The High Command - 2

Submitted by wil on Sat, 2009-11-07 18:00
THE HIGH COMMAND
PAGE 2
7/20/1999 by R. Scott Gartin
 The High Command
 
 Brigade Commanders
 
Henry E. McCullough    As a Colonel, he commanded the Department of Texas from April until  September 18, 1861.  He had served as a Captain of the Texas Rangers during the Mexican War.  Prior to becoming the Department Commander, was commissioned the Colonel of the 1st Texas Mounted Rifles, Texas State Troops.
 
Paul O. Hebert  As a Brigadier General, he commanded the Department of Texas including Young's Regiment from September 19 to October 2, 1861.  Unlike Henry McCullough, he was a West Point graduate and so considered by those in Richmond better to Command the Department of Texas.  He immediately ordered Young's Regiment to be mustered into Confederate Service and transferred to Arkansas.
 
Louis Hebert  Colonel of the 3rd Louisiana Volunteer Infantry, commanded the first Confederate Brigade the 11th Texas was attached to.  This is indicated by a Special Requisition from the Captain of Company "C", George R. Reeves, sent and Colonel Young submitted to Hebert for approval in December of 1861.  Louis was a cousin of Paul O. Hebert (Boatner, 1991).  On January 31, 1862 the Second Brigade of Ben McCulloch's Division was reported to include (OR, Series I, Vol. 8, pg. 746):
 
4th Arkansas Infantry, Col. E. McNair
14th Arkansas Infantry, Col. M. C. Mitchell
16th Arkansas Infantry, Colonel Hill
17th Arkansas Infantry, Col. Frank Rector
21st Arkansas Infantry, Col. D. McRae
1st Arkansas Battalion, Maj. W. H. Brooks
3rd Louisiana Infantry, Col. L. Hebert
11th Texas Cavalry, Col. W. C. Young
Texas Mounted Rifles, Maj. J. W. Whitfield
Artillery Battalion (4 Co.s), Capt. W. R. Bradfute
 
 
James M. McIntosh
James M.  McIntosh Colonel McIntosh formed and commanded detached troops during the fighting at Chustenahlah in the Creek Nation in 1861.  This detached brigade of approximately 1,600 soldiers included (OR, Series I, Vol XIII):
 
3rd Texas Cavalry Regiment (5 Co.s)
6th Texas Cavalry Regiment (detachmet)
11th Texas Cavalry Regiment (+7 Co.s)
2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles (4 Co.s)
Whitfield's Texas Cavalry Battalion (3 Co.s)
Captain Bennett's Company of Texans
 
Elkanah B. Greer  Prior to the battle of Elkorn (March 6 & 7, 1862), Colonel Greer was only Regimental Commander of the 3rd Texas Cavalry of Louis Hebert's Brigade, Ben McCulloch's Division.  He was slightly wounded in the battle (Warner, 1959).  After McCullough was killed in the battle, Greer became brigade commander by default.  After Hebert was captured, he became Division Commander.  After the battle he reported forces to consist of the following (OR, Series 1, Vol 8, Pg 293):
 
3rd Louisiana Infantry, Col. L. Hebert (captured)
4th Arkansas Infantry, Col. E. McNair
14th Arkansas Infantry, Col. M. C. Mitchell
21st Arkansas Infantry, Col. D. McRae
11th Texas Cavalry, Lt. Col. J. J. Diamond
9th Texas Cavalry, Col. W. B. Sims (wounded)
3rd Texas Cavalry, Col. E. B. Greer (wounded)
Colonel Embry's Regiment
Captain Hart's Battery, 4 pieces
 
Joseph L. Hogg  Took command of the 1st Brigade in McCown's Division at Corinth Mississippi in April of 1862.  He died of fever on May 16, 1862.  The Cavalry Regiments were dismounted for crossing the Mississippi River.    The Brigade included:
 
McCray's Arkansas Battalion
1st Texas Regiment Partisan Rangers
10th Texas Cavalry Regiment
11th Texas Cavalry Regiment
Good's Texas Battery
 
Wm. L. Cabbell
William L. Cabbell The Official Records show Brigadier General W. L. Cabbell commanding the First Brigade of McCown's Division on June 30, 1862 at Tupelo, Mississippi.  According to General Braxton Bragg's report, this Brigade included:
McCray's Arkansas Regiment Infantry
10th Texas Cavalry, dismounted
11th Texas Cavalry, dismounted
14th Texas Cavalry, dismounted
Andrew's Texas Regiment Infantry
Good's Texas Battery
 
T. H. McCray  Colonel McCray reported on the battle before Richmond, Kentucky of August 30, 1862, to be in command of the First Brigade, Third Division, Army of Kentucky with the following dismounted regiments and commanders (OR, Series I, Vol XVI, Part I, pg. 941-942):
 
