Value of Horse from Muster Roll for 9th Texas Cavalry and Question

[Kwheaton]

Found it fascinating that my ancestor's Muster roll had the vale of his Horse ($100) and Equipment ($18). (in today's dollars that would be about $3,000) My question did he supply his own horse or was this supplied to him? I note when he applied for a pension (Which was denied---I think because he did not identify his unit properly and was listed only by his initials) he states in 1906 he has two old mares valued at $50. So he was 70 years old but still had horses.

 

[ucvrelics]

He supplied his own horse, saddle etc. If you look at some of the later war musters the price of horses was way up.

 

[Woods-walker]

Found it fascinating that my ancestor's Muster roll had the vale of his Horse ($100) and Equipment ($18). (in today's dollars that would be about $3,000) My question did he supply his own horse or was this supplied to him? I note when he applied for a pension (Which was denied---I think because he did not identify his unit properly and was listed only by his initials) he states in 1906 he has two old mares valued at $50. So he was 70 years old but still had horses.

Hey Kwheaton welcome to CWTs thread on cavalry.
The Union supplied all horses. The Confederacy took a somewhat different approach. They supplied all horses except for cavalry and officers. In other words the CS government only supplied horses for supply wagons and artillery.
The decision by the south proved to be a bad choice - at least somewhat.
The confederate government paid their cavalrymen for using their own horse, but as the war grew longer and the supply of horses became less the law was devastating to the trooper. For example if his horse was killed or deemed unserviceable the government only gave the solder the value of the horse when he enlisted. As horses grew more valuable with the war dragging on, and the Confederate money devalued the southern cavalrymen couldn’t afford to buy a horse with the competition money- if he could find one!
If you want more details I will be glad to assist or point you in the right direction if I don’t know the answer. Also if you wish, most of the kinds of questions, like yours, are addressed in my book General Robert E Lee’s Warhorses, Newman Springs Publishing.
Again thanks for stopping by.

 

[Kwheaton]

Thank you. I will look for your book. My ancestor William Marsh FRANKLIN 9th Texas Cavalry applied for a pension in 1906 and was disapproved even though he served. At the time he was 70 and wrote he was with John Rabbo Company detached. Where muster rolls show he was in service from Oct 14, 1861 until June 1864 with Company E 9 TX CAV Under Capt Joseph C Hart's Company at enlistment Later Co E J.W. At the time he had asthma and "smothering spells."

 

[Woods-walker]

I believe you will find the 9th TX to be one of the earlier regiments that were thrown together with a hodgepodge of weapons and other equipment.
You are fortunate to have traced an anseastor

 

[Woods-walker]

Sorry my iPhone froze while replying
I was saying you are fortunate to have traced an ancestor to a specific CW regiment. Have you looked into the 9th TX exploits?

 

[Kwheaton]

A little. Just piecing things together bit by bit.

 

[Kwheaton]

Found a advertisement that directly answers the question too.

 

[Woods-walker]

Excellent find! Do you know if your ancestor joined at any of the towns listed?

 

[Kwheaton]

According to the muster Roll he enlisted on Oct 14, 1861. It states Camp Reeves. There is no extant Enlistment paper. He was of Company E which was recruited From Red River County. He is listed on the Clarksville, Red River County Census in 1860. Note the rendezvous was in Clarksville on the 20th of August. I have ordered up the book All Afire to Fight : The Untold Tale of the Civil War's Ninth Texas Cavalry...so perhaps that will yield more. I feel like the beginnings of the story are coming together. His father Josiah Franklin was born 4 February in 1800 in what was then Georgia Territory but became Tuscaloosa Alabama. He moved to Red River Co. before 1855 and was a Farmer there. In 1860 AG Schedule he owned 6 horses.

 

[Dave DuBrucq]

Found it fascinating that my ancestor's Muster roll had the vale of his Horse ($100) and Equipment ($18). (in today's dollars that would be about $3,000) My question did he supply his own horse or was this supplied to him? I note when he applied for a pension (Which was denied---I think because he did not identify his unit properly and was listed only by his initials) he states in 1906 he has two old mares valued at $50. So he was 70 years old but still had horses.

Was that value in Confederate Dollars? If so I would postulate it was far less than $3,000 in today's money. Just saying.
He had two mares at age 70. I have a gelding and a mare at age 70 and still love to ride! I just don't bounce as easily as I did 20 years ago when unhorsed.

 

[Woods-walker]

Was that value in Confederate Dollars? If so I would postulate it was far less than $3,000 in today's money. Just saying.
He had two mares at age 70. I have a gelding and a mare at age 70 and still love to ride! I just don't bounce as easily as I did 20 years ago when unhorsed.

In 1861 the Confederate $ was worth more that as the war went on. According to an online inflation calculation I ve come to depend on over the years he’s in the ballpark of $3k. I am not saying my inflation calculator is correct but I think it is relatively correct

 

[Dave DuBrucq]

In 1861 the Confederate $ was worth more that as the war went on. According to an online inflation calculation I ve come to depend on over the years he’s in the ballpark of $3k. I am not saying my inflation calculator is correct but I think it is relatively correct

Perhaps the value of the horse was inflated. If memory serves the average grade hose went for about $20.

 

[Woods-walker]

You’re right about inflated prices. But not just horses. When researching for my book General Robert E Lee’s Warhorses, the south began to feel the shortage of horses and the prices rise accordingly in conjunction with the fall of value of confederate $
Great point you made. Thanks

 

[DaveBrt]

My ancestor brought a horse worth $130 and a double barrel shotgun and sixshooter worth $15 to the 6th Texas Cavalry muster in Dallas in September 1861. It does not appear that the value for the horses were in the neighborhood of $20, nor had inflation hit yet when your man enlisted.

 

[Kwheaton]

The value was listed on his "Confederate" Muster Roll It would be in Oct 1861. The Value of his livestock which included horses 5 dairy cows and 27 cattle was $680 in 1860. So yes the value may have been inflated---but not as much as later in the war?

 

[danny]

FYI

https://books.google.com/books?id=G...SoASi94EI&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
Richard Lowe, ed., A Texas Cavalry Officer's Civil War: The Diary and Letters of James C. Bates, (Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1999.)

George L. Griscom, Homer L. Kerr, ed., Fighting With Ross' Texas Cavalry Brigade C.S.A.: The Diary of George L. Griscom, Adjutant, 9th Texas Cavalry Regiment, (Hillsboro, TX: Hill Jr. College Press, 1976.)

http://sites.rootsweb.com/~txcooke/recollections_of_the_great_war.htm

 

[Kwheaton]

FYI

https://books.google.com/books?id=G...SoASi94EI&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
Richard Lowe, ed., A Texas Cavalry Officer's Civil War: The Diary and Letters of James C. Bates, (Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1999.)

George L. Griscom, Homer L. Kerr, ed., Fighting With Ross' Texas Cavalry Brigade C.S.A.: The Diary of George L. Griscom, Adjutant, 9th Texas Cavalry Regiment, (Hillsboro, TX: Hill Jr. College Press, 1976.)

http://sites.rootsweb.com/~txcooke/recollections_of_the_great_war.htm

Fantastic---Love new resources to check out! Thank you.

 

[Kwheaton]

Okay the plot thickens each of William FRANKLIN's brothers served in Texas Cavalry:

Charles Pickney FRANKLIN Co A of 23rd TX Cavalry
Solomon Andrew (Jackson) FRANKLIN Wilson's 2 Battalion TX Cavalry

So I am guessing these brothers were avid horseman before the war.

 

[Woods-walker]

Nice catch @Kwheaton!