Impressions 1st Lieutenant, 12th Texas Cavalry

[Lt.Drake]

My current uniform. Researched as the type common in the 12th Texas Cavalry.

Jacket: I bought the shell, which was a plain gray hand-sewn shell jacket, and handmade the cuff and collar trim and epaulettes myself...sewing machine, what's that? ^_^ added Texas star buttons, and gold piping.

Hat: Bought a white good quality hat blank years ago, and steamed and formed it into that shapeless gray blob you see lol. Enlisted cavalry insignia, tasseled gold and black cord.

Belt: Bought a two-piece federal cavalry buckle, made the belt and shoulder strap from bridle-leather

Pants: Brown cotton canvas, no belt loops, button fly.

Shirt: Homespun, handmade green plaid, with 3 wooden buttons.

Boots: Regulation cavalry boot bought from a sutler.

Knife: Big, old bowie-style bought at an antique store, homemade sheath with leather retention strap (no snaps)

Pistol: Unknown. Gunnison and Griswold (?) .44 caliber. Made like a brass-frame colt navy, but the cylinder is too long, and the pistol is bigger and bulkier than any colt navy in the unit. O_o

What do you guys think?

 

[yellowthornoftexas]

Leeuutenant, it'd be an honor ta be yer Top Sgt sir!!!!

 

[Lt.Drake]

Glad another transplanted Texas son approves, first sergeant!

There's a vid on Youtube where I'm showing off my 1st Corporal/Daughter's uniform and accoutrements. I'll post the link a little later. Her kit looks even better than mine. That's the joy of raisin' a young 'un though, you find your own wallet lacking most of the time. Heheheh

I did my research on the 12th Texas and the cavalry units raised before and after the 12th, and I was relieved to learn they didn't use yellow trim, but black. Then, on reading journals and firsthand reports, I found that they didn't all have regulation headgear, or even regulation firearms (although they favored the 2-band Enfields and Mississippi rifles heavily), and I was overjoyed that if I went as authentic as possible with my unit's dress and equipage, we would not only be able to steer away from the things that make alot of the cavalry units out there so distasteful and inaccurate, but in appearance, we'd be one of the most good-looking units around here.

But, an impression is more than just a fashion contest. It is only as good as a person's behavior too. We want to be the best, period.

Well, we try at least. Heheh.

 

[yellowthornoftexas]

Fantastic Lt!!! Good research? Why the 12th?
Yes, many Texas units used black trim.
Strive to be the best, but remain tolerant of others and lead the way in professionalism and refrain from arrogance.
But keep the 12ths colors flying!

 

[Lt.Drake]

The 12th was the unit raised by my great-great grandfather, Col. William Henry Parsons. They saw action all over the west during the war, and the best story of all was one involving Col. Parsons taking the 12th (Well, he was under Gen Green, who commanded the 12th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, and 36th Texas Cavalry) against federal GUNSHIPS in the Red River.

I reenact to keep the memory of all those who fought alive. It's for my ancestor that I reenact under the flag of the 12th.

And I am not one of "those people" who sit and pick apart someone's uniform and kit, or insult people. I try my best to guide and teach, it's not my place to yell and bluster when it would just run off decent people we critically need in our hobby. You said it though with "professionalism". That is what we try to practice. We try to get along with everyone. ^_^

 

[yellowthornoftexas]

Sounds like we'd got along just fine! Lol

 

[AUG]

Howdy and welcome from a fellow Texan! So you're the direct descendant of Col. Parsons? I've read a bit about the 12th Texas Cav. at the battle of Whitney's Lane and in the Red River Campaign, but other than that there's not much else out there on the 12th.

 

[Lt.Drake]

Heheh. I'm not THE direct descendant of Col. Parsons, I'm one of MANY. Parsons men always bred like jackrabbits for some reason, and if you count all the progeny of William Henry Parsons and his brother Albert Parsons, you could just about raise a regiment. From what I understand, Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory is actually related to Col. Parsons somehow. There's another Parsons that reenacts here in East Ky. and western Va. who is a descendant too.

