and on the bloody iields of Louisiana he was over to be found at the field infir- maries, administering both to the tem])oral and sjjiritual wants of the wounded aud dying. When the din of battle was over aud tho weary ■ OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 9i 3olstion oiten Foriously asked ainoiiirst ourselves. Surely there are tut few commands \^ho need the aervici .s of a devout and piou.s man more than does ours, and I only liave the word of those who have been with us to bear me out in saying that there aro nou« who are dispoeed to pay more reppect tf^ '.;■.' • r? th:v.\ we ari'. BEIGADE FUND. From tho citizens of Wahhingtou county, SI, 4&0, of wliich 675^0 was contributed exclusively to the Second lUgi- mcnt SGQS 00 From citizens oi" Elkhart, Houston county, through editor "Telegraph" 325 OO From citizens of Grimes county, through^Miss Ilunnah Esley 532 00 Keceived of Gen. Cireen, cash S2,0l.0, with vouchers f(jr $1,700, the wiid vouchers and mone}' being a Brigade fund ill po.-^se?sion of the lato Rev. .Mr. Jones, amount- ing to 4,000 00 W.\!^ DISTRIIIUTED A.S FOLLOWS : To the First Regiment, a.s per vouchers of the late Rev. Mr. Jones S1,000 00 To tliL' Second Regiment, as i)er vouchers ot the lute Rev. Mr. Jones 700 00 Deposited with Col. llardenmn, .May 2Sth, 1SG3, for the First Regiuient 455 5S Deposited with ?.raj. Hoffman, May 2Sth, 1863, ior the Third Regiment 455 68 Deposited wiili l.icut. Col. Hampton, August 5th, 1SG3, fur the First Ii( giment 177 50 Deposited with Lieut. Ccl. Herbert, August 5th, 1*^03, for tho Third R. giment 177 50 Deposited with Snigcun S. 15. Many, Nov. 2Sth, 1SG3, for the First Regiment 553 33.^ Deposited with M^. H;ii':inan, Dec. 1st, 1S63, for the Third Regiment . , ,. 1,553 33>^ Helained from the Brigade fund as the proportion due the Second Regiment 1,139 07^ K.Kcliisive of the above eacli regiment has been th»' rreiijieiiis of do- nations madi! by the citizens ami good people of Texa.s direet to the vrginient, through tbc commandants or surgeons, of which it was im- possible for me to procure a correct account, thougii from a knowledge • )f taots, as well as the evidence before me, 1 can with perfect truthlul- ii€.<«8 stato that the amounts have been very small. OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 101 The Third Re,i;'iiTiont has received none whatever. Tlie First Ref^i- mont, on p.'issing through N.'icogdoches in the Spring of 1S63, was pre- sented witli some S400 by the good Ladies of that city. 'Vho Second llegiment received similar donations from Grimes and Washington conuties ; and whilst to the noble and patriotic citizens of old Fort. Bend we have to acknowledge an indebtedness, the patriotic daughters of Crockett will ever be remembered by their defenders in the "tenied field ;" and forever will the names of those noble sires and dames who live on the lovely San I\[arcos and Guad;iiupe be held in cherished ro- merabrance by their sons and friends in the old Siblev Brigade. 'Tis but meet that I should speak of the noble a.-^sistance and relief extended to us througli the exertions of JMrs. Jas. Ueily, who to this day, as well asf)r time to conns is and will ever be rememberiMl with gratitude by those who by her exei'tions were the recipients of many favors on their arrival at San Antonio from where that "biilliant but short campaign" had jutt be(m made. Then long after that, when by exposure and fatigue our boys became sick and were sent to the hospital in Houston — which at that time was but a poor excuse — this nobl« lady was their constant visitor and careful provider for their i-very want. Again, when the tide of battle raged the warmest at Franklin — where fell ber noble husband, the lamented Col. Ueily — she, Avith those noble daraos and daughters of that city might have been seen on that horrid field of carnage ministering to the braves of our army who had mot with battle scars ; ther.-, unmindful of the danger Aviiich menaced them in the share of flying missiles and bursting shells, they were, too intent upon the performance of their mi.ssioa to heed the danger, which made many of the stronger sex tremble. In justice, a whole volume could be filled in speaking of that noble, whole-souled and patriotic lady, Mrs. Sarah Smedes, living one mile from New Iberia, in Louisiana, who in the goodness of her heart estab lished a large hospital, out of her own purse, for the benefit- f Waller's Battalion. At one time there was upwards of one hundred patients in it, all living on dainties prepared by herself and the noble 3iis3 Bukup. Their names, connected A\ith those of Mrs. Ueily, Green, Dunham, Chalmers, and 3Msses Easloy, Green, Smith, and a host of other fair daughters of the "Lone Star State," are names which will long be remembered and cherished, as well as they will ever bo inseparably connected with the history of the old Sibley — Green Brig- ade. To cherish their meuiory would be but proving ourselves worthy of such noble friends. It is thus we show that we are not forgetful of a grateful act on the part of our motjicrs, sisters, &c. To know that they appreciate our deeds of valor, our heroic forbearance; of sufferin--, our self-sacrificing devotion to a cause equally as noble, just and right as was that in wliich our noble forefathers fought, is a consolation most dear to that war-worn and battle-scarred veteran who this day stands on the lonely outpost, bare-footed and in tatters, guarding his home, happy fireside, his all. from the further encroachments of the cnemv. th0 minion, the despoiler and wreckwr of our happiness. io:> A 111 ST our or Tin: Xot u;»til that hrigbt, h.ijipv, and mucli prayotl for tlnj ot' pe.ice «l.t\vu3 upon us antl our land, ran we, t\\<' sijIJicry of tbe coaatrv. prove ihi'. siac«Mi;y of our aliVj'ions, our n'.cj.irds and devotions for tboso noble eartlilvt yet Sfntpliic l)i'ii!g8 who have proved on many oc- casions to he ministering augtls lo us in thv' hour of nerd. When thu names of Airs. K'-rr, Mrs. Alice, Tdrs. (Gordon, and Misses Lynn?, Gordon, Alice, and o'.hcrs, aro mentioned to tho.-e ot our Brio'- ade who hmg sick of loathsome lover in the hospitals at Wat^hington, La., they will he reminded anew of the debt of gratitude they owo to those, the noljhst of God's erealion. Space precludes the possibility of longer dwelling: <>n tliis subject. Pages could be filled in speaking of the tokens of gratitude and words of encouragement given us by the noble ladies of Luuisiaua, aud it would be a ])li'.a.'tl in December 18G?, and joined the second Jiegiment of our Brigade some time in the following January. — A few days before the battle of llisland he was made Acting Assistant Surgeon by Col. liiley, .and assigned to duty as such with the first Ilegiment. In July following he was examined by tha army medical lioard. and became the A.ssistant Surgeon of that Regiment. It is said cf him that he jiassed the best examination before the board of am applicant that hail been brought before them. Oi Dr. Kaincy 1 can sa} with all sincerity that I have never known a medical olilcer wh(» was more devoted to his duties, the cause, and the sick ; and when he leaves us he will have the proud satisfaction ol knowing that he leaves behind him a liost of friends whose kind wish- es will follow him wherever he may go. ASSISTANT SURGEON R. C. WATSON Was born in the State of North Car lina, and moved to Texas in January ISoO. He connnenced the study of medicine at tlie University of Virginia, and comjdef. d the course at the University of Pennsylva- nia. He commenced ih;- practice of medicine in his own native State, where ho remained for three years, when his health became impaired, and his profe.-sion w;.s obliged to be abandoned. Jot being contented here, and thoroughly convinced that this was not the El X)orado of bis beau ideal, he again resolved to travel, which he did iii the spring of lS-:).5 by way of Panama back to Missouri. For some reusou! not known to the writ,ei% the Doctor, shortly after arrivino- in ]'((iss9uriL, turned hi.^ eyo towards Texas — iu which State he moved in tjiat year, ai^d settled, as he sayg, permanently iu Jackson county. Trne to the ualur^ wbicji prompts one to be apautriot, and a usefnl man to ]iis country, the D-Qctoy volunteerwj in October 1859 to again meet the ;\lexicatt.^ who, pnder Cortipas, .were then envtroniug our llio Grand© country. Hg ^Y4s made first liieutenant in the Victory county company. He was a private in the Port Lavacca campaign, at the ca- pitul^uioi) of the U. S. forces at fcJaluria, Texas, in April 1861. He was ayi)o;ut9d Assistant Surgeon of; the second Puigiment by Greneral Sibley on tlie 4t3th of Soptomber, and as such served with his Regi- ment tbrougq t,h^ campaign of New MQjtico. There i.^ uo aurgeou in the army who has been more constant and un,t^ring than surgeon BronaugU. Gongtantly at his post, be is ever to be found on the field rea4y to perform his duty at any time and at any place. The Doctor has as little fear of danger as Caisar would have had had hf been a surgeon. Although njost remarkably gruff ;wd pointed in bis mannerR aad igg A niSTdRT OF THE ways, yet there is not a warmer and kinder hearted man towards t\\e> Kick tbnn is Dr. Bronangh. Ill' is the only frrandson, now surviviiij;, of that ilFnstrious and over to bo remcinbc^red chieftain, the late Col. William Bronanp^h, o'' Vir- jvjjiiji — who, it will bo remiMiilirn-d, M'as a Captain nndi-v \\'a8hin^on at Brnddock's defeat, and was afterwards made a Colonel in the Revo- lutionary war. Both of his >(iilliern Division in the M'ar of 181?. J. M. Hronauj^h, his father, wjia for many years the Chief of the Indian Bureau in Washinj^ton City. As a surgeon the Doctor may have equ,il.