I am looking up information on the officers of the regiment for my thread on Granbury's Brigade. I know an Orren P. Forrest commanded 7th Texas at Nashville, after so many officers had been killed, wounded, or captured at Franklin. However, I have no info on him, nor which unit he commanded. My only source for the officers and their unit organizations is Lundberg's appendix in his book on the brigade, which seems to only contain the initial officers of the regiments whence they were organized.
In addition, I know little regarding the commander of Company K, the new regiment formed of 87 new recruits following Donelson. Was it Captain Forrest, or was it another officer? No clue. Would love help on this and other infomation on the other officers of the unit throughout the war.
The authority to enlist a tenth Co was only given on Oct 8, 1862, at which time a number of officers went back to Texas to recruit.
10/8/62 Co K [10th Co needed to complete the Regt] organized by S O # [235] A&IGO Richmond
In mid Oct 62, Granbury, Van Zandt & Capt's Broughton & Alexander left for Tex to recruit. As a result, from Oct-Jan some 216 men were added to the Regt including 87 conscripts & volunteers that Van Zandt had formed into Co K.
Co K was recruited in the fall & winter of 1862-63. The 7th Texas originally had only 9 Co's when mustered in Nov 1861, & the tenth Co (K) was added after a recruiting drive in Texas lasting from OCT 1862 to Feb 63. The Regt was reorganized at Port Hudson on Feb 10, 1863, at which time Co K was officially added, with Capt William L. Coppedge as cdr. The men of this Co came from various parts of Texas
2/10/63 A 10th Co added [Co K], & 200 recruits to reconstitute as a separate Regt
[but see 4/9 below-Capt Coppedge not yet arrived]
Having been strengthened with new recruits, the 7
th Texas was finally reorganized & reconstituted as a Regt on 10 Feb 1863, & placed in the Bgde of Gen Gregg.
Recruits gained by 7
th Tex:
B=23
C=10
D=24
E=10
F=1
G=4
H=38
I=20
K=87
Total 197
3/22/63 Port Hudson- Capt Davis writing to Sec of War about serving in 22nd Tex Infy after escaping capture at Ft Donelson-sent to Texas & refilled my Co-it & another similar Co were then put into 22nd Tex Infy. -returned here but my former position is taken & per 3/2/63 surgeon certificate I'm unable to do my duties & must resign
Granbury endorses resignation as in best interest of Regt-his Co is only a skeleton & upon his resignation I can consolidate it with another skeleton Co & under 10/8/62 AIG special orders I think I can get an unattached Co from Texas to replace it. Lt Col Moody being on recruiting service in Texas will be advised accordingly
Capt Davis 1862 history
3/4/62 Capt Davis Co E [escaped capture] paid
3/7/62 Richmond-Capt Davis signs receipt for funds from QM-signs Capt Co E 7th Tex recruiting officer
7/5 Hqs Tyler, Texas S O #9-Capt Davis of Col Hubbard's Regt [22nd Tex] hereby relieved of duty for the time being to go to Richmond with dispatches-by order Gen McCulloch
7/31-pd for expenses in bringing dispatches from Tyler, Tex
7/30-pd salary as Capt Co E 7
th Tex [
apparently at Richmond]
8/25-pd mileage travelling under orders [Gen McCulloch] from Little Rock to Washington, Ark-signed Capt Davis, CSA [no Regt]-rec'd at Washington, Ark
8/28 Capt Davis ordered back to his old Regt [7th Tex] from [22nd Tex]
9/13 The Texas Republican-Marshall-Capt Davis, acting under instructions from Col Gregg, calls on members of the 7th Texas to rendezvous at Tyler by the 22nd, preparing to join their comrades at Vicksburg. They are requested to bring with them as much warm winter clothing as they can procure.
9/20-DALLAS HERALD, Capt Jack Davis, acting under instructions from Col John Gregg, calls upon the members of the 7th Texas, to rendezvous at Tyler by the 22nd, preparatory to joining their comrades at Vicksburg. They are requested to bring with them as much warm winter clothing as they can procure.