10th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. C. R. Earp
11th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. J. C. Burks
14th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. M. D. Ector
15th (32nd) Texas Cavalry Regiment, Lt. Col. James Weaver
McCray's Arkansas Regiment of Sharpshooters, Maj. J. W. Clark
 
Matthew D. Ector  Formerly Colonel of the 14th Texas Cavalry, he had been promoted to Brigadier General on August 23, 1862 but was evidently unaware of it until returning to Tennessee after distinguishing himself in the Kentucky invasion.  General Ector was placed in command of the Second Brigade of Second Division of the Army of Kentucky upon their return to Tennessee.  On October 31, 1862 (OR, Series I, Vol. XVI, Part II, pg. 984), this dismounted Brigade included:
 
10th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. C. R. Earp
11th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. J. C. Burks
14th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. A. Harris
15th (32nd) Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. J. A. Weaver
Douglas' Texas Battery, Capt. J. P. Douglas
 
On November 20, 1862, the same units are shown under his command in the Department of East Tennessee (OR, Series I, Vol. XX, Part II, pg. 413), still dismounted.  On the roster of troops at the battle of Stone's River (Murfreesboro), the same units are shown as the First Brigade, McCown's Division, Hardee's Corps, Army of Tennessee with some changes is commanders (OR Series I, Vol. XX, Part II, pg. 660) as shown below:
 
10th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. M. F. Locke
11th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. J. C. Burks, Lt. Col. J. M. Bounds
14th Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. J. L. Crump
15th (32nd) Texas Cavalry Regiment, Col. J. A. Andrews
Douglas' Texas Battery, Capt. J. P. Douglas
 
Note that in the brigades shown above, the report of the 15th Texas Cavalry Regiment.  This actually is the 32nd Texas Cavalry (Fitzhugh, 1959).  The actual 15th Texas Cavalry had different commanders.
 
 
John A. Wharton  Formerly Colonel of the 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment (Terry's Texas Rangers) he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on November 18, 1862.  The 11th Texas Cavalry was ordered to be remounted by General Bragg on January 21, 1863 and transferred to Whartons Cavalry Brigade.  Wharton's Brigade for the battle at Murfreesboro included (Cozzens, 1990):
 
14th Alabama Battalion
1st Confederate Cavalry Regiment
3rd Confederate Cavalry Regiment
2nd Georgia Cavalry Regiment
2nd Tennessee Cavalry Regiment
Murray's (Tennessee) Regiment
4th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment
8th Texas Cavalry Regiment
McCown's Escort Company
White's Tennessee Battery
 
Thomas Harrison  In the spring of 1863, John A. Wharton was promoted to Cavalry Division Command.  Thomas Harrison became the Brigade Commander.  He was formerly the Colonel of the 8th Texas Cavalry and had originally been a Captain of that Regiment.   Harrison Commanded the Brigade which the 11th Texas Cavalry Regiment was affiliated with for the remainder of the war.  He led this Brigade as a Colonel until January 14, 1865 when he was appointed Brigadier General.  According to Wright & Simpson (1965), the Harrison's brigade, John A. Wharton's Division, Army of Tennessee, consisted of:
 
8th Texas Cavalry Regiment
11th Texas Cavalry Regiment
4th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment
3rd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment
1st Kentucky Cavalry Regiment
 
One writer (Jefferies, 1961), mentions that an entirely new brigade was formed in the spring of 1863, with Colonel Thomas Harrison in command.  This brigade had:
 
8th Texas Cavalry Regiment
11th Texas Cavalry Regiment
1st Kentucky Cavalry Regiment
3rd Confederate Cavalry
White's Battery
 
White's Battery is said to have consisted of brass six pounders from the University of Arkansas.  A roster, dated July 31, 1863 (OR Series I, Vol. XXIII, Part II, pg. 943) lists the Second Brigade with same higher command as:
 
3rd Confederate Cavalry, Col. W. N. Estes
3rd Kentucky Cavalry, Col. J. R. Butler
8th Tennessee, Lieut. Col. P. F. Anderson
8th Texas Cavalry, Lieut. Col. G. Cook
11th Texas Cavalry, Lieut. Col. J. M. Bounds
 
A roster, dated August 15, 1863 (OR Series I, Vol. XXX, Part IV, pg. 500) lists the Second Brigade with same higher command as:
 
8th Texas Cavalry, Lieut. Col. Gustave Cook
11th Texas Cavalry, Lieut. Col. J. M. Bounds
3rd Confederate Cavalry, Col. W. N. Estes
3rd Kentucky Cavalry, Col. J. R. Butler
4th Tennessee Cavalry, Lieut. Col. Paul F. Anderson
Escort Company, Lieut. Isaac Fulkerson
Scout Company, Capt. M. L. Gordon
Tennessee Battery, Capt. B. F. White
 
