Gonzalez Texas, C.S.A.

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Saturday morning I yet again made the short drive over to Gonzalez to complete some Texas Revolution research, and snap some more photos.

Today I started going though and organizing all 327 pictures. I realized that I had enough non-revolution photos that I could post up a short thread here at CivilWarTalk to give ya'll a glimpse into some of the Civil War history that Gonzalez has to offer.

So, welcome to Gonzalez!

In the immediate shadow of the iconic watertower you will (not) find Fort Waul:

A short distance away (and adjacent to the jail that John Wesley Hardin managed to escape in November 1872) you will find a monument to the local men who died while in service to the Confederacy. Constructed by Frank Teich, it was donated/dedicated by the UDC in 1910:

Standing only a few yards further is a much more modest (yet equally important) marker dedicated to the women of the confederacy:

A few blocks further east puts you at the reflecting pool and doorstep to the Gonzalez Memorial Museum, where aside from the legendary 'Come and Take It' piece you will find the sidearm of Louis Burchard, who served with the 1st Texas Heavy Artillery:

Also found amongst the exhibits is a post-war era check signed by none other than Walter P. Lane:

Unfortunately the signage for the following left much to be desired, but under these colors "11 companies of confederates mustered in"...

(I will follow up on this and report back.)

Lastly, this was my favorite of the day:

Joseph D. Gates served with the 1st Texas Cavalry under Henry Eustace McCulloch (Ben's little brother).

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

For those interested, here is an article about the 2009 rededication ceremony - as well as a few specifics regarding the original dedication of the Gonzalez confederate monument.

Of particular interest is the time capsule - and that the cornerstone was laid by none other than Joseph D. Gates (mentioned above).

http://m.gonzalesinquirer.com/news/...c77-3e32-5246-8e61-85a18d437833.html?mode=jqm

 

[bdtex]

Outstanding. Thanks for the pictures. Did I read correctly that there would be a follow-up post about the flag? The flag looks awesome.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Outstanding. Thanks for the pictures. Did I read correctly that there would be a follow-up post about the flag? The flag looks awesome.

Absolutely.

I have some stuff to catch up on, but I certainly plan to post a follow-up on what I learn in regards to the colors.

I'm going to guess offhand that they are connected to elements of Hood's brigade by way of Camp Clark (Guadalupe County) and/or Camp Van Dorn (Harrisburg).

And I'm glad you enjoyed the photos!

I had h*ll with the glare - the window locations and the overcast conditions really gave me a hard time with the camera.

 

[bdtex]

I have some stuff to catch up on, but I certainly plan to post a follow-up on what I learn in regards to the colors.

Great. Looking forward to that.

 

[bdtex]

And I'm glad you enjoyed the photos!

I had h*ll with the glare - the window locations and the overcast conditions really gave me a hard time with the camera.

Yeah. I know. I hate that. It's tough.

 

[Nathanb1]

Yeah. I know. I hate that. It's tough.

Just imagine how Henry feels still being Ben's "little brother."

 

[Nathanb1]

And thanks for your hard work, 7th! I lived there a long time ago and have visited since... but apparently I missed a lot.

 

[bdtex]

I poked around in FindAGrave for a little while. I'm weird like that now. A number of Confederate veterans are buried in Gonzalez County.

 

[Desert Kid]

Didn't Gonzalez County vote for secession?

 

[AUG]

Nice post! Despite being born and raised in San Antonio, I've never been over to Gonzales.

I don't think any of Hood's Texans were recruited in Gonzales County (at least not companies) but there were certainly other companies raised there. IIRC, some of Terry's Texas Rangers (8th Texas Cav.) came from around there.

Edit: Checked Lone Star Regiments in Gray by Wooster. Companies C, E and I of the 8th Texas Cavalry were all from Gonzales. Also Co. I "Gonzales Invincibles" of the 2nd Texas Infantry and Co. C of the 6th Texas Infantry.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Didn't Gonzalez County vote for secession?

Indeed, almost by a landslide.

 

[bdtex]

IIRC, some of Terry's Texas Rangers (8th Texas Cav.) came from around there.

Indeed:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=121&GScid=2131&GRid=10621820&

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Nice post! Despite being born and raised in San Antonio, I've never been over to Gonzales.

I don't think any of Hood's Texans were recruited in Gonzales County (at least not companies) but there were certainly other companies raised there. IIRC, some of Terry's Texas Rangers (8th Texas Cav.) came from around there.

Thanks man!

Yes sir, you are (of course!) absolutely correct about the 8th Texas...

A whole lot of boys initially joined up out of Gonzalez and the surrounding counties as the 1st Texas Cavalry (CSA) / 1st Texas Mounted Rifles / McCulloch's Rangers - and in April of '62 the regiment was reduced and thus the 8th Texas Cavalry / Terry's Texas Rangers were formed.

As far as mustering in - and I am a Simpson follower as well - but we are offered the following passage by Edward B. Williams in 'Hood's Texas Brigade in the Civil War':

Company A (Hardeman Rifles) of the 4th Texas Infantry was out of Gonzalez County... in fact the local Gonzalez UCV chapter that donated a good number of these historical
articles adopted the namesake of John C.G. Key Camp (#156).

So that could account for ONE of the companies of the 4th Texas Infantry that were mustered in under these particular colors - but Williams also hints that 'some' companies of the 4th and 5th Texas Infantry mustered in at Camp Clark - but our missing TEN?!?!



I look forward to the research for sure!

 

[AUG]

Indeed:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=121&GScid=2131&GRid=10621820&

Checked Lone Star Regiments in Gray by Wooster. Companies C, E and I of the 8th Texas Cavalry were all from Gonzales. Also Co. I "Gonzales Invincibles" of the 2nd Texas Infantry and Co. C of the 6th Texas Infantry.

Thanks man!

Yes sir, you are (of course!) absolutely correct about the 8th Texas...

A whole lot of boys initially joined up out of Gonzalez and the surrounding counties as the 1st Texas Cavalry (CSA) / 1st Texas Mounted Rifles / McCulloch's Rangers - and in April of '62 the regiment was reduced and thus the 8th Texas Cavalry / Terry's Texas Rangers were formed.

As far as mustering in - and I am a Simpson follower as well - but we are offered the following passage by Edward B. Williams in 'Hood's Texas Brigade in the Civil War':


View attachment 116861

Company A (Hardeman Rifles) of the 4th Texas Infantry was out of Gonzalez County... in fact the local Gonzalez UCV chapter that donated a good number of these historical
articles adopted the namesake of John C.G. Key Camp (#156).

So that could account for ONE of the companies of the 4th Texas Infantry that were mustered in under these particular colors - but Williams also hints that 'some' companies of the 4th and 5th Texas Infantry mustered in at Camp Clark - but our missing TEN?!?!



I look forward to the research for sure!

Thanks for the reply, but man, I'm confused! Unless I'm missing something here I read that Company A, 4th Texas Infantry, was recruited in Goliad County....

As for the flag, well that pattern didn't come into use until later in the war. The "St. Andrews Cross" design first saw use in the ANV by late 1861 (with a few exceptions in the AoT), but it didn't make its way to the Western and Trans-Miss. theaters en masse until about late 1863 and into 1864.