Indianola, Texas

[19thOhio]

I am new to this forum. I have researched, written and published a history of the 19thOhio (Dixie Odyssey, Amazon). I have visited, I would say, all physical battlegrounds and sites representing their enlistment from April 1861 through San Antonio in the fall of 1865. There are a couple puzzles that still bug me.
Perhaps some of you have some insight or answers.

One is: (Most of?) the 4th Corps was sent to Texas in the summer of 1865. They (including the 19th Ohio) landed at Indianola. A lack of good water required them to march to Green Lake to bring barrels of fresh (but bad) water back to Indianola. Various sources including abundant signage at Indianola describe a thriving port and town there from about 1850 until the war. This seems to have been a major port for bringing U S soldiers to Texas ten years before the Civil War. If it had been a community earlier, why was there no (or little) fresh water there when they landed? I understand there were no nearby rivers and perhaps wells were brackish? Did they collect rainwater in cisterns? Or was the incoming influx of men overwhelming the scant supply available. I am aware of the heat and mosquitoes that plagued the men. I visited there three weeks ago. I could imagine the heat in August they reported and the night marches to Green Lake and then Son Antonio.

Anyway, I though some forum members would have any thoughts on the topic?

Paul Hobe

 

[DaveBrt]

I am new to this forum. I have researched, written and published a history of the 19thOhio (Dixie Odyssey, Amazon). I have visited, I would say, all physical battlegrounds and sites representing their enlistment from April 1861 through San Antonio in the fall of 1865. There are a couple puzzles that still bug me.
Perhaps some of you have some insight or answers.

One is: (Most of?) the 4th Corps was sent to Texas in the summer of 1865. They (including the 19th Ohio) landed at Indianola. A lack of good water required them to march to Green Lake to bring barrels of fresh (but bad) water back to Indianola. Various sources including abundant signage at Indianola describe a thriving port and town there from about 1850 until the war. This seems to have been a major port for bringing U S soldiers to Texas ten years before the Civil War. If it had been a community earlier, why was there no (or little) fresh water there when they landed? I understand there were no nearby rivers and perhaps wells were brackish? Did they collect rainwater in cisterns? Or was the incoming influx of men overwhelming the scant supply available. I am aware of the heat and mosquitoes that plagued the men. I visited there three weeks ago. I could imagine the heat in August they reported and the night marches to Green Lake and then Son Antonio.

Anyway, I though some forum members would have any thoughts on the topic?

Paul Hobe

Welcome to our discussions. I cannot provide any information on the water question, but you might find my web site of use: www.csa-railroads.com. There are two railroads in your area -- the Indianola RR and the San Antonio & Mexican Gulf RR. I have maps and transcriptions of some 50 Confederate documents on those 2 roads.

 

[FedericoFCavada]

A Brief History of Indianola, Texas

Dedicated to the historic city of Indianola, Tx. Then and now...

indianolatx.com

Calhoun County

Map of Calhoun County, Texas, including the Gulf Coast region. Scale ca. 1:133,334 (4000 varas per inch).

texashistory.unt.edu

It has always been a very insalubrious place. I'm not surprised there was no water, since it is very low-lying and surrounded by saline water, with the water behind even saltier than seawater due to evaporation of the shallows. After yellow-fever--"vómito negro" and a series of hurricanes, it was finally abandoned in favor of other coastal ports. In fact, some Texas low-lying coastal areas were so unhealthy, that African American troops were often sent there in the mistaken notion that they must be more resistant to yellow fever and other ailments.

 

[Pollaco]

I agree with FedricoFCavada that fresh water was scarce in that part of the country. It was an almost ideal location for a seaport but while not an island it was almost surrounded by salt water. I had just read an interesting book about Indianola but I don't recall drinking water or lack of it was even mentioned in the book.

 

[Ole Miss]

Welcome from the Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing Forum and North Mississippi! As you the 19th Ohio was enaged in battle on April 7th, so be sure and visit the Forum soon
Regards
David

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy

 

[J. D. Stevens]

A lack of good water required them to march to Green Lake to bring barrels of fresh (but bad) water back to Indianola.

There were wells in Indianola, but the water was brackish which caused problems for the occupation troops stationed there in 1863/64. When the federal troops sallied out of Indianola on occasional raids to steal fresh supplies, they also searched for fresh water to fill their canteens with better water. They surely had cisterns for catching rain water.

 

[Pollaco]

I'm pretty sure most wells in that time period were shallow. Brackish water along the Texas Coast is nothing new.My sister lived near the Powderhorn Ranch 50 years ago and said the water was "fishy".

 

[Pollaco]

In the book "Indianola, The Mother of Western Texas" by Brownson Malsch the author mentions a Bullard Windmill in March of 1848. I wasn't aware windmills were available that early. I would have guessed they became available a generation later. He also mentions how rain water was captured in either underground cement or above ground cypress cisterns. And how even salty or brackish water was used very sparingly.
These sentences open chapter lll. "An adequate supply of potable water was to remain a constant problem at Indian Point. There was no fresh stream nearby from which good water could be secured for household purposes and for placement in the boilers of steam powered ships.Green Lake, which could have provided a limitless quantity, was almost 20 miles distant. It might as well have been on the moon".

 

[Seduzal]

Welcome to CWT from the Smoky Mountain side of North Carolina. Just jump right in and enjoy. Thanks for sharing this awesome story and questions.

 

[19thOhio]

Thanks for all the comments and extra insight.

Although I may be "speaking to the choir" on this forum, I would be glad to share my sources to anyone interested in my research as the 19th Ohio was sent to Texas.

I have another question but will put that on the eastern theater forum.

 

[Nathanb1]

In the book "Indianola, The Mother of Western Texas" by Brownson Malsch the author mentions a Bullard Windmill in March of 1848. I wasn't aware windmills were available that early. I would have guessed they became available a generation later. He also mentions how rain water was captured in either underground cement or above ground cypress cisterns. And how even salty or brackish water was used very sparingly.
These sentences open chapter lll. "An adequate supply of potable water was to remain a constant problem at Indian Point. There was no fresh stream nearby from which good water could be secured for household purposes and for placement in the boilers of steam powered ships.Green Lake, which could have provided a limitless quantity, was almost 20 miles distant. It might as well have been on the moon".

Wonder what a Bullard Windmill was??? You were right, as far as manufactured windmills go; apparently the first manufacturer was 1850.

Third Planet Windpower

I've actually been to the American Windmill Museum in Lubbock, during a history teacher's workshop there.

 

[Pollaco]

Wonder what a Bullard Windmill was??? You were right, as far as manufactured windmills go; apparently the first manufacturer was 1850.

Third Planet Windpower

I've actually been to the American Windmill Museum in Lubbock, during a history teacher's workshop there.

I thought about that too. It could have been a family named Bullard or the make of windmill. The way the author worded it I wasn't sure. Maybe thumbing through this book the Bullard name will show up again.