Information overload

[bdtex]

I attended the Hood's Texas Brigade Association Reactivated Annual Symposium in Huntsville, TX this weekend. Met forum members
@Nathanb1 and @Joe Walker in person there. Heard some great speakers talk on a number of subjects regarding Hood's Texas Brigade. Hung out and talked to and mostly listened to a buncha other folks who have been doing this a lot longer than me. Picked up a coupla books and saw lotsa historical ACW artifacts that I did not even know existed. My head was kinda swimming and spinning at times trying to take in everything I was hearing and seeing.

First time I have ever attended an ACW event like that. I was like a kid in a candy store. Quite a thrill. I even picked up a Christmas present for my father in the silent auction. Met some folks from the Houston CWRT too and got on their email list. Looking forward to activities with them too.

 

[AndyHall]

I have not attended one of these seminars, but HTBAR seems to be the model for such groups. You were in very good company.

 

[bdtex]

I have not attended one of these seminars, but HTBAR seems to be the model for such groups. You were in very good company.

It being so close to home and relatively inexpensive,I couldn't come up with a reason not to go. It was great.

 

[DHPatrick]

Sounds like an event I should have attended. Had I known probably would have. It was located a hop and skip down the road from me.

Been out of the country for the past six months and am catching up on things as fast as I can.

 

[bdtex]

Sounds like an event I should have attended. Had I known probably would have. It was located a hop and skip down the road from me.

Been out of the country for the past six months and am catching up on things as fast as I can.

Here is a link to their website. It is not fully updated,but is still helpful.

http://hoodstexasbrigade.org/

 

[bdtex]

Topics covered by the speakers were Hood's Texas Brigade at Chickamauga,at Petersburg to Appomattox and the road home for the soldiers after the surrender at Appomattox. The part of the speaker's talk about Petersburg was helpful for my trip coming up in January. He talked about the section of the Petersburg line known as Deep Bottom and several savage battles there. Trying to find out now if there is anything at Deep Bottom that was preserved for history/study/visitors.

 

[DHPatrick]

bdtex, I haven't been to Petersburg, but do plan a trip to Chickamauga. I have an ancestor, James Reed, from the 32d Miss Inf Regt who was bestowed a small mention on the Rolls of Honor for his service there.

Make sure you share what you find from your trip to Petersburg. I'm interested.

 

[bdtex]

bdtex, I haven't been to Petersburg, but do plan a trip to Chickamauga. I have an ancestor, James Reed, from the 32d Miss Inf Regt who was bestowed a small mention on the Rolls of Honor for his service there.

Make sure you share what you find from your trip to Petersburg. I'm interested.

Next year's HTBAR Battlefield Tour will be at Chickamauga. It will be in early June. More information coming soon. Y'all will probably get tired of my sharing about my trip to Petersburg. A kid in a candy store.

 

[DHPatrick]

Dang, I won't be able to attend. I spent half of each year overseas - duty calls. Maybe someone will attend and share with the rest of us.

 

[bdtex]

Maybe someone will attend and share with the rest of us.

I volunteer.

 

[bdtex]

According to one of the speakers, 617 Hood's Texas Brigade soldiers were paroled at Appomattox. Not all of them were there,but the Muster Rolls listed 617 soldiers on active duty in the Brigade at the time of the surrender. During the war,the casualty rate for the Brigade was 61%.

 

[Confederate grandfathers]

Here is a link to their website. It is not fully updated,but is still helpful.

http://hoodstexasbrigade.org/

So sorry I was unable to attend. Were there any printed handouts of the topics discussed? Thanks for posting.

 

[bdtex]

So sorry I was unable to attend. Were there any printed handouts of the topics discussed? Thanks for posting.

Sorry. No handouts. I took notes.

 

[Legion Para]

At this year's Hood's Texas Brigade Association Reactivated Annual Symposium, did you see any obscure/limited edition books on the Brigade which most of the forum members wouldn't know about or heard of?

 

[ole]

I attended the Hood's Texas Brigade Association Reactivated Annual Symposium in Huntsville, TX this weekend. Met forum members
@Nathanb1 and @Joe Walker in person there. Heard some great speakers talk on a number of subjects regarding Hood's Texas Brigade. Hung out and talked to and mostly listened to a buncha other folks who have been doing this a lot longer than me. Picked up a coupla books and saw lotsa historical ACW artifacts that I did not even know existed. My head was kinda swimming and spinning at times trying to take in everything I was hearing and seeing.

