1859 was fine crop year. … Our first killing frost that year was Oct. 17. We had four snows before Christmas, one in Nov., one the first week in December, one 3rd week in December, and a heavy snow a few days before Christmas; --turned warm on Xmas day, and the snow and ice evaporated. 1860 dry year poor crop year. Hot winds 10th, 11th and 12th of July – first hot winds we had ever felt. Abraham Lincoln was elected President in Nov. as the abolition candidate. What contributed to his election the Democratic party nominated Stephan A. Douglas, a U. S. Senator from Ill. for president. The Southern Democrats left the conventions and reassembled at Charleston, S. C. and nominated Jno. C. Breakenridge and Lane for Pres. and Vice Pres.. While the Whigs met in convention and nominated Bell and Everatt for Pres. and Vice. Pres..

So Lincoln recd. the plurality and the state of S. C. promptly seceded Dec. 21st 1860. The other 10 Southern states followed soon after except Ky. Mo. and Maryland. They never seceded. The rest is History.

Fist rain enough during the year to ensure fine crops. They were making up Companies and Regts.. All Spring, Summer and fall to go into the C. S. A. Read W. E. Beeson raised a Co. in Oct. 1861 for Col. Sam Bell Maxcy’s Regt. I join the Co. We were raised as Inft. for coast defense of Tex. Sworn in for 12 mos. [??] in Lamar Co. on the N. Sulpher where Ben Franklin now is; called Camp Rusk for Genl. T. J. Rusk decd.. Done doubtless to humiliate Sam Houston who was opposed to the war, to secession, and refused to take the oath, as Gov. to the Confederacy. He was summarily bounced and Lieut. Gov. Clark was sworn in. You know the balance. It is history.

Camp fever and measles broke out in our corps at Camp Rusk, and early in Dec. ’61 we moved our camp to Camp Benjamin in honor of Judah P. Benjamin who was a La. Jew, an ex U.S. Senator and who was given a place on Jeff Davis’ Cabinet. Camp Benjamin was on Bois[dore??] 4 miles N. E. of Bonham. So soon as we reached there, we got orders to march to Memphis, Tenn. thence to Bowling Green, Ky.. On Jany. 1st we started. We lost 180 men at the two camps, from fever and measles. We reached the W. suburbs of Honey Grove 1st night, and went into Camp for the night. 2nd night we go to Paris, Tex, stayed a day and two nights, where our Col. S. B. Maxey lived. Next night to near where Bagley now is, passing through Clarksville next day, about noon. Locks 10th Cavalry regt, and Phil Crumps Bat. afterwards the 15th Tex Cav.. They came loping up and formed a line in town, while the town authorities fired a cannon in salute, down about the Livery Stable. It bursted and killed a horse and wounded a man. It was a little old thing. I suppose a Mountain Howitzer; the kind the cavalry mount on a big mule and fire back from the mountain on the advancing enemy.

We went out 4 miles E. to an old unused Gin shed and camped, using the Gin house for our Guard-house. The Regt. maintained camp guard. One of my Co. Dan. Darby, was on guard, was relieved about 11 or 12 o’clock at night, and as he came in under the shed, his foot, in the dark, struck a loaded musket, some fool guard, had set down against a post. The gun went off, and the load went through a young man’s head, a few feet away, who was asleep in his tent. His comrade, who was sleeping with him, awaking at the report of the gun, heard young Baker groan, and laying his hand over on his head, found him shot, and dying instantly. Although, we had orders not to load our guns on camp guard, and on the march, some fools would do it, and most invariably, such accidents would occur. Next night we camped on Mill Creek N. of [Amona??]. Next day the 7th day from Bonham, we arrived at Mill Creek Crossing, on Red River; and camped for the night. Next morning we ferried across, and took our line of March to Little Rock, Ark. over the old military trace, through the S. E. Corn. of the Choctaw Nation, into Ark. by Rock Comfort, Poraclifta, Center Point, Rockport, Benton [??] on the Saline, 16 miles S. from Little Rock. Now I must turn back and give the Roll of my Co. – officers and men

1st Catp. W. E. Beeson at organization of Regt elected Lieut. Col. which was in Nov. at camp of instruction.
2nd Capt. elected at promotion of Capt. Beeson was J. H. (Harry) McReynolds
1st Lieut. Sam. Ward
2nd Lieut. Jas. Houston
3rd Lieut. Shep Glass – all of Daingerfield, Tex.

1st Sergt. T. J. Justis (orderly sergt.)	Spring Hill
2nd Sergt. T. J. Vannoy	Daingerfield
3rd Sergt. Jas. Henly	Blacks Bridge
4th Sergt. [??] Horris	East Pinney
5th Sergt. Audy Walker (commissary Sergt)	Mt. Pleasant

As to who were Corporals my memory is not clear and my memory has lost some of the privates names as it has been 44 years.

