Benjamin L. Bowen's :
The Exploits of Waul's Texas Legion Table of Contents.
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The exploits of Waul's Texas Legion
1865
SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. CHALMERS' DIVISION CAVALRY, Numbers 10.
West Point, Miss., February 7, 1865.
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II. Colonel Shacklett, commanding brigade Kentucky cavalry, will move at once with his command to Verona and report to Major-General Forrest for orders. The wagons of the brigade will be left at the present camp near Siloam, and a quartermaster and forage master in charge of them.
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VII. Captain W. W. Tucker will report at these headquarters for orders without delay.
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IX. Lieutenant H. S. Parker, adjutant Willis' battalion, will move to Canton, Miss., where [he] will join or wait the arrival of his command. He will carry with him all men belonging to his battalion.
By order of Brigadier-General Chalmers;
W. A. GOODMAN
Assistant Adjutant-General.
SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY,
DISTRICT OF MISS. AND EAST LA., Numbers 28.
West Point, Miss., February 13, 1865.
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IV. Brigadier General James R. Chalmers, commanding division, will order Tennessee cavalry companies now serving under him to report to Brigadier General W. H. Jackson, commanding division, at Verona.
V. Brigadier General W. H. Jackson, commanding division, will order all Mississippi companies now serving under him to report to Brigadier General J. R. Chalmers, commanding division, at West Point.
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IX. Lieutenant E. S. Walton, commanding Hudson Battery, will report to Brigadier General J. R. Chalmers, commanding division, for orders.
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XI. Brigadier General J. R. Chalmers will assume command of all the Mississippi cavalry in this district in the Confederate service, and will proceed at once to consolidate and organize, in accordance with a recent law authorizing the consolidation and reorganization of companies, battalions and regiments, all Mississippi cavalry in this district in the Confederate service; and when so consolidated he will form three brigades, and with the Hudson Battery will comprise one division and be known a "Chalmers' Division," to be commanded by Brigadier General James R. Chalmers.
XII. Brigadier General W. H. Jackson will proceed to consolidate and organize in accordance with the rect law authorizing the consolidation and reorganizing of companies, battalions, and regiments, all Tennessee cavalry now under his command-Bell's and Rucker's brigades, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh-Nixon's and Carter's regiments and that portion of the Twelfth Confederate Regiment now in this district, and all other unattached Tennessee companies,which will be consolidated into six regiments. The six regiments will form two brigades, three regiments, to each brigade, one of which will be commanded by Colonel T. H. Bell, leaving the command of the other for future consideration; and with Ross' Texas Brigade, to be commanded by Brigadier General L. S. Ross, consisting of the Third, Sixth, and Ninth Texas Regiments, Colonel Griffith, Eleventh and Seventeenth Arkansas Regiments consolidated, Willis' battalion and Cobb's company of scouts,making three brigades, and with Morton's battery will form one division, to be known as "Jackson's Division" and commanded by Brigadier General W. H. Jackson.
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XIV. Brigadier General W. H. Jackson will relieve from duty all detailed men serving with his command belonging to Mississippi regiments and order them to report to Brigadier General James R. Chalmers.
XV. All detailed men belonging to Tennessee regiments and now serving in Brigadier-General Chalmers' command will be relieved and ordered to report to Brigadier-General W. H. Jackson.
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By order of Major-General Forrest:
J. P. STRANGE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
HEADQUARTERS ROSS' BRIGADE CAVALRY,
Deasonville, Miss., February 20, 1865.
Major-General WALKER:
Commanding Department [District] of Texas:
GENERAL: I have been authorized to furlough one-half of my command, and to send officers to the Trans-Mississippi Department on recruiting service, and to bring back absentees and deserters from the Third, Sixth, Ninth, and Twenty-seventh Texas Regiments and Willis' battalion. The opinion prevails here that deserters from the Trans-Mississippi troops serving in this department are encouraged in Texas, and that the authorities there cannot or will not apprehend and return the offenders to their proper commands. Men therefore desert with impunity and attach themselves to regiments and batteries nearer their homes, where no danger is incurred and few hardships endured. And I respectfully invite your attention to the fact that officers in your I respectfully invite your attention to the fact that officers in your department are harboring and protecting such deserters and refuse to send them back to their proper commands. Among this number I will believe, command Texas regiments in your department.
The attention of the War Department has been directed to the matter by the lieutenant-general commanding this department and it is hoped the proper remedy will be applied. Something must be done to deter Trans-Mississippi troops, serving east of the Mississippi River, from deserting and going home (where they have heretofore been allowed to remain unmolested) or all such organizations will be broken up. I am confident you will feel and acknowledge the importance of giving the officers from my command all the assistance in your power to enable them to recover their men. And I respectfully solicit the exercise of your authority to compel officers who are holding my men to duty to release them and drive them back to their proper commands, and to prevent any who may hereafter desert from taking refuge at home or in your department.
