Wilson J. Barbee and Hiram Barbee

I do know all that...what I need is some background on him. I also know he was killed and we don't know where he's buried. :smile: What I'm looking for is where he was from and his service record up to Gettysburg. :smile:

This guy was the Audie Murphy of the Confederate Army !

First Texas Infantry


2nd Manassas, VA after action report:

No. 152.

Reports of Lieut. Col. P. A. Work, First Texas Infantry, of operations
August 29-30.

SEPTEMBER 9, 1862.

The following report of the participation of the First Texas Regiment in the
engagement of August 29 is respectfully submitted:

Having laid in line of battle near the enemy during most of the day of
Friday, August 29, the regiment after sunset was ordered forward to the
attack. Having advanced some 250 yards to an open field, the enemy opened
upon us with grape and canister. Advancing steadily, the regiment
approached a wood, in or near which the enemy's battery was stationed, and
when within 100 or 150 yards the artillery firing
ceased. After having advanced a short distance into the above-mentioned
timber, and when some two companies of the left wing, having passed
through the point of timber, emerged into the open field beyond, the
regiment became engaged with the Seventy-ninth New York Regiment (as
stated by prisoners), and after one volley fired by this regiment and some
little desultory firing the cry of friends was raised. During the confusion
consequent upon this false cry the regiment with which we were engaged
took occasion to make its escape in a disorganized state. It was by this time
too dark to distinguish friend from foe at a distance of 20 paces.

Here we had 4 killed and 15 wounded, a list of whom, giving mane, rank,
where wounded, and character of wound, accompanies this report, marked
A.* Some 30 or 40 paces to our front the ground was thickly strewn with
the dear and wounded of the enemy.

From this point this regiment continued to advance to the front, and soon
met with the Eighteenth Georgia and Fourth Texas Regiments, of this
brigade. The brigade, having been collected, moved still to the front,
crossing a small stream by the flank, upon a ridge beyond which this
regiment rested for the night, in its position in the brigade, within some 150
or 200 yards of the enemy.

As an incident of the battle I would mention that while I was seeking the
position assigned me for the night, marching by the left flank, to wit, with
my left resting upon the turnpike road, the second Mississippi Regiment,
Col. Stone commanding, which was moving in the same direction, having
recrossed the Creek, but in advance and to the left, became entangled with
the thirty-third New York Regiment, when Col. Stone sent me a message
requesting me to move up to this relief, which I did. Upon consultation we
again recrossed the creek, moved to rejoin the third Brigade. I would
mention also that the fourth texas and Eighteenth Georgia, who were
informed of my moving to the relief of Col. Stone, pressed closely on
after me to offer any assistance that might be required. The regiment kept
well together, evincing unusual eagerness to engage the enemy, and
advancing with a yell, which was taken up by the other regiments of the
brigade and continued until the very woods resounded.

Respectfully submitted.

P. A. WORK,
Lieut.-Col., Commanding First Texas Regiment.

P. S.--Two privates of Company H-T. R. Oldham and J. M. Streinsipher--were
killed during the day of the 29th while lying down at their place in
ranks in front of the enemy by a discharge of grape-shot which remained in
the tin case unexploded.

-----

SEPTEMBER 9, 1862.

The following is a report of the participation of the First Texas Regiment in
the engagement of August 30:

The regiment, having been withdrawn from the ground occupied by it in the
battle ground of the evening previous, was places in position about daylight
of the morning of August 30, with its left resting upon the turnpike road at
the point occupied by it the day previous. During
the day I received instructions through Capt. W. H. Sellers, assistant
adjutant-general, to keep the regiment at attention and be ready to advance
to attack the enemy whenever ordered. By Capt. Sellers I was informed
that Gen. Kemper's brigade would be advanced simultaneously with the
Texas Brigade, moving diagonally across the front of the latter; that mine
would be the directing regiment, and would move slowly, with its left flank
resting upon the turnpike road, the other regiments of the brigade inclining
and gradually wheeling to the left, so that at the proper point the Texas and
Keper's brigades would present an even, unbroken front.