I give them alphabetically.

		Residence
1. Adams	Sam.	Horse Creek
2. Adkins	John Dobbs	Bridge
3. Ashland	John	Daingerfield
4. Anderson	Mark	near Daingerfield
5. Burton	M.D.L.	Horse Creek
6. Burton	John	Boggy
7. Bloodworth	Wm.	Daingerfield
8. Beavers	Wm. H.	Daingerfield
9. Barrier	John	Boggy
10. Byers	Bill	Snow Hill
11. Butler	Tom	Boggy
12. Bridges	John	Black’s Bridge Piney
13. Coff[e]y	Tom. J.	Daingerfield
14. Cox	Jeff.	Boggy
15. Cherry	Jas. T.	Boggy
16. Clark	Jo. Wright	Mt. Pleasant
17. Claton	Clem.	Daingerfield
18. Cook	Sam	White Oak
19. Darby	Dan.	Daingerfield
20. Davis	John B.	Boggy
21. Davis	Gabe.	White Oak Prairie
22. Davis	Bill	White Oak Prairie
23. Davis	Jake	White Oak Prairie
24. Davis	Newt.	White Oak Prairie
25. Davis		White Oak Prairie
26. Davis		White Oak Prairie
27. Elliott	Jo	Boggy
28. Earles	Anderson	White Oak Prairie
29. Freeman	Hugh H.	Boggy
30. Fowler	Frank	Snow Hill
31. Garrett	W. C.	Boggy
32. Hackley	Ben.	Spring Hill
33. Huffines		Daingerfield
34. Huffines		Daingerfield
35. Houston	(Grand pa) (74 yrs old)	Daingerfield
36. Holder	Wm.	Boggy
37. Holder	Thos.	Boggy
38. Hines	James	Daingerfield
39. Hightower	Wm.	Horse Creek
40. Highttower	Ben.	Horse Creek
41. Jones	Wm. (Shovel Bill)	Snow Hill
42. Jackson	James	Black’s Bridge
43. King	J. H.	Horse Creek
44. King	Wm. (Doc.)	Horse Creek
45. Keith	Chas.	Horse Creek
46. Keith	Wm.	Horse Creek
47. Loving	J.K.P.	Spring Hill
48. Lunsford	Jno.	Black’s Bridge
49. McGee	Samps.	Boggy
50. Moulton	Peter	Daingerfield
51. McKenzie	R[??]	Piney
52. Moulton	A. J. (Drew)	Daingerfield
53. McLemore	Peter	[??]
54. McLanahan	Geo.	Snow Hill
55. Palmer	Henry	Horse Creek
56. Penly	Jack	Daingerfield
57. Porter	Granville	Daingerfield
58. Reynolds	D. R.	Boggy
59. Reynolds	Art.	Boggy
60. Roberson	Frank	Brushy Creek
61. Reynolds	Thad.	Snow Hill
62. Smith	N. B.	Brushy Creek
63. Smith	Pocket	Mt. Pleasant
64. Smith	Chas.	Horse Creek
65. Shirey	Enoch (Hoss)	Cypress
66. Scott	Judson	2 miles N. Omaha
67. Scott	Thos.	2 miles N. Omaha
68. Salmon	Jo.	Piney Cr.
69. Tigert	Jas. M.	Boggy
70. Teaner	Wm.	Boggy
71. Turman	Neal	Boggy
72. Turner	John	Horris’ Chappel
73. Walker	Lew.	Mt. Pleasant
74. Williams	Jno. E.	East Piney
75. Wyche	Geo.	White Oak
76. Willis	Bryce	Daingerfield
77. Ward	James	Daingerfield

Ten officers not enumerated above makes 88 officers and men while we had 110. So I must have forgotten 22 men. The following died at Camp Rusk and Camp Benjamin before we left Tex. Viz. The to Scott Bros., Chas. Keith, Geo. Wyche, and the two Hightower Bros.. Probably others I have forgotten. On the march to Memphis, Tenn., we lost by death John G. Barrier, Jo[??] Elliott and Sam Cook. We left Barrier and Elliot in the Hospital at Little Rock, where they died afterward. Sam Cook died in Hospital at ememphis, and Jno. Turner fell off the boat, at night, goin up the Miss. River between Hellena and Memphis, and was drowned. His body was never recovered.

In passing a column (post) on the edge of the boat, he put his hand on the post to steady himself, from passing over some freight, on the boat; the post was loose at the bottom, and gave way, and precipitated him into the dark, cold, raging waters of the River. He was the son of the wealthy and refined Robt. Turner. He John Turner was a bro. to Dist. Judge P. A. Turner of Texarkana, Tex.. The following, were discharged from the hospital at Bonham after we left them. Jno. B. Davis, Frank Roberson, Granville Porter, Thad. Reynolds and Wm. Keith from Camp Rusk.