><, imt no supiM-iors in our army; and an a social, jovial, and an intelligant camp couipanien, the Doctor stands as the excelsior of all who have not had the chances of seeing what he has seen in thi.>^ low world of trouble. He has acted a.s Chief Surgd to the "tcHtcd field" and jilaced in charge of a ho.'spital established for the sick of the Brigade at Houston, llad charge of tho wounded at the battle of Galveston. With his regiment at Bisland, he was again placed in charge of the hospital established for our wouud(;d at that place. Barely escaping capture, he rejoined the Brigade on its march to Xiblett's Bluff. Was with it constantly in every skirmish and bat- tle, and was again detached from the Brigade at Yellow Bayou, in cliargo of the hospital there established for tho wounded of Wharton's Cavalry Corps. * Tht! Doctor reports the following number of cases of gunshot wounds — belongioglo our command — that came under his treatment at #LD ilBLETB RTGADK. a*7 that hospital c Head, 1 ; car, 1 ; face, 1 ; mouth, 2; neck, 5; shoul- der, 1; breast, 6; arm, 8; hand, 13; abdomen, 3; hip, 15; thigh, 23; knee, 3; leg, 14; foot, 8. Total, 105. Our array needs move just such untiring and indefatigable, as well ^aa courteous and tender-hearted men as Dr. Hunter. A short firao back Assistant Surgeon Greemvood, of the Third Regiment was promoted to Surgeon, and assigned to duty in Lane's Ih-igado. Although no longer "one of us," it is but meet and just that his memory should be perpetuated, as it justly deserves to be for his valuable services as an able surgeon whilst with us. Dr. !McIver, Surgeon of that regiment, has also lately been trans- ferred to duty -elsewhere, which when positively and officially confirm- ed, makes Di\ Hunter Surgeon. Although wo regret to part with our old and tried friends, who have proved faithful to their trust and true to the cause, yet the entire Brigade will be pleased to hear of Dr. Hunter's advancement at any time, unless it be as it was the case with Many — advance him from us. Surgeons McPhail and Todd, of the Second Regiment, deserve at my hands more than a passing notice, notwithstanding I can do no more for reasons set forth in my preface. Those two gentlemen must not think the omission an intentional one on my part. Through thn kindness of my friends I have been placed in possession of the data which, with no little pains on my part, I was enabled to make up tho foregoing notices. Of Acting As.sistant Surgeons Cunningham and Dawson I could not be too extravagant or lavish of praise. Both deserve much at tho hands of their countrymen, and tho warm wishes of the friends to the Brigade. "This closes a list of those medical officers of the old Brigade who have been with us from the beginning, and who have held out faithful to the present time. There were others who have deserved well of the country, whofs names it would have been a pleasure to record, and whose faithful servicea in the cause of humanity deserve to have been handed down to posterity ; but some of these have loft us and gone wo know not whither, whilst others havo come amongst us so avcently that they could scarcely be regarded as forming a part of the old Brigade. "Our article on the subject of medical ollicers, dec, is fast drawing to a close. Many a reader of our humble history, in coming to tho heading ''Medical Oflicers of tho Brigade," will, wo fear, hesitate to read farther; but why ."liouldthey not? It is natural that they should feel as tho world feels ! It has boon aptly said that 'the crowd rushes to the pageantry of great men.' We see the long lines of glittering bayonets, tho flashing of swords, tho glitter of showy uniforms, tho flowing plumes and the prancing of richly caparisoned siceds, and the most thrilling emotions of our hearts arc awakened by all tho 'prido and pomp and circumitanco of glorious war.' We are pioud of the l.Vf. A HI^LORY OF THR gallaiit Loarinp:, tlic nobl^ oarin*: Ami tfie lofty p.ntrir.ti.^r. of ni:r brnvc t)fticers of tlie fieW mid the lii.f. ::nfl xho privntrs nf ffio rnnk>^ v.ljo 'fi{xlit not for rpTT?. but for country.' Ltt tis cast niir < "' " hpr Hovn, there nt the foot r"?i,'.'■.' ♦'Kneeling upon tbo Woody «faW 6f' 'lhVhTeh fills ihe'V'ortl with CT^rt'rt- denco and Rheds the diviiii' balm of faith over the ■n-ontid<^d. Wth^^^o soli mn hours the ^Tirgi'ou is the dep*Ssitory of great iny'sfeVie<;. The dying confides to hiiri hi« touching atlien.^ for hip di-Xt nt fa'if)iI.y-^^6U(! remits his wealth, anctlier his si-crits. Tlie general, the otlScer ai'id 'tiro soldier, aftnr the battle, hear only the soVi^.*! of triumph aiid the ; li.difs of joy ; the Surgeon only heii*s the Idng groati of tin' !arh»y. "When night comeR nil sleep iMit liini'— vigilant se^i' watches among the wounded. The next d-ay, worn d(»wn wii.'; and watching, ho takes ap the lifte of mercU Av'ith *'h>' "'^ ' > . going from (»ne to another ; hpre soimdiil^ a WofrtSrl in t: '•I'h' B uking a ball in the labyriiith of the hrrman bn as'-:^giH'iii_t,' :iihm a. (lA, and thus to Rpc/Jik, pov.ing lifVi .*dl around him ; strnggl'.ng^ iVi'def^eW- tion againfit deatV, invcmlin'Jj, improvisitig meth6d;=i stiiMdylng tiiaterir;l means by force of intelligenoc, transferring pl.*iiks antl to-jk'ft ^nto'titt- pinatUP, and at lenglli tening liis own clothes iil'.o Mhreds to 'stail^yjh lh<^ blood of the Wounded. 'TIiJr Ib tlW> irrtelKge^it Straggle of pref^t.-r- vation ag.aiust the Itlimi struggle of destruction.' , ' Such JB the man that yon have se^n •W^*rchi^'^ ihnth»?^flr rtf't^ - h ft of hi." regiment, tlonnr'thon this man who apy. praying sister of cli.'ifily and the dying soldier, is a thousaad tiiUea ftacr^d. Wives, riioth^s and nsrers wr; silence of the fireside, trenihJe for tiho=o >V4io t'"r IVoim \t.ii the gloriou.s duties of war, calm yortr f»Wrfe'^-'^' wjif-hing OTer those wbi'»T>i V"" 1'" .. OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 101) THE COIIISSAM A^^D QUARTEEMASTER rr'MKTMECTS. Tiit'.-^f departments ate justly ('ntifled to spaen in this little volume. Xotwidistandijig a sel/'ConT)c1iOn "wartis me of my inability to do the subjt'Ct — n c;entlemavi connected flierewith — full justice, yet, lest thev should .leensi' me of not lliiukiri^ well of them, I shall endeavor to say somethiiitr, let that ^*fff etlriiiff ^Ji? ever so l^m. Of our oid A. C. S.'r ;\!i(l A. Q. M.'s I can fay but little, either •^nod, bad or indilTfrent. save that Maj. I>iOM-urig{^ di(>d of wounds re- cmvfd-ftt th« bfttfie ot'Cishiiiri, wiiile eonveying orders across the field fi'oin rjen:'^fl)!'y:" Of Capt. H. E. Leobtyetz'' 1 could not Bpeak too commendatory. Why he it'fl UK to take the rank of Major in the Clotliing Bureau in Tcx-is is a mystery. As a bu5inP.=s??' TOan, a courteous gentleman, and •1 go^d quart t-iinaster, he had but few, if any, superiors in our army. Hfp old i't>|i;inirht deeply 'regret l^ii.-<'loSfe. '■■ {':■.. Z.'5-.'Wilghn,of "fhr S,'0(1«d, Jttid Capt. Fisher, of the Third, "— ■■'^ic rttid ttr.-l-' '''I'V*?, who are justly v^ry popularTrith fttid Utir] The fovmer, if I mistake not, ha.*; :r, >sr nniHim.v fl't*omlm*> t". ■>\f, iuSt seX arid good music, fast horses and gii.)d teams, together with a plenty of "forage" for No. 2. (Japt. i}ir!?lifiHld, (rf fhe 'Bjitfaiion, has repeatedly been offered pro- iiiot'^oiis, in coA?eqMeft<« nn*)rfy)'*^^'v l^cyiartment I am no particular fvierd, in con- • ' •loV(*r of tlio good tbin^?. I am not dis- ' . b,v*ause I didn't get ^y. But "howsom- • A e • jtosfibility of myself and the geutle- ( now atttitig in that capacity fortheBrig- nde '.ivh er"dTt for his promptness, as Well as hi- • -frns in' the behalf of t^roso who, i" i i;i ; iiii^e.;-, ate di^josed to look ub fof'sbtne- . tbirft, &;c. ' 'I • ■ ■" ■ ■ ' . ' ' , ■ 'f ' ; >'.:•, anorlief deserving Hifxti, "fins the'pfj^tJoti df A; (^ '." 'abo\*o tiamfU' officers are on fhe road to advauco- "m»^rti '■ iTon. . _ ' * ' ' D. Klam and J. WHkins. c>milji{^g?iHe« of thePifst mm^ .' ''. it'^ginipnta, «h> both yntin^ o;^>'<^r8 ot*'ynueh'prd»if»i^o''«tiid' };i'.'l! .vortllk ■ ■ 1 H» A lll.HroKY i)V THK O K x\ T I O N rKI.IVKREO n\ GOVERNOR F. MURRAH, IN" Tin; C .^ I=» I T O Xj , AT Tin; F u N K R A r. c E II i: yi o N 1 1: s (>\i)n Tin: REMAINS OF MAX GEN. TOM GREEN, ON Tin: 2n DAY OF MAY, 1SC4. ^V(l come to bury the remains of (rcn. Tom Green. We come to pay the solemn funenal rites duo to the remains of a fallen hero, uni- versally mourned and honored. We are not the only mouriierH over the cor.se of the distinf^uishcd dead. All Texas grieves — and a family of States, united in the mighty struggle in which lie fought and fell, join in the lamentationH at his loss. The name of Gen. Grctn, like tliat of Morgan, of Forrest and of Stonewall Jackson, is a familiar household word throughout the Con- federate States; and is this day, from the Potomac to the Kio(Jrand«», lisj)ed in praise and in sorrow by the stern soldier underarms, the citi- zen pursuing his rtl*i: hie hiujo increased — hi name grtrvv brighter — hi ior<* Ki*irioiis. There Wii.s, in tliu lii luu] jwtuio <»( Gen. (jreeii, those qnali - ties which ortunoiilly tiU' '1 ..: . ior .1 ' and HUiH-v-.-ful inilitar\- chioftain. Ho was cxd an I darin-, a fc»ulf. u;)i>i tU<' tield. Kvery inan in hir • liv'iii lln- ijiuaic lo \\w \>fiioer, fidt that ia himtliey had a fji. ir and t^-u«, :ml that the daufjcrri which her. askfd them to brav*-. ite >*•!