About 4 or 4.30 p. m. I was ordered to advance, when I at once put the
regiment in motion. After having advanced about 125 yards I was informed
by the acting adjutant of the regiment, W. Shropshire, that the Fourth Texas
Regiment had not moved, when, supposing my movement premature, I
halted and dispatched a messenger to ascertain the truth. Before the return
of the messenger Lieut. James Hamilton, aide-de-camp, galloped up and
informed me that the Fourth Texas was some 150 yards in advance of me.
I at once moved at the double-quick and ran and soon came upon a line with
the Fourth (just after moving out of the timber into the large open field
where the engagement took place). As the regiment advanced a battery of the
enemy fired into us repeatedly, but before either this or any other regiment
of the enemy fired into us repeatedly, but before either this or any other
regiment of the brigade could charge upon it it limbered up and moved off
at a rapid gait up the turnpike road until it reached an orchard upon an
elevated, commanding position, where it halted and again opened fire upon
us. This regiment continued to advance up the turnpike road, with its left
resting thereon, until halted in a hollow by an order delivered by a courier
(Barbee, I believe). From this hollow I received an order (through Barbee)
to move forward to the second hollow beyond the one I was then in, where

I would had and receive orders, which order I executed, moving forward to
the hollow designated and halting, exposed to the fire of the above mentioned
battery while crossing the two intervening ridges. I failed to receive any
orders at this place, and it was while at this last-mentioned hollow that I
discovered I was alone. I had been watching so intently the battery in my
front and the movements of the troops in its immediate vicinity that I did not
know when the other regiments of the brigade left me. Discovering that I
was alone, I called to Templeman (acting as courier) and asked as to the
whereabouts of the other regiments. He would not then inform me, but said
that he would ascertain and let me know, and galloping off soon returned,
stating the fourth Texas had crossed the creek opposite my right flank, had
move up and taken a battery on a ridge which he painted out, and had moved
on over the ridge after the infantry support. I at once moved by the right
flank across the creek and upon the ridge designated. Having moved the
right of the regiment to the top to the ridge, and placed the regiment under
cover from an enfilading dire from two batteries, to wit, the one above
mentioned at the orchard, and the second on a ridge running parallel to the
one upon the top of which my right was then resting, I advanced myself to
a point from which I hoped to discover the locality of the Fourth Texas. I
heard a heavy firing of musketry or rifles down in the hollow in front of
where I was standing, but, owing to a swell or second ridge upon the
descending slope to the hollow, not a man could I discover.

About this time Barbee galloped up and informed me that all of the
regiments of the brigade were down in the hollow, were hard pressed, and
needed assistance.
Selecting a place where I could pass the ridge
with as little loss as possible, I fronted the regiment and moved forward
some 35 yards to a depression crossing the ridge. Once in this depression I
believed I could cross the ridge protected wholly form the fire of the orchard
battery and partially from the battery upon the parallel ridge. Just as the
regiment had reached the depression alluded to, and just as I was in the act
of giving the order to move by the right flank, Capt. Seolers brought me
an order to take my regiment moved back over this 35 yards a heavy fire of
grape and canister was opened upon us from the two batteries above
mentioned, and it was here that several were wounded. Having brought the
regiment moved back over this 35 yards a heavy fire of grape and canister
was opened upon us from the two batteries above mentioned, and it was here
that several were wounded. Having brought the regiment under cover, I was
directed by Capt. Sellers brought me an order to take my regiment under
cover, and was so earnest that he gave the order to right-about before I could
give it myself. As the regiment moved back over this 35 yards a heavy fire
of grape and canister was opened upon us from the two batteries above
mentioned, and it was here that several were wounded. Having brought the
regiment under cover, I was directed by captain Sellers to move down into
the hollow, where flowed the creek spoken of above, and there rest. About
the time I reached the last-mentioned hollow quite a number from the several
regiments of the brigade joined me, and, falling into the ranks, remained
until their respective regiments successively reached the hollow and formed
upon this.

We lost 3 killed and 7 wounded. It is proper to state that of the killed one,
R. B. Stephens, of Company E, was killed by a rifle-ball while skirmishing,
and a second, --- Walker, of Company E, was killed while with the scouts,
under Lieut.-Col. Unton, of the Fifth Texas.

It is a matter of regret that I received no notice and did not discover the
movements of the other regiments of the brigade in time to have changed my
front and contributed the best efforts of the regiment in aiding in taking the
battery captured and in the attack upon the troops routed by them.

Respectfully submitted.

P. A. WORK,
Lieut.-Col., Commanding First Texas Regiment.


Source: Official Records
PAGE 611-16 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. [CHAP. XXIV.
[Series I. Vol. 12. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 16.]
 
Okay....lots of you know I have an obsession with Wilson J. Barbee, the awesomely Texan guy who won honors for this actions at Gettysburg. My question is....can we link him and a Texas veteran named Hiram Barbee? No biggie if they're not in any way related......

Hiram was my great-grandfather's brother in law. He seems to have been a fairly prosperous guy who lived in Erath County. He married my ggrandfather's sister, Candace, after the war....his first wife died. I'd love to know about his service record and anything else you can turn up....and I'd also like to know more about Wilson, because I always feature him with the 7th grade when we get to the war.

Many thanks in advance.



did you find anything more a picture headstone family
 
Back
Top