10th Texas Infantry Regiment

Last updated
10th Texas Infantry Regiment
10th Texas Infantry Regiment Flag.jpg
10th Texas Infantry Regiment, Co D Flag
ActiveOctober 1861 – 26 April 1865
CountryFlag of the Confederate States of America (1865).svg  Confederate States of America
AllegianceFlag of the Confederate States of America (1865).svg  Confederate States of America, Flag of Texas.svg  Texas
BranchBattle flag of the Confederate States of America.svg  Confederate States Army
Type Infantry
SizeRegiment
Nickname(s)Nelson's Regiment
Equipment Rifled musket
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Allison Nelson
Roger Q. Mills
Allison Nelson was the first colonel. Allison Nelson, Texas legislator and Confederate army officer (cropped).png
Allison Nelson was the first colonel.

The 10th Texas Infantry Regiment was a unit of Confederate States Army infantry volunteers organized in October 1861 that fought during the American Civil War. The regiment was captured in its first major action at Arkansas Post in January 1863. After being exchanged three months later, the 10th Texas was consolidated with two other regiments and assigned to Patrick Cleburne's division. Subsequently, the consolidated regiment fought at Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Ringgold Gap in 1863. After becoming an independent regiment again, the 10th Texas fought in the Atlanta Campaign, and at Franklin and Nashville in 1864. After a second consolidation the troops fought at Averasborough and Bentonville in 1865. The regiment's soldiers surrendered to Federal forces on 26 April 1865.

Contents

History

Formation

The regiment was organized by Allison Nelson in the fall and winter of 1861 and consisted of six infantry companies. The unit was made up of men from the Texas counties of Anderson, Bosque, Coryell, Erath, Fannin, Freestone, Grimes, Harris, Johnson, Limestone, Milam, Parker, San Augustine, and Washington. In addition to Colonel Nelson, the field officers included Lieutenant Colonel Semore C. Brasher and Major John R. Kennard. Nelson was a veteran of the Mexican–American War and had become involved in filibuster Narciso López's unsuccessful attempt to free Cuba from Spanish control. Nelson served in the Texas legislature and became a delegate who voted for secession. [1]

1861–1863

From October 1861 to March 1862, the 10th Texas was assigned to the Eastern District of the Department of Texas. In May 1862 the regiment was reassigned to the Trans-Mississippi Department and that August it was transferred again to the Department of Arkansas. [1] Nelson was promoted brigadier general on 12 September 1862 while the regiment camped at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas under the overall command of Thomas C. Hindman. Nelson briefly led a division but he died soon after. [2] In late 1862, the 10th Texas formed part of the 4th Brigade of Walker's Texas Division under John George Walker. However, the 4th Brigade under James Deshler was soon detached from the division and ordered to Arkansas Post. [3] Accordingly, the 10th Texas was sent to defend Arkansas Post in January 1863. [1]

In the Battle of Arkansas Post, the 5,000 Confederate defenders under Thomas James Churchill were attacked by 30,000 Union troops led by John Alexander McClernand and 13 gunboats under David Dixon Porter. The Federal expedition sailed up the Arkansas River in 50 transports and landed the soldiers below the post on 9 January 1863. The Union troops began sealing off the position the following day. That night Churchill was ordered to hold Arkansas Post at all costs. A coordinated land and naval assault on 11 January 1863 overwhelmed the defenders and forced 4,791 Confederates to surrender. The Federals sustained 1,061 casualties. [4] The 10th Texas under Colonel Roger Q. Mills fought in Deshler's brigade which also included the 15th Texas, 17th Texas, and 18th Texas Cavalry Regiments, fighting dismounted. [5]

1863–1865

The soldiers of the 10th Texas were freed in a prisoner exchange in April 1863. In a reorganization, the regiment was consolidated with the 6th Texas Infantry and the 15th Texas Cavalry (dismounted) Regiments. From 31 July to 1 September 1863, the consolidated regiment served in Churchill's brigade of Patrick Cleburne's division in Daniel Harvey Hill's corps. On the latter date, Deshler took command of the brigade. [1] During the Battle of Chickamauga on 19–20 September 1863, the 6th-10th-15th Texas fought under the command of Colonel Mills. Deshler's brigade lost 52 killed and 366 wounded, a total of 418 casualties during the fighting. When Deshler was killed, Mills took command of the brigade and Lieutenant Colonel T. Scott Anderson took command of the 6th-10th-15th Texas. The other units in the brigade were the 19th and 24th Consolidated Arkansas Infantry Regiment and the 17th-18th-24th-25th Consolidated Texas Cavalry Regiment (dismounted). [6] During the battle, the 6th-10th-15th Texas lost 20 killed, 95 wounded, and 28 missing. [1]