« nt iiU umus ve<*djsr to ahnre. Merit nevord escaped his penotrati.-ij; '>ve, or passed nncmnineiidecL The laithfulu;. soldier never bnjught to l.iia his sowows and his trouldcb, withont being heeded and relievoii. Th^se qualitius tuarkod his disposition 1' from th(i beginning to the end of hi.^ milii.iry career, and in every rr.nk which he tilled. Tin- country n^'vot felt thai they had lust a citizen — the privaXe soldier u^ vor ftdt thftt;,.U« hW lost a friend — when a Maji . Geneniltihip w^» eniiirtret) niioiij;'l,'Qm U-jfoen. He quitteij the pni-suit. of the private citizen, only when the tpusin of Avar Mas ^;oundedr— when danger threatened bis country^and' then, with Uiu fond expcicta- tion ot r.'tnrning to the pe;ice('id avocations of life when the strife was over, and his country isave.l. Ptipans have been sun.i; lor nge-s tg tli memory of CiucinnaUin- Hi.^tory I'.as recorded on its brigiitetit iiag<> the purity and KiuipU ity of his .character, aa a citizen; hJ8 eoura;_ and readiness to «lo . b.utlj! ,as a ►soldier wUen iioine wan, in d;ini::ei. (.)nce did he leave th*; plou^ii and ifyka t\w fw<)rdi and liien only for u brief period of ti-ii'. ;llnv- otton did Unnsi leave the peaCet id avoca- tions of a j>ri\ ' '.eii j/|f^rnie,nts of home, to defend hi country. All 'ide! nil able dispusitlou — the .sdine unpre'u' toudjug patiii ;lt:ies,i ,'arto ili" h. ar(.»i .4- the. Romfm pj-ople — if hi.-* memory wn&K <'nibuhned if\ their litei.;) ,;.>■ — h<>Wj .c^n ,4l)'^ memory of Green fail, so long a^ Lhftfi? is n :6v»'iiu. :ii Ivefii*, ^r, H, isoiUherU literature to oher- isb it. ., . . ; • Uiit J will i)irMlitlMba*ween tiue&ei illnstriooaiu characierx. Waui- iuro «jj ma»y coiubats and many hnrd^.l fought batileH. , 14. .nvni i^fi the oce»wi«>n was great, ik* roso?'. to the full pronortionh oJL' .i.\4.i-ut nylitary chieftain ho soqu as the opt/- portunity wa.s offered. His laind worked with nion! intensity, and t with the Banie Jiccuracy, in the mid-st of the carn:ii(e of contliot, »:* if no e.innon w^nt forth their missiloa of death, and as if ao danger was near. OLD SIBLEY BfilGADE. Uy Ilis quick pevceptiqu noted at once the weak points in the plans and movements of the eninny ; and with eager courage, and unerring judg- ment, he at once took advantage of them. The enemy were assailed in a manner, at a time, and with an impetuosity that overwhelmed them Avith surprise, and routed and defeated them. Ilis success was uniform and unbroken. Wherever his hattle-ilags wavd spread to the breeze, and the charge ."bounded to his invincible battalions, the contest was short — the shout ot triumph, went up — and victory reposed in pride upon his floating banners. While others hesitated and paused, throxigh caution, indt^cision, and a feeling of uncertainty, he bad already surveyed the field, settled his plans, and was ci'owned victor of the day. It was not courage, coolness and daring alone that gave Green his triumplis, and inspired with conliJeuce the martial banda that followed and obeyed him. It was mind, discrimination, judgment, genius — that loft^' selt-rcliance and fearlessness of vesponsibility which mark all great souls. These illustrious qualities Avere emineutly displayed in that battlo Avliich won for him from commander and oilicer, and private soldiers, wh( re there were so many distinguished for their gallantry, the proud distinction — the hero of Val Verde. They were again displayed at the battle which Avrested Galveston from the possession of the insolent foe, A wail of distn.'ss — a cry for help, was heard — and Green stood upon ihe bayous of Louisiana, surrounded by his veteran legions, ready for the conflict Avith vastly superior numbers of the foe. In a fieAv brief months, Lafourche, Burbeaux, Brashear City, Donaldsonville, For- doche, and numerous other battles had been fought — the tide of vic- tory turned — the enemy everyAvhore checked, defeated and driven back and overAvhelmed, in confusion and dismay. Thousands of them had been slain, numbers of prisoners taken, and millions of property captured. A sense of relief — a feeling of re-inspired hope, were again experiened by the people of that doAvn-troddeu and almost enthralled State ; and men, Avomeu and children, everyAvhere, rose up to shout the deeds, and bless the name of Green. The very streams (hat Avater that fertile soil echoed Avith his achievements, and murmured his glo- ries ; and their Avaves, catching the sounds, rolled them upon the glad . Avaters of that gulf, upon whose bosom he has so often sported, and upon AA'hose shores he had first illustrated his gallantry as a soldier. W^ithiu the space of tAvo years he had fought and won lifteea or twenty battles, at points distant from each other a tliousand miles or more. His poAvers of endurance, and the cheerfulness with AA^hich he submitted, Avithout n murmur to hardship and suffering, inspired his soldiers AA'itk the same .spirit, and likena him to the first of Avarriors. Qualities less illustrious — labors les-s arduous and important — patriotism less arduous and less devoted — deified many an ancient hero. But his course was not yet ruu. ills services to his country Avere not y«t finished. Tho monum^ut of h'u fame Avas )iot yet completed. 114 A HISTORT OF 'JliB Tl»e oneiiiT reassembled their shattered forces ; increased their num- bers to a vapt array ; made new combinalions. and laid iu?w plans, ti> attack and ovirwhidm the Trans-Mississippi Department, and to Iruild upon our ruin the foundations of their own unholy power. 'I'he deiiant and insolent liosts had to be met, crushed and expelled from the land, polluted by their presence ; or else our ruin was certain, our hope* blasted, and our liberties gone. If the battle of Tour? saved Europe from the Cresceut, and secured to it the triumph of the Cruss — if the battles of Salamis and Plataja saved Greece from Asiatic rule, and secured to her that freedom and nationality which still Hves in her literature — her history — her elo- quence — in the triunijjhsof her arts and sciences, and in the inimnrfal songs of her poets — what shall we say of the importance to Texas — to the wliole Trans-Mississipjii Department, and to the whole Cimfede- racy — of the battles of the Sth and 9th of April, ISGl. at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill? The time to estimate their v.4lue, and to appreciate their conserjuences, has not yet come. May they be to us as were tho battles of Salamis and I'latiea to Greece. Maj. fren. Green was there witti his invincible bands about him — tho veterans of many a M'ell-fonght field — tho companions in arms of his glory. Hither he came to triunjph or to perish. lie well knew the importance of the deadly conflict, and success or death was tho only thought that ruled his mind and fired his heart, lie turned to the Capitol of Texas, ono fond, anxious gaze — his home, his fatnily. IIo drew his sword and threw away the scabbard. On these imperishable fielde, he exhibited the most cunsumato generalship, as if his last {bat- tles were to be his greatest, his last d<»eds bequeathed to his comitry- men, the most brilliant and lasting. Ney was never more daring and reckless of life — Najxdeon never more cool and calculating, in the midst of carnage, and Avhen contending with f^'arful odds against him. IIo seemed inspired with more than human courage, and with more thaa human power. The inspiration that iired his own bosom, Mas caught by all who followed and obeyed liim, and by all who witnessed tho displays of his valor. In the midst of the smoke and din of battle, his towering form was seen, as if some mysterious genius of the strife, se- cure from the missiles of death ; moving on wherever danger was most threatening, animating, leading and directing his fearless followers. Success attended wherever he led ; and the enemy, assailed unexpect- edly in front and rear, and routed and defeated, either surrendered as prisoners of war, or lied in confusion. Our army was composed of heroes, all. They were nioni than Spartan bands — and none more heroic, more daring, more distinguished, than the hero of Val Verde. But when the TrRns-]\Iississippi Departni(>nt was ringing with shouts of joy over these triinnplis, and with praises to his name, and thanksgivings ascending to the (Jod of Hosts, for the deliverance vouchsafed to the people — when he was gathering up the spoils of vic- tory, and laboring to cut off from the euemy all moans of escape — when OLD SIBLET BRPQASE. US i{"hirty raiuutes more of life, spared to him, would have ensured to our arms another brilliant success iu the capture of transports and gun- boats — when aJ.l 'jyes were turned to him iu increased admiration and wonder — Oh ! how shall I utter the calamity that then befell my coun- try — that made even these victories gloomy and dearly bought — Green fell — a bleeding sacrifice upon her altar — amongst the first of great martyrs to oui* cause in the Trans-Mississippi Department. He had Jived enough for his own fame, but not enough for his country. Ilia example will endure. His deeds can never perish. He will live iu .the hearts of his countrymen — a monument more broad and enduring tlian inscriptions on brasa, or entablatures of marble. "But strew his ashes to the wind Whose sword or voice has served mankind — Aud is he dead, whose glorious miud Lilts thino on hi;^h ? To life in hearts we leave behind la not to die.