10/12 Jackson, Ms-Capt Jack Davis to Honorable Reagan-arrived here this past evening & once again find myself with my old Regt…will leave here in a few minutes for Holly Springs for the purpose as I understand of reinforcing…… [Gen Price]. I write to request that you & others at Richmond will see that justice is done in the appointment of field officers for this Regt [
angling for promotion it appears] if indeed the question has not already been determined. Col Gregg has sent to Richmond a statement of facts to which I refer you for information on the subject. I believe I am entitled to the position of Lt Col, in my opinion, certainly to that of Major as I was first with my Co at the place of rendezvous…. Since my desires have been….
11/1 forwarded to Sec of War by Reagan saying Davis is Capt in Col [now Gen] Gregg's 7th Texas
10/29 Hqs for Ex-Prisoners, etc., Jackson-Special Orders
By order of Gen Pemberton, the following Special Order is made:
Col Granbury & Maj Van Zandt, cdg recruiting officers in Tex, are hereby required to make diligent inquiry for all prisoners on parole & all persons absent w/o leave, or by furlough [except furloughs due to sickness from Dept Hqs] from Co's, Bns, Regts, etc. serving within the limits of the Dept of Ms & E La; & to cause such paroled prisoners to be returned to these Hqs & each absentee to be returned to their respective corps & all recruiting officers within the limits of Texas & under the command of Col Granbury or Maj Van Zandt are charged with the duty of assisting & collecting & causing to return the said paroled prisoners & absentees. & these officers are authorized to use such force as may be under their command to compel their return. & upon the refusal of such to return, where therein notified, it shall be the duty of the officer notifying them to return the names, Co's, Regts & residences of the persons refusing, whereupon they will be published & proceeded against as deserters.
Printed in the Texas Republican
11/23/62
Transcript from Texas Heritage reads:
11/23/62 Hqs Ex. Prisoners, Jackson, Gen Gregg to Capt Van Zandt, Marshall, Tex-I send you within the list of names I paroled previous. See if you can forward them to ____Hqs.
Transcript from Texas Heritage reads:
On same page-Wm Moody to [Van Zandt]-
Dear Capt-I have written to you but have received no answer.
I write again to let you know that we have at length the decision in our case by Sec of War touching rank in our Regt. It is decided that you & I are of equal rank & must determine seniority by lot. That your muster is same date as mine inasmuch as yours was postponed by the mustering officer
Gen Gregg says Capt Davis' muster was also postponed by him, so I infer it is between Capt D, you & me.
I am still at work here, day & night-slight cessation for meals & sleep-
no Sundays
My health is much improved & I threaten to go to my Co
The Gen thinks I cannot stand exposure however for a month to come
Our folks are … … … they ever get.
You … … … hurry up.
My love … …
Truly Yours-W H Moody
3/22/63 Port Hudson-Capt Davis writing to Sec of War about serving in 22nd Tex Infy after escaping capture at Ft Donelson-sent to Texas & refilled my Co-it & another similar Co were then put into 22nd Tex Infy...returned here but my former position is taken & per 3/2/63 surgeon certificate I'm unable to do my duties & must resign
Granbury endorses resignation as in best interest of Regt-his Co is only a skeleton & upon his resignation I can consolidate it with another skeleton Co & under
10/8 AIG special orders I think I can get an unattached Co from Texas to replace it. Lt Col Moody being on recruiting service in Texas will be advised accordingly
S. M. Warner, O. S.,
Co C, 7th Tex. Regt.
Stanley M. Warner enlisted on 1 Oct 1861, as 1st Sgt of the "Johnson Guards", Co C, 7th Texas Infy-He was captured at Fort Donelson, but escaped after ten weeks & made his way back to Texas. Warner thereafter joined the 22nd Texas Infy as 2nd Lt of Co G (under Capt Jack Davis, former cdr of Co E of the 7th Texas)
6/2/62 HOUSTON TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH---We had the pleasure the other day of meeting with Stanley Warner, Esq., formerly of the Tyler Reporter. He was in Gregg's 7
th Texas Regt, which was taken prisoners at Donelson. He was taken to Chicago with the balance of the Regt, but made his escape & got off safely, made his way through the lines, & came home. He is here to report for duty, to the Hqs of the Dept of Texas.