Our Regt., was the 9th Tex. Infantry. Company A was Capt. Shelton’s Co. from Paris, Lamar County. Company B was Capt. Smith Ragsdale’s Co. from Clarksville, Red River County. County. Company C was Capt. Wm. H. Young’s Co. from Grayson County. Company D was Beeson’s from Titus County. Company E was Capt. Hill’s Co. from Lamar and Fannin Counties. Company F was Capt. Jas. Leftwich’s Co. from Hopkins County. Company H was Capt. (Dr.) Stanley’s Co. from Fannin County. Company I was Capt. Jo Dickson’s Co. from Collin County and Company K was Capt.

Miles Dillord’s from Lamar County (Blossom Prarrie). There never is any Company Jay (J.). They skip J after I and the 10th Company is K.

I left the Regt. at the city of Little Rock. Our Col. Maxey was a West Pointer and we believed he was the finest militarist in the Southern Confederacy. We were raw troops to be sure; we had drilled but little at the camps of instruction, before starting on our march. For instance all the evaluations, we knew how to execute in Battalion drill, were the following: 1st when we met in line on the color line; the col. would take his position 20 paces in front of the flag – the center of the Regt. The adjt. (who was Capt. T. M. Scott of Collin) or the Sergt. Major Burnett and dress the Regt. Right dress. Then give the command to open ranks to the rear open order march. The rear line would step backwards 4 paces. Lieuts. and Sergts, stepping back same way adjt. would dress the rear rank, and the band would play, slowly marching down in front. to the left wing, and return up the line to the right marching quick step, and playing quick step (time). Then the adjt., who had been standing, with drawn sword, at the right, of the line, would march down to the colors, then out half way to the Col. who was standing; then adjt. would about face, and give command, “Present Arms! and about face and salute the Col.” The Col. would salute him back; Then adjt. would march around the Col. and form on the Col.’s left. Then the Col. would take us through the manual of arms. then adjt. would come back, half way and give Comd., “First Segts. to the front and center. March!” The 5 on the right would face S. [??]. The 5 on the S. would face N. Then the [??] 1st Sergt. Outwards face! Report! Each Sergt. beginning on the right would salute and say Co. A present or accounted for, and so through. Then 1st Sergts., inwards face; to your posts march! Then adjt. would read any orders he might have, and then say Parades Dismissed. Then each Capt. marched his Co. back to their quarters where they stacked arms and broke ranks.

That was Dress Parade. The evaluations of Bat. drill, were right and left half wheel. and by right of Cos. to the rear of columns, and back. We ere put through change direction by the right flank but we could not execute it in any sort of military [style??]. But when we marched up into the city of Little Rock, with our Wheezy Band playing, something like “The Girl I left behind me”. Our Col. halted us in front of Gov. Rector, Gen. Albt. Pike and scores of [??] C. S. Officers. Col. Maxey made a short speech to those worthy’s, and among other things he said, that he had then, the best drilled Regt. in the the Southern Army. I must say, green as I was, I took that, with a grain of salt. Then, we ferried the Ark. River, and went into camp on the n. bank of the river. The next day we marched to Bayo Meter, about 12 miles N. E.; where Col. Maxey got orders, to turn over all his wagon train to Genl. Price and for us to wait, for the finishing of the Rail Road to Little Rock from Duvalls Bluff on White River, 65 miles dist.. The work lacked a few miles of completion. We waited about 10 days and took passage on 1st train N..

At Duvall’s Bluff, we formed an old stern wheel boat with open barge, lashed to each side to take us to Memphis. Her name was the Langley. I forgot to state that our Regimental wagon train was composed of 65 wagons and ambulances. Four mule wagons to each Co.. 15 Regt. wagons. 4 to 6 mules each and 5 ambulances. That was more wagons than Genl. Hoods Army had, at the close of the war or Genl. Dick Taylor, or Genl. Jos. E. Johnston. We steamed down the White River to its mouth and up the Miss. through rain and sleet, and at the towns along, where we would stop, we would get the news, that a fierce Battle was in progress at, Fort Donaldson and Fort Henry. We stopped and bebarked at Helena, took dinner and a drink, heard the news again from the battle at said Forts, and on going down to take boat. a Big Vicksburg and Memphis packet the "Meir’ a side wheeler, came steaming up to the warf, to put the mail off. We soldiers headed by Capt. Jo. Dickson, ran on to, and impressed the Boat, and boarded it with 7 Companies, learning 3 Cos. to follow on the old Langley with her Barges discorded. Then Meir made 12 knots and the Langley about 8 knots. We steamed into Memphis by day light and heard the news that the Forts had surrendered and evacuated. U. S. Grant comdg, the Federals and Albt. Sidney Johnston comdg. the Confederates. The rest his History.