*' We must all be gathered to the tombs of our fathers ; and the be- reaved family of the departed patriot should find consolation in the brilliant sunset of his life, and in the honors of his name — more to them than treasures of gold. The public sympathy and the public regard will attend them. The ofiices of a delicate and true friendship will not be found wanting. The muse of song and the pen of the historian will hand down his name in honor, and future generations, as they shall come on the shores of time, shall rise up to call him blessed. His friends and companions, the officers of that high judicial tribunal to which he was so long attached, who knew him best, and appreciated his manly and social qualities, who never met him but with pleasure, and never parted with him but with regret, can never forget those pleasing associations. Time will only serve to make these impres- .'^ions deeper upon the heart, and memory will cherish them with "miser care." "So sinks the day star in the ocean bed. And yet anon repairs bis drooping head, And tricks his beams, and with new spangled ore Flames in the forehead of the morning sky." The authorities in the State would, in the name of the people, have taken a mournful pride in receiving these remains — a sacred trust — in depositing them in the State Cemetery — in placing them by the side of the remains of Burleson, of McCulloch, of Hemphill — in marking by appropriate monuments their last resting place. But his own wishes, expressed in antieipation of his fall, according with that modesty and true dignhy of nature which were so strikingly prominent in his char- acter, and the inclinations oi a bereaved and affectionate family, point to the family burial-ground as the appropriate plate for their last r«- poso. nt A niSToKY OF Tin: Tlioro 1ft tlirrn icpnfsft in pofu'o ; axul nvor ihnt grave l»»t tlic wild vino and tin- Howors, and tlio plrnitP. nourished l»y Imiid of nfiVction, fntwinf tl»<>mselves. Over lluU grave lot the wild birds sing thoir un- tJWght s«iugH, and tlio blue waves of the Cinion or to pass judgment on (!ven the most trivial thinirs, at the commencomeni of this v/ar he was disposed to "look be- fore he leaped ;" consequently he did not rush into things, as many do, blindlv. After secession and war had btjcone iixed facts, he, like. all men of true worth, placed not only all of his means and energy, but al- so his life at his country's service. The tocsin of war had hardly sounded ere he was busily engaged in raising a company for the ser- vice. On the 20th of September his company was organized by 1^3 unanimously electing him their Captain. At lirst some* fears were en- tertained of its not being received iu consequence of not being needed. Such w.as not long the case. Another war wind came, and Captain Hardeman took up the line of march, "armed to the teeth with shot and K({uin-el guns" for San Antowio. The company was nuisterrd into service on the 27th of August, 1861, "ft)r during the war," and was placed upon the list as "A" company of the first Regiment of the Sib- ley Urigade. At the battle of \'al Verde he was wounded twice. For the great j^allantry displayed at the siegt! of Albuquercjue, in New ^lexico on the (jth of April, where he with liis company defended the place against LOOU of the enemy, under Major Duncan, he was promoted Lientenant Colonel of the first Regiment. 'J aking command of the Regiment a few days afterwards, he was chiefly instrumental in bringing the Val A'erde battery through the mountains ; and for the zeal and untiring energy displayed on this occasion, ho ivceived the highest commenda- tion not only of the entire comnumd, but also from the commanding Ceneral. He continued in command of the Regiment until it arrived at San Antonio in July. 1S62, nnd was furloughod. At the taking of OLD SIBLEY BKIGADK 119 Galveston ho again commanded the Regiment (IJiley the Brigade.)^— Shortly after this ho was assigned by Gen. i^lagrnder to tho comman d of the lirst Texas Partisan Ranger Brigade, in which capacity ho serv- ed until the 20th of June, when he rejoined his old Regiment on tho march towards Brashear City, as fnll Colonel. At the desperate assault on Fort Biitlcr, ho commanded our left wing. Here again he displayed unusual coolness and daring courage. — Shortly after the battle of Fort Blister ho was taken very sick, and was absent until a few days before the battle of Burbeaux. He was placed in command of the Brigade a few days after tliis battle, and as its com- mander he distinguished himself on several occasions before leaving for Texas in the fall of 18G3. He was in command of the Brigade on its march to Texas, and the greater part of the time while there. On taking up the line of march for Louisiana in the spring of 1864, ho was still in command of the Brigade. At Mansfield he started in .as com- mander of his Regiment ; but ere the close of that day's bloody work, he commanded the Brigade, leading his men forward with his usual in- trepid valor. At Pleasant Hill he was placed in command of the ex- treme right wing, consisting of his own and Terrell's Regiment. Here it was that ho again showed himself in bis true light. Brave even to a fixult, he rallied Iws rnen as none who saw him could have done, and with a desperation worthy bf our cause, ho tried, but tried in vain, to check the advancing columns of tho enemy, who were ten times hia strength. On the 20th of January 1864, he was commissioned by General Smith as Brigadior General; but for some reasons known only to the Com- mander in Chief of the Confederate army, his commission was not ap- proved. At the battle of Stansuria he was placed in command of the Jirigade. I am told that in this fight, as the Biigado was brought into line and the order was given for him to charge the enemy's position, in taking his post and giving the comuiand "Forward," he shed tears on seeing his men falling around him by the murderous fire of the enemy's artillery, as he advanced through the open field. This I do not doubt, since knowing him as do all others who have been under him as being possessed of one of the most tender heartn for his men. The follow- ing is an extract from a letter written by him to Gen. Green on an oc- casion when nearly one half of our Brigade was on the sick list, and one half of the patients treated in tho ho.spitais were dying. The letter will speak for it.'^idf. It had the desired effect. In a few days an order came to furlough tne sick. Many are now living who would have died had it not been written : Head Qiarter-s Fourth Texas Cavalry, » October 25th, 1863. ) Brigadier Gen. Green, commanding Division: — Believing that Major General Green liad authori/ced you to furlough such sick men as the Brigade Surgeon certified that a change of climate and diet was neees- 120 A lIIST(^i(Y OF THJ: Hfiry to their rosovc: y, I on yesterday forwarded througU Col. B.^gby a list of the namna with the ueot'ss iry curaticates from my tlogiiiiuutal t>urj^c'Ou and a uole from Col. B.igby explaining their inforuiilitv. — • confident that you would ordi!r tin* mou furl.jughed. It hjis.l^i'ua' r«r turned disapproved hy tljo Senior Surgeon, (yivirgo Couphis. Ct^uoral, I appealed to you iu behalf of riiose uieii when I firsl relumed to the Uegi:ncnt. 1 have app(.'alod through Col. Bagby tp General Taylor, In a word, I have exhausted all legitimate measures for their reliof in vain. Some of these men I have known for years. They are my iieighbors^weri- enlisted by uie. Most of them liave lived with you and me for two years, and are I;:io\vn to be good soldiei'S. Dr. Mauny Cttiiilies on honor that a chan/i- ot climate is necessary to their recova- ry. That he i.s qualitied to ju Ig;;, the fact that he has nasHo 1 th..' best examination of any surgeon west of the Missi.ssippi, is sutlicieJit tes- timony. That htj is sincere and conscientious I will vouch for. \ have known him from his boyhood. The question, then, is, shall I let these men linger and die in camps 1 or shall I send t lem home on mv own responsibifity, and be dismissed from the scirvice tor so doing 1 — ■ What little reputation I liave gained as a soldier, is as nothing whoa plac<'d in the balance ag.-iinst the lives of these men. I know that t could order them home under the pretext of getting clothing for their companies ; but I scorn to do a thing of that kind. Tliey are, in jus- tice, entitled to a furlough. The interest of the cause in behalf of which we have taken up arms requires it. I will order them regularly furloughed by the commanders, let the consequences be what they WM. P. HARDEMAN* Col. Fiturth Regiment. On arriving iu Arkansas the Colonel was again plao'd in command of the Division while it was on the Arkansas river, which position he held up to the 2Gth of November, when he was placed in conuaaud of the Cavalry Corps. 