You know a bit about the 12th, and yeah, and aside from a few internet articles and a couple books, there's not much out there on them at all, which is why I had to dig like a hound after a gopher to get anything at all on the unit or it's troopers.

About a month after Whitney's Lane, they hit General Curtis' supply train, and really tore up jack. They destroyed or took arms, food, horses, etc. They were so good at sneaking around in the forests, swamps and ravines in the Red River area, and in the Trans-Miss area in general, that by 1863, when they started turning all the Texas cav units into infantry, the 12th was allowed to stay on as cav. I guess there's not much on them because as good as they were, they mainly got assigned to scouting and recon missions. Not much glory in all of that, as important as it is.

They may not be as famous as the 1st Va. Cavalry or Morgan's command, but the 12th Under Col. Parsons, and Lt. Col Burleson, they played a big part in keeping the Union out of Texas and were certainly a contributing factor as to why the Union never could gain that much of a foothold on anything west of the Mississippi. If they'd made it further east, it's hard to say how history would have remembered the "Swamp Fox Cavalry"

There's a couple lesser known books on the 12th. If you want some more info on the unit, look up "Campaigning with Parsons' Texas Cavalry Brigade, CSA: The War Journals and Letters of the Four Orr Brothers, 12th Texas Cavalry Regiment" or "In the Saddle With the Texans"

I did what I could with what I had, and like to think I did my blood proud.

 

[AUG]

Heheh. I'm not THE direct descendant of Col. Parsons, I'm one of MANY. Parsons men always bred like jackrabbits for some reason, and if you count all the progeny of William Henry Parsons and his brother Albert Parsons, you could just about raise a regiment. From what I understand, Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory is actually related to Col. Parsons somehow. There's another Parsons that reenacts here in East Ky. and western Va. who is a descendant too.

You know a bit about the 12th, and yeah, and aside from a few internet articles and a couple books, there's not much out there on them at all, which is why I had to dig like a hound after a gopher to get anything at all on the unit or it's troopers.

About a month after Whitney's Lane, they hit General Curtis' supply train, and really tore up jack. They destroyed or took arms, food, horses, etc. They were so good at sneaking around in the forests, swamps and ravines in the Red River area, and in the Trans-Miss area in general, that by 1863, when they started turning all the Texas cav units into infantry, the 12th was allowed to stay on as cav. I guess there's not much on them because as good as they were, they mainly got assigned to scouting and recon missions. Not much glory in all of that, as important as it is.

They may not be as famous as the 1st Va. Cavalry or Morgan's command, but the 12th Under Col. Parsons, and Lt. Col Burleson, they played a big part in keeping the Union out of Texas and were certainly a contributing factor as to why the Union never could gain that much of a foothold on anything west of the Mississippi. If they'd made it further east, it's hard to say how history would have remembered the "Swamp Fox Cavalry"

There's a couple lesser known books on the 12th. If you want some more info on the unit, look up "Campaigning with Parsons' Texas Cavalry Brigade, CSA: The War Journals and Letters of the Four Orr Brothers, 12th Texas Cavalry Regiment" or "In the Saddle With the Texans"

I did what I could with what I had, and like to think I did my blood proud.

Yeah, there were a lot of Texas regiments like the 12th - Walker's Greyhounds, the Arizona Brigade, etc. - that go unheard of today, who saw most of their service in what could be called the "backwater of the Civil War". But to the men in those regiments, I'm sure the Trans-Mississippi was anything but a backwater. Fortunately the war in Louisiana and Texas has been getting a bit of attention recently; for instance, Donald Frazier's "Louisiana Quadrille" series has shed some light on these units along with the long forgotten actions they took part in.

 

[donna]

Welcome to the forum. Your uniform looks great.

 

[yellowthornoftexas]

Battle of Glorietta Pass, NM has been referred to the "Gettyeburg of the West"....