James Deshler James Deshler.jpg
James Deshler

Deshler's brigade was committed to battle at nightfall on the first day of Chickamauga. The brigade's skirmish line, moving ahead of the battle line, blundered into one of Richard W. Johnson's Union brigades in the dark forest and most of the skirmishers were captured. In extremely muddled fighting, Deshler's brigade drifted off to the left, but one of its regiments helped capture the colonel and 82 men of the 77th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. In the confusion, some of the captured skirmishers escaped. [7] On the second day, Cleburne sent Deshler's brigade forward to cover the withdrawal of two brigades that had been repulsed. As the brigade reached the crest of a rise, the troops were hit by a storm of Federal bullets. The men were quickly ordered to lie down and Cleburne sent orders to Deshler to hold out as long as possible. For two hours and 30 minutes, Deshler's brigade held the line, but suffered hundreds of casualties. Deshler was struck in the chest by an artillery round and killed instantly. At 2:00 pm Mills ordered the brigade to withdraw 20 yd (18 m) while holding the crest with a handful of sharpshooters. [8]

Roger Q. Mills Roger Q. Mills - Brady-Handy.jpg
Roger Q. Mills

On 31 October 1863, the 6th-10th-15th Texas was assigned to James Argyle Smith's Texas brigade. Later, the brigade fought in the Battle of Missionary Ridge. [1] Early in the morning of 24 November, William T. Sherman's forces crossed the Tennessee River and moved toward the northern edge of Missionary Ridge. Braxton Bragg, the commander of the Confederate Army of Tennessee was slow to respond, but finally ordered Cleburne to block Sherman's troops. In the late afternoon, Cleburne deployed Smith's brigade on Tunnel Hill just in time to prevent Union soldiers from seizing it. [9] After some skirmishing, Sherman launched John M. Corse's brigade at Smith's Texans about 10:30 am on 25 November. A counterattack hurled the Federal troops back, but both Smith and Colonel Mills were badly wounded. Hiram B. Granbury assumed command of the Texas brigade. [10] After Mills was wounded, Kennard took command of the 6th-10th-15th Texas. At this time the Arkansas unit was no longer part of the brigade. [11] The initial fighting was followed by piecemeal assaults by several Union brigades, which were unsuccessful. Confederate reinforcements soon arrived, but, according to another Rebel soldier, the Texans refused to yield their place in the front line, saying, "it was the first time they ever had a chance to fight the Yankees from behind breastworks and that they were rather enjoying it". [12] At 4:00 pm, Cleburne mounted a counterattack by hitting the Federals with Alfred Cumming's brigade in front and the 6th-10th-15th Texas on their right flank. The effort was completely successful and swept the Union troops off Tunnel Hill, taking many prisoners. [13]

The 6th-10th-15th Texas fought at the Battle of Ringgold Gap on 27 November 1863. Cleburne posted Granbury's brigade just to the north of the gap. When they were attacked by Charles R. Woods's Union brigade, the Texans routed the three leading Missouri regiments. [14] On 10 December the regiment counted 642 soldiers and it was assigned to Smith's brigade in Cleburne's division. During the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, the brigade fought at the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge, the Battle of Resaca, the Battle of Pickett's Mill, the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, the Battle of Peachtree Creek, the Battle of Atlanta, and the Battle of Jonesborough. [1] For the campaign, the 10th Texas became an independent regiment by separating from the consolidated 6th-15th Texas. At various times during the campaign, the 10th Texas was commanded by Colonel Mills, Captain A. J. Formwalt, and Lieutenant Colonel Robert B. Young. The Texas brigade, which now included the 7th Texas Infantry Regiment, was led at different times by Smith, Granbury, and Young. [15]

