Allison Nelson, Texas legislator and Confederate army officer (cropped)

The 10th Texas Infantry Regiment was a unit of

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

infantry volunteers organized in October 1861 that fought during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. The regiment was captured in its first major action at Arkansas Post in January 1863. After being exchanged three months later, the 10th Texas was consolidated with two other regiments and assigned to

Patrick Cleburne Major-General Patrick Ronayne Cleburne ( ; March 16, 1828November 30, 1864) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. Born in Ireland, Cleburne served in the 4 ...

's division. Subsequently, the consolidated regiment fought at

Chickamauga Chickamauga may refer to: Entertainment * "Chickamauga", an 1889 short story by American author Ambrose Bierce * "Chickamauga", a 1937 short story by Thomas Wolfe * "Chickamauga", a song by Uncle Tupelo from their 1993 album ''Anodyne'' * ''Chic ...

Missionary Ridge Missionary Ridge is a geographic feature in Chattanooga, Tennessee, site of the Battle of Missionary Ridge, a battle in the American Civil War, fought on November 25, 1863. Union forces under Maj. Gens. Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, a ...

, and Ringgold Gap in 1863. After becoming an independent regiment again, the 10th Texas fought in the Atlanta Campaign, and at Franklin and Nashville in 1864. After a second consolidation the troops fought at Averasborough and Bentonville in 1865. The regiment's soldiers surrendered to Federal forces on 26 April 1865.

History

Formation

The regiment was organized by Allison Nelson in the fall and winter of 1861 and consisted of six infantry companies. The unit was made up of men from the Texas counties of

Anderson Anderson or Andersson may refer to: Companies * Anderson (Carriage), a company that manufactured automobiles from 1907 to 1910 * Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car * Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer * Anderson ...

, Bosque, Coryell, Erath, Fannin, Freestone,

Grimes Claire Elise Boucher (; born March 17, 1988), known professionally as Grimes, is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her early work has been described as extending from "lo-fi R&B" to futuristic dance-pop, and has i ...

Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle of ...

Johnson Johnson is a surname of Anglo-Norman origin meaning "Son of John". It is the second most common in the United States and 154th most common in the world. As a common family name in Scotland, Johnson is occasionally a variation of ''Johnston'', a ...

Limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

, Milam, Parker, San Augustine, and

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

. In addition to

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

Nelson, the field officers included Lieutenant Colonel Semore C. Brasher and Major John R. Kennard. Nelson was a veteran of the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

and had become involved in filibuster

Narciso López Narciso López (November 2, 1797, Caracas – September 1, 1851, Havana) was a Venezuelan-born adventurer and Spanish Army general who is best known for his expeditions aimed at liberating Cuba from Spanish rule in the 1850s. His troops carrie ...

's unsuccessful attempt to free Cuba from Spanish control. Nelson served in the Texas legislature and became a delegate who voted for

secession Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...

1861–1863

From October 1861 to March 1862, the 10th Texas was assigned to the Eastern District of the Department of Texas. In May 1862 the regiment was reassigned to the Trans-Mississippi Department and that August it was transferred again to the Department of Arkansas. Nelson was promoted

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

on 12 September 1862 while the regiment camped at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas under the overall command of Thomas C. Hindman. Nelson briefly led a division but he died soon after. In late 1862, the 10th Texas formed part of the 4th Brigade of

Walker's Texas Division Walker's Greyhounds was the popular name for a division of the Confederate States Army under Major-General John George Walker, composed exclusively of units from Texas. It fought in the Western Theater and the Trans-Mississippi Department, gain ...

under

John George Walker Major-General John George Walker (July 22, 1821 – July 20, 1893) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served as a brigadier general under Stonewall Jackson and James Longstreet, before commanding the Texas Division unit i ...

. However, the 4th Brigade under James Deshler was soon detached from the division and ordered to Arkansas Post. Accordingly, the 10th Texas was sent to defend Arkansas Post in January 1863. In the

Battle of Arkansas Post The Battle of Arkansas Post, also known as Battle of Fort Hindman, was fought from January 9 to 11, 1863, near the mouth of the Arkansas River at Arkansas Post, Arkansas, as part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Confederat ...

