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Texas Brigade

February 16, 2024

The Texas Brigade (also known as Hood's Brigade) was an infantry formation of the Confederate Army that distinguished itself in the American Civil War. Along with the Stonewall Brigade, they were considered the Confederate Army's shock troops. It fought in every major battle of the Eastern Theater except Chancellorsville.

Flag of Hood's Texas Brigade

Organization edit

 
Gen. John Bell Hood
 
Texas Brigade, winter of 1861–62

The Texas Brigade was organized on October 22, 1861, primarily through the efforts of John Allen Wilcox, afterwards a member of congress from Texas, who remained as the brigade's political patron until his death in 1864. The brigade was initially and briefly under the command of Louis T. Wigfall until he took a seat in the Confederate Senate. Command was then given to John Bell Hood (hence the Texas Brigade was often known as "Hood's Brigade" or "Hood's Texas Brigade"). The brigade left Texas poorly armed and many men had no weapons at all. Others took whatever was available; this resulted in soldiers carrying almost anything that would shoot—shotguns, hunting rifles, pistols, old flintlock muskets used in the Texas Revolution, model 1841 Mississippi rifles, Colt revolving rifles, and more. At least two companies are reported to have carried model 1855 Springfield rifles, which would have been the only modern weapons in the brigade. The Texans were held in high regard thanks to the legend of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution, and the Confederate government made sure that they got the best equipment available. Most of the brigade were soon issued Enfield rifles aside from the 1st Texas Infantry, which had mostly smoothbore muskets and appear to have still been using them well into 1864.

The brigade was originally assigned as part of Maj. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith's division, which was sometimes commanded by Brig. Gen. William H.C. Whiting. For much of the war, it was assigned to Lt. Gen. James Longstreet's Corps in General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. It was commanded for much of the war by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson. It initially comprised the 1st Texas, 4th Texas, 5th Texas, and 18th Georgia Regiments. After the Battle of Seven Pines, Hampton's Legion from South Carolina joined the brigade. After the general reorganization of Lee's army following the Battle of Antietam in September 1862, the Georgians and South Carolinians were reassigned to brigades from their respective states; the 3d Arkansas was added because it was the only other trans-Mississippi regiment serving with Lee's army.

Battle actions edit

 
Levi Miller, servant during the war for Capt. McBride of the 5th Texas.

The brigade's first general engagement was at Eltham's Landing on May 7, 1862, where it lost 36 men killed and wounded. During the Battle of Seven Pines, it was directed to support Longstreet's command. Although the rest of Whiting's division was heavily engaged with considerable casualties, the Texas Brigade sat mostly idle during the battle and lost just 10 men killed and wounded.

The brigade distinguished itself during the Seven Days Battle where it routed the enemy at Gaines' Mill, captured a battery of guns, and repulsed a cavalry counterattack. Casualties at Gaines Mill were severe, amounting to at least 25% of the Texas Brigade's total strength. At Malvern Hill, the brigade was held in reserve despite Hood's requests to assault the Union entrenchments on the hill. Following the Seven Days Battles, Whiting went on sick leave and by early August, Robert E. Lee named Hood as permanent division commander. During the week following Malvern Hill, Lee wrote to Senator Wigfall that 1,336 new recruits were needed to replenish the depleted brigade, which likely numbered fewer than 1000 men in early July. Within a month, the Texas Brigade was brought back up to strength with new recruits and men with minor wounds returning to duty and it had close to 3000 men at the start of the Northern Virginia Campaign.

Its reputation increased when it spearheaded Longstreet's assault on Pope's left at the battle of Second Manassas. The brigade overran two Union regiments, nearly annihilated the 5th New York Zouaves, and captured a battery of guns, losing 628 men in the battle. Its reputation for fighting was sealed at the Battle of Sharpsburg, when it closed a gap in the Confederate line and drove back the two Union Corps that were attacking. Out of 854 that went into battle at Sharpsburg, 550 of the Texas Brigade were killed or wounded.

