Parson's Brigade - 12th Texas Cavalry CSA Reunions   The first reunion of the Brigade was held on July 4, 1878  at Waxahachie, Texas.   A letter from General Parsons was read to members of his command.  In part......."To have been participants in common peril is a remembrance that naturally binds the survivors in common sympathy.  To have participated in common triumphs intensifies the feeling of fellowship." "But when the memories are added to the privations endured and hardships and suffering undergone in common, the loss by our side in conflict and in hospital ... when I have been in charge in the long days ordeal of death or the skirmish line, or when conflict over, we discharged the farewell shots oer the graves when our heroes we buried - these are treasured memories which unite the survivors and sanctify your reunion, these scenes that call up recollections and stir emotions to evoke the profoundest sympathies and illustrate the kindredship of our humanity and the brotherhood of men of the Twelfth and Nineteenth and the still living  but  absent veterans who shared events with us and to whom, in common with you all, on this occasion, I send greeting." The Brigade Association was organized at Waxahachie August 18, 1880. President: Major J. Farrar; Vice -presidents, Lts. W. H. Getzendaner, L. T. Wheeler, Capt. Alex Howard, Col. D. C. Giddings, Capt. W. G. Veal, Secretary, Major A. M. Dechman and Treasurer S. A. Clift. Subsequent meetings: August 2, 1881, Corsicana, Texas . President, W. G. Veal; vice-presidents, L. J. Farrar, Charles Morgan, A. M. Walton, D. C. Giddings, Alex Harward; treasurer, S. A. Clift and secretary A. M. Deckman. August 2 and 3, 1882, Penn's Springs, Dallas County, Texas . President, W. G. Veal; vice presidents, Joe Abbott, H. Barnes, L. T. Wheeler, F. A. Ball, W. W. Peevy and Lee H. Hardy; treasurer, W. N. C. Hill, secretary, A. M. Dechman.  August 1 and 2, 1883, Alvarado, Texas President, W. G. Veal; vice presidents, M. B. Highsmith, J. P. Cox, Carr Forrest, Charles Morgan and H. A. Bryan; treasurer, W. H. Getzendaner; secretary A. M. Dichman, asst. secretary, Joe Record; chaplain, Rev. J. Fred Cox. August 13 and 14, 1884 Hillsboro, Texas. President, W. G. Veal; vice presidents John Haley, F. A. Ball, John Moore, W. M. Walton, M. M. Boggess and Lt. Clair; treasurer; W. H. Getzendaner and A. M. Dechman, secretary. August 6 and 6, 1885, Cleburne, Tex.  President: W. G.Veal; vice presidents, M. M.  Boggess, W. W. Peevy, J. Puckett, J. S. Morrow; treasurer, W. H. Getzendaner; secretary, A. M. Dechman; assistant secretaries, J. J. F. Cox and H. M. Rhodus. August 6 and 7, 1886. Waco, Texas,  President, W. G. Veal; vice presidents, Jas. Connelly, Geo. C. Pendleton, M. M. Boggess, Jack Puckett, James P. Brown, W. W. Peevy, Nat. M. Burford and Ed C. Garley; secretary, J. C. S. Baird. August 10 and 11, 1887, Temple, Texas,  President, W. G. Veal; vice-presidents, L. J. Farrar, W. N. C. Hill, Jas. Connelly, Charles Morgan; secretary, J. C. S. Baird; treasurer, W. H. Genzendaner; asst. secretary, G. C. Pendleton. August 8 and 9, 1888. Midlothian, Texas, President, W. G. Veal; vice presidents, E. M. Hawkins, John Wilson, J. F. Martin, Ira B. Taylor, E. Remmond; Jack Puckett, secretary; Geo. H. Hogan asst. secretary; and treasurer H. M. Rhodus August 9 and 10, 1889, Kaufman, Texas,  President, W. G. Veal; vice-presidents, D. A. Nunn, W. W. Peevy, Geo. W. Richardson, G. W. Fearis, M. M. Boggess; secretary H. M. Rhodus, treasurer, W. H. Getzendaner. August 6 and 7, 1890. Weatherford, Texas. The old followers of the gallant W. H. Parsons met ..... Rev. Father [?] of Weatherford delivered a  welcome address which was ably responded to by Capt. W. H. Getzendaner of Waxahachie. The noble wearers of both the blue and the gray mingled in happy reunion, without a spark of party animosity in their hearts, thus disproving the malicious charge made by radical politicians that southern blood still boils against the north.  [excerpt from Waxahachie Enterprise, August 1890.] June 30 and July 1, 1891. Temple, Texas  Commander, W. G. Veal; vice-commanders, Geo. C. Pendleton, M. B. Highsmith, Jas. Connelly, J. M. Denison; secretary, A. M. Dechman; treasurer, W. H. Getzendaner; chaplain, J. C. S. Baird. Aug. 5, 1892  Waxahachie, Texas.  The Reunion of Parsons Cavalry Brigade was a blooming success.  Extensive preparations had been made and the spacious grounds at West End park presented a lovely retreat.  It is reckoned that 5000 people took part in the reunion.  The old, the halt, the blind and the lame were there, and younger generations were present to lend buoyancy to the occation. Mayor H. E. Pickett and Capt. W. H. Getzendaner delivered addresses of welcome responded to by Capt. W. G. Veal of fort Worth. People were here from all surrounding counties and the re-union will long be remembered. Long may the old soldiers live to remind coming generations of the hardships to which our forefathers were subject in defense of home and country.  The old war scarred veterans certainly enjoy these annual gatherings where they recount the exciting scenes of long ago and recall their experiences during that bloody era of our history. [Waxahachie Enterprise n/d.] August 1. 1894, Waxahachie, Texas.  