The Third Texas Cavalry was organized in Dallas on 13 Jun 1861. The companies were from northeast Texas and were raised primarily in the following counties: Co A (Capt. T.W. Winston) Harrison; Co B (Capt. R.H. Cumby) Rusk; Co C (Capt Frank Taylor) Cherokee; Co D (Capt. Hale) Hunt; Co E (Capt D.M. Short) Shelby; Co F (Capt Isham Chisholm) Kaufman; Co G (Capt H.P. Mabry) Marion and Kaufman; Co H (Capt Johnson Russell) Wood; Co I (Capt William Bryan) Cass; Co K (David Gaines) Smith.
In early July, the regiment left Dallas and headed for Missouri on the "Texas Road" through the Indian Territory to Ft. Smith, AR. The first taste of battle came at the Battle of Wilson's Creek (Oak Hills) just outside of Springfield, MO on 10 Aug 1861. The regiment remained near the junction of Missouri, Arkansas, and the Indian Territory for several months and saw action at the Battles of Chustenahlah (Cherokee Nation, near present Muscogee, OK) 26 Dec 1861 and Pea Ridge (Elk Horn Tavern), AR on 6-8 Mar 1862. Following the Battle of Pea Ridge, the 3rd Texas Cavalry, along with most other troops in Arkansas, was ordered to the east side of the Mississippi River. Prior to crossing the Mississippi, the regiment was dismounted, and it fought on foot for the next several months.
Arriving in Mississippi in late April 1862, the 3rd Texas Cavalry saw some action near Corinth, MS in late May 1862, but the major fighting took place in the fall with the battles of Iuka, MS (20 Sep 1862), Corinth, MS (3 & 4 Oct 1862), and the Holly Springs, MS raid (20 Dec 1862). Following the battle of Corinth, the 3rd Texas Cavalry was remounted and served for the rest of the war as cavalry. It was placed in a brigade with the 6th Texas Cavalry (which also contained men from Kaufman county), and this brigade went on to become known as Ross' Texas Cavalry Brigade .
In early 1863, the 3rd Texas Cavalry took part in a short raid into Tennessee which culminated in the battle of Thompson's Station, TN on 5 Mar 1863. Afterward, the regiment returned to Mississippi where it performed much scouting and skirmishing associated with the Vicksburg Campaign. It remained in the area between Jackson and Vicksburg for the remainder of 1863 and the first part of 1864.
In February and March 1864, the 3rd Texas Cavalry took part in the contest for Yazoo City, MS. In April 1864, Ross' Brigade headed for Georgia to assist in opposing Sherman's advance toward Atlanta. The 3rd Texas saw action in numerous battles and skirmishes from 14 May to 2 Sep 1864 among them were: Rome (15 May), New Hope Church (25 May), Lovejoy's Station (20 Aug). Following the fall of Atlanta, the regiment took part in Hood's ill-fated Tennesee Campaign in November and December 1864. As cavalry, Ross' Brigade was spared the slaughter that befell the infantry at Franklin and Nashville, but it served to disrupt Union communications and crucially protected the retreat of Hood's army after its defeat at Nashville.
After returning to Alabama from Tennessee, the 3rd Texas Cavalry moved to Mississippi again, but it did not see any major action for the remaining few months of the war. The regiment was surrendered along with the rest of the armies of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana on 4 May 1865 by Gen. Richard Taylor. The remaining members of the 3rd Texas Cavalry received their paroles to return home on 8 May 1865.
Reference: Douglas Hale, "The Third Texas Cavalry in the Civil War", University of Oklahoma Press, 1993.
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This Kaufman County Brief History of the
3rd TX Cavalry page was created March 15, 1999.
It was updated June 2014.
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Coordinator of the Kaufman County, TXGenWeb Project site
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