The brigade's most famous action took place on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, during its fight for Devil's Den. Though the Confederacy ultimately lost that battle, the 1st Texas, 4th Texas, 5th Texas, and 3d Arkansas distinguished themselves in taking Devil's Den despite being greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy casualties, to include General Robertson being wounded. The brigade's failure to take Little Round Top marked the failure of that day's fighting.[1]

By the war's end, the Texas Brigade had fought in all the battles engaged in by the Army of Northern Virginia except Chancellorsville. Battles included the Battle of Seven Pines, Seven Days Battle, Battle of South Mountain, Battle of Sharpsburg, Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Gettysburg, and the Battle of the Wilderness. They later fought with the Army of Tennessee at Chickamauga and during the Knoxville Campaign, as well as with Longstreet at Suffolk.[2] Of the estimated 5,353 men who enlisted in the three Texas and one Arkansas regiments, only 617 remained to surrender on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.[2] The Texas Brigade, along with the Stonewall Brigade from Virginia, were considered to be the Army of Northern Virginia's shock troops.[3]

Orders of battle edit

  • Battle of Eltham's Landing (May 7, 1862); assigned to Whiting's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood
    • 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry regiments
    • 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment
  • Battle of Seven Pines (May 31 – June 1, 1862); assigned to Whiting's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood
    • 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry regiments
    • 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment
  • Battle of Gaines' Mill (June 27, 1862) (the primary engagement of Seven Days Battle); assigned to Whiting's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood
    • 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry regiments
    • 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment
    • Hampton (South Carolina) Legion
  • Second Manassas (August 28–30, 1862); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood
  • Antietam (September 17, 1862); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Col. William T. Wofford
  • Fredericksburg (December 11–15, 1862); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson
  • Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson
    • 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry regiments
    • 3d Arkansas Infantry Regiment
  • Chickamauga (September 18–20, 1863); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson
    • 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry regiments
    • 3d Arkansas Infantry Regiment
  • Wilderness (May 5–7, 1864); assigned to Field's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Gregg
    • 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry regiments
    • 3d Arkansas Infantry Regiment
  • Cold Harbor (May 21 – June 3, 1864); assigned to Field's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Gregg
    • 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry regiments
    • 3d Arkansas Infantry Regiment

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Hood's Texas Brigade joins battle at Gettysburg". tshaonline.org. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  2. ^ a b Frameset Hq
  3. ^ Greene, A. Wilson. "Granbury's Texas Brigade: Diehard Western Confederates". cwbr.com. Civil War Book Review. Retrieved 10 November 2013.

Further reading edit

  • Polley, J. B., Hood's Texas Brigade: Its Marches, Its Battles, Its Achievements, Morningside Bookshop, 1988, ISBN 0-89029-037-7.
  • Simpson, Harold B., Hood's Texas Brigade: Lee's Grenadier Guard, Texas Press, 1970, ISBN 1-56013-009-1.
  • Fletcher, William A, Rebel Private: Front and Rear, Meridian Book, The Penguin Group, 1997, ISBN 978-0-452-01157-1
  • Schmutz, John F., The Bloody Fifth, The 5th Texas Infantry Regiment, Hood's Texas Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia Vol. 1 Secession to the Suffolk Campaign & Vol. 2 Gettysburg to Appomattox
  • Ural, Susannah. 2017. Hood's Texas Brigade: The Soldiers and Families of the Confederacy's Most Celebrated Unit. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Texas Brigade.
  • Re-union of Hood's Brigade at Shady View Park, Dallas, Texas, June 27th and 28th 1884, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
  • Brig. Gen. J. B. Robertson, after action report, Devil's Den