, the 5,000 Confederate defenders under

Thomas James Churchill Thomas James Churchill (March 10, 1824 – May 14, 1905) was an American politician who served as the 13th governor of Arkansas from 1881 to 1883. Prior to that, he was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantr ...

were attacked by 30,000 Union troops led by

John Alexander McClernand John Alexander McClernand (May 30, 1812 – September 20, 1900) was an American lawyer and politician, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He was a prominent Democratic politician in Illinois and a member of the United States H ...

and 13 gunboats under David Dixon Porter. The Federal expedition sailed up the

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United Stat ...

in 50 transports and landed the soldiers below the post on 9 January 1863. The Union troops began sealing off the position the following day. That night Churchill was ordered to hold Arkansas Post at all costs. A coordinated land and naval assault on 11 January 1863 overwhelmed the defenders and forced 4,791 Confederates to surrender. The Federals sustained 1,061 casualties. The 10th Texas under Colonel Roger Q. Mills fought in Deshler's brigade which also included the 15th Texas, 17th Texas, and 18th Texas Cavalry Regiments, fighting dismounted.

1863–1865

The soldiers of the 10th Texas were freed in a prisoner exchange in April 1863. In a reorganization, the regiment was consolidated with the 6th Texas Infantry and the 15th Texas Cavalry (dismounted) Regiments. From 31 July to 1 September 1863, the consolidated regiment served in Churchill's brigade of

's division in

Daniel Harvey Hill Lieutenant-General Daniel Harvey Hill (July 12, 1821 – September 24, 1889), commonly known as D. H. Hill, was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the eastern and western theaters of the American Civil Wa ...

's corps. On the latter date, Deshler took command of the brigade. During the

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between U.S. and Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign, in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia. I ...

on 19–20 September 1863, the 6th-10th-15th Texas fought under the command of Colonel Mills. Deshler's brigade lost 52 killed and 366 wounded, a total of 418 casualties during the fighting. When Deshler was killed, Mills took command of the brigade and Lieutenant Colonel T. Scott Anderson took command of the 6th-10th-15th Texas. The other units in the brigade were the 19th and 24th Consolidated Arkansas Infantry Regiment and the 17th-18th-24th-25th Consolidated Texas Cavalry Regiment (dismounted). During the battle, the 6th-10th-15th Texas lost 20 killed, 95 wounded, and 28 missing. James Deshler

Deshler's brigade was committed to battle at nightfall on the first day of Chickamauga. The brigade's skirmish line, moving ahead of the battle line, blundered into one of Richard W. Johnson's Union brigades in the dark forest and most of the skirmishers were captured. In extremely muddled fighting, Deshler's brigade drifted off to the left, but one of its regiments helped capture the colonel and 82 men of the 77th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. In the confusion, some of the captured skirmishers escaped. On the second day, Cleburne sent Deshler's brigade forward to cover the withdrawal of two brigades that had been repulsed. As the brigade reached the crest of a rise, the troops were hit by a storm of Federal bullets. The men were quickly ordered to lie down and Cleburne sent orders to Deshler to hold out as long as possible. For two hours and 30 minutes, Deshler's brigade held the line, but suffered hundreds of casualties. Deshler was struck in the chest by an artillery round and killed instantly. At 2:00 pm Mills ordered the brigade to withdraw while holding the crest with a handful of sharpshooters. Roger Q

On 31 October 1863, the 6th-10th-15th Texas was assigned to

James Argyle Smith James Argyle Smith (July 1, 1831 – December 6, 1901) was a United States Army officer, and a graduate of West Point. He is known for being a Confederate brigadier general during the Civil War, his works in the educational system in Mississip ...

's Texas brigade. Later, the brigade fought in the Battle of Missionary Ridge. Early in the morning of 24 November,

William T. Sherman William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

's forces crossed the

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other name ...

and moved toward the northern edge of Missionary Ridge.

Braxton Bragg Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, serving in the Western ...