The 10th Texas took part in John Bell Hood's invasion of Tennessee and fought at the Battle of Franklin on 30 November 1864 and the Battle of Nashville on 15–16 December. [1] At Franklin, the Confederate soldiers assaulted the Union lines with great determination and persistence, but they were ultimately repulsed. Both the Texas brigade's commander Granbury and its division commander Cleburne were killed. [16] At Nashville, the division was led by Smith while the Texas brigade was commanded by Captain E. T. Broughton and the 10th Texas was led by Captain R. D. Kennedy. [17] The regiment fought at the Battle of Averasborough on 16 March 1865 and the Battle of Bentonville on 19–21 March. [1] In this campaign, the remnant of the Texas brigade was consolidated into a single unit, the 1st Texas under Lieutenant Colonel W. A. Ryan. The 1st Texas was part of Daniel Govan's brigade in John C. Brown's division. [18] The 10th Texas surrendered to Sherman's Union army on 26 April 1865 at Durham, North Carolina. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Ector</span> American politician

Matthew Duncan Ector was an American legislator, a Texas jurist, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Ringgold Gap</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Ringgold Gap was fought November 27, 1863, outside the town of Ringgold, Georgia, by the Confederate and Union armies during the American Civil War. Part of the Chattanooga Campaign, it followed a heavy Confederate loss at the Battle of Missionary Ridge from which General Braxton Bragg's artillery and wagon trains were forced to retreat south. The five hour Battle of Ringgold Gap resulted in the Confederate victory of Major General Patrick R. Cleburne and gave the Army of Tennessee safe passage to retreat through the Ringgold Gap mountain pass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">88th Illinois Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 88th Illinois Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment from Illinois that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment mustered into service in September 1862 and was engaged at Perryville a month later. The unit subsequently fought at Stones River, in the Tullahoma campaign, at Chickamauga, at Missionary Ridge, in the Atlanta campaign, at Franklin, and at Nashville. The 88th Illinois especially distinguished itself at Stones River, Missionary Ridge, and Franklin. The regiment mustered out of service in June 1865.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiram B. Granbury</span> Confederate Army general (1831–1864)

Hiram Bronson Granbury was a lawyer and county judge in Texas before the American Civil War. He organized a volunteer company for the Confederate States Army after the outbreak of the Civil War and became its captain. He rose to the grade of brigadier general in the Confederate army. Granbury was one of the six Confederate generals killed at the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5th Arkansas Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 5th Arkansas Infantry, also called the Fighting Fifth (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment organized in Arkansas to serve for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. It served throughout the war in the western theater, seeing action in the Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia campaigns. Following its depletion in numbers the regiment was consolidated several times with other Arkansas regiments, finally merging in 1865 into the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment. Another Arkansas unit also had the designation 5th Arkansas, the 5th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops which participated in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, but was never transferred to Confederate Service. There is no connection between the two units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Arkansas Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 7th Arkansas Volunteer Infantry (1861−1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. Organized mainly from companies, including several prewar volunteer militia companies, raised in northeastern Arkansas, the regiment was among the first transferred to Confederate service, and spent virtually the entire war serving east of the Mississippi River. After the unit sustained heavy casualties in the Battle of Shiloh and the Kentucky Campaign, the unit spent most of the rest of the war field consolidated with the 6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment to form the 6th/7th Arkansas Infantry Regiment.

The 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment or Josey's Arkansas Infantry Regiment was an infantry formation in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was organized in May 1861 under the command of Colonel Patrick Cleburne. It served throughout the war in the western theater, seeing action in the Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia campaigns. Following its depletion in numbers the regiment was consolidated several times with other Arkansas regiments, finally merging in 1865 into the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment. There were two other regiments which also received the designation of "15th Arkansas". The 21st (McRae's) Arkansas Infantry was redesignated 15th Arkansas in February 1863, but to avoid confusion, was normally referred to as the 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment. This second "15th Arkansas" was surrendered at Vicksburg in July 1863. A third regiment, under command of Colonels Gee and later Johnson, also received the designation 15th Arkansas Infantry. This last regiment surrendered at Port Hudson, Louisiana, in July 1863.