February 16, 2024
texas, brigade, also, known, hood, brigade, infantry, formation, confederate, army, that, distinguished, itself, american, civil, along, with, stonewall, brigade, they, were, considered, confederate, army, shock, troops, fought, every, major, battle, eastern, . The Texas Brigade also known as Hood s Brigade was an infantry formation of the Confederate Army that distinguished itself in the American Civil War Along with the Stonewall Brigade they were considered the Confederate Army s shock troops It fought in every major battle of the Eastern Theater except Chancellorsville Flag of Hood s Texas Brigade Contents 1 Organization 2 Battle actions 3 Orders of battle 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksOrganization edit nbsp Gen John Bell Hood nbsp Texas Brigade winter of 1861 62The Texas Brigade was organized on October 22 1861 primarily through the efforts of John Allen Wilcox afterwards a member of congress from Texas who remained as the brigade s political patron until his death in 1864 The brigade was initially and briefly under the command of Louis T Wigfall until he took a seat in the Confederate Senate Command was then given to John Bell Hood hence the Texas Brigade was often known as Hood s Brigade or Hood s Texas Brigade The brigade left Texas poorly armed and many men had no weapons at all Others took whatever was available this resulted in soldiers carrying almost anything that would shoot shotguns hunting rifles pistols old flintlock muskets used in the Texas Revolution model 1841 Mississippi rifles Colt revolving rifles and more At least two companies are reported to have carried model 1855 Springfield rifles which would have been the only modern weapons in the brigade The Texans were held in high regard thanks to the legend of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution and the Confederate government made sure that they got the best equipment available Most of the brigade were soon issued Enfield rifles aside from the 1st Texas Infantry which had mostly smoothbore muskets and appear to have still been using them well into 1864 The brigade was originally assigned as part of Maj Gen Gustavus W Smith s division which was sometimes commanded by Brig Gen William H C Whiting For much of the war it was assigned to Lt Gen James Longstreet s Corps in General Robert E Lee s Army of Northern Virginia It was commanded for much of the war by Brig Gen Jerome B Robertson It initially comprised the 1st Texas 4th Texas 5th Texas and 18th Georgia Regiments After the Battle of Seven Pines Hampton s Legion from South Carolina joined the brigade After the general reorganization of Lee s army following the Battle of Antietam in September 1862 the Georgians and South Carolinians were reassigned to brigades from their respective states the 3d Arkansas was added because it was the only other trans Mississippi regiment serving with Lee s army Battle actions edit nbsp Levi Miller servant during the war for Capt McBride of the 5th Texas The brigade s first general engagement was at Eltham s Landing on May 7 1862 where it lost 36 men killed and wounded During the Battle of Seven Pines it was directed to support Longstreet s command Although the rest of Whiting s division was heavily engaged with considerable casualties the Texas Brigade sat mostly idle during the battle and lost just 10 men killed and wounded The brigade distinguished itself during the Seven Days Battle where it routed the enemy at Gaines Mill captured a battery of guns and repulsed a cavalry counterattack Casualties at Gaines Mill were severe amounting to at least 25 of the Texas Brigade s total strength At Malvern Hill the brigade was held in reserve despite Hood s requests to assault the Union entrenchments on the hill Following the Seven Days Battles Whiting went on sick leave and by early August Robert E Lee named Hood as permanent division commander During the week following Malvern Hill Lee wrote to Senator Wigfall that 1 336 new recruits were needed to replenish the depleted brigade which likely numbered fewer than 1000 men in early July Within a month the Texas Brigade was brought back up to strength with new recruits and men with minor wounds returning to duty and it had close to 3000 men at the start of the Northern Virginia Campaign Its reputation increased when it spearheaded Longstreet s assault on Pope s left at the battle of Second Manassas The brigade overran two Union regiments nearly annihilated the 5th New York Zouaves and captured a battery of guns losing 628 men in the battle Its reputation for fighting was sealed at the Battle of Sharpsburg when it closed a gap in the Confederate line and drove back the two Union Corps that were attacking Out of 854 that went into battle at Sharpsburg 550 of the Texas Brigade were killed or wounded