Texas Heritage museum-
1/19/63 Shreveport-Van Zandt to wife-
[returning to Regiment at Port Hudson with recruits from Texas] We arrived yesterday at sundown. I found nearly all the boys who came ahead of me scattered all over the town & most were drunk.
We will go down on Steamer Pauline this evening, but I'm afraid we will not
I have heard no news since I came here except that from Ark Post. I am afraid it is another Ft Donelson affair. It is reported that Capt Richardson is killed, but I hope not.
I will write again from Alexandria
PS-I have just seen one of Richardson's Co-He is not killed
We will not get off till morning
1/22 Steamer Pauline- Van Zandt to wife-We will reach Alexandria tonight. We are very crowded; besides the men of our own Regt there are a good many of the 10
th Texas & a good many other passengers & also 180 horses.
We should reach Port Hudson on Sat.
[1/24]
2/10 Port Hudson, Van Zandt to wife-…I had my first Bgde drill-the first ever attended-I had charge of our Regt & the 9
th La Bn who drills with our Regt. There were 4 other Regts out as well.
2/15 Port Hudson, Van Zandt to wife-…We are surprised Col Granbury has not reached here before this. I suppose he changed his notion after I left & concluded to come with those who will start on the 10
th. If so, they ought to be down here this week
2/28 Port Hudson, Van Zandt to wife-…I have seen Lt Col Moody & learned he will leave for Texas in a day or two & will be absent for a couple of months. I think just as much of him as I ever did & I think you will like him better than any one of our officers of the Regt
Got your letter brought by Col Granbury
You asked about our time in Shreveport—a good many of our boys got drunk but I did not leave a single one of them—if any were left there it must have been some of Col Earp's men, but I don't think so.
[10th Tex Cav]
3/3 Col Granbury is trying to get off to see about his wife. Had a nice dinner-Gen Gregg, Col Granbury, Col Moody all took dinner with us. Col Moody says he will call on you when he passes through Marshall; he got off under a War Dept order sending officers whose services are not immediately needed to their district to recruit. Rust's Bgde is expected any day.
One case of measles in
Coppedge's Co
3/6/63 Port Hudson-I am officer of the day quite often as there are so many field officers of the Bgde absent. Within the last 2-3 days, our force has been increased by the arrival of Rust's Bgde. I do not know the number of his men but understand it is quite a large Bgde
Gen K Smith passed through here yesterday en route for Alexandria. A good many men of Gen Lee's army pass through here on the way home or back to the army after furloughs. The papers say he is granting furloughs to 2 men & 1 officer of every company.
We have been living very well since Col Granbury got here. The meat he bought has helped us very much.
Capt Alexander's Co has been under small pox quarantine for 4 weeks.
Capt Jack Davis has offered his resignation due to ill health.
3/28 Col Granbury came back today very low spirited since his wife passed away about 10 days ago in Mobile where she was being treated. He had gone to Montgomery after her & brought her down to Mobile for treatment when she died.
4/3
Capt Coppedge not here yet
Khleber Miller Van Zandt Papers
Texas Tech
4/9/63 Port Hudson, Van Zandt to Mom-… …Capt Coppedge has not arrived here yet. He was stopped at Fort DeRussey due to some irregularity in his papers. When he started again, the Yank gunboats had now cut off the river route, & he is coming by land. Heard from him last at Ft Adams-Two of the men with him have been left on the road sick
Capt W.L. Coppedge transferred to 7th Texas Infy from 14th Tex Infy
William Lindsay Coppedge, Capt Co K 7th Texas Infy died of chronic diarrhea in Afton, Ala which was in Barbour County-
Co "K", (various counties, added 10 Feb 63): William L. Coppedge