Download October - 4th Texas

MARCH 4th
The official newsletter of
Multi Lakes Association for Civil War Studies
October 2008
President – David Difatta
Vice-President – Andy Efird
Treasurer – Rick Radulski
Secretary – Becky Efird
Newsletter Editors – Judie and Richard Gondek
Domke Update: Good News - Steve has reported that he is doing so much better and is
back to work. We will see him and Nancy at Wolcott.
Wolcott Mill is quickly approaching, please see messages further on in the newsletter
from Jane Radulski and Dave Prince concerning the event. Just a reminder; there will
be a work day at the mill, I believe on Saturday the 4 th. Please contact Dave Prince for
more info. I’m sorry but I don’t a phone number but his e-mail address is
[email protected]
Executive Board Reports
President’s Report:
None
Vice President’s Report:
None
Treasurer’s Report:
None
Secretary’s Minutes:
No Minutes, however here is the published list of meeting dates for the upcoming
year:
1) OCTOBER 10th - This meeting has been moved to the second Friday of the
month due to the Gettysburg clean up. If you are not planning on going to
Gettysburg please consider making a trip out to Wolcott Mill to help get the
grounds ready for the event. TOPIC OF DISCUSSION: WOLCOTT MILL!!
2) NOVEMBER 7th - meeting at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warren at 7:30
P.M.
3) DECEMBER - Annual Christmas Party - Date, Place, and Time to be decided.
4) JANUARY 2nd - Election Meeting at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warren at
7:30 P.M.
5) FEBRUARY 6th - meeting at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warren at 7:30
P.M. We will vote on events at this meeting.
6) MARCH 6th - meeting at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warren at 7:30 P.M.
7) APRIL ?? - Date and time for this meeting is to be decided due to the Easter
holiday and events at Holy Cross Lutheran Church.
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
30003 Ryan Rd, Warren, MI
4th Texas, Co E Staff Reports
Captain’s Report:
None
1st Sgt. Report:
None
CFI Reports
President:
The Wolcott Mill event is only a few weeks away!! Just a couple of things for you
to keep in mind:
1. REGISTRATION HELP. I know, I know, you've heard it before, but it is one of the
most important things you can do to help. There will be sign-up sheets at the
October meeting. (You ARE going to be at the meeting, aren't you!!!) We need
EVERYONE to take their turn, military as well as civilian. It is SO important that
our guests are greeted properly, informed as to where they are to set up camp,
etc. WE NEED YOU!!!
2. LANTERN TOUR. I have heard from everyone that last year's Tour was the best
ever. Jackie Schubert has graciously agreed to run the Tour again this year, but
we need sites for the tours to visit. Start planning now (if you haven't already
done so!) what you will be doing.
3. Think about what you will be doing during the day as well. Just sitting around
under your fly talking to your friends is fun, true, but doesn't present a very
authentic or interesting picture for the spectators. Try to think of ways to interact
with them during the day - include them in whatever you're doing. Remember,
they are fascinated with anything you do, even peeling potatoes! Just smile and
talk to them, it's something they will take away with them.
4. The Bake Sale is at 4:00pm Saturday afternoon. Please bake your goodies at
home and bring them wrapped and ready to sell. We cannot sell things baked at
the event due to Health Department regulations. This doesn't mean we can't
bake things there - we just can't sell them. (We can eat them ourselves for dinner
- I for one am always happy to be a taste-taster!!)
5. We will again be having Children's Activites Saturday. Our capable staff will be
running school, games, and drill for the kiddies - if you would like to help, just
step up and let them know! Rick and I went to the Jackson event for a little while
as spectators, and it was an eye-opener for me. As we wandered through civilian
camp, so many of the reenactors there totally ignored us!!! They were so busy
talking to each other that they couldn't be bothered even looking at us, smiling at
us, saying good morning.....let alone talking to us!! This does NOT give you a
good feeling about being at the event, let me tell you!! Let's not have this kind of
feeling at OUR event!!!!! If we set the tone, the others will hopefully follow our
example.
Jane
“Skirmish at the Mill” – Wolcott Mill 2008
The Skirmish at the Mill event will be the weekend of Oct. 17 th through the 19th, 2008.