Then we were ordered to Iuka, Miss. to Genl. [Chalmers’??] Brigade. He had the 9th Miss. and 8th Tenn.. We camped there till middle of March and went to Corinth with the rest of Johnston’s Army and moved out to Shiloh Church and attacked the enemy on Sunday morning Apr. 6th 1862. The rest is History. So soon as we arrived at Iuka Col. Maxcey, went in person to Richmond, Va. and Jeff Davis promptly appointed Maxcy Brig. Genl.. In the Battle of Shiloh the 9th Tex. Inft. was in Genl. [??] Anderson’s Bridgade Ruggles’ Div.. When Capt. Beeson was elected in Nov. 1861 Lieut. Col., Capt. Stanley was elected Major. When Col. Maxcy was made Brig. Genl. we elected Stanly Col. and Burnett Major. At the reorganization at Corinth Apr. 28th I believe it was Col. Stanly resigned, came home and died. Lieut. Col Beeson came home (resigned) and we elected Capt. Wm H. Young, Col., Capt. Miles Dillard, Lt.Col. Burnett was elected Major. After the fall of Fort Donaldson, and soon after we went to Iuka, Revr. (Chaplin Chaddick) of the 7th Tex. Inft, brought, some 27 members of his Regt. and had them attach themselves to our Co.; till the 7th Tex. should be exchanged. Chaddick was formerly a teacher in the college with Col. Beeson at Daingerfield; and they were both C. P. Preachers. These 27 members, were at Hospitals and some on detached service, when their Regt. was captured. Col. Gregg was Col. of the 7th and Granberry was their Maj.. Theirs, was a magnificent Regt., intelligent, high toned men, without any roughs or toughs. But the highest type of citizens. History shows that they were well officered; as Gregg was made Genl, and so was Granberry, and both were killed in battle, before the close of the war. Gregg Co., is named for Genl. Gregg, and the Co. site of Hood Co., is named for Genl. Granberry; who fell at the slaughter pen of Franklin, Tenn., in Genl. Hoods ilfated campaign, in the fall of 1864, x to Nahsville Tenn.. At the reorganization at Corinth, our Lieuts. all resigned and came home, Sam Ward, Jim Houston and Lieut. Shep Glass. We reelected Capt. Harry McReynolds Capt.. T. J. [Vannoy??] 1st Lieut, Elisha Parham 2nd Lieut.. Parham was one of the 7th Tex. members. D. R. Reynolds 3rd or 2nd Junior Lieut.. Brice Willis orderly Sergt. (1st Seargent).

Parham was recently to Tex. in 1861, from Marietta, Ga.. A widow’s son. He was a fine officer, and an elegant gentleman, and as brave a men as ever wore the gray. He was shot dead by my side, at Murfreesboro Battle Dec. 31st, 1862. I sent his sword, to his mother and sister. No better boy sleeps, under the sod on that fatal field where I burried him, “with his Martial cloak around him”. At Shiloh the 9th Tex. lost many in killed and wounded, and sickness and death from the exposures, soon after the Battle. The 9th Tex. burried 180 members of its Regt. the 1 ½ mos. it was at Iuka. My Co., was not in the Battle of Shiloh, being on guard at Bear Creek and Buzzord Roost Bridges, on the Memphis and Charlston Rail Road. We were relieved the last day of the Battle, early A.M. and took train to Corinth and met army, coming in, from the Battlefield. My Co. being fresh, we were sent out on picket, to skirmish with the enemy, among dead horses and men, and broken [??] down wagons and artillery and water and mud, -- in cold rain. (By act of Confederate Congress, the Conscript law was passed, which was to the effect, that all able bodied male adults over 18 yrs. and under 45 yrs. were pressed into military service, for 3 yrs. [on??] during the war. so we all had to re-enroll, elect our regimental and Co. officers. There were exceptions, Preachers, School teachers with 20 pupils. Men who had 20 Negroes; Stockmen with 500 cattle or 1,000 sheep and all Civil officers, etc., etc.. A man was allowed to hire a substitute. I think this act was repealed in 1864, Substitute Act. But we all thought, that it did more to dampen the order of the patriotic freedom and independence of men, than all else during the war.)