1 could not use language too expressive in eulogizing him ss a sol- dier, an oliicer and a gentleman, or as a citizen or neighbor in time cf ]>eace. No one deserves more of his country than Col. ilarileman ; and in years to come for one to be aljle to say that he soldiered with (ireen and Hardeman, will be an honor equaled only by tho.se veterans who fought with Gordon at Port Jfudson, or Beauregard at Charleston. — When this war is over Col. Hardeman will have the proud satisfaction of knowing that he has done his duty, and tht^t a grateful proplo and. a noble soldiery appreci;ite him f!)r his services. COL. HENRY C. lii'NEILL. Was born in Natchez, Miss., in 1837, emigrated to Texas in 1S40, entered college in the Kentucky Military Institute, Franklin county, Ky., in the fall of lb48. Thenre he went to the Western -Military Institnte, where he graduated, preparatory to going to the West I'oint ULD ijlBLEr BlllGAUK. li!l Military Institute, whero he graduated with the highest houorfi in 1S57. "Gen Floyd was then S--C rotary of War. From him he receiv- ed his firbt order to report to ihn tirst lyegiiuent of U. S. Mounted Ri-' flea for duty as a Lieut^;uant in Company B of that Kogiment, which ivas then t-'tatioued at Fort Stockton in New Mexico. Before joining the Regiment he was promoted and assigned to duty as commander of company C, then stationed at Fort Craig. At the breaking out of tho war, and ou hearing that Texas had seceded, he resigned his commis- sion in tlie U. S. service, proceeded to Richmond, and tendered his ser- vices to our young Confederacy. Ho was ordered by the Secretary of War, Pope Walker, to report to General Sible}" for duty. The latter forthwith sent him. as bearer of dispatches to Ur. Clark of Texas. He was also authorized by (reu. Sibley to proceed, immediately on hi^ ar-. rival in Texas, to the organizing of a Cavalry Brigade. After mus- tering in several companies at his own solicitation, he retired from this dutv. Shortl}' after this time he Received the appointment of Lieul. Col. of the second Regim 'nt (fifth Texas Cavalry). In this capacity he served throughout the whole campaign of New Mex,ico — ^staying with his Regiment and performing the duties of a valorous officer. At the battle of Galveston he played a conspicuous part, and for his mili; tary deportment eneral Magruder ordered him detached and placed as" chief of his staff. In this capacity he served until Col. Green was pro- mott-d as Brigadier, when he was oi-dered back to his Regiment as its Colonrson County, Ala., in 182^, and with his pa- rents when quite yonn^C he emigrated to Mississippi, whence he movod to Texas in IS'iO. In IS-OI he again starte.l to the "far we. history thf name of Lofkrid{;« will appear tAmviitir. A hh»rt time b« Atri' tho r.ipture of 'NVnlktr and his pjirty, th*> auhject of tliose ninaikp wnp iiiortailv wounded in \\w hp, .-nvl c.inn' to New Orlt-ans for tr»'atment. IIiTr he coM)m< nci-d the Ktndy of law, and {rraJuatt'd at one of our hijiht-et law universities, Ueturninp: to Tt-xas hie "sLin- gle" was paft^d in Gonijalas for a short season. He was amongst the first of his patriotic county to enroll his name for the defence of his country. He was appointed ^lajor of the second Rtgiuient at Colonel Green's solicitation by Gen. Sibloy, and as its cominimder on many oc- casions, he won the entire conlidouco and good will of all who were uudor him. He fell while nobly and heroically leading his column forw • rd iu the charge on the enemy's (.McCray's, now the V'al Vt-rde) battery. — Ju.-itly has he been styled the hero of Val Verde. In the lo.^^a of Lock- ridge our country and its cau^^e lost a uoble, chivalrous and gi-nerou» officer. Words are inudequnte to express a true sense of his worth. — May the turf of Val Verde lay lightly on the bosom of our sleeping hi-ro ! May his ashes rest in peace, and may a grateful p-ople honor and revere liis noble deeds, and the soldiery of our land emulate them, is all that his old comrades and friends can wish ; for now that he has gone to the warrior's house, where with thu souls of Greene, Roquet, •Shropshire and a host of others, may wo but hope he rests ia the hands of his GoJ in pence. LIEUT. COL. J. S. SUTTON. The subject of this sketch emigrated to Texas early in the year 1836, and although of a retiring and mod'jst dispo.sition, he soon gained the confidence and est>?em of his companions. He wa.H a Lieutenant in th«army'of the Republic of Texas, where ho won a name for gal- lantry and coolnet-K in the hour of danger. At the time of his fall ou the hard fought field of Val Verde, ho was about forty-five years of age — small in stature, but of good constitution Ho was a noble look- ing man — dark, curly hair, dark complexion, and a clear, steady eye, indicative of the tirm and manly spirit that dwelt within. Like many othert*, at the time he went to Texas he sought adventnro and excitement. At one time he would amuse himself by hunting in the Very path of the Indian ; at ariolher he might be found Captain of a scouting party ; and when he did engage in these expeditions on tho frontier, the ludiurw had cause to lament that they had aroused the Texan. In 1840 he engaged, iu tho ill fated expedition t* Santa Fe, under the administration of President Ijamar, and of course was captured and driven to tho City of .Mexico, where he suffered ever\ thing but death. He was liberated some time in the year I842, after which he made his home ttbout San Antonio, Texas, always offering his purse and services, whenever aud wherever noeded. He figured coaspicuously in the war ^ifli M^ric*^, audaftor iti c!o»p, taturued tohii old aad faaailiar scoues Ol.l> tjIBLEV BRlUi.J>*:. 1*.'; of plpasnre and the frontier. He was soon in commimd oi' a coniii;»tsy of langtTH, oQVctive and diligent. After the Indian had been mado caulidus, and eomewhat taught lo remain Mithin his own bounds, Col, Sutton sought a few years of quiet and pleasure ii\ tiie bay is of Lavacca, Matagorda, Ef piritu Santo, Aransas and CVipue Chripti. He was now enjoying the liberty for ■which he had braved de;.th and danger on ma!)y an oceaHion, and was thus pah(«Jng away his :Vri>j:r CfP THk IMA, 1hc> -pirit nf Tit^ut. C. and an OFrin-.K op ims Rkoivrnt. LIEUT. COL. G. J. HAMPTON fi Wos born in thf Stato of 'l^nnf-sspe, .ind fmij^rati'd to Thxhs w'hf'n' ijnitH young, in 1S3S. Hv rotninnndt-d a company in the Oortinas ont- bivak, iu 18o9, on the UioGrmirl.'. In lSo'2 he pHrticiftatt-d iu thi< i-x- ploration pxppdition to Now M-'xico. Eariy in tho bn-aUinf!: out of this war he was chosen l»y the citir-'ns of his county as nn npi-n", and Bent to Matamoras to purchase armR tor them. Not h< in;^ suro«'Rnful in this h*' r»fturni d home and ininipfiiatcly oij|.'.u;iKed a coinp.-my I'oj- tliip l^rig- ade ((70. C, Fr.\st lu'e^inu'Pt). For liis o^ailantry and unHinching con- iduct at V«l Verd^, he was mndo JUjur of tht> n'.c;iuunt. After tho death of Col. Keily, he -vvaB pronioted to bis pree«ot rank, tv hf tx} he is not apt lonir to stay. As an ottieer, he ie kind to thoBo under him.^nnn attentive to their A^ants. Ut it- a »*taim h discipiinaiian, firm in th»' discharge of his du- ties, and brave, even to a taulf, on the hattlf fitdd. 'rht-re in no fieW» officers ni)\v bidon::jin8: to thu Brigado who can show the Kame br^jjht rftcftrd that Col. Hampton can, in the way of "leave of r.b.«ence." He has constantly been with his command, as tho tables of distance and battle wiJl show. H-; han ui>ver been absent when an "aflair" came off. Of the Colonel it can b« truly s.iitl, that he is a self-made man in tiVery respect. With mr»i-e of hi.s kind, our cause would b« the UKm; se- cure, not a-lone from tiie Yankees', but al.-o from honK* cnemi* t^. BRia, GEN. WILLIAM STEELE. Of this officer the author i« unabb' to give anything liko n correct biographv. He wa.'^, 1 am infonned. an Adjutant General under Uen. Taylor, in tin* w.\r with Mexico ; for his gall.mtry in which service ho was j)TOiaoted to a captaincy in tho cavalry service. At the coin- uienfc«Mnent of this war He roMgned hiH po.sifion in that service, and was appointed (Jolonel of the Seventh Texas Cavalry, (Third Regim.'ut,) which position ho held in the campnigii in New Mexico. Shortly after our return to Texap, he wati pi-onioted to iJrigadier (Jeneral and ordered to duty in the Indian Tiirritorv, as connnau'h'r of that dii^frict, from thence to UtMi. M.igruder, whoap? gued him to the command of thff defenceri of (lalvi'Stoii ; from tli rw to the conunand of a rli vision of cav- .ilry. under fTreen, inthe bprinirof la64, where he won for himKelf a never-dyiag fame for his galbiiitiy anil hs soldierly qu.>!ifieatinnp; . A*» an othcer Geo. Steele (Manila 8e(»ontl to none in the Dej)ar(me>it. NVith his old rwgimtrtit his ul'imory will biRg be eberihbtjd. Alihoagh noi 'vtJeof:na'' «ow, t4»oBh»«^'» miH f>MA UiftMtx\^ him *k tbnkijli he OLD SIBLj:Y BIUGADK. 12iy wa? ypt tlK'ir>;, and the old Tiurd cnn with priuo sav tlint ■while the FiisT ha'si onr book on this subject. Thor are other ofBcers of whom I .slioald have '^pnkett. R+'ily deserves pa«>HS. His memory will nevortheies.s! long be cherished, not only by the Brigade, bnt by 'he masses, who will ever hold in sucred remembrance thobe who, like h n. feU on tli » tinld of honor, in th«^ defence of home, ciunlry and cause. Of jV[9Jor, Mcl'hail and Lesuenr, I c uild not be too expressive of praise. They deserve mnch and well ot tlieir country. In the fortluoniing second edition oi this .olume, th'- author hopes to be able to lay before th'- reading woild a longer and more deserving biography not only of Gen. iStt eie, but also of other.s scarcely made mention of in this work. YE^, YES, \%E 1%0 r.O\«£R. Lines suggested on learning of the death of Col. Phil. T. Herbert, Sci^cnf/i Texas Cavalry, who was wounded in the battle of April Sth, 1864, near Mansjidd, La , while gallantly leading his regi- ment with his usual coolness and intrepidity — which were the jjoltiiovn wWl oft<-n, around ttio camp fii<», J)»'lij^iit ti» roconnlthv urave dc'dc, to inspiro Willi frcnh coura^i' (lif* soul of thos«- full of fear, "VVht'ii tht' foemt'ii com»> f^rtli and tbc hatllo is nour. But our n<'rljL'rt in g;n\u* — li« will lead us no more — His wo)k is now Gni.sh d — liis battlf.s an* o'er — I'he star which gave lustre, tii»' brifjiittst and bent, From the sky of the Seventh has Ret iu tho west. Farewell, then, lovod Culonel, may you peacefully sleep And rest from your labors, though Had vin'ils we keep ; May an;:el.