The 24th Arkansas Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The unit began its service in the Department of the Trans-Mississippi, but the bulk of the unit was captured at the Battle of Arkansas Post and shipped to Northern prison camps. The unit was exchanged in Virginia and shipped to Tennessee and joined the Army of Tennessee in time for the Chattanooga Campaign and remained with the army through the Atlanta Campaign, the Franklin-Nashville Campaign and ended the war in North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">19th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Dawson's)</span> Military unit

The 19th (Dawson's) Arkansas Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment was present for but not engaged during the Battle of Pea Ridge. At the Battle of Arkansas Post, the regiment became split, with part of the regiment surrendering with the garrison when the post capitulated. The captured portion of the regiment was eventually exchanged and released on the east side of the Mississippi and served the remainder of the war with the Confederate Army of Tennessee. The un-captured portion of the regiment was consolidated with the remnants of the 24th Arkansas and served the remainder of the war in the Department of the Trans-Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Texas Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 4th Texas Infantry Regiment was a unit of Confederate States Army infantry volunteers that was created in 1861 and fought in the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War. As part of the famous Texas Brigade, the regiment fought at Eltham's Landing, Seven Pines, Gaines's Mill, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg in 1862. It fought at Suffolk, Gettysburg, Chickamauga and Wauhatchie in 1863 and the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and the Siege of Petersburg in 1864. The regiment surrendered to Federal forces on 9 April 1865 after the Battle of Appomattox Court House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5th Texas Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 5th Texas Infantry Regiment was a unit of Confederate States Army infantry volunteers created in 1861 that fought in the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War. The unit was part of the famous Texas Brigade. The regiment fought at Eltham's Landing, Seven Pines, Gaines's Mill, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg in 1862. It fought at Gettysburg and Chickamauga in 1863 and the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and the Siege of Petersburg in 1864. The regiment surrendered to Federal forces on 9 April 1865 after the Battle of Appomattox Court House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Texas Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 7th Texas Infantry Regiment was a unit of Confederate States Army infantry volunteers organized in 1861 that fought mostly in the Army of Tennessee during the American Civil War. The regiment was captured at Fort Donelson in 1862 and sent to Northern prison camps. After the survivors were exchanged and new recruits added, the regiment was reconstituted and fought at Raymond, Jackson, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Ringgold Gap in 1863. The unit served in the Atlanta Campaign and at Franklin, Nashville, Averasborough, and Bentonville in 1864–1865. The regiment's 65 survivors surrendered to William Tecumseh Sherman's Federal forces on 26 April 1865.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9th Texas Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 9th Texas Infantry Regiment was a unit of Confederate States Army infantry volunteers organized in December 1861 that fought during the American Civil War. The regiment fought at Shiloh, Perryville, and Stones River in 1862, Chickamauga in 1863, the Atlanta Campaign, Allatoona, and Nashville in 1864, and Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley in 1865. The remaining 87 officers and men surrendered to Federal forces in May 1865. Two of the regiment's commanding officers were promoted brigadier general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">15th Texas Cavalry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 15th Texas Cavalry Regiment was a unit of cavalry volunteers mustered into the Confederate States Army in March 1862 and fought during the American Civil War. In July 1862 the unit was dismounted and served the remainder of the war as infantry. The regiment was captured at Arkansas Post in January 1863. After being exchanged three months later, the much-reduced 15th Texas was consolidated with two other regiments and assigned to Patrick Cleburne's division in the Army of Tennessee. The consolidated regiment fought at Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Ringgold Gap in 1863. After a re-consolidation, the regiment fought in the Atlanta Campaign, and at Franklin and Nashville in 1864. After a final consolidation the troops fought at Averasborough and Bentonville in 1865. The regiment's 43 surviving soldiers surrendered to Federal forces on 26 April 1865.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">32nd Texas Cavalry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 32nd Texas Cavalry Regiment, sometimes incorrectly named Andrews's 15th Texas Cavalry Regiment, was a unit of volunteer cavalry mustered into the Confederate States Army in May 1862 and which fought during the American Civil War. The regiment was formed around companies from Richard Phillip Crump's 1st Texas Cavalry Battalion which fought in Indian Territory and at Pea Ridge. Many of the soldiers died of disease in the unhealthy camps near Corinth, Mississippi. The cavalrymen were dismounted in July 1862 and served as infantry for the rest of the war. The regiment fought at Richmond, Ky., Stones River, and Chickamauga in 1862–1863, in the Meridian and Atlanta campaigns and at Nashville in 1864, and at Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley in 1865. The regiment's 58 surviving members surrendered to Federal forces on 9 May 1865.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas's Texas Battery</span> Military unit