But after re-enforcing our army, at Corinth a week after the great Battle by Price and Vandorn’s commands, from the Trans Miss. Dept., and fortifying our front N. and E. of Corinth. On May 28th we retreated to Tupelo, Miss.. Late in Aug. Genl. Bragg took his command, excepting Price and Vandorn’s commands, and took train via Mobile and Montgomery, and Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tenn.; leaving Genl. Maxey with 2 Brigades, and a squadron of Cav. to watch the enemy at [Shelmount??] and Bridgeport, on the Tenn. River. Genl. Bragg’s force marched his army from Chattanooga via Harrison, 15 miles above Chattanooga, crossing Waldon’s Ridge and the Cumberland Mts. and crossing the Cumberland River into Ky. by Hopkinsville, Glassgo; crossing [G??] River above Munfordsville, and captured the Garrision of 5,500 men, arms and munitions, Quartermasters and commissary stores; parolled the prisoners and pressed on to [Bordstown??] in the Blue-grass and clover. Went into camp for 2 weeks, to wait on the result of Genl. Braggs Proclamation to the N. W. In substance he told the people of Ky., Ohio, Ind. and Ills. that if they would join his standard he would give them free transportation of the Miss. River to its mouth. While we were waiting for Vallaudingham and Geo. C. Pendleton, to bring us their Copperheads; Genl. Buell, who had been marching from Nashville W. of us, parallel and behind us, marched into Louisville, Ky. beat Bragg there, and stood us off. He moved out on us, with a vast amry, and we flew up the Pike, via Springfield and Perryville, to form a Junction with Genl. E. Kirby Smith, who had his corps, up at Georgtown and Covington. He had preceeded Bragg into Ky. via Cumberland Gap, Richmond and Lexington, Ky., and had advanced right up, insight of the guns at Cincinnati. The forces Junctioned at Harrodsburg 7th Oct. 1862. Perryville Battle (Brags rear) opened before sun rise on the 8th. We were double quicked back, (I [??] Polks Corps) and fought a desperate Battle on the 8th Oct.. By sunrise of the 9th, Bragg had withdrawn all his forces, but Polks Corps, and we covered the retreat, 12 miles up the Pike to Harrodsburg. Our Div. (Cheathams) was behind, our Brigade Preston Smiths, was in rear. The 9th Tex. was in rear of the Brigade, and my Co. marching left. In front, was in rear of the Regt.; and my place in the ranks, being on the right of the Cos. threw me in the extreme rear of the whole army, except 100 or 200 of our Cavalry, that occasionally scurried along, between us and the advancing enemy. Col. Young rode along by side, while the sharp shooters, kept up a fusillade at him. They’d slip to hay stacks, and pop away at him. I would offer to shoot but he restrained me. I felt like I was covering that retreat. This continued half way to Harrodsburg. When we went into camp again at Harrodsburg, where we had camped 2 nights before. Morning of 10th we marched to Camp Dick Robison. Where we had gathered up, a Brigade of the [??] of the Ky., young manhood. Then about the 12th at midnight, we headed South to Dixie, via Lancaster, Crab Orchard, London, Paris, Barboursville, Cumberland Ford, Cumberlance Gap, to Knoxville, Tenn. Arriving at Knowxville Oct. 24th. Ten or 12 inches of snow fell on us 25th and 26th Oct. 1862. Genl. E. Kirby Smith, covered retreat of the army with his corps. The snow caught him at the Gap.

Polk’s and Hordee’s corps, took care and went to Tullahoma and Murfreesboro, and Kirby Smith marched across the mountain to Murfreesboro. On 30th or 31st Dec. 1862 Battle of Murfreesboro or Stones River came on. Rosecranz commanded the Federals. He had succeeded Buell. The Battle began about 12 M, 30th. Wheelers Cavalry on our left wing (I then supposed). McCowens Division Inft. on our extreme left. Cheatam’s Division next toward the right. Preston Smith’s Brigade being Cheatams left. Ours was Polks Corps.. Genl. Withers’ Div. fought all evening 2 miles N. W. from town. 1 mile from and N. of River, in front of our Div.. The enemy tried to advance there lines after night-fall, under pretext of removing their wounded, between the lines, after having got permission to remove them. Then the fusillade opened from both sides. I never hear such musketry for half an hour before. Withers repulsing with his brave Alabamians. We supported Robison Battery all evening on a hill, a Battery of 12 pounders. We lay on our arms that night [??] covered with the stars. It was bitter cold.