«, bright HUi^els, with their wings overshade The place that no pacrod they rolics Lave made. OT.D SIBLEY BRIGADE. 1^27 CT3 fee '<-. c < X •w X ^ X ^B ?: /T < ~ >i X .'^ ■£ !:: .. r: r u ;:i O « ., ^' >> be - s C OL ^ - e: »- — ;:) PS ::, ^ ?^ O ;i^ <: ::^ o Ji^ o fc< S3 :3 .- tc- :=.fcc" = fcc $ ? i to g c . = . c ta— < ti>p4 ^k. ,«^ -H r- »•*- F--, -^^ — Ci CO O > &J o5 si 31 > !5 c :i c c •- o 1. e3 A ni^>i()uv «>i 111J-; s a I ^• D- •H 11 \'i 5 tr < a: o ~ « '~ 1.1 >, r- 1- ^ 6 W' 3n3 ) ^i»- ^ • 't c: ^ ^~>tl 7^ ^_ — '3 5 *-■ •5 "Z •s. "^ ^ " .= a c s< "" "^ 5Ci •/. t: - ?! * ;: ►—1 /'. •' £- •- \, >■ _ ** ^ .. X c — ^ C ^- zj '^ -^ T ^-a — • C? — r. _ - ~ r- c ^ .". — = > E c ^ •-'• * ? = f i*^ = .^ -3-^ >i > c >> -1 rt o Zi _o 'S ? ■^ tit. O K I ■^ ^ ^ - "^ ■^ E c«. p-t — c "^ C ^ e «« fc. CPn ^ < - Si K Id s o ^ 5i re £ '^ »^ ? '«! ^- ZI -£ "c = s < ;^, ;:; a 1- •! c £ fu^ - - - s ^ '^ >— 1— " ►-< '"«""' ^ ■* O CO CO ti ; :: : : c/. •-4 ^ t- •>" u . ■. < '^-»--- . C-- - ^* ^ »— — ^ — — ■^ _- ^ K^ -• <— ^ *«i4 -f f5 ^ i « ;c; — — Xi O lO o "■ "^ ~ "ZI "M '-C (/■' / •"" ~ "^ — — TM — — -^j cj ^: 7^ (^ 00 C-. •>) ->•• ?j — CO 'O >-'; (^ '— -^ — " "^ o « W C3 •«?" "C X t* «D o >-< 1 C'j ej W CM 51 <.« (N CJ W Cg i/ •^ a ««= a o a i. P > -- .2 - J3 •^J .-rt fn I >. L^^ C3 .5 a 1 — E ^ o a B o =-- J* a >» 1-5 W-T. 1^ » OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 139 o tc ^ O be . a > § cj a .« o a ^ a a ?q ® 03 .2 > _2 .9 -J3 a - ^3 * -u p -T C3 f^ - ^ 3 -^^ be ^ c -° *. n 2 f« t- ;3 tc - ^ J 2 c — , r3 •. o f^ c3 o ^ a> O *J o ^ c ^■, JH CO *. 00 -® c 0) ^ be bo -2 w 5 e3 _0 ce a o a a _ ^ o a u o s S- a o o © eS « c5 0) k-i TJ t> <-^ X) J a> O a *^ J3 . a. a o 03 CO OS X > V4-I rij OJ O a -ra 37 ^ at a) 3 CO s >. ^ h 7^ . « 15 ^ TJ CO M <» S a o CO o Cm ij ja s _o D .t. ■" '^ !> a, CO a s s •TJ a p.- 2 _3 1 ^ TJ "o CO o §3 a C ^ "" ,£: on o 00 a> J -5 "-J rJ -^ ^ '^ "* p;^ s .2 rt 2 ^ ^ I -6 M .a 'J * 130 A IIISTOKY or THE CO o K3 o O o \ . ,- e to c X " ;r; c: -.„ - uj be tc = J a t; £ J '^ ^ 2 '"' H - J. 5 «£i-1= •i^ilii % < u = 1= ESS Ij^ P = '^:^-f-.'^|= CO -f "* CO ■ re -J" . • ^ ■•••11 O O 'O • -^ «3 CO O , • • -1 * JO 03 QO -0:0)0 1-H I— 1 »H 1— 1 • rH I— I O) » . ► 1— 1 i'-' ^J" -H . 1 .J •> CO l-H Q Ch ^ "fc; "ji ii "2 ►>-> 4J a- i. i a — < '■/> fc.<'< •-<-j - " -• "^ . : < s^ C '^. -■ •= « •= ^ a . -~ = - rt -" I- r: u h o u: ^ = C.2,: : •- : :::■?: C ::: o- c ; -c-n ^ -^^ ^^ ^S?-^ cjMt-Jo;:?, a-«J ?=:;^>- VJ S a a - £ S ^^H^^B-id;idQaa;H,*»-i6^s=aK^^-i ,J_, \A '-J'T, c—c Ci;aa o * . 's e •— ci -X ..* .S < ^i-fl^i- jr-s=i-jr —1 '^ f^Ui-! O -; n P-. o -; -^^ I' OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE 131 KILLED, WOUNDED AND DIED OF DISEASE. Killed of the Fourth Texas Cavalry. LETTER OF lUTTT. jOo. A-P Francis E J W Helm E Lt N D Car hvri gilt ; H R "W Ferguson M J E Foster 44 Co. C.-E Hanna B J Hanson B B Sayer E J Sraitli ]\r C Montgomery B Co. B-J Nixon A A T Brooks A C Talley A T H Harris B M Gibson E B ^IcDonald 20 John Porter ]\r Co. E-Oapt C Buckholds B P G H Able B R A Aldny B S L Cotton B A J Long A I.ieut R Trotter I Co. D-D Gilleland A J Stephens B • E S Slaughter A C R Slaughter B W Strunghen B B R Stone B J P Clinchey B J Gilleland 11 E R Bolds E W Coker H R M Daniel n R A Jones V -E. I,F,TTKR OF BATTI-E Co . G-Capt ]\[ Von Hovel A H Gatta A A Schrader B A Jeuhrh B F Jagper B C Golmer B J Stetmer 30 Co, , F-Lt D R McCorir lick A J R ]\rartin B W McCormick B R Bently ' li W T Parsons B J y, Efner H S H Dunham A H Mathews 41 Co. H-J R T Walton A Tom Williams A J H McKnight B G W Stephens E J A Weaver I E T Tindale A M L Russell A J W Jones B W H 3[orga^ 20 W L EddingP 27 Co. I-T D Wilson B J Manuis B T S Hopkins B A Steine E J O'Dell A Z Gosset A J A AVright B J R IMouklor L Co. K'J yi Vining A J Rhodes A 132 A IllsrOKV OF THE Co, LKTTEE OP BATIIJ:. K-W Jones M J E I^Iathews M A Aj'ree M LKTTBIt or RATrUl. L Abbott 35 M L Burton 43 Killed of the Fifth Texas Cavalry. LETTER Co. A-Lt D A IIuV)bai(l Lt W S Land iAI Bury K II Carter J n David Wm Henderson J E Smith W H Shaw M Pankey S E Jones S T Kindred S Putnam J Slotfs Co. B-Capt W L Lang Lieut D W Bass Silas Evans AV A liell F M Cantey J L Currie J R Daughtrey J ;M Fergu.sou J Alartin A J Parf5ons R Mitchell H Parsons B G Greely A J Calk Capt J J Scott B Mattock J P Roye Jerry J'inson AV Thomelson Co. C--R P Catlett M T DeboBc P Dowd B F Hurst Co. D--AVm Tyson Henry Harrison S Coon , OF PAITLE. IJiTTER OF BATTLE I Co. D--H B Shrlton H k' A Henuey H J H P.rowu B A Tho.s Kerr H A J S Ford Q H Co. , E--J L Boykiu A A Ross ^lyrick A H L Rosenburg A A J A Mills C B T P Gaston C Q V A Lallier 23 A J L Henry M A J N Lyons Q A Myles G A Co. F--A\^ B Craig A A C M Tidwell A A Seth Plattner Picket A A I^lorcer " A J AVakefield H A J Carter H A Jo.seidi Heck U A Jas AVilkinson II A C M Hensley M A B P Lewis M A Chas Lewis A 1} AVni (Jroft A (' U :\rcCullougb " — H Co. G-A Jones ^ A I J C Francis 49 48 E J Burgess H Q J J AVhitesides 23 Q C 'J'hoinpson T> li A S Fowlor D Q C Groff C N JM Hinos C D S Me Bride 5 A J 'J'obin — Picket J ]Iarvey — H Co. H-H McClinston A OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 133 LETTER OF BATTLE. LETTKU OK HATTLK. Co. n--L W Smith A Co. I— Jolm Eng-lish II H Wnllino- A J R :\ra(cl.."m E T Burrows B Win .Alakhim Q J Ilorrod E H J Sinitli A J Barnott H "W 11 Weir 20 J Runnels J J J Wills C H Hollingsworth 30 Co. K--W U S Shurley A Silas E Keen M I>enton Martin A Liwit T H Land 41 Jolm Matliews F Richard Llovd Q Lieut J T Cole 11 Co. I--Lieut E N Miller H K W Parish H J E Newburu A J W White H R P Bunch H J W AVatson 2S Jas Dobbins H Wm Bumgamer Q Total killed 107 Total wounded 189 Total died of disease up to the 1st of October, 1S64. . . 170 Total number of horses lost, including killed and dis- abled for the want of forage 855 Killed of the Seventh Texas Cavalry. LETTER OF RATTLE. LETTER OF BATTLE. Co. A--W H Williams H Co. E--R Davis H Co- B--Chas Nilchoche A R ]\I Smith 46 Aug Harbeman B Co. F-R A Riche}' A Frank Reidell B A W Prather A H Legget C T H Garrison A R Haas C R P Bradshaw A Co. C--H Seward Indians J L Gill D A Wright " Lt J D Montgomery D W L Bridges " J M Warner Q Two others killed Co. G--J A WilliamiB C Co. D--Cpt W H (;ieaver 3Iexicans T J Caldwell D J L Cole " ZBurk D J H Ilearn " J W McKibbon D B W Brivier " W T Hoskins H E R Daniels " AC Hoskins H W P Allen " J C King H J Elliot D AW King H J Grimes D W Ellis 29 Wm Martin D Co. H--Capt J Adair B Chas Grimes M W Booker B Co. E--W Bertram Mexicans Peter Hale B P D Scott C G W Taylor B W F Morgan H R P Walker B 134 I ^ uifcTtjia- Ui THE Ll.TTKR OK IIATTI-E. I.ETTEnOF nATTI.K Co. U~.T White c J W Tucker A J Aerre H Robert Cone A W M San.sem M J A Robinson L Lieut J W Daniel Q P .1 Oldham 44 Vt Woodward Q A Jack.son 42 Co. I-LieutC II Mill.^ B Co .K -J ( ) Summers D liic'ut J K Alexander C L Hancock D Capt J W Tayl or D W EGrifiin I) W Langston B L Whitmoro H Jasper Jones A L Bellestrie Q W J Waburton ^ fr B Sanderson If J J Dial F :\I Dean i[ J Ilaynes b 5 J R Preston H C D Pace > g = R C Campbell H J E S.-lf -^ Z-, J R Naco 30 J C Hill r^y^ Ikn F Roach ) Total unmber killed . . . ...7S Killed of Waller's Battalion. l.KT rtr. OK UATTLK. I.KI'IKlt OK liAlTI.K Co. A- J Madden 30 Geo Rose Chene^'^ville T) Trail an 30 John Young Q DCook Q W C Wright 23 S Harris (.> J H Allen Q Co. 13-J Saxon J ^I Morris P 41 Co F- -J ]i Ecllens T Prather Co. D-J b White Bo nnet Carre C A Sainlu.-^ D Greer <( Co C- -L L Eoggins I) FM Dykes Q a Clements Chgnoyville Co. E--C Sullivan B F Adams 1) D Wm Dyer Q ^Voiiiidei 1 ol" Waller N llaltalioii. LKTTI :k of battle LETTER OF HATTI.K. Co. A" J R Rohin G Go B- -J S Collins p () F Willianib (; J Erskin Q .T L Wheat G Co D- -W T Spires Picket W II Harrison -u J ]\ralonoy Bonnet C-^arro V Hnghes Picket F K Drake G A E Clark L J Decker G D Bruce M L M Lacy K Kihbo G Lieut R R Boiling L Co. B--Lieut W Smit li E J Williams L Frank Barnes D Baker N R 1* Pinson 41 .1 Ewing Q OLD SlBLr^' BRIGADE. 135 I.KTTKK OK HATTLK. Co. E-R Sidcl Picket Co. J llillyer D W J Wright D D C Proctor CluMieyvir.c H Pt'aslev Accitlont E AV Socli-son N J Aslnvorth 30 Sam T Joyncr N Co. Itlat Kowe M John Duke 41 A Carrtvaial 4.') W J Hall u 44 Jos AVright Q H C AVright Q J A natch Q L Dubois P j\I AVoesner M By a mistake on my part the list of a time when it was too late to replace it T.i: I'TliU OK BATTI.IO. F-D D Jefferson — H G Jenning — D Thomas — J F Ellison D Mc Ellison Q W White 20 J W Henderson Q C-HP Wiley D T J Est is M J Williamson D J C Baker — T N Rand N S M Pnnchard — H J Smith — W L Fortran d Q J C McDade Q Hanson — the died of disease was lost at Wounded of the Fourth Texas Cavalry. LKTTKR OK HATTI-E LKTTKU OK BATTLE, -Cpt W P Hardeman A Co. A--W J Brown U Lt J C Roberts A L McCracktn U Lt N D Cartwright A G W Strickland 43 R P Hunter A & 43 J L Dial 43 J Francis A Capt L Stevenson E Horses lost ..no R McCright E Co. B-W T Hendricks A H ]\Tanny E J Williams A D L Willy E J Nix A W A Ferguson E J L Bunton A Geo White E J C Stroud A Jesse Lett E J E Standifer B J Abernathy 6 R C Crawford 13 H E Goldenburg E C Thomas E J M Audersun E E R Robius E G McCoy E W Smithson E Tom Gi'eenwood Picket W L McMahan E A F Gillespie H S B Joslin E A Ferguson H W L Bunton I J Johnson H J H Wiley I Capt L Stevenson JI Hugh Clark N Lieut A X Wood M G W Strickland M Horses lost . . S9 13G A IIISTOUr OF THE I.ETTKR OF P .TTI-K. MTITBR OP BATTI Co. C"A G Fields A Co. E-T W Granthan I AV II H Onderd.ink A J Younp: B S .Smith A W (; Pailey 39 W II Mol.ley A J H D Sides 40 L linrkonitz A Z Luce 40 L .1 Jlirtlctt P 1) Eckman P li N White P S lirown 1? Co. F--J P Cook A Lt L Von Roeder E W F Matthews A .1 A Waburton E J A Gills A r IT Hamilton E N Dial A & P J Armstroug K E P Adams B J Hall H J T I'oe B II I) Tippet t H J llarbinson B Vj Lozans I A S Matthews B H Ray land :si W F Matthews B &M G Harpolt M E J Carriugton E Lt J F Coffee p J Murray E J Hall Q J Thomason E A P Ferguson Q W H H Mannoy H J W Clark I Hoses lost ..129 W H Matthews 30 Co. D--D Ilnflinau P T M Cronell 30 S R Hill B H Crouch ]\r E Carttn- V, W H Almarodes .AI W M Farnicr P G A Garvey M Lt P il Kolh A W H Andrews N J Flor.'s ]i J W Clark N A Iluflinan A Capt J M Crosson 39 J Locklin I F S Cochran 40 A Phillip.s H J Hughes 44 B Ri^-s E S K Sweet 39 J (1 Stokes 27 E W Drake 44 ti E E Perrot 44 J R Thomas !