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Deaf
Smith |
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Texas Union Regiments
First Texas Cavalry, USA
During the Civil War Texas contributed two regiments and two battalions
of cavalry to the federal army. A total of 1,915 men from Texas served
the Union; of these 141 died, 12 in action. One source states that "the
strength of the Texas Federal Regiments consisted primarily of Mexicans,
Germans, and Irishmen." While it is true that the regiment had
a high proportion of Spanish-speaking Texans and first-generation immigrants,
among them German Unionists from the Hill Country, the officer cadre
was mostly mainstream southern in background. The larger of the two
Texas units was the First Texas Cavalry Regiment. It was organized at
New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 6, 1862, under the command of Edmund
J. Davis, who, before the war's end, became a brigadier general. The
unit was composed of eight companies. Until September 1863 the First
Texas Cavalry was assigned to the defense of New Orleans. During that
time two companies were sent to Galveston but did not land due to the
Confederate capture of that city in January 1863. While in Louisiana,
the regiment saw its initial action on the Amite River in May 1863 and
participated in operations around Morgan City. In September 1863 the
First Texas Cavalry sailed from New Orleans as part of the Sabine Pass
expedition but was not in action. Returning to Louisiana, the regiment
was engaged in the Western Louisiana (Têche) Campaign from October
3 through October 17, 1863. The regiment was moved back to New Orleans
at the end of this assignment and embarked on October 23 as part of
the Rio Grande expedition, landing on the south Texas coast on November
2 and occupying Brownsville four days later. Within a month the First
Texas Cavalry, which had reached Texas with a strength of 16 officers
and 205 enlisted men, grew by slightly over 50 percent. During this
time the Second Texas Cavalry Regiment was formed at Brownsville. Both
regiments left Texas in July 1864 for Louisiana. Two companies, however,
of the First Texas Cavalry remained at Brownsville and did not rejoin
their parent regiment until six months later. In September 1864 the
First Texas Cavalry was involved in some minor actions near Morganza,
Louisiana. On November 1, 1864, the two regiments were merged into one
twelve company regiment (normally a regiment at this time had ten companies).
The new command was called the First Texas Volunteer Cavalry. Ordered
to Baton Rouge on November 19, 1864, the First Texas Volunteers engaged
in patrolling and reconnaissance duties until the end of the Civil War.
In May and June 1865 the regiment was at Vidalia, Louisiana. On June
29, 1865, the Volunteers were ordered to Texas and mustered out of service
on November 4, 1865.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the
War of the Rebellion (3 vols., 1908; rpt., Dayton, Ohio: National
Historical Society, 1979). Frank H. Smyrl, "Texans in the Union
Army, 1861–1865," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 65 (October
1961). The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records
of the Union and Confederate Armies. Marcus J. Wright, comp., and
Harold B. Simpson, ed., Texas in the War, 1861–1865 (Hillsboro,
Texas: Hill Junior College Press, 1965).
Eugene M. Ott, Jr., and Glen E. Lich, "FIRST TEXAS CAVALRY,
USA," Handbook of Texas Online, Published by the Texas State Historical
Association.
Source: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qlf03
During the Civil War Texas contributed two regiments and two battalions
of cavalry to the federal army. A total of 1,915 men from Texas served
the Union; of these 141 died, 12 in action. One source states that "the
strength of the Texas Federal Regiments consisted primarily of Mexicans,
Germans, and Irishmen." While it is true that the regiment had
a high proportion of Spanish-speaking Texans and first-generation immigrants,
among them German Unionists from the Hill Country, the officer cadre
was mostly mainstream southern in background. The larger of the two
Texas units was the First Texas Cavalry Regiment. It was organized at
New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 6, 1862, under the command of Edmund
J. Davis, who, before the war's end, became a brigadier general. The
unit was composed of eight companies. Until September 1863 the First
Texas Cavalry was assigned to the defense of New Orleans. During that
time two companies were sent to Galveston but did not land due to the
Confederate capture of that city in January 1863. While in Louisiana,
the regiment saw its initial action on the Amite River in May 1863 and
participated in operations around Morgan City. In September 1863 the
First Texas Cavalry sailed from New Orleans as part of the Sabine Pass
expedition but was not in action. Returning to Louisiana, the regiment
was engaged in the Western Louisiana (Têche) Campaign from October
3 through October 17, 1863. The regiment was moved back to New Orleans
at the end of this assignment and embarked on October 23 as part of
the Rio Grande expedition, landing on the south Texas coast on November
2 and occupying Brownsville four days later. Within a month the First
Texas Cavalry, which had reached Texas with a strength of 16 officers
and 205 enlisted men, grew by slightly over 50 percent. During this
time the Second Texas Cavalry Regiment was formed at Brownsville. Both
regiments left Texas in July 1864 for Louisiana. Two companies, however,
of the First Texas Cavalry remained at Brownsville and did not rejoin
their parent regiment until six months later. In September 1864 the
First Texas Cavalry was involved in some minor actions near Morganza,
Louisiana. On November 1, 1864, the two regiments were merged into one
twelve company regiment (normally a regiment at this time had ten companies).
The new command was called the First Texas Volunteer Cavalry. Ordered
to Baton Rouge on November 19, 1864, the First Texas Volunteers engaged
in patrolling and reconnaissance duties until the end of the Civil War.
In May and June 1865 the regiment was at Vidalia, Louisiana. On June
29, 1865, the Volunteers were ordered to Texas and mustered out of service
on November 4, 1865.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (3 vols., 1908; rpt., Dayton, Ohio: National Historical Society, 1979). Frank H. Smyrl, "Texans in the Union Army, 1861–1865," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 65 (October 1961). The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Marcus J. Wright, comp., and Harold B. Simpson, ed., Texas in the War, 1861–1865 (Hillsboro, Texas: Hill Junior College Press, 1965). Eugene M. Ott, Jr., and Glen E. Lich, "FIRST TEXAS CAVALRY,
USA," Handbook of Texas Online, Published by the Texas State Historical
Association. Source: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qlf03 |