About daybreak, McCowan’s Div. on our left, which was composed in part, of Ector’s Tex. Bridage (dimounted Cav.) and McNair’s Ark. Brigade (also dimounted Cav.) and Cockerell’s Mo. Brigade, brought on the engagement, by charging the enemy, while they were at breakfast, and watering their artillery horses. The enemy were routed in that part of the field. Wither’s Div. in our front (Cheatham’s) deployed out of line to take the [??] line in the rear. We Cheatham’s Div., moved in and took his place. From some cause, the place our Regt. had to fill, was wide enough for a whole Brigade. The left wing may have obliqued to the left, from us or Smith obliqued correspondingly to the right from us unintentionally. Genl. Preston Smith a fine officer, was gone to see his sick wife, and Col. Vaughan was in command of the Brigade. He took our Regt. which was on the left of the Brigade, by a left oblique, to a cornstalk field 200 yds. wide, with a Cedar Break, and woods, and bench rocks on the N. W. of the field. At the word forward; we moved out into the field 100 yds. from the fence, facing the woods pasture. The fence was a heavy cedar rail fence 6 ft. high, almost new.

At the word halt and fire at will; the Regt. fired 2 rounds. Then Charge! Charge! We did so, but the fence could not be easily passed, and we let down gaps, and charged through the gaps with dead and wounded men. My cousin Doc. King, was the 1st man struck in the Regt. by my side, in the stalk field; he hollowed for me, I told the infirmary corps to carry him to the hospital, and I would come to him after the Battle. His screams were in my ears all day. He was shot through the hips, with a Belgian Musket Ball, big as a mans thumb. He died in 16 days. I never got to see him. He was the only relation I had in the Regt.. He was a fine soldier. The sun was getting up in the S. E.. The enemy in the Breaks, in Blue uniforms. The blue smoke standing over the ground like a fog. We, in our gray uniform, (which looked white) magnified our [??] to the enemy. We advanced about 50 or 60yds. from the fence; while the commanding was terrific, tearing the timber down over us. We got the impression, that the order was given to halt. We halted; knelt down, and fired about 20 rounds before the Col. could get us to forward. But, before we charged into that Cedar Break, we lost 135 men killed and wounded; out of 253 men. My Co. (D) went into Battle with 47 men rank and file. The Co. lost 25 killed and wounded. Ten killed and 15 wounded. And because this is the last time, that any one will write it. I will write it now and here. As a poor tribute, and as sublime, as that of the Spartans at Thermopolae, or Travis, Crockett and Bowie at the Alamo. Their names, the killed, are 1. Lieut. Elisha Parham, 2. Sergt. Logan, 3. John Ashland, 4. John Bridges, 5. Thos. Butler, 6. Marion Palmer, 7. Doc. King, 8. Thos. Holder, 9. ___ Walker, 10. Wm. H. Beavers. The wounded, -- 1. Lieut. T. J. Vannoy Comdg. Co., 2. Sergt. Holt, 3. Hugh Freeman, 4. M. D. L. Burton, 5. Sam Adams, 6. Henry Palmer, 7. J.K.P. Loving (Polk), 8. John Lunsford, 9. Jno. E. Willliams, 10. Charley Smith. There was a cessation in the battle on Jany. 1st. But on the 2nd, Bragg threw Breckenridge’s Div. on the extreme right, against the enemy. Charge after charge failed to move the enemy, and our forces were slaughtered to no purpose. We held the field 4 or 5 days. We moved the enemy on the left wing 5 or 6 miles. I was detailed with 20 others, to go back over the track of our Brigade, over the Battlefield, and identify our dead and burry them. We did so. We carried together in 12s and 24s, feet together, dug holes, and lay them down, and threw dirt over them. No coffin, no shroud, no stone, to mark their resting place. Nor no salute. When we had finished our grewsome task, we were ordered to go over the same ground and burry the dead federals. We carried them together in 24s, and when we had got ready to burry them, Genl. Bragg (as was his custom after a Battle) fell back at night, and took up a position at Shelbyville and Tullahoma, 30 miles to the 1st place, our adjt. Lucket was killed at our first stand in the morning. Our Col. Young had 3 horses killed under him; that morning the 31st. But we routed those yankees out of that Cedar Break. We were freazied; the last one of us. We run them from behind 3 fences, through woods pasture, and piled them up in the fence corners 4 to 5 in a place. If they had not moved we would have bayonetted every one of them. They retreated back across a large farm, a mile across it. We stood at the edge, and behind trees, and poured volley after volley into them, a whole Brigade of them. We dotted that field with them, and followed them across the field to near the timber. The other Regts in our Brigade were ½ mile behind to our right, fighting all the time. But McCowan on our left, was still charging, and the enemy still fighting and falling back. Genl. Cheatham, seeing our danger sent a courier after us, with orders to fallback a piece, and wait till our support came up. We did so and behind a fine farm house, a temporary hospital of the enemy, full of their wounded, and a squad of federal soldiers and a Col. not wounded. We sent a guard in and brought them out. Genl. Cheatham at that moment came loping up to us. The federal Col. saluted him with “what Confederate Genl. have I the honor of saluting?” with a smile, “Frank Cheatham Sir” said the Genl. You’re giving us h_ll today. What Regt. is this?” “The 9th Tex.” “They are fighters Genl.” Genl. Cheatham says “yes if I had 50,000 such troops I could bridge Jourdan and storm Hell in a week by G__ d__.” We had a harmless lunatic in Co. [F??] whose name was Dobbs. He had been a preacher and a politician, but he became demented before the war. He volunteered any how. He was an arrant coward. He was a tall, stoop shouldered, wild hollow eyed, dish faced, wild-eyed, long harried specimen, with an old dilapidated white hat, run up to [??], with a hole in the top. As Genl. Cheatham rode up we were all lying down flat as fox squirrells on the ground, and mud by a mill pond, for being shelled by 3 or 4 Batteries at once. Dobbs, seeing the Genl. jumped up with his old hat in hand roared “Three cheers for Genl. C_”. About that time it seemed a ½ a ton of bullets and shells and missiles flew over us; Dobbs turned end and chuck he went into the mud, like a Di?apper, not finishing his sentence. We lay there on the ground and laughed at him. He had surely been a politician. We held the battlefield long enough (3 or 4 days) to bury our dead and carry off the ordnance arms and captured baggage which was 10,000 stand of arms and 73 cannons and 5,000 prisoners. Then I was thrown out on picket 200 yds. in front within 60 to 80 yds. of the enemy picket line, after dark, and in the Cedar Break. The weather cold and cloudy. Our 3 lines 200 yds. apart each had thrown up, rifle pits of rocks and logs, and built brush log and Cedar fence.