The Brigade held its annual reunion with Camp Winnie Davis, United Confederate Veterans. The event began under a bright and sunny morn and by eleven o'clock a large crowd had assembled at the pavilion at East end. The stage was appropriately decorated with battle flags and war relics.  A portrait of Jefferson Davis was conspicuously prominent, as was a large and well executed oil painting of the attack on Sumter by Bro. Laurence O. Cohen, native of Charleston, whose address in explanation of the scene was graphic and humorous in part so as to awaken memories of fun that the boys in gray often had during the carnage and strife. Mayor DuBose gave the welcoming address, responded to by President Getzendaner.  Addresses by Comrades Marchbanks and Kemble were glowing tributes to the heroes and men of the present as well as the past.  Nor was the Veteran forgotten, for mingling with comrades could be seen Dr. Hyam Cohen, sounding its praises and securing many subscribers.  We are glad to say that this reunion will remain an oasis in the hearts of the scarred and hoary headed men who once wore the gray. After some excellent music by the band, the annual election resulted unanimously as follows: President, W. H. Getzendaner; Vice Presidents B. F. Marchbanks, Carr Forest, H. M. Rhodus, and   A. A. Kemble;  Secretary A. M. Dechman; Treasurer W. A. Calfee.  President Getzendander introduced an ex-union soldier who made a few appropriate remarks and read a short poem of fraternal greeting to the blue and the gray.  The memorial service in honor and memory of fallen comrades were impressive and with it closed the Fourteenth Annual Reunion of Parsons' Brigade.   [Next] meeting place will be chosen by the Executive Committee.  It was very cheering to the old soldiers to listen to the sweet voice of Miss May Boyce, as she recited a thrilling war poem.  Misses Lizzie Burk and Ross contributed to the pleasure of the occasion. -- submitted by Ruth Walsh August 1907. At te reunion of Parsons' Brigade held at Hillsboro last week, Col. B. F. Marchbanks of Waxahachie, a member of the association, read the following communication from Gen. W. H. Parsons, the old time commander of the Brigade, forwarded from Chicago as a greeting to the comrades of his command. "Leaf by leaf the trees are falling Drop by drop the streams run dry One by one beyond recalling Summer roses droop and die." "Your letter, dear comrades in arms, finds me still among those who witness the falling leaves and while I await the bugle call of my Great Commander, I feel that it is in a strict military order that  he who was your superior officer during those thunderous days from '61 to '65 should remain on the field until the last man utters his response to the earthly roll call. .... "When the old guard gathers at Hillsboro read them this letter from the man who loves them .....you have from time to time received from my pen words reminiscent of those stirring days of civil strife but I now feel that we should for the remaining years live in the present and contemplate the future....the grand old state of Texas flourishes and I am conscious of my part in its present greatness and prosperity.  Let the younger generation join with us in our enthusiasm and say to young and old in the hearing of your voice at the coming reunion of Parsons' Brigade that your old commander still lives and loves". /s/ W. H. Parsons [Waxahachie Daily Light, Saturday, Aog. 10, 1907] [Sources: Condensed History Parsons' Texas Cavalry Brigade, 1861-1865; pub. Corsicana, Tex. 1903; newspaper articles and notices from Confederate Veteran as cited.] August 4-5, 1915, Midlothian, Texas.  Attended by 47 veterans. [Waxahachie Enterprise, Sept. 1890] [Notice of] Two days encampment, a picnic and barbecue at Navajo, Greer County, on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 4 and 5, 1890.  All Veterans, Federal or Confederate, of the Mexican or Texas wars, in fact everybody, are invited to attend and enjoy two days of companionship and pleasure. Pleasant grounds have been selected, speakers and music engaged and everything arranged for a general good time.  All soldiers in this section are expected to bring their blankets and come prepared to spend two days in camp. All soldiers who cannot attend will please send their names and their company and regiment to which they belonged, the Federals to Col. John [Beaumont?] and the Confederates to Col. J. M. Shropshire, Navajo, Greer County, Texas, for the purpose of forming a permanent organization. An excerpt from The Confederate Veteran, Vol. 33, 1925] "Thanks to the extraordinary skill and perfection in regimental evolution, the 12th Regiment, so largely composed of the flower of Ellis County, won the high honor a month after reaching the theater of war in Arkansas in 1862, (when all other cavalry commands were dismounted), of being selected.... to remain mounted and take first position until afterwards  [when] brigaded with the 19th Regiment under Colonel Burford.....The Texas regiments of Virginia may have for a time succeeded in keeping the Federals out of Richmond, but the Army of the Trans-Mississippi, in whose praise no paons are sung, did keep formidable Federal armies out of Texas and never allowed a hostile foot to march over her soil...."   Copyright © 2002-2017, Ellis County TXGenWeb. All Rights Reserved. This page was last modified: Thursday, 01-Jul-2021 13:18:28 MDT