I had heard about the Texas Civil War Museum from some friends at Whitney. They mentioned that the museum was closing its doors for good on October 31. Since we were going to be in the area for Jim's radiation treatment, we went to visit on Thursday. I asked why it was closing and was told that the owner was very sick and the state of Texas did not want anything to do with the museum or the artifacts. That's such a shame as the whole museum was dedicated to Texas' history during the civil war. All of the artifacts were originals.
Outside was a 10" bore Confederate Columbiad Long Range Smoothbore Gun. It looks like a cannon to me.
The gun was cast in May, 1863 by the Tredegar Iron Works of Richmond, Virginia. It weighed 13,366 lbs. which cost the Confederate government $5,303. It was one of 274 guns protecting the City of Charleston, South Carolina and Charleston Harbor from a coastal attack by the U.S. Navy. It fired a 100 lb. round exploding shell or a 120 lb. solid shot ball and had an effective range of 2.8 miles.
On February 28, 1877, the schooner Philadelphia left Charleston Harbor with a load of scrap iron headed north for a smelter in Philadelphia. The ship was full of scrap railroad iron on the lower deck and the upper deck carried 25 large guns from the Civil War defenses of Charleston. The next night on March 1, 1877, the overweight ship began to take on water. The crew escaped by lifeboat and the ship went down about an hour later in 80 feet of water. The location was midway between Charleston and Myrtle Beach 20 miles offshore. The wreck was discovered in November 1944, and salvage operations for the guns are continuing. This was the 4th gun recovered.
In June 1863, Union forces began a diligent effort to re-take Fort Sumpter and capture the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The city was considered the birthplace of secession and its capture would be a symbolic blow to the morale of the South. However, this task would prove very difficult to achieve.
The Confederates had stationed thousands of men and 250 pieces of artillery to protect Charleston. U.S. forces on land and sea fought and skirmished the Confederates for almost two years and could not take the city or Fort Sumpter. It was not until General Sherman and his army of 100,000 men arrived that the city and fort were evacuated on February 17, 1865.
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| 13 Star Confederate Battle Flag |
Elected legislatures of 11 Southern Confederate States voted to secede from the Federal Union. However, only remnants of a Southern government remained in Missouri where Governor Claiborne Jackson was forced to leave the capitol at Jefferson City by advancing Union troops. Also, the Southern cause made little headway in Pro-Union Kentucky. Nonetheless, the Confederate Congress in Richmond, Virginia admitted Missouri to the Confederacy on November 28, 1861, and admitted Kentucky on December 13, 1861. Accordingly, 13 states made up the Confederate States of America with each state represented by a star on the Confederate Battle Flag. Although Missouri and Kentucky were slave states, they provided significantly more soldiers to the North than the South.
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| Pontoon Bridges |
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| Civil War Map 1861 to 1865 |
"It is well that war is so terrible, else men would learn to love it too much." ~~ Robert E. Lee
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| Soldier's blanket |
This blanket was carried by Private Lukin Foertner of Co. C, Waul's Texas Legion (Infantry). Private Foertner enlisted at age 21 on March 28, 1862 in Houston, Texas and was assigned to Waul's Texas Legion. The two Infantry battalions of the Legion were heavily engaged during the Siege of Vicksburg. These battalions (including Pvt. Foertner) were captured on July 4, 1863, when Vicksburg fell. Foertner was sent to Camp Morton, Indiana, where he died on July 13, 1863. The cause of death is listed as "inflammation of the brain." Foertner's blanket is embroidered with his name and a Texas Star.
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| Early War Frock Coat |
This coat demonstrates the wide variety of uniforms of the Confederates early in the war. All styles and colors of local militia units including shirts and short jackets could be found in the Confederate ranks. After Manassas, the U.S. quickly standardized all uniforms to dark blue coats while the Confederacy could never procure standardized uniforms for its troops.
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| Confederate Shirt |
This shirt was traded to a Union Soldier for Hardtack following the surrender of Port Hudson, Louisiana on July 9, 1863. Port Hudson was a Confederate garrison guarding the Mississippi River 25 miles north of Baton Rouge. It was the last Confederate position to fall on the river, which gave total control to the Union gunboats. Port Hudson was cut off from food and supplies by U.S. General