The brigade s most famous action took place on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg during its fight for Devil s Den Though the Confederacy ultimately lost that battle the 1st Texas 4th Texas 5th Texas and 3d Arkansas distinguished themselves in taking Devil s Den despite being greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy casualties to include General Robertson being wounded The brigade s failure to take Little Round Top marked the failure of that day s fighting 1 By the war s end the Texas Brigade had fought in all the battles engaged in by the Army of Northern Virginia except Chancellorsville Battles included the Battle of Seven Pines Seven Days Battle Battle of South Mountain Battle of Sharpsburg Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of the Wilderness They later fought with the Army of Tennessee at Chickamauga and during the Knoxville Campaign as well as with Longstreet at Suffolk 2 Of the estimated 5 353 men who enlisted in the three Texas and one Arkansas regiments only 617 remained to surrender on April 9 1865 at Appomattox Court House in Virginia 2 The Texas Brigade along with the Stonewall Brigade from Virginia were considered to be the Army of Northern Virginia s shock troops 3 Orders of battle editBattle of Eltham s Landing May 7 1862 assigned to Whiting s Division Brigade commanded by Brig Gen John Bell Hood 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment Battle of Seven Pines May 31 June 1 1862 assigned to Whiting s Division Brigade commanded by Brig Gen John Bell Hood 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment Battle of Gaines Mill June 27 1862 the primary engagement of Seven Days Battle assigned to Whiting s Division Brigade commanded by Brig Gen John Bell Hood 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment Hampton South Carolina Legion Second Manassas August 28 30 1862 assigned to Hood s Division Brigade commanded by Brig Gen John Bell Hood 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment Hampton South Carolina Legion Antietam September 17 1862 assigned to Hood s Division Brigade commanded by Col William T Wofford 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment Hampton South Carolina Legion Fredericksburg December 11 15 1862 assigned to Hood s Division Brigade commanded by Brig Gen Jerome B Robertson 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 3d Arkansas Infantry Regiment Gettysburg July 1 3 1863 assigned to Hood s Division Brigade commanded by Brig Gen Jerome B Robertson 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 3d Arkansas Infantry Regiment Chickamauga September 18 20 1863 assigned to Hood s Division Brigade commanded by Brig Gen Jerome B Robertson 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 3d Arkansas Infantry Regiment Wilderness May 5 7 1864 assigned to Field s Division Brigade commanded by Brig Gen John Gregg 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 3d Arkansas Infantry Regiment Cold Harbor May 21 June 3 1864 assigned to Field s Division Brigade commanded by Brig Gen John Gregg 1st 4th and 5th Texas Infantry regiments 3d Arkansas Infantry RegimentSee also editTexas Civil War Confederate Units 141st Infantry Regiment United States References edit Hood s Texas Brigade joins battle at Gettysburg tshaonline org Texas State Historical Association Retrieved 10 November 2013 a b Frameset Hq Greene A Wilson Granbury s Texas Brigade Diehard Western Confederates cwbr com Civil War Book Review Retrieved 10 November 2013 Further reading editPolley J B Hood s Texas Brigade Its Marches Its Battles Its Achievements Morningside Bookshop 1988 ISBN 0 89029 037 7 Simpson Harold B Hood s Texas Brigade Lee s Grenadier Guard Texas Press 1970 ISBN 1 56013 009 1 Fletcher William A Rebel Private Front and Rear Meridian Book The Penguin Group 1997 ISBN 978 0 452 01157 1 Schmutz John F The Bloody Fifth The 5th Texas Infantry Regiment Hood s Texas Brigade Army of Northern Virginia Vol 1 Secession to the Suffolk Campaign amp Vol 2 Gettysburg to Appomattox Ural Susannah 2017 Hood s Texas Brigade The Soldiers and Families of the Confederacy s Most Celebrated Unit Baton Rouge Louisiana State University Press External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Texas Brigade Regimental flag of Fifth Texas Infantry Hood s Texas Brigade Re union of Hood s Brigade at Shady View Park Dallas Texas June 27th and 28th 1884 hosted by the Portal to Texas History For Ninety Nine Years or the War The Story of the 3rd Arkansas at Gettysburg Brig Gen J B Robertson after action report Devil s Den Portals nbsp American Civil War nbsp Texas Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Texas Brigade amp oldid 1206461494, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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