•: J W Fagan 44 A Iluilinan J. S Murry 44 AV E Mitchison r.o H C Wright 44 W L Lutinor no Capt H G Carter N Horses lost ...132 J W Ray N Co. II-A A Wilson A W A Stokes N H M White A 1) N Robinson L T T Pitts A M Zilluea 20 J R Castles A N P Coatos A Horses lost , ..116 J F Starr A 4>LD SIBLEY BRIGABR. 167 LKTTER or BATTLE. LETTER OF BATTLB, Co. H-W L Hardwick A ( D S Cain •• W D Peaony " W T Brocken ' J E Morris << Lieut Ramsay I&P J V Pool 44 A T J-hneon " J C Burrington 44 A S Springfield M J Hardy 44 T Jones << Capt Henry « Horses lost ..112 Lieut Wilson 39 Co. I-Lieut I P Stevenson A T E Armstrong P R M Atmer " W Davis " Dr A J Dawson << J O'Quinn 42 Capt J M Oddl « Lieut W Jones " Horses lost ..-.106 Wounded of the Fifth Texas Cavalry. I.ETTEH or BATTLB LETTER OF BATTLE. Co. A-Lieut S Henderson A J S Knowles <( Capt Oaks Q E R Knowles D M C Knowlton A J McClary A&Q A L Baker T Matthews 44 P L Clapp J D Montgomery A S Clapp A G Mitchel A H McDonald G Martin A r B GilUspie A Schmhart ii i38 A UlSTOUl- OJb' TU^ LLTTEB . OF BATTLK l-LTTER OK MATTLK Co. A-G Sevmore •• A E McNair G & 4r> D H Taylor B J SNn^h I E Caldwc-ll A Pat Nolcn •IG A S Gron A 11 II Nilcs G D W VxohoviB " Joe Pearson! 41 C C Jarmou Q H Sluart 23 G H Little H ' P Sapp B Lient Land •' D Vraim 22 Win Howsou B K 1 >eniart Q W P Franklin L L Iludgins R K C Bronough 12 & 1* N Horses lost , 131 Co. B-W H Col( man A 46 J A Forbes •' 11 D Lawless B J N Lou J P Parker ,, •> Horses lost . ... 87 G Polster •' Co. D-D Brown A E Sht'ltou •' J Lorenzo •' J A Sanders " G A Smeltzer B A Davis •• U T Sherwood " A Nations B G Rivers Q&H C Elp'n 48 A L Friar H & P J A }31ondelIe 4^ . S B Garner M Capt A J>' Price M J Norwood Q Horses lost . . . . 8& H G Young Co. E-Lieut Rainwater M W McCowell " Lieut "NVilkius A W C Lladc " Horses lost , . ... 78 J H Tyson J S Young •» Co. G-Capt Clongh B &.D '. Lii-'Ut Stover Q R Gjiston M Lieut Wiggins D R Stevens D N Bringle B L Clark K V M Camp G I G Rankin " W R Cabun B G Rainwater § J M Cosgrovo 44 J T Petty W T Dunbotsc. B W A Rample M Pat Dowd " J B Wilkins A W Davis l&P W Mcl'hail U n Geisle Q E L Gray G Horses lost ....127 J Bowie " Co. F-CiiptB BSeat A W R Howell " . Lieut Shepard H , T F V Johnson A&L Lieut C Couier <■ R Sanders H T Coil 37 S Jordell M H E Gibben H J M LowiH P E R Hale .i J Lewis Q L A Harrison A J Dial 46 F Harmon L H Johnson M L Hart Q W F Haller 9 Horses lost 89 H F McCulIum 29 Co. G-Lieut W M Fraucia Picket F M Sanger 43 Lieut Pervine A L Lovrn H H Weister A S D Ward D J P Byrns u D Wright 35 A Snow n F S Weson 41 W D Oney u JH Farr Pick«t 41 Horses lost ...70 A Harrison Co K.-Lieut Sisk A J H Scales 41 J C Holladay << J Littlepage « Horses lost 83 I T Hogsett I N Gilpin M Co. H-A F Ashworth A C W Norman « D Smothers U W Goode « IDS Baker D J R Orenburm A&H y WMuIkin WDBastile 4( G Grooms A, H&H « C Brand H S H Smith H F U Land u W Bum garner Lieut Wilson G H S Sisk K W Lloyd K C Rivers u R Cox H J Nevins <-« C C Strode «< I N Roach H S Keating K J Squires « Tom Clinton H S Wilking u G Wbitey M W Wilkins n J Taylor It J H Lambent p W P Taylor 41 L V Edwardt S ^ Nlchnla B Foudraia 14tt A Hli>n)Hy UK THK Wounded oV the Seventh Teiam Cavalry. LETTEhOF nATlI.r LETTER OF BATTLE Co. A-Il McGiow ' i Co. K-No report given Thos Uobb*. = Co. F-Lieut Gray A T Young Lieut Wigging " F M Scantlen ] h '^ F M Elk ins «' J ]\It.'adows c^ W H . I ones •' 11 Graham *^ D C Sharp " 1 Huff I T Kendrick <• I M Crisp h" I M Pruitt •' Wm Douglify " H F Jnhnson •' I Campbell I T S Cruse !• R H GilU'^pie — L Dial il John Ilughos Id B Ovid H Co. B-P Linnard A NHillen J? A Magnus " R A Heflin " F Harm " ]* H Johnson G C Harnburn B H Johns " F Sliultze D J ^I Reagan " C Pentormihl 30 J Collier " T Linnart A Capt Wiggins n H Hcichaia h Lieut Cook «( H Jones 20 R '1' Suary 4< Co. C-B Chick — _ I M Jones •' Capt Jiurrowa I) Lieut Edmons 14 L « Bilberry " R T Seary 80 I M 'Jlintoii F N HiUen M I Chick •i Co. G-E T Owens C N B Hohlor 20 H F Hardy i< J Tucker 30 \ H Williamson <( lUIcMordio M W H J3ra/.ier " Js B Holder Q J Saunders " "VVm Wilson I B Cunningham D J H Or gain •• L M Leo << A McCravey 47 T B O'Neill ' f J\ Murrah 44 G Fairchild " Co. G Set>Kumfi II-No report givfu Q Horses lost .. 40 Co. J-I W Barnett A OLD SIBLEY BillGADE. 141 I.KTTER Oy BATTIi:. i.wnKu or BATTLi:, Co. I- J il Alexander A J R Preston '« r Ilolliman •' A F Young " A N Vaunoy •' R C Campbell " F Kennedy " Lieut Smith << /H Lyl«s << C Cresswell it Capt Gardner " W Cresswell li Lient BroylS C W Thomas II J Ward <> L B Connell H A Drinkard II ./Jackson <« J T Sullivaii " I Magg i' I Selvage li R Simmons b Co. K-I F Frazier D L Bellostrie G B Sanderson n T M Dean Horses lost .... 70 Died of Disease or flic Fourth Texas CaTalry^ Co. A-G A Walker ,/une, 1862 R Riedent B C Allen « G McMahan JM Beatty , " Co. C-T Shultz H L Cliett July, 1862 T M Clark T H Fentress Apiil " J Franke M Franks Feby " L Bailey J C Grady Dec " Co. D-T Allison B Hysan Jan " G Applin W P Hall April " A C Christian JC Jeffries July " JD Hughes A Keys Dec 1863 L B Hilyard J Kirk Feb 1862 D M Jones J H Nixon May " H W Kolb JB Pierce .7uly " B F Kirk S Pyman Feb " ,/McDougal G W Farmer April " W H Mitchell A F Loftus June 1S63 JN Norman W Ziramermah Oct " ./E Vernon G B Smith T Stokes Co.B-JC Beaslcy Co. E--W S Wilson A P Houstort F M Cloud W B Gregg W Cave B L Jbslin F M Cave JGHolncB C E French J'Oovey D .Tames A Uanks T Leaihman /Boyd R Mathews F F Lay ton JM Rogt-rs L W MoofB JS Ritchie C CnT«y P L 91c1pk M A 111.1 T'lnv nr rni: Co. i:--U.C Saj;*^' 1' Woorlricli h W DHiiieU :\l V C'arlock C'>. l'--T Il.irlioiisoii JACrills Y M Doss Co. V--A 'J'lioinasson ./A Hilyard ^ ,E Sncll J Stone A Worsh.im S IIookfT ./ Thomasson . . : J McCormick ./ K Varner Co. (r-h Brauard J Hopster J Kri,'br»H R Fiaslor J Spies . "W Winderlich Co. H--T S Scrog-ins R B Johnson N li CoatP A Eddius C R Gairctt W A Poo W P Wisonev E M Weatherby H M Ferguson L L Sket-iin T E Langham W Lilly W L EddiuK "W 8 Rainhot Co. I--\V L DicktTson WLee T Davc-npoit J R rrucf 1\ Onsley J Creasy D E Popkins J Littlo W Dickt-rsou S M Smothnian J Waohaa W Harridou J r, White J C Mott A ./ Sfowart S Seals C Gleun L H Analt J Rice W Manning Lieut W E Moore W W Carey G W Warner ^l Huflman W R Mattock W Mareh Co. K-J U Waters*^ J W Thompson W J Teer W B Jasper J L Veitch T C Cooper J A Sharp] J VVilliauis J T Hlllyev J M Coleman J Millican L Abbott E L Ruby J B Stewart Died ol Dif^enMr of the Fiflh Texas Cavalry. Co. A-Capt S M Wells Lieut W L Bunde A B Carter W L David A Henry W II Land rum I S Smith E G Silvey ChuB Seymonr f? Trrrell OLD SIBLET Blllti ADE 143 Co. A-W IsTewsom D T Walker W R Hyatt J G Haniiigtou J Noark Co. B-.T Murray N Jjong M ^I ClmrcL J n Duty W J Davis I Strong D H Stone I N Lea (t Thompson R C Wood Ed Slielton D J Nations J R Wordlou A J Davis J N Wright G J Ilardwick U S Barney A B Donaldson J N Forbes Joe Underwood Co. C J Ellis E T Hunt W Humphreyii Ed O'Neal W Oram J P Powers L Stuckey S Dnpre J Harv<^rson A A Johnson S McDowell Co. D-J West S Yoakum Sam Burrows Frank Wofford Frank Filder Frank ]\liller Co. E-W E Gray J Andrews TJ HoRia J H Hyson W Ltvlor T J Walker M C Higgins W D White W n He wet t .7 C Gaston J N Dunbar ^ G T Lairy Co. F-Chas Shaw J Tucker J Hill J Canly D Horn J ''K Copeland J Cleveland G Cupples T Larklum Wash Lewis J Ballard Frank McMinn 1 Holbert ' B C Clark J Hill W Carneran D Brown A Anderson J Lewis N F Carter W Givens Co. G-H Figley J Ritchey J Cloud J E Skinner J O Boykcn B Millen H Dunnault J W Francis J M Cochran J W Wiley Co. H-E Garrett F Thornburg R H Mathews J R Heasley D Nealy F G Perry W A Dailey Lieut J A Clay loll S Tryon 144 A HlSTOitY DF THK Co. 11-W R Viucent L S Wv.'koff .7 S ParktT II N Jnni'S lIMnsRie li lileacli A X Dailoy U Walling J as Grceii T II Morhlana TlioR Parker R Stoll J Chadwick I) Kllidg.' U Crist AV Brashoar V Evans Co. I-Capt A Niskcrn L G Young T Robinson L S Yarborough L.TGeddis A J Burleson G B Bsll J H EIHr G Gore L A Harrison AV H Inffraro W S Kemp DD Mooro L K Mooro C J .AlcOullum V C McClure T Pace W Pace 8 S Hell.irs J A Townsend .1 E Winbarn Co. K-John Fox Bon Wapliington J Burroughs J Lee G Cornet O Nicliolfi W l\'igo D C Blackwell R Maxwell J W Roder C Clark Wm Upton R Daniel W H Poster Tom Wright R Germany T Childers J T CroHS Died or Disease of the l^eventh Tex.is C^valryt Co. A-L Kinney G Carulliere AV E Thrtford lien F liarricjoi^ J 51 Huulen H Smith Jas Holland George Huff Co. B--II Gelver C Majer Co. C--J E Cloud L Edwards G (yorley J Halo AV AA^ilson Co. D-R J Courtney J J Clark B AV Brewer J N AVeeks G W Spivcy G AV Marlon Lieut S Brown G AV Cornett J Kirk wood J C Jones A Fairchild J B Mooro J Harvare P Grimes Wm Lemondi Sam Berry A Lattft OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 