The Tenth Texas Infantry Regiment was organized by
Allison Nelson, a former Texas legislator and delegate to the 1861 Texas
Secession Convention. Nelson was a veteran of the
Mexican War and had been a staunch advocate of Cuban independence in the 1850s, even serving as a brigadier general in the Cuban revolutionary forces under Narcisco Lopez. In addition to Nelson, the Tenth Texas's field officers included Maj.
Semore C. Brasher, Maj.
John Kennard,
Roger Q. Mills (major and lieutenant colonel), and
Robert B. Young (lieutenant colonel and colonel).
* 5/28 PUBLISHED IN THE
WASHINGTON (ARKANSAS) TELEGRAPH ON MAY 28:
"The splendid infantry regiment from Texas under the command of Col. A. Nelson struck their camps and marched through our town [Ed: on the 26th]
...on their way to Little Rock. Everyone of our good citizens express the highest admiration of this regiment. Its good condition and orderly conduct speaks highly of its officers; whilst the appearance of the men, their excellent drill, and well-appointed arms, give us assurance of most efficient service... This regiment has an excellent brass band."
8 June 1862 - Sunday (Little Rock, Arkansas)
* MAJ. GEN. THOMAS C. HINDMAN, TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT:
"Allison Nelson ... a most excellent officer, arrived at Little Rock, from Texas with his well-armed and finely-disciplined regiment of infantry."
[Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman - Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Chapter XXV, page 35]
* PVT. ISAIAH HARLAN, CO. G, 10TH TEXAS INFANTRY:
"After a long & wearisome march we have reached our destination at least for a short time. We are encamped within four or five miles of Little Rock in the state of Arkansas. The yankeys got the Mississippi before we could get across and consequently we will have to operate west of the river. We are under Gen. Hindman who commands in this department. He is the same who had his horse killed at Shiloh by the explosion of a shell. He is said to be an able General." We had a good deal of sickness on the march and several deaths. My own health is not very good, though I am able to do duty. My bowels are damaged in consequence of not having proper diet. We are fed altogether on bacon and bread at times a little Arkansas beef, worse than the meinest beef we got at Virginia Point last winter. We'll be better furnished, however, I hope, as soon as Hindman gets things to working. He is said to be a man of great energy and will no doubt do something for us."
[Harlan Letters - Confederate Research Center, Hill Jr. College, Hillsboro, Texas]
9 September 1862 - Tuesday (Camp Hope - Austin, Arkansas)
* PVT. BENJAMIN M. SEATON, CO. G, 10TH TEXAS INFANTRY:
"ther was a bregade party given by Colonel Gorge Sweat [Ed: George H. Sweet]
commanding the bregade. Ther was 4,000 or 5,000 solders on the ground and som 30 or 40 ladys allso on the ground tho the men behaved so bad that the ladys left in dysgust and went home - this is no place fer women."
[The Bugle Softly Blows; the diary of Benjamin M. Seaton - Edited by Harold B. Simpson]