The above roster is interesting in that it shows Lieutenant Colonel J. M. Bounds in command of the 11th Texas Cavalry, when records show that George R. Reeves was promoted to the rank of Colonel on that date.  On a roster of Confederate troops at the battle of Chickamauga (OR, Series I, Vol. XXX, Part I, pg. 232), Harrison's Brigade, Wharton's Cavalry Division, Wheeler's Corps appears as:
 
3rd Confederate Cavalry
3rd Kentucky Cavlary
8th Texas Cavalry
11th Texas Cavalry
Battery of six small guns
 
The above listing is corroborated by a federal roster of troops at the battle of Chickamauga, compiled with information from captured prisoners (OR, Series I, Vol. XXX, Part I, pg. 30).
 
A roster reported on October 31, 1863 (OR Series I, Vol XXXI, Part III, pg. 618) shows a reorganized First Brigade, First (Wharton's) Division, Wheeler's Cavalry Corps with:
 
3rd Arkansas Cavalry, Lieut. Col. M. J. Henderson
65th (6th) North Carolina Cavalry, Col. George N. Falk
8th Texas Cavalry, Lieut. Col. Gustave Cook
11th Texas Cavalry, Col. J. M. Bounds
 
This is very interesting since Lieutenant Colonel J. M. Bounds had been killed 4 days prior to the report and Colonel George R. Reeves was in command of the regiment.  Identical rosters were reported on November 30th and December 10th of 1863 (OR, Series I, Vol. XXXI, Parts I & III).  On December 31, 1863, the unit is shown in Harrison's Brigade, Armstrong's Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee (OR, Series I, Vol. XXXI, Part III, pg. 891).  The brigade was then shown to include:
 
3rd Arkansas Cavalry,  Col. A. W. Hobson
8th Texas Cavalry,  Col. Thomas Harrrison
11th Texas Cavalry, Col. G. R. Reeves
 
On January 31, 1864, the brigade is shown identical to as above (OR, Series I, Vol. XXXI, Part III, pg. 642).  Two rosters of April 30, 1864 also shows identical organization (OR, Series I, Vol XXXII, Part III, pg. 871 & Vol. XXXVIII, Part III, pg. 642).
 
On June 30, 1864, the regiment appears in Harrison's Brigade, Hume's Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee (OR, Series I, Vol. XXXVIII, Part III, pg. 650) including:
 
3rd Arkansas Cavalry,  Col. Amson W. Hobson
65th North Carolina Cavalry
4th Tennessee Cavalry, Lieut. Col. Paul F. Anderson
8th Texas Cavalry,  Maj. Samuel P. Christian
11th Texas Cavalry, Col. G. R. Reeves
 
A roster, dated July 10, 1864 is identical to the above (OR, Series I, Vol. XXXVIII, Part III, pg. 657).  On September 20, 1864, the brigade was reported with the same higher command (OR, Series I, Vol. XXXIX, Part II, pg. 856) as:
 
3rd Arkansas Cavalry,  Col. Amson W. Hobson
4th Tennessee Cavalry, Lieut. Col. Paul F. Anderson
8th Texas Cavalry,  Lieut. Col. Gustave Cook
11th Texas Cavalry, Col. G. R. Reeves
 
This appears to be the composition of the brigade in which the 11th Texas Cavalry served with until the end (Jefferies, 1961).  The regiments of the brigade acquired nicknames.  The two Texas regiments were called the Chums.  The Tennessee regiment troops were called Paul's Apostles, after Colonel Anderson.  The Arkansas regiment troops were called the Joshes, for reasons that are not clear.
 
 Chapter References
 
Bishop, Chris, Drury, Ian & Gibbons, Tony, 1400 Days - The Civil War Day by Day, Gallery Books, New York, 1990.
 
Boatner III, Mark M., The Civil War Dictionary, Vintage Books, New York, 1991.
 
Fitzhugh, Lester N., Texas Batteries, Battalions, Regiments, Commanders and Field Officers Confederate States Army, 1861-1865, Mirror Press, Midlothian, Texas, 1959
 
Jefferies, C. C., Terry's Rangers, Vanage Press, New York, 1961.
 
Official Records (OR)
 
Wright, Marcus J. and Simpson, Harold B., Texas in the War 1861-1865, The Hill Junior College Press, Hillsoboro, Texas, 1965.
 
Yeary, Miss Mamie, Reminiscenses of the Boys in Gray, 1861-1865,  Wilkinson Printing Company, Dallas, Texas, 1912..  
Copyright 1999 by R. Scott Gartin
Printed by permission