145 Co. D-G A Patton Co. E-P W Moore N J A Farley A L Jones A MHillier S H Coswell B S Davie Lieut. C T Chandler B P Davis T Wood A L Ricks W T Parker A H Durham W J Hull A J Peterson W.T Fuller W H Brown Joe AVilliams A R Foglin W W Tyler M Stewart J A Caho J Smith R S Faire B Clark G M Hill H Parton J A Clowney J Trevathan G W Hashaw I Vingent Co. F-W H Garrett J M Johnson J M Harris J W Gray M Wills A Reynolds W Newsom H M May B Garrison B L Bates L C Bates R C Richey J Row L J Dial W W Wills W Higgins W H Green Co. G-Lieut M Middletou Lieut AVm Hobday B T Hates E Carter I Tankersley D May I D Shook W Weatherby S King N Hardy J [Lagroue R Beauchamp J Pursley J Parker T J Powell Co. H-M S McMorris S J]l Kennedy J Murchison A Lason J M Ray burn V Floris H Harris S Benton R George O Mason H Richatds T Cartwright G P M Duckey Wm Scarborough W M Walker W L HaiTod E Wiggins H Ix)ng W A Dcckey J A Johnson S J Dupre Lieut G Uenuess A J Danoguer J H Cook J Mereditli Co. I-J W Gamer R Willet W T Miller J T Miller T Shelton J M Robinson 14C A lilSTOKY OF THE Co. 1-J M CJoans (r D Barnett J .IF E Day R U Hudsou II G lleudiicks J V Kodgers Wr Seigler L Gregory F M Bowen I) R Small J M Uogue I) U Fitzlmgh J Ji Walberton J W Barnett N B Allen W Squires O li Dillus II F (larncr E F Harrington J C Smith Go. K-II Belliow I) Gibson W A "NVhittakcr Pat ^larch A Baker Wilson T D Carter II A McNutt of" wounds J R Naco Field Officers Killed. Major General Tom Green, ]31air'8 Landing, April 12th, 1864. Major J. A. Lockridge, Val Verde, February 2 1st, 1S62. Lieut. Col. J. S. Sutton Major H. Raguet, Gloriatta, March 28th, 1862. Major J. S. Shropshire " Ool. James Reily* Franklin, La., April 14th, 1863. Major D. S. Ragsdale, Fort Butler, June 28th, 1863. Col. P. T Herbert, of wounds received at Mansfield. Field Officers Wounded. I.ETTKII OF lUTTLE. Tom Green A Maj U U Boone K ColAPBagby D I.KTTEK 01- HATTI.E. Col W J^ Hardeman — Maj Hoffman II G J Hampton A & M Staff Officers Killed. IJ-;TTKR ok nATTLE. Maj W R Browurig D LETTER or IlATTI.i: Capt C B Shepard M Staff Officers Wounded. Major J I) Sayers, Bisland and Mansfield. Several others wore wounded, but their wounds being slight, they are not reported, agreeable to tlieir request. If there has ever a field or staff officer of this Brigade died of disease, it is more than wo have been able to find out. Since writing the above, Capt \V. L. Moore, Col. Hardeman's Adju- tant Gt3uernl. died at Fulton, Arkansas. OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 147 Original and Present Organization of the First Texas Cavalry Brigade. Brig. Gen. H. H. Sibley, commissioned June, 18Q1. Major A. M. Jackson, Assistant Adjutant GeneraL Capt. H. H. Harrison, Pajinastar and Quartermaster. Major R. T. Brownrig, A. 0. S. T. P. Ochiltree, A. D. C. E. F. i^ovey, Chief Surgeon and Medical Director. Capt. J. L. Dwyer, Inspector General. Major W. L. Robards, Chief of Ordnance. Brig. Gen. Thos. Green, commissioned May 4th, 186.5. E. R. Wells, A. A. G. 0. B. Shepard, A. D. C J. H. Beck, A. Q. M. J. W. Brown, A. C. S. John E. Hart, Inspector General. G. Cupples, Chief Surgeon. W. L. Robards, Chief of Ordnance Col. W. P. Hardeman. W. L. Moore, A. A. A. G. Frank Starr, A. A. and I. G. John Wilkins, A. A. A. G. J. M. Crosson, A. Q. M. D. Corwin, A. C. S. J. M. Bronaugh, Chief Surgeon. J. N. Perkins, Chief of Ordnance. From the 1st of October, 1863, to the 26th of April, 1S64, A. P, Bagby, Colonel of the Seventh Regiment, commanded the Brigade ; being in bad health, the command fell upon Cols. Hardeman and Mc- Neill the chief portion of the time. If I mistake not, an order was pro- mulgated, in which it was called "Bagby's Brigade," yet this name never took, and the Brigade is and has only been known as Sibley's, Green'.s and Hardeman's. Original and Present Organization of the Fourth Texas Cavalry, Col. James Reily, commissioned July, 18G1. Lieut. C ol. W. R. Scur ry •' " 3fajor ILRaguet ^^ '' EUsbeny R. Lane, Adjutant. .J. B. McMahon, Sergeant Major. II. E. Leobnetze, A. Q. M. John Reily, A. C. S. W™. Southwovtb, Surgeon. 14t A UISTORY OF THE Taylor, Assistant. Surgeon. Matcht'tt, W. H. JoneP, Chaplain. SINCE OCTOBER 1st, 1864. Col. Wm. P. Ilartlemau, comini.ssioned April 14th, 1863. Lieut. Col. G. J. Hampton. ]\Iajor C. M. Lesure, " " " " "Wm. L. Mooro, Adjutant, died November 7tli, 1864. John Collins, Adjnt;ni R. R. Hunter, Sergeant M. . J. C.Roberts, A. Q ^ A. D. Elam, A. C S. S. B. Many, Surgeon. Frank Rainoy, Assistant Surgeon. A. J. Dawson, Acting Assistant Surgeon. No Chaplain. Fifth Texas Cavahy. Col. Thos. Green, coranr.r^sioui'd July, 18(31. Lieut. Col. H. C. McNeill, cominisioned June, 1S61. Major S. A. Lockridge, commissioned July, 18(31. J. D. Sayers, Adjui.-mt. C. B. Shepard, Sergeant Major. M. B. Wyatt, A. Q. M. J. H. Beck, A. C. S. F. Bracht, Surgeon. J. M. Broiiaugh, Assistant Surgeon. J. R. -McPhail SINCE OCTOBER 1st, 1864. Col. H. C. McNeill, commissioned May 4th, 1805. Lieut. Col. D. W. Shannon " Major It. A. McPhail J. B. Wilkins, Adjutant. II. D. Dawson, Sergeant Major, G. L. Wilson, A. Q, M. J. W. Watkins, A. C. S. J. M. Broiiaugh, Surgeon. J. R. McPhail, AiR.sistaut Surgeon. Todd No Chaplain. Original Organization of the Seventh Texas Cavalry. Col. William Steele, comniissioned August, 1861. Lieut. Col. J. S. Sutton " October " OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. 149 Major A. P. Bagby " " " T. C. Howard, Adjutant. J. M. Ferguson, Sergeant Major. W. L. Ogden, A. Q. M. A. R. Lee, A. C. S. G. Cupples, Surgeon. J. W. Cunningham, Assistant Surgeon. T. B. Greenwood No Chaplain. ORGANIZATION SINCE OCTOBER, 1864. Col. Phil. Herbert. Lieut. Col. G. Hoffman. J. 0. Taylor, Adjutant. Brazier, Sergeant Major. L. C. Fisher, A. Q. M. Goodrich, A. C. S. W. M. Mclver, Surgeon. T. B. Greenwood, Assistant Surgeon. No Chaplain. Waller's Battalion. ijieUt. Col. E. Waller, Jr., commissioned June, 1862. Major H. H. Boone. D. C. Proctor, Adjutant. J. H. Hirshfield, A. Q. M. W. nines, A. C. S. R. C. AVatson, Assistant Surgeon. Names with Rank of Line Officers of the Foiirli Texas Cavalry. Note — The first four names are the original officers; hose marked * are officers assigned elsewhere to duty. Co. A-Capt W P Hardeman J A Pinkston Lt L Stevenson W P Atkinsoi J C Roberts , M Copenhava- N D Cartwright J L Bunting J II Barns J E Hart* I E Green Co. C-Capt G J Hmpton A N Wood Lt C C Lini B E Trasier F A Fenne S B Many* H E Leobetzc* Co. B-Capt A J Scharbourg L V Roedr Lt J B Hollard J F Coffij J Nix S R Hyflt E R Lane J T Waford* 150 A HISTORY ©F THK Co. C--L Burgerwctze* Co. 1)-C M La.suro I.t A 15 1'arrot 11 (1 Carter P M Kalb C inVi!sm M Maitlgeon Co. P]-Capt Chas Buckliokls Lt J M Noble J II Long 11 Troter J llilorrow R T William Co. F-Capt J M Crossou D R McCoi-mick 13 L Taylor "W J Carringtou W O Allen F A Ilanaiey Co. G-Capt M T on Ileuvell Lt V Voglesary J Gcisekt! A Scblick J Marburger Co. II--Capt Ruak Harris Findley Co I- F .AI Rainbolt Ca|)t AV L Alexander A F Wibsou* J F Star* T T Pitta* -D A Nunn J M Odell Lt W E Moore Capt J P Stevenson T E Dunn W II Monday W L Aloore* Co. K--Capt W W Ford Lt E L Robb Cnpt C S Henry "VV J Tboinp.son J T Hogg W J L Ramsey S B Findley A F Wilson Line Officers of tlie Fillli Texas Cavalry. Co. A--CapliS C Sbropsliire J Wigbt D A kubbard P J (Aks S M A\V"lls W S Lkd W L B.W S HendiVson J T Obtain.' J Car.-son\ Co. B--Capt W ALang J J Scott I) W Bass\ J N I'ricu W Mooro J J Colema\ J 1* (Jonaly J I' I'arker \ Co. C--J r Clongl. \ W A SliamiuA J T Stover J C Nagles C C Wiggins J Henry Co. D-J II Beck E W Ricbards J G Marsball D Reid F Roan J H Frair R W Rankin W L Davenport Co. E--M B Wyatt N B Teiry J M Rainwater C M Ponderson W G Wilkins* J P Presley A Tcctard Co. F--C W Campbell •<(^ OLD SIBLEY BRIGADE. loi Co. F--M Brown J A Sheppard B B Seat H C Cunie G W lilcNeeae M P Keer Co. G--Capt J B McCowon S S Cannon AV M Francis J 'hi Purvino Co. H--Capt R 8 Pridgeon W W Appling D Corwin* J A Clinton* Z C Wilson* T HLand J II Gox Co. I.--./GKellougl. E N Miller J A Darbey E, J Robinson JB Williams R Farris Co. ]v--Capt C L Jordan JW Sayrs /N Roach /FCole H S Sisk Line Officers of the Seventh Texas Cavalry. Co. A-P Jordan A S Thurmond H H McGrew J A Burks J A Dowden R DarlvBon T J Hale Co. B-G Hoffman S Shnarfhoff C Connard H Marchold Co. C-H M Burrows J C Robi^'on J ill Snyder S D Lacy •Co. D-IIH Clever H A Parton A L Hunderburg G W Eaton R W Thompson R J Fuller M Cushman Co. E-W L Kirksey S F Tullos C T Chandler J C Ileslep ,T A Farley J C Oglosbery H H McClandon J B Anderson P F Farley Co. F- J F Wiggins J W Gray AP Goldensberry S D Montgomery CM Cook F H Edmonds P H Johnson W C Wii^gins Co, G-H H Fisher W Hoday W H Lee J J Scott A Middleton W Bobins B D Sessums J A Robinson J B Cunningham Co. H-J Adair E Q Hadley B B Arrington J M Daniel G W Hennis W W Davis J M Porter J M Saxon Co. I--J W Gardner W Bickey J W Taylor C H MilU lo2 A HISTORy OF THE OLD SIBLEY BRIGADK Co. I.--C C Horn B F Bioyla J E Bisliop W Lampkin Co. K--J Moody Co. K--L G A Steele J G Bowman J r Smith B L Pate E B Doggett Line Officers of Waller's Battalion. Co. A-J B V January R X AVeisiger J J Nuner E R Wells* W P Baughan* Pat Hughes R A Weisiger* R D LaGaze* S L Kyle* Co. B-T P Hightower J R Morris J W Perkins R A Marliu W Smith F Barnes -W A McDade T S McDade N Cochran H S Smith Co. C- J W Bostwick* II C Cofield* Co. D-W U Blair J W Reid B Q Ward II H Boono C I^I Barlow R R Boiling Co. E-D S Woodward C CCox A Murdock A C Jones* H Earle D Lewis Co. F--/C Terrell J C Johnson J W Bradner B F Arthur J F Ellison THE END. m