We are asking for volunteers to help with registration and final set up. The Rose needs
volunteers! Doc is also in need of volunteers for the Field Hospital. We are raising $$$
for the preservation of the Shepherdstown Battlefield in memorandum of Colonel
Medich’s mother. Several individuals will be arriving at the mill on Thursday the 16thso
we can finalize the set up for our event. If you can come Thursday please join us.
Projected reenactor attendance will be approximately 300. We are asking for a max
effort for this event. Time to show what we’re made of! The Medich Battalion, Michigan
Battalion, and the Army of Ohio, are participating in our event. We also have members
of the 14th South Carolina & 12th South Carolina, as well as individual from across our
Canadian border attending. The Army of Ohio is bringing two 50-gallon water drums to
help with our water supply needs.
Highlights:
Registration – Friday & Saturday (Saturday morning)
Officers Social 8:30pm to 9:30pm - Friday
Full day tactical on Saturday 9:00am until 3:00pm
C.F.I. Bake sale Saturday
“Candle Light” tour Saturday evening from 7:00pm until approximately 9:30pm
Battle of Shepherdstown Preservation Association - through out both days (talks)
Period Quilt Display – Mill
Period music display – Mill
4th Michigan Infantry – display (Saturday)
Period Church service in the Mill on Sunday
Reenactment of the 4th Michigan Infantry’s actions at the Battle of Shepherdstown –
1:00 pm Sunday
Dave Prince
Event Coordinator
Wildwood Event Review – Richard Gondek
WILDWOOD OR WATERLOG
Wildwood was an interesting event. Arrived with Judie at noon on Friday to set
up camp. We were the second group from the Battalion to arrive. The captain of the 5th
Texas had his civilian camp set up across from Judie’s. Only problem with setting up
was that we had to carry the equipment in, as the organizers did not want any cars to be
driving over the grass.
Set up was without any other difficulties. It only took three or four hours. No rain, but it
was threatening. Also restrooms were within easy walking distance.
Located the Battalion on the other side of the field. Dave Prince was there setting
up the location of the headquarters with respect to the other companies that were
expected to arrive. Took about 10 minutes to set up my camp. Light rain started at this
point. Enough wood and straw was provided.
Numbers were down, only about forty soldiers were present from the Battalion.
Eight members from the 4th were present from the military. Alan, Andy, Dave, Chris,
Frank, Rick, Brian and myself. Civilians were in mass, too many to list. Also, not sure
who they were by name. At least 9 civilian tents were noted from Bould Springs, a good
showing as they outnumbered the other civilian groups.
Not much to say about the night, other then it rained and rained. Morning arrived
with the rain continuing, Battalion stood down from any morning activities. Everyone
tried to stay dry. First activity occurred around noon with the Battalion forming up in the
rain. Marched over to the garage (meeting room) to perform drilling in the limited area.
This continued until the Wildwood organizers announced that the rain was forecasted to
continue for the weekend. That if any one wanted to leave they could. Battalion stayed
with most of the members but the civilians and their military counter parts, decided to
leave. I was for leaving because I saw no point in setting around in the rain doing
nothing for the weekend.
Rain stopped as soon as we decided to leave. Camp was dismantled and we headed
home.
Was this too be another Wilson Creek event, rained until the group decided to leave?
Then it cleared up?
Happy, I guess to report that they did have a light rain that night. Nice the next
morning, until about 2 that afternoon, when the skies let loose with heavy rains. This
would have been unbearable for tearing down the civilian tents.
Yours Respectively
Pvt A. B. Morgan
HISTORY OF THE 4TH TEXAS FOR THE NEWER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.