I am, general, very respectfully, &c.
L. S. ROSS,
Brigadier-General
HEADQUARTERS ROSS' BRIGADE CAVALRY,
Deasonville, Miss., February 20, 1865
Lieutenant-General SMITH,
Commanding Trans-Mississippi Department:
GENERAL; Authority has been obtained to furlough one-half of my command and send officers and men to Texas, to recruit and fill their depleted ranks by compelling the return of absentees and deserters from the brigade. I therefore respectfully solicit your authority for my officers to recruit their regiments and an order compelling the deserters from my command to return. I have evidence establishing the fact that Lieutenant Colonel O. Steele, commanding a cavalry battalion in Texas, and many other officers of similar grade, are harboring deserters from my brigade and holding them to duty with their commands. Such conduct will eventually break up the organizations of troops from the Trans-Mississippi Department, and I respectfully invite your attention to this matter, knowing that you recognize the necessity of keeping these men on this side of the Mississippi River. No power on this side can keep them faithful when they feel certain that they can go home and serve with other commands and elude punishment by taking shelter under the authority of some regimental commander near their families, where they incur no danger and endure no hardships.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. S. ROSS,
Brigadier-General.
HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., February 27, 1865.
Lient. Gen. S. B. BUCKNER,
Commanding District of West Louisiana, Natchitoches:
GENERAL: The general conmmaiiding directs me to say that after con-sultation with Major-General Forney he has determined to reorganize his division, forming four brigades, to be constituted as follows:
First Texas Infantry Brigade-Brigadier-General Waul command-ing: Eighth Texas Infantry, Twenty-second Texas Infantry, Thirteenth Texas Dismounted Cavalry, Twenty-ninth Texas Dismounted Cavalry.
Second Texas Infantry Brigade-Acting Brigadier-General Water-house commanding: Third Texas Infantry, Seventeenth Texas Infantry,
Nineteenth rfexas Infantry, Sixteenth Texas Dismounted Cavalry,Chisum's regiment dismounted cavalry.
Third Texas Infantry Brigade--Eleventh Texas Infantry, Fourteenth Texas Infantry, Gould's battalion Texas dismounted cavalry, Martin's regiment Texas dismounted cavalry.
Fourth Brigade Texas Infantry--Acting Brigadier-General King commanding: Sixteenth Texas Infantry, Eighteenth Texas Infantry, Twenty-eighth Texas Dismounted Cavalry, Thirty-fourth Texas Dis- mounted Cavalry, Wells' regiment dismounted cavalry.
Chisum's regiment has been dismounted and is attached to the Second Brigade. The Twenty-ninth, Martin's, and Wells' regiments Texas cavalry have not arrived. They will be sent to Natchitoches to be dismounted and assigned. Before publishing the proposed organization the general commanding desires to know if you wish to make any
changes, and also that the cavalry regiments may be dismounted.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. R. BOGGS,
Brigadier- General and Chief of Staff.
Houston, May 16th. 1865.
General E. Kirby Smith.
Commanding Trans-Mississippi Department, Shreveport, La.
GENERAL On the night of the 14th inst, from most reliable information that can be obtained, some 400 of the troops attempted to desert the post of Galveston. Colonel Smith by prompt action supported by Colonel Timmons' and Colonel Hobby's Regiments arrested their advance and restored quiet. I learn from Major-General Maxey, that, notwithstanding all his efforts, he cannot produce such a state of feeling in his Division, as will justify him in depending upon their resisting. I have seen letters from intelligent Officers in Walker's Infantry Division who state that those troops will fight no longer. I have sent for Gen. Walker, and he will be here to-day; will add what he may say after I see him. The Officers and men insist upon dividing the property before the Surrender, and I think it ought to be done, as I have telegraphed you. I have exerted myself more than I ever did to instill a spirit of resistance into the men, but in vain. I but make myself antagonistic to the Army and an object of their displeasure. Nothing more can be done except to satisfy the Soldiers, to induce them to preserve their organization, and to send them in Regiments. &c. to their homes with as little damage to the community as possible. For God's sake act or let me act.
J. B. MAGRUDER, Major-General, Commanding.
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P. S. I entirely concur in the foregoing. I will say in addition that my observation convinces me that the troops of this District cannot be relied upon. They consider the contest a hopeless one, and will lay down their arms at the first appearance of the Enemy. This is the unanimous opinion of the Brigade and Regimental Commands of Forney's Division, whom I have this day consulted. The Cavalry are still firm and quiet, but only waiting for whatthey consider the inevitable result, viz., Surrender.
Respectfully, &c.
J. G. WALKER, Major-General Commanding Divl of Cav.
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