, the commander of the Confederate

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in ...

was slow to respond, but finally ordered Cleburne to block Sherman's troops. In the late afternoon, Cleburne deployed Smith's brigade on Tunnel Hill just in time to prevent Union soldiers from seizing it. After some skirmishing, Sherman launched John M. Corse's brigade at Smith's Texans about 10:30 am on 25 November. A counterattack hurled the Federal troops back, but both Smith and Colonel Mills were badly wounded. Hiram B. Granbury assumed command of the Texas brigade. After Mills was wounded, Kennard took command of the 6th-10th-15th Texas. At this time the Arkansas unit was no longer part of the brigade. The initial fighting was followed by piecemeal assaults by several Union brigades, which were unsuccessful. Confederate reinforcements soon arrived, but, according to another Rebel soldier, the Texans refused to yield their place in the front line, saying, "it was the first time they ever had a chance to fight the Yankees from behind breastworks and that they were rather enjoying it". At 4:00 pm, Cleburne mounted a counterattack by hitting the Federals with Alfred Cumming's brigade in front and the 6th-10th-15th Texas on their right flank. The effort was completely successful and swept the Union troops off Tunnel Hill, taking many prisoners. The 6th-10th-15th Texas fought at the

Battle of Ringgold Gap The Battle of Ringgold Gap was fought November 27, 1863, outside the town of Ringgold, Georgia, by the Confederate and Union armies during the American Civil War. Part of the Chattanooga Campaign, it followed a heavy Confederate loss at the Bat ...

on 27 November 1863. Cleburne posted Granbury's brigade just to the north of the gap. When they were attacked by Charles R. Woods's Union brigade, the Texans routed the three leading Missouri regiments. On 10 December the regiment counted 642 soldiers and it was assigned to Smith's brigade in Cleburne's division. During the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, the brigade fought at the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge, the

Battle of Resaca The Battle of Resaca, from May 13 to 15, 1864, formed part of the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War, when a Union force under William Tecumseh Sherman engaged the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by Joseph E. Johnston. The battle ...

, the

Battle of Pickett's Mill The Battle of Pickett's Mill (May 27, 1864) was fought in Paulding County, Georgia, between Union forces under Major General William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate forces led by General Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign in the ...

, the

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the most significant frontal assault launched by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman against the Confederate Army of Tenne ...

, the

Battle of Peachtree Creek The Battle of Peachtree Creek was fought in Georgia on July 20, 1864, as part of the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. It was the first major attack by Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood since taking command of the Confederate Army of Tennessee ...

, the

Battle of Atlanta The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply hub of Atlanta, Un ...

, and the Battle of Jonesborough. For the campaign, the 10th Texas became an independent regiment by separating from the consolidated 6th-15th Texas. At various times during the campaign, the 10th Texas was commanded by Colonel Mills, Captain A. J. Formwalt, and Lieutenant Colonel Robert B. Young. The Texas brigade, which now included the 7th Texas Infantry Regiment, was led at different times by Smith, Granbury, and Young. The 10th Texas took part in

John Bell Hood John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Although brave, Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the de ...

's invasion of Tennessee and fought at the Battle of Franklin on 30 November 1864 and the Battle of Nashville on 15–16 December. At Franklin, the Confederate soldiers assaulted the Union lines with great determination and persistence, but they were ultimately repulsed. Both the Texas brigade's commander Granbury and its division commander Cleburne were killed. At Nashville, the division was led by Smith while the Texas brigade was commanded by Captain E. T. Broughton and the 10th Texas was led by Captain R. D. Kennedy. The regiment fought at the

Battle of Averasborough The Battle of Averasborough or the Battle of Averasboro, fought March 16, 1865, in Harnett and Cumberland counties, North Carolina, as part of the Carolinas Campaign of the American Civil War, was a prelude to the climactic Battle of Bentonvill ...

on 16 March 1865 and the

Battle of Bentonville The Battle of Bentonville (March 19–21, 1865) was fought in Johnston County, North Carolina, near the village of Bentonville, as part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was the last battle between the armies of Union Maj ...

on 19–21 March. In this campaign, the remnant of the Texas brigade was consolidated into a single unit, the 1st Texas under Lieutenant Colonel W. A. Ryan. The 1st Texas was part of Daniel Govan's brigade in John C. Brown's division. The 10th Texas surrendered to Sherman's Union army on 26 April 1865 at Durham, North Carolina.

History

Formation

1861–1863

1863–1865

See also

References

Further reading