FOURTH TEXAS INFANTRY. The Fourth Texas Infantry was one of the three Texas
Civil Warqv regiments in the Texas Brigade of Gen. Robert E. Lee'sqv Army of Northern
Virginia. In 1861 Governor Edward Clarkqv established a camp of instruction on the San
Marcos River in Hays County. The first units that later formed the Fourth Texas Infantry
enlisted there in April 1861. Originally the Texans planned to enlist for a period of one
year, but after the outbreak of war at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, the Confederate
government announced that it would accept only regiments enlisted for the duration of
the war. In July 1861 twenty companies of Texas infantry were transferred to a camp
near Harrisburg and promptly shipped to Virginia. Soon after their arrival in Richmond
the Texas units were officially organized into regiments, on September 30, 1861. The
ten companies that made up the Fourth Texas were Company A, the Hardeman Rifles,
recruited in Gonzales County; Company B, the Tom Green Rifles, Travis County;
Company C, the Robertson Five Shooters, Robertson County; Company D, the
Guadalupe Rangers, Guadalupe County; Company E, the Lone Star Guards, McLennan
County; Company F, the Mustang Grays, Bexar County; Company G, the Grimes
County Grays; Company H, the Porter Guards, Walker County; Company I, the Navarro
Rifles, Navarro County; and Company K, the Sandy Point Mounted Rifles, Henderson
County.
Contrary to the prevailing custom, the Texans were not allowed to elect their own field
officers but had them appointed by the Confederate War Department. The first
commander of the regiment was Robert T. P. Allen,qv former superintendent of the
Bastrop Military Academy (see TEXAS MILITARY INSTITUTE, AUSTIN), who because
of his harsh discipline was extremely unpopular and was forced to resign his position in
October. Allen was replaced by Texan John Bell Hood,qv who was assigned to
command the Fourth with the rank of colonel. John F. Marshall, qv editor of the Austin
based Texas State Gazette and one of the principle organizers of the regiment, was
appointed to the post of lieutenant colonel, and Virginian Bradfute Warwick was given
the rank of major.
The Fourth was formally assigned to Brig. Gen. Louis T. Wigfall's qv Texas Brigade
shortly after Hood assumed command and was subsequently stationed at Dumfries,
Virginia, in November 1861. As the regiment drilled and prepared for active duty it was
plagued with a great deal of sickness, a rather typical ordeal for Civil War units. In
October 1861 the chaplain of the Fourth, Nicholas A. Davis, qv reported that more than
400 of the regiment's original 1,187 men were sick. This served to weed out many who
were unfit for service and reduce the unit to a fighting trim. In March 1862 Hood was
promoted to command of the Texas Brigade, Marshall became a colonel, and Capt. J.
C. G. Key of Company A advanced to the post of major.
The regiment first saw combat on the Virginia peninsula on May 7, 1862, at Eltham's
Landing, but its introduction to real battle came on June 27, 1862, at the battle of
Gaines' Mill. Here both the Texas Brigade and the Fourth Texas established their
reputation for hard fighting by successfully breaking the Union line on Turkey Hill, which
had resisted all previous Confederate attempts to do so. Taking only 500 men into the
battle, the Fourth lost eighty-five men: twenty-one killed, sixty-three wounded, and one
captured. Marshal and Warwick were both killed, and Key was wounded.
The Fourth Texas was not engaged again until the battle of Second Manassas on
August 30, 1862. Under the command of Lt. Col. B. F. Carter it participated in the
Confederate attack on the second day of the fighting, taking a federal battery of artillery
in the process. Losses in this engagement totaled thirty-one (eleven killed, twenty
wounded). On September 14, 1862, the regiment was engaged in combat at the battle
of South Mountain, where it had six men killed and two wounded in the delaying action
before the battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam), fought on September 17, 1862. At Antietam
the Fourth Texas was involved in some of the stiffest fighting on the Confederate left
flank and suffered its greatest number of losses for any single battle of the war, losing
210 men (57 killed, 130 wounded, and 23 captured).
The regiment was only marginally engaged at the battle of Fredericksburg in December
1862 and was not present with Lee's army during the battle of Chancellorsville in May
1863. After that, however, it took part in every major action of the Army of Northern
Virginia during the rest of the war as well as in the battle of Chickamauga, during the
temporary transfer of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet's First Corps to the Confederate Army
of Tennessee in September 1863. At Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, the Fourth Texas
participated in the attack against the Union left flank and in the fighting for Little Round
Top, losing 140 men (twenty-five killed, fifty-seven wounded, and fifty-eight captured),
including Lieutenant Colonel Carter, who was mortally wounded.