First time I have ever attended an ACW event like that. I was like a kid in a candy store. Quite a thrill. I even picked up a Christmas present for my father in the silent auction. Met some folks from the Houston CWRT too and got on their email list. Looking forward to activities with them too.

Wish I had been there, but have been having some health problems. Would have loved to have met Nate again. And you, and Joe Walker.

There is something magical about meeting people we've been talking to for years.

 

[Drew]

Next year's HTBAR Battlefield Tour will be at Chickamauga. It will be in early June. More information coming soon. Y'all will probably get tired of my sharing about my trip to Petersburg. A kid in a candy store.

Glad you got to participate in this, bdtex.

Now, Chickamauga in June with this group sounds like a winner of an opportunity. I'm going to have to sign up if I possibly can.

 

[bdtex]

At this year's Hood's Texas Brigade Association Reactivated Annual Symposium, did you see any obscure/limited edition books on the Brigade which most of the forum members wouldn't know about or heard of?

The historian for the HTBAR who was also one of the speakers at the Symposium brought his own personal display case of artifacts and rare books,some of which I was not aware of. At the library of Sam Houston State Univ.,there in Huntsville there is also a private collection of rare books,drawings and other artifacts on display. Some of those were brought out for us to view on Friday afternoon. There were some obscure/limited edition books there as I recall. I was so enthralled by it all that I didn't think to take any pics or notes about the books.

 

[Nathanb1]

I appreciate bdtex reporting on another great HTBAR symposium! It was, as always, a real treat. I have to admit, I was a bit under the weather on Saturday--and in fact, I have only brief memories of what went on that day, although those are pretty special! Friday night was absolutely terrific, as Rick Eisermann spoke on the "rivalry" that developed between two veterans (Frank Chilton and Joe Polley) as the process of getting a brigade history written and the monument made went on. His revelations about the correspondence between the men was terrific--and so was the panoramic photo of the 1910 unveiling.

The Thomason Room at the SHSU Gresham Library is amazing. We got to see some "uncovered" photos and other info from the Ben McCulloch Camp--and managed to ID some of the elderly veterans in the pictures--which are great, 8x10 glossies...one of which we figured out was taken inside the Confederate Veterans Home in Austin during a birthday celebration.

We've now finished the "war years"....and the past eight years attending the symposium has been a real blessing for me. We missed Dr. Ural this year (she's been there every year until now), but we had Dr. McCaslin and other great speakers--and the usual great exhibits and fellowship. If you can, hook up with this group. They're dedicated to scholarship--and having a really good time while they do it.

As Ole said, it's a real blessing to meet the folks you've visited with online in person. I managed to get home with my first signed Dale Gallon print -- Desperate Valor. And a bunch of other stuff I don't remember getting . Neal says next time he'll take my temperature before he lets me have a checkbook.

 

[bdtex]

Rick Eisermann spoke on the "rivalry" that developed between two veterans as the process of getting a brigade history written and the monument made went on

The panorama picture of the dedication of the monument in Austin was really special too. Lotta old soldiers from the Brigade were there.

 

[Nathanb1]

At this year's Hood's Texas Brigade Association Reactivated Annual Symposium, did you see any obscure/limited edition books on the Brigade which most of the forum members wouldn't know about or heard of?

Two of the books I love the most are A Soldier's Letters to Darling Nellie by J.B. Polley, and Lone Star Preacher by John Thomason (and illustrated by Col. Thomason). LSP is, of course, a novel....but Thomason grew up being told stories about the war by his grandfather, T.J. Goree (and other vets from Hood's Brigade and other units), and those stories ended up in the book, thinly disguised. It's a gem if you can find an original. Polley's book is available online through the Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas). bdtex is right...in the Thomason Room, there were at least 20 rare books scattered on the tables and set out for us to enjoy. It is pretty overwhelming. Not only did I attend school there and get to regularly visit (thanks to Dr. Ural's class!), but we've gone there with HTBAR for two years--and I'm just now beginning to really start looking rationally instead of going into throes of ecstasy when we walk in!

Jim Mundie books of Kenner, LA is a great source for books on the Trans-Mississippi. [email protected].