8th Texas Infantry: Hobby's Regiment Texas Infantry 1862-1865

Green Bowen b ca 1812 in Tennessee appears on the Muster rolls for Company "E" of the Eighth Texas Infantry in 1862, The rolls were from Refugio Couny Texas. Green Bowen would have been 50 years old at this time.

Eighth Texas Infantry.
Hobby's Regiment Texas Infantry.

The Eighth Texas Infantry battalion of the Confederate States Army was organized by Alfred Marmaduke Hobby in Refugio County on May 14, 1862. It later became known as Hobby's Eighth Texas Infantry regiment. It consisted of three companies under captains Robert E. Jones, William E. McCampbell, and P. H. Breeden. A fourth company under Edwin E. Hobby was added on June 20, 1862, and a fifth, under José M. Peñaloza, completed the battalion. The battalion trained at Camp Charles Russell near Banquete until July 19, 1862, when it was ordered to defend Corpus Christi as a part of the Twenty-ninth Brigade. There it was joined by various other units of light artillery and mounted rifles and in February 1863 became the Eighth Texas Infantry regiment, with a staff including John Ireland, J. A. Throckmorton, Daniel D. Shea, and others.

As a battalion, the force prevented a federal invasion at Corpus Christi in August 1862 and in September captured J. W. Kittridge of the federal fleet. In 1863, after organization of the regiment, the Eighth guarded Fort Esperanza on Matagorda Island, kept a battery on Mustang Island, and in May drove Union troops off St. Joseph's Island. In the fall of 1863 superior Union forces under Nathaniel P. Banks were able to force Hobby's troops back to the San Antonio River. After December 1863 they were ordered transferred to East Texas, but many entered Waul's Legion instead. Part of the Eighth regiment was stationed on Galveston Island in the winter of 1863; other units in the area of Indianola and Lavaca engaged in skirmishes with the federals as late as February 1864. Most of the units fought under Thomas N. Waul in the battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill (Re:Red River Campaign) in April 1864 and from then to the end of the war were employed in coastal defense in Texas. The regiment was mustered out of service on May 22, 1865.

from The civil war soldiers & sailors system site

CONFEDERATE TEXAS TROOPS

8th Regiment, Texas Infantry (Hobby's)

8th Infantry Regiment was organized during the summer of 1862 by consolidating the 8th Texas Infantry Battalion and Shea's Texas Artillery Battalion. The unit contained one cavalry, four infantry, and five artillery companies, and served in the Trans-Mississippi Department. It confronted the Federals primarily in Texas but saw action at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill in Louisiana. In July, 1864, the regiment had 368 effectives and in April 1865, there were 294 present. However, only a handful surrendered on June 2. The field officers were Colonel A. M. Hobby, Lieutenant Colonels John Ireland and Daniel D. Shea, and Major John A. Vernon.

Regimental Journal

May 14, 1862
Three companies organized in Refugio County Texas by Col. Alfred Marmaduke Hobby

May 1862
Assigned to the Western District of Texas, Department of Texas

May-August, 1862
Assigned to Western District of Texas, Trans-Mississippi Department

June 20, 1862
A fourth and fifth company were added under command of Captain Edwin E. Hobby and Captain Jose M. Penazola

May-July 1862
The 8th Infantry Battalion trained at Camp Charles Russell near Banquete until July 1862

July 19, 1862
The 8th battalion was ordered to defend Corpus Christi as part of the 29th Brigade

August-December, 1862
Assigned to the District of Texas, Trans-Mississippi Department

August 16-18, 1863
The Battle of Corpus Christi

September 1862
Captured the J.W Kittridge of the Federal fleet

December 1862-January 1863
Assigned to District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Department

January 1863-February 1863
Assigned to the Western Sub-district, District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Department

February 1863
The 8th Infantry Battalion was consolidated with the 4th Artillery Battalion and designated the 8th Texas Infantry Regiment

February-June 1863
Assigned to Western Subdistrict, District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, Trans-Misissippi Department

Summer of 1863
The 8th Texas guarded Fort Esperanza on Matagorda Island and kept a battery on Mustang Island

May 3, 1863
The Battle of Saint Joseph's Island

June-December 1863
Assigned to 1st Brigade, Bee's Division, District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Department

December 1863-March 1864
Assigned to Waul's Brigade, Slaughter's Division, District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Department

April-September 1864
Assigned to Eastern Subdistrict, District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, Trans-Mississippi Department

September 1864-April 1865
Assigned to 6th Texas Brigade (Hebert's), 2nd Texas Division (Hebert's), 3rd Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department

April-May 1865
Assigned to Robertson's Brigade, Maxey's Division, District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona,Trans-Mississippi Department

May 26, 1865
Surrendered by Gen. E.K. Smith commanding the Trans-Mississippi Department.

Alfred Hobby was the son of Martin and Anna (Slade) Hobby, He was born in Macon, Georgia in 1836. The family moved to Florida in the 1840's and after the death of Martin Hobby, the widowed mother migrated to Galveston. Alfred opened a mercantile business and general store at the new town of St. Mary's of Aransas in Refugio County in 1857.

In 1859, Alfred Hobby was elected to the Texas House of Represenatives. Though elected for a second term, Hobby resigned to enter Confederate service. While stationed at Galveston, Hobby married Gertrude Menard. After the war he disposed of his Refugio holdings and settled in Galveston and resumed his mercantile business. Alfred Hobby was a lover of literature. During the war he wrote several patriotic works including The Sentinel's Dream of Home. He devoted his post war efforts to serious literature including:

* Life of David G. Burnet

* Serfs of Chattenay

* Miscellaneous Poems

This work contains Poem in Honor of Colonel Thomas B. Lubbock

Hobby spent the last years of his life in Silver City New Mexico where he died on February 5, 1881.

Hobby's Eighth Texas original battalion Officers:

Alfred Marmaduke Hobby (Colonel)

William E. McCampbell (Captain, Co. B)

P.H. Breeden (Captain, Co. C)

Additional Battalion Field and Staff:

Edwin E. Hobby (Captain, Co. D)

Edwin E. Hobby was born in Tallahassee, Florida in 1844. He was the younger brother of Alfred Marmaduke Hobby . He entered Confederate service at age nineteen and was elected Captain of his company.

After the war he settled in southeast Texas, dividing his resience between Polk and Tyler counties. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1867. In 1873 he was elected to the state Senate and reelected in 1875 and 1877. He served as the 9th Judicial District Judge for ten years. Edwin Hobby was a learned jurist and gifted conversationalist. He was the author of Texas Land Law as well as many articles and opinions.

In 1866 he married Dora Pettus. He died on November 1, 1899 and is buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Houston Texas. He was survived by five children. Son William P. Hobby would serve as the twenty-sixth govenor of Texas from 1917-1921. Grandson William P. Hobby served as Lt. Govenor of Texas from 1973-91.

Jose M. Penaloza (Captian Co. E)

Consolidated Field and Staff

John Ireland (Major, Lt. Colonel)

Daniel Shea (Lt. Colonel, originally Captain 4th Artillery Battalion)

John A. Vernon[ See a Picture ] (Major, originally Captain, 4th Artillery Battalion, Co.A,)

J.A.Throckmorton

John M. Reuss (Captain, 4th Artllery Battalion, Company B)

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