At Chickamauga, Georgia, on September 19 and 20, 1863, the regiment, now under the
command of Lt. Col. John P. Bane,qv was part of the rebel force that broke the federal
line on the second day of fighting and helped to rout the Union Army of the Cumberland.
The Fourth's losses at Chickamauga totaled seventy-seven (thirty-four killed, forty
wounded, and three captured). At the battle of Wauhatchie, during the siege of
Chattanooga, Tennessee, on October 28, 1863, the Fourth was routed by the enemy for
the only time during the war. Upon the unit's return to Virginia in April 1864 with the rest
of Longstreet's corps, the Texans once again acquitted themselves admirably, by
plugging a gap torn in the Confederate line at the battle of the Wilderness, May 7, 1864.
Here the regiment took part in the famous "Lee to the rear" episode and suffered 124
casualties (twenty-six killed, ninety-five wounded, and three captured) out of only 207
men engaged. Subsequently, the Fourth was marginally involved in the fighting at
Spotsylvania and helped to repel the Union attack at Cold Harbor on June 3, 1864.
During the fall and winter of 1864-65 the regiment fought around Petersburg and
Richmond before taking part in the Southern retreat that ended in the surrender of Lee's
army at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Throughout its existence 1,343 men were assigned to the Fourth Texas Infantry. Of that
number 256 (19 percent) were killed or mortally wounded in battle. Another 486 men
(35.9 percent) were wounded, many more than once, for the total number of wounds
suffered by the regiment in four years of fighting amounted to 606. The total number of
battle casualties suffered by the Fourth Texas Infantry was 909 (67.7 percent). The
number of prisoners lost by the regiment was 162 (12 percent). Of the regiment, 161
died of diseases (11.9 percent), 251 (18 percent) were discharged due to sickness,
wounds, etc., and 51 deserted (3 percent). At the time of its surrender the Fourth Texas
mustered only fifteen officers and 143 men. Despite such heavy losses, or perhaps
because of them, the Fourth Texas Infantry and its parent Texas Brigade won a
reputation as one of the hardest fighting and most reliable units in the Confederate
Army of Northern Virginia.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Nicholas A. Davis, Chaplain Davis and Hood's Texas Brigade, ed.
Donald E. Everett (San Antonio: Principia Press of Trinity University, 1962). Mary
Lasswell, comp. and ed., Rags and Hope: The Memoirs of Val C. Giles (New York:
Coward-McCann, 1961). Joseph Benjamin Polley, Hood's Texas Brigade (New York:
Neale, 1910; rpt., Dayton, Ohio: Morningside Bookshop, 1976). Harold B. Simpson,
Hood's Texas Brigade (Waco: Texian Press, 1970). Harold B. Simpson, Hood's Texas
Brigade: A Compendium (Hillsboro, Texas: Hill Junior College Press, 1977).
The Confederate Home Guard (1861 - 1865) was a somewhat loosely knit though
nevertheless legitimate organization that fell under the vague direction and authority of
the Confederate States of America, loosely working in coordination with the
Confederate Army, and was tasked with both the defense of the Confederate home
front during the American Civil War, as well as to help track down and capture
Confederate Army deserters. Basically, the Home Guard was a type of militia for the
Confederacy in that it did have a rank structure and did fall under certain regulations,
whether those were enforced or not.
Home Guard units were, essentially, to be a last defense against any invading Union
forces. They also were used at times to gather information on invading Union forces
troop movements, as well as to identify and control any local civilians who were
considered sympathetic to the Union cause. They received no military training, and
although they could be drafted into the Confederate service if need be, there are only a
few cases in which that happened, due to the Home Guard actually being recognized as
a type of service in itself to the Confederacy.
Background and Implementation
Despite home guard units receiving very little attention through history, excluding the
recent film Cold Mountain, the Home Guard units that were formed did actually have a
purpose, although most were simply volunteer with no salary. However, at times, a
bounty was offered by the Confederate government for the capture of deserters,
although it was rarely paid due to the government's debt.