Our cannon and the enemy’s kept up their desultory shelling and firing (minute guns) all the while, and the pickets did the same. I was sick of fighting, and had not had a nights sleep in a week, soon as I was placed at my post on the picket line, I sat down behind a little Cedar tree, in the mud, and within 100 or 150 yrds. of the enemy’s breast works. I soon fell asleep. I awakened about one o’clock, chilled through and through. I slipped to the nearest post, and found no picket there, -- to the next and found none there; I looked back at our fires, at the lines and the fires flickered with a faint light. I thought my God have they called in the pickets and left me out here, and they preparing for a general charge. If so I will be shot to pieces. I lit out to the rear, in a brisk walk; coming to the front lines, I found the trenches deserted; not a soul there. I struck a trot to the 2nd line; no one there. I then run for the 3rd line and no one there. Then I felt like an orphan. I knew Bragg’s Army had all retreated, and left me to cover their retreat, and so they had. It was 6 miles back to Murfreesboro. I had to cross the battlefield 5 miles across by myself, in the dark, but I got a move on me. I ran into, and over the enemy’s unburied dead, which we had piled, preparatory to burying. When I got within a mile of town I found a Regt. of Cavalry drawn up in a line.

Day was slightly breaking; the Cavalry halted me to know who I was. They told me to move up, that they were expecting to be attacked any minute. I moved, and just as I got into town, I heard the firing and as I got out of the South side of town, the enemy was firing and charging on our Cavalry in the North side of town. About 10 or 11 A.M. I overtook my command which had given me up for captured. We afterward learned that Genl. Rosecranz, who was commanding the Federals there, was retreating also, toward Nashville, and had left a few troops and firing a few minute guns, on the line to keep up a show but, that his rear guard, found that Bragg was retreating, so the enemy rushed back, and claimed the victory. We kept up our retreat, (Polks Corps) till we reached Shelbyville, Genls. Cheatham and Polk at the head of our Div. The ladies of the town, had assembled and beseeched the Genls. to not go on to Tullahoma, and leave them and the country to be laid waste. So Genl. Frank Cheatham swore he would die, before he would move his command another foot on that retreat, so Polk’s Corps was halted and went into camp, and Genl. Bragg was notified that the Tennessee troops refused to retreat further, and we took up winter quarters then till May at Shelbyville.

Our Div. went into winter quarters on Flat Creek 3 miles S. from Shelbyville and 2 miles from Duck River. All 5 of my mess mates had been killed or wounded. I formed a new mess. The old mess was two Kings, two Palmers, Sam Adams and M.D.L. Burton. In my new mess I took Jo. Wright Clark, C.W. Garrett, Neal Turman and Jeff Cox and Burton later returned from hospital at Atlanta, Ga. Our Regt. 9th Tex. Inft. was transferred, by our Col. from Cheathams Div. Smith’s Brig., to Ector’s Texas Brigade, McCowan’s Div. afterward French’s Div. to the close of the war, at Spanish Fort near Mobile, Ala.. Ectors Brigade was composed of the 10th ,11th , 14th and 15th Tex. dismounted Cavalry, dismounted at Desark, Ark. in March 1862 when Price and Vandorn after the Battle of Elk Horn 5th and 6th Feb. 1862 were ordered to dismount send horses home by details and take boat and cars Corinth to reinforce Genl. A. S. Johnston. They got there a week too late for the Battle of Shiloh. It was fought and lost 6th and 7th Apr. 1862. The 11th Tex was remounted and the 9th took its place. While in camp at Shelbyville, about the 1st of May we read of the wounding of Genl. “Stonewall Jackson” in the Battle of Chancellorsville,--fired on after dark reconnoitering between the lines, by his own men, loss of his arm and his subsequent death in a few days afterward, of wound Pneumonia.