Douglas's Texas Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. In June 1861, the unit was formed by combining one group of men from Dallas with a second group from Tyler and placing them under the command of John Jay Good. The battery fought at Pea Ridge in March 1862 and soon afterward transferred to the east side of the Mississippi River. James Postell Douglas replaced Good as commander and led the battery at Richmond, Stones River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign, Franklin, and Nashville. After operations around Mobile, Alabama, Confederate units in the region surrendered and the survivors of the battery were paroled on 12 May 1865. It was the only Texas field artillery unit that served east of the Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Louisiana Infantry Regiment (Confederate)</span> Military unit

The 3rd Louisiana Infantry Regiment was a unit of foot soldiers from Louisiana that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The regiment distinguished itself at Wilson's Creek in 1861. The 3rd Louisiana fought at Pea Ridge, First Corinth, Iuka, and Second Corinth in 1862. The unit defended Vicksburg in 1863 where it was captured. At Vicksburg, the unit's fortification was twice blown up by powerful land mines. The surviving soldiers were paroled and exchanged, after which they performed guard duty for the rest of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">24th and 25th Consolidated Texas Cavalry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 24th and 25th Consolidated Texas Cavalry Regiment was a unit that originally consisted of two regiments of mounted volunteers that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. However, by the time the two regiments were consolidated, they fought as infantry. Both regiments organized as cavalry near Hempstead, Texas in April 1862 and were dismounted to fight as infantry in July 1862. The two regiments served in the same brigade and were captured at the Battle of Arkansas Post in January 1863. After being sent to Northern prison camps, the soldiers were exchanged in April 1863. Assigned to the Army of Tennessee, the two regiments were consolidated with two additional Texas cavalry regiments and in 1863 fought as infantry at Liberty Gap, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Ringgold Gap. In 1864, the other two Texas regiments were detached and the consolidated 24th and 25th fought as a separate infantry unit in the Atlanta campaign, at Franklin, and at Nashville. For the Carolinas campaign, the 24th and 25th fought at Bentonville before being reconsolidated with other Texas regiments and surrendering in April 1865.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">20th Louisiana Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 20th Louisiana Infantry Regiment was a unit of volunteers recruited in Louisiana that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The unit began its existence as the 6th Louisiana Battalion in September 1861. The battalion was augmented to regimental strength in January 1862 at New Orleans and served during the war in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The regiment fought at Shiloh, Farmington, and Perryville in 1862. After being reduced in numbers, the regiment was consolidated with the 13th Louisiana Infantry Regiment and served at Stones River, Jackson, Chickamauga, and Missionary Ridge in 1863. The 13th-20th Consolidated Louisiana fought at Resaca, New Hope Church, Ezra Church, and Nashville in 1864. The consolidation with the 13th Louisiana was discontinued in February 1865 and the regiment was re-consolidated with other units. It fought its final battle at Spanish Fort one month before surrendering in May 1865.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">13th and 20th Consolidated Louisiana Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 13th and 20th Consolidated Louisiana Infantry Regiment was a unit of volunteers recruited in Louisiana that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It served only in the Western Theater. The unit was created in November 1862 by combining the veteran but diminished 13th Louisiana and 20th Louisiana Infantry Regiments to form the consolidated regiment. The regiment fought at Stones River, Jackson, Chickamauga, and Missionary Ridge in 1863. The 13th-20th Louisiana fought at Resaca, New Hope Church, Ezra Church, Jonesborough, and Nashville in 1864. The consolidation was discontinued in February 1865 and the 13th and 20th Infantry Regiments were re-consolidated with other units.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hamilton 2018.
  2. ↑ Boatner 1959, p. 586.
  3. ↑ Fitzhugh 2018.
  4. ↑ Boatner 1959, pp. 24–25.
  5. ↑ Battles & Leaders 1987a, p. 460.
  6. ↑ Battles & Leaders 1987a, p. 674.
  7. ↑ Cozzens 1996, pp. 275–279.
  8. ↑ Cozzens 1996, pp. 348–349.
  9. ↑ Cozzens 1994, pp. 148–154.
  10. ↑ Cozzens 1994, pp. 206–212.
  11. ↑ Battles & Leaders 1987a, p. 730.
  12. ↑ Cozzens 1994, pp. 214–233.
  13. ↑ Cozzens 1994, pp. 234–240.
  14. ↑ Cozzens 1994, pp. 374–379.
  15. ↑ Battles & Leaders 1987b, p. 290.
  16. ↑ Battles & Leaders 1987b, pp. 452–453.
  17. ↑ Battles & Leaders 1987b, p. 474.
  18. ↑ Battles & Leaders 1987b, p. 699.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.