While most able-bodied Southern men went away to war, many stayed behind, either by
choice or due to something that prevented them from serving in the army. Although
many states did not initially form Home Guard units, by 1863 all eleven Confederate
states had done so. Initially tasked with being the defense force against any Union Army
elements that might pass through the Confederate battle lines and enter into Southern
territory, the Home Guard was later utilized to help round up Confederate army
deserters returning to their homes.
The Home Guard actually possessed a wide range of powers, whether those powers
were actually legitimate and recognized by the Confederacy or not. Due to their being
very few Southern men at home, there were few to stand in the way of any Home Guard
unit that wished to abuse its powers by taking advantage of or mistreating Southern
civilians. In addition to this, due to the war demanding so much attention from the
Confederate Congress, not to mention the other branches of the government and the
military, little attention was paid to the Home Guard units. All were commanded locally,
and rarely did they receive any specific direction. In essence, the Home Guard units
could work as they pleased, and more often than not they made their own decisions and
priorities.
Depending on the area, Home Guard units would be at times nothing more than a group
of men identified as being the "Home Guard", working from home as they pleased. At
other times, most usually in states located in what was known as the "Eastern theater"
of the war, Home Guard units actually had base camps and headquarters, and went on
patrol, scouting for possible deserters or Union stragglers. Most of the time, Home
Guard units were extremely poorly equipped, with there being so much demand for
goods, ammunition, and weapons to supply the Confederate Army. They were rarely
dressed in anything that could be called a uniform, but did make efforts to wear the
same color clothing as the Confederate soldiers. By the middle of the war, many Home
Guard units were made up of wounded soldiers that had returned to heal from wounds
received in battle.
Deserters that were encountered by Home Guard patrols were dealt with in many
different fashions. At times, the deserting soldiers would be returned to the army via
Confederate units that were stationed near to whatever area the deserters were
captured in. However, this was not always plausible, nor practical. Whether authorized
to do so or not, deserters were, at times, executed by the Home Guard. These cases
were rare, but did occasionally happen.
By 1864, the Union Army had occupied much of the formerly Confederate controlled
areas. With Union forces now patrolling home front areas, many Home Guard units
disbanded to avoid being considered or mistaken for Guerillas. As this happened, it
became increasingly difficult for the Confederacy to enforce any action against
deserters who returned home. Even in the Western theater states of Arkansas, Texas
and Louisiana Union troops were regularly being seen, and at times the troops had
taken control of many towns or cities. Some Southern citizens who lived in those states
and who did not support secession had now openly come out in their support of the
Union, often forming Union Army regiments or units to serve in that army. These newly
formed Union units, made up of local citizens, and personally knew the members of the
Home Guard, which greatly hampered if not completely disabled the Home Guard's
ability to function. By the war's end, very few such units were still in existence.
Bould Times
WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT
The weddings of the children of Mr. And Mrs. Bible of Bould Springs were celebrated this year
in grand fashion. Daughter Rebecca married 2nd Sgt. John Miller in July, while the nuptials for
son Pvt. Joel Ragsdale and Miss Maria DePoorter took place in August. Sadly both grooms
could only remain with their new brides for a brief time before the need for their return to their
positions with the 4th Texas, Company E. Presently both brides will reside at the home of Mrs.
Bible.
MISSING
Mrs. Bauer has reported to the local sheriff that a number of her best egg-laying hens have
disappeared. The sheriff is investigating the matter, as it appears that they have not meet with
fowl play by any of the wildlife or other critters in the area. The sheriff states that with the
number of people drifting through the town and with times being as hard as they are, his guess is
that the hens have been taken. Mrs. Bauer’s son Carter recalled seeing a stranger walking
through their property a week or so ago and it was around that time that the chickens went
missing.
A PLEA FOR LAW AND ORDER
As many citizens of our community are aware, there has been an increase in the number of
incidents that have put citizens and their property in harm’s way. While the sheriff has tried to
control the unsavory population that seems to be migrating through the town, there has been a
cry taken up that those gentlemen who are not serving in the nation’s conflict that has taken a
strangle hold on our country to come together and lend assistance in preserving their
community’s welfare.
There shall be a meeting October 18th at the Bould Springs Social Hall for those interested
parties to come and take part in a discussion on what we can do to further this action.