We felt like we had no equal on the continent as a general. We have never wavered in that humble opinion. We felt like the Confederacy had lost an Army Corps. About the 10th of May 1863 while the farmers were plowing, and the clover was growing, the streams humming, the birds singing, and the fields and meadows stretching away toward the horizon, with peaceful farm-houses, embowered on knolls, and dotting the expanse; we heard the Long Roll beet. We hurried to roll call and dress parade, and heard the order to cook 3 days rations, and March to Jackson, Miss.; where Genls. Grant and Sherman had burned and sacked the city of Jackson, Miss.; and torn up the Rail road, East to Brandon, and destroyed the R. R. bridge and Pearl River. That was the most doleful order I thought I ever heard. As J. Estin Cook would say the most lugubrious. To leave such a beautiful peaceful scene, and leave without such indecent haste; a lovely place, we might never behold again (and I never have). We marched out of camps, took train via Chattanooga, Dalton, Altlanta, Montgomery, Selma to B[??] debarked. Thence marched to Jackson. Thence to Canton, Miss., where Genl. Gos. E. Johnston concentrated a corps, and marched to Yazoo City. Thence down it to try to relieve Genl. Pemberton and his garrison, which was besieged by Grand and Sherman, with 150,000 men and a fleet of gun boats in the river, while the federal army were in the rear of Vicksburg. This was the great siege of Vicksburg, Miss. It was invested about the middle of May 1863 and capitulated. July 4th 1863 surrenduring some 27,000 prisoners. Johnston could not break in and give any [??].

On the night of July 4th, Johnston had his pontoons lain 2/3 across Big Black River; at 12 o’clock preparatory to crossing his army, and fall on Grant and Sherman’s rear, but a courier came to him from Vicksburg, who had swam up the River on a life preserver, took the land, and hurried to tell our Genl. that Vicksburg had fallen. We were all in line and at once the order to march the other direction was given, and we started for Jackson, Miss.; reaching there the 7th. Went into the breast works, which had been build there a year before. Ross’ Texas Cavalry Brigade, covered and retreat from Big Black River. The enemy came right up and formed in our front, about 600 yds. dist. West and N. W. of the city. We noticed, so soon as their artillery came up, they proceeded to through hot shot, into every house (private residence) of the Davis family, relations of Pres. Jeff. Davis. Then they fired every Catholic building in sight. The reason given for burning the houses with Catholic Crosses on them was, that is was currently reported in news circles, that the Pope of Rome, had recently offered Jefferson Davis, 230,000 troops and $2,000,000 [??] if he would adopt the Catholic Religion in the Confederacy. If it were ever offered, of course it was refused. We fought 8 days till the 15th July when Johnston was forced to evacuate and retreat to Morton, Miss. 38 miles [??]

On the night of the 15th July Genl. Johnston had his cannon wheels muffled, and silently slipped out of the works, and out of the town, across the river, and away off before the enemy knew it. the enemy had 4 or 5 men there to our one. I was wounded on the morning of the 1[?]th of July. Lost my left arm by a 12 lb. [??] shot from a [Parrot??] Gun in the entrenchment’s where the Rail Road to Canton, Miss. crossed. My military service here ends. I was taken to Breckenridge’s field Hospital, one mile S. from the City of Jackson and near the River. Was captured by Genl. Camby, released after two weeks imprisonment, without any parole of prisoners, surgeons or nurses. And left us 2 weeks supplies rations etc. Then, we impressed the [Stall??] house for a Hospital. I recovered in 3 months, and was discharged and came home to Tex. Battle of Chicamauga came on 18 and 19th Sept. 1863. My command was in it. A killing frost 1st night of the Battle, 15th Oct. 1863. I recd. my discharge at Quitman, Miss.; came to Brandon on train. Thence to Mt. Pleasant, Tex. via Jackson, Miss. Rodney on Miss. River, crossed via St. Jos. Dehi, Richmond, Monroe, Shreveport, La., Marshall, Jefferson and Daingerfield, Tex. home. My father had died may 29th 1863. My mother had 5 little boys and my grown sister [??].

• John Henry King Memories of North East Texas 1846-1859
• Genealogy and Family History of John Henry King