The Lone Star Defenders 1

The Lone Star Defenders 1

The Lone Star Defenders

A Chronicle of the Third Texas Cavalry, Ross' Brigade

 

 

Author: Samuel Benton Barron

 

CONTENTS

 

INTRODUCTION 11

 

 

CHAPTER I

 

THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR

 

Journey to Texas—John Brown’s Raid—My Secession

Resolution—Presidential Election—Lincoln Elected—Excitement in

the South—Secession Ordinances—“The Lone Star Defenders”—Fort

Sumter Fired On—Camp Life—The Regiment Complete—Citizens’

Kindness—Mustered In—The Third Texas Cavalry—Roster 15

 

 

CHAPTER II

 

OFF FOR THE FRONT

 

Organization of Regiment—Officers—Accouterment—On the

March—Taming a Trouble-maker—Crossing the Red River—In the

Indian Territory—The Indian Maid—Fort Smith—The March to

Missouri—McCulloch’s Headquarters—Under Orders—Preparation for

First Battle 26

 

 

CHAPTER III

 

OUR FIRST BATTLE

 

On the March—Little York Raid—Under Fire—Our First

Battle—Oak Hill (Wilson’s Creek)—Death of General

Lyon—Our First Charge—Enemy Retires—Impressions of First

Battle—Death of Young Willie—Horrors of a Battlefield—Troops

Engaged—Casualties 39

 

 

CHAPTER IV

 

THE WAR IN MISSOURI

 

Personal Characteristics—Two Braggarts—Joe Welch—William

Hood—We Enter Springfield—Bitter Feeling in Missouri—Company

Elections—Measles and Typhoid—Carthage, and My Illness

There—We Leave Carthage—Death of Captain Taylor—Winter

Quarters—Furloughed—Home Again 52

 

 

CHAPTER V

 

THE WAR IN MISSOURI—_Continued_

 

I Rejoin the Command—Sleeping in Snow—Ambushed—Battle

of Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge)—Capturing a Battery—Deaths

of Generals McCulloch and McIntosh—Battle

Continued—Casualties—Keetsville—Official Reports—March

Southward—Foraging—Lost Artillery—Illness Again 63

 

 

CHAPTER VI

 

THE SIEGE OF CORINTH

 

Leave Winter Quarters—The Prairies—Duvall’s Bluff—Awaiting

Transportation—White River—The Mississippi—Memphis—Am

Detailed—En Route to Corinth—Corinth—Red Tape—Siege of

Corinth—“A Soldier’s Grave”—Digging for Water—Suffering and

Sickness—Regiment Reorganized—Evacuation of Corinth 79

 

 

CHAPTER VII

 

BATTLE OF IUKA

 

Camp at Tupelo, Miss.—Furloughed—Report for Duty—Camp

Routine—“The Sick Call”—Saltillo—Personnel of the

Brigade—Baldwin “Contraband”—On to Iuka—Iuka—Battle of

Iuka—Casualties—Retreat 96

 

 

CHAPTER VIII

 

BATTLE OF CORINTH

 

Captain Dunn, the “Mormon”—Paroles—Baldwin—On to

Corinth—Conscription—Looking for Breakfast—The Army

Trapped—A Skirmish—Escape—Holly Springs—Battle of

Corinth—Casualties—Cavalry Again 111

 

 

CHAPTER IX

 

HOLLY SPRINGS RAID