4th Texas Infantry reports

[JCM6395]

I'm venturing over into the Southern side of the family tree some. Looking through the War of the Rebellion records researching the 4th Texas Infantry. I've found a bunch of their battle reports except for the last year of the war.....Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg. I will appreciate any helpful suggestions anybody can give me on unlocking the last year of the war reports!

 

[AndyHall]

JCM, I'm sure you know there are a number of descendants here of Fourth Texas veterans. It's a popular regiment 'round here.

One source you'll probably want a copy of is Val Giles' Rags and Hope, edited and published by Mary Laswell in 1961. Giles was captured in November or December 1863 during the Chattanooga Campaign, and so won't give much insight on the last year of the war, but it's still a great read on the early history of the regiment.

 

[AUG]

Here is an 1864 inspection report of the Texas Brigade:
http://www.blueandgraymarching.com/first-corps/texas-brigade-tx.html

Edit: That site is no longer up, but fortunately I had it saved:

Arms: Enfield rifles, Springfield muskets, .57 and .58 caliber. In October arms were clean in 1st Tx, dirty in all other regiments. In February arms clean only in 5th Tx.

Accoutrements: "Very much worn" in September and October. In November a few dozen men without bayonets.

Condition of clothing: August "good", September "good", October "very inferior in the entire command", by January "tolerably good", February "poor".

Military appearance: August "good", September "good", October "indifferent", November "indifferent because ragged clothes and want of uniformity in dress." In December and February "good".

Personal cleanliness: August and September "neat", October through December "not neat". In January, "Not very neat but creditable. Soap is scarcely ever issued."

General sanitary condition: "Good" on all reports.

Discipline: August and September "good", October through December "lax". In January "good - not rigid".

Drill: August "indifferent", September "only tolerably well", October through February "indifferent".

Police of camp or post: In August and September "thorough". In October arrived at a new camp on morning of inspection. November through February "imperfect".

29 October:

The reports upon the discipline, instruction in military exercises, the state of the arms, clothing, equipments, etc. of this command have been made under the proper headings. The discipline is reported as "lax" in contradiction to its being rigorous. I think good discipline is always rigorous. The discipline as it has been enforced in the Texas Brigade, so far as keeping the command together in camp and on the march, preventing the destruction of public and private property, maneuvering in face of the enemy and under fire, and engaging the enemy are concerned has seemed to meet with the necessities of the service. But notwithstanding that much good, there is neglect of specialties. There is a lack of military tone and precision. The regimental commanders are in my opinion zealous and equal to their positions. Some of the officers whose names are not forwarded with this report because after cautioning them as to their duty there is hope for improvement, seem to think it looks like "putting on airs" to assume the authority which belongs to them as officers of the army.

In this last inspection but four officers appeared with swords. There is no company or post fund, and no council of administration in any of the regiments. The company and regimental books, papers and files are very incomplete. Many of them have been lost for the want of transportation. The company commanders do not make quarterly returns of ordnance and ordnance stores to the chief of that department, nor are the quarterly returns of quartermaster stores forwarded by them to the Quartermaster General at Richmond. The monthly returns of the regiments have not been made for a very long time.

The messes consist of from four to six men. The officers (company) mess with the men. The cooking since the 5th May, 1864 has been done by details of disabled men and by the musicians. The rations are abundant. Beef and flour, occasionally bacon with sugar, coffee, and rice are issued.

[Note from Inspector General Peyton]

This is a most excellent report. With such inspectors as Capt. Kerr, the army would soon be vastly improved in spirit, [?] and efficiency.

28 November:

The remarks made in the monthly report for October in regard to the discipline of the brigade will apply now. There was a marked improvement in the bearing of both men and officers at the inspection held yesterday. I showed that some care and attention had been paid by the officers to the military bearing of the men. Until more distinction is drawn by the officers between themselves and the men, I don't know that we can ever arrive at that discipline which obtains in regular establishments. Perhaps this familiarity is the result of the election system. The regimental commanders seem reluctant to recommend meritorious non-com officers and privates for promotion by appointment. They prefer that the men should elect their junior officers, and in but few instances has the best man for the position been selected. Three years under such system has proved it to be a failure. In military establishments the power should be above those governed and not below.

The organizations of the 4th and 5th Texas Regiments are not complete. In the 1st Texas Regt. the officers of both the Lt. Colonelcy and Majority are vacant. No nominations for either position have been made. The senior Captain of that regiment, Capt. D.K. Rice, was arrested last December upon several grievous charges and next senior officer, the present commander, is a most efficient and particular officer, and if there is any way in which Capt. Rice's case could be speedily settled it would work some good to the service. In the 5th Texas Regt. the Majority is vacant. Capt. J.S. Cleveland, the officer entitled by seniority to this position, is absent disabled in Texas. He is a most excellent officer and steps are being taken to have been brought before a Retiring Board.

Source: Records of the Adjutant & Inspector General's Department, NARA, microcopy M935

A report was not always made for every battle, especially later in the war with the dwindling size of regiments and brigades. Sometimes a report was only made for the brigade, other times no report at all if many of the field grade officers were killed or wounded, or were otherwise unable to write one. For those final actions you'll have to resort to first hand accounts: memoirs, diaries, letters. Recommend reading any of the modern Texas Brigade histories - Simpson's, Ural's, Schmutz' on the 5th Texas - and see what sources they listed.

 

[Lost Cause]

Coh4thtexas.webs.com

This recently came up in a previous post.

 

[CMWinkler]

I've posted a number of things on the 4th. Just search for 4th Texas.

 

[AndyHall]

Here is an 1864 inspection report of the Texas Brigade:
http://www.blueandgraymarching.com/first-corps/texas-brigade-tx.html

Thanks so much for this link. I found this section, that details the re-issue of uniforms to Longstreet's corps just prior to Chickamauga:

Longstreet's troops had recently been newly uniformed, consisting of a dark-blue round jacket, closely fitting, with light-blue trousers, which made a line of Confederates resemble that of the enemy, the only difference being the "cut" of the garments—the Federals wearing a loose blouse instead of a tight-fitting jacket. The uniforms of the Eastern troops made quite a contrast with the tattered and torn homemade jeans of their Western brethren.​

This explains exactly what Lawrence Daffan of the Fourth Texas meant when he wrote,

In the charge Sunday morning we captured a battery, driving the enemy back, and here general Hood was wounded. I am satisfied that General Hood was wounded by his own men, Confederates off to our left. I think they were Florida troops.

They mistook us on account of our neat, new standard uniform. They took us for Federals, as Bragg's army had never seen a well-uniformed Confederate regiment. The couriers were sent to these troops telling them to cease firing, and to explain the situation. Were we in this battle, supporting the Western army, under Bragg.​

I'd never understood why "neat, new standard uniforms" would be mistaken for Federals. Because they were blue, do'oh!

 

[RangerJoe]

R

JCM, I'm sure you know there are a number of descendants here of Fourth Texas veterans. It's a popular regiment 'round here.

One source you'll probably want a copy of is Val Giles' Rags and Hope, edited and published by Mary Laswell in 1961. Giles was captured in November or December 1863 during the Chattanooga Campaign, and so won't give much insight on the last year of the war, but it's still a great read on the early history of the regiment.

Rags and Hope is an OUTSTANDING diary of the personal experiences of Val Giles. It is becoming more expensive though for those who want to acquire the book. It was published in the early 1960's if I remember correctly. It is available on amazon and abebooks, but be prepared to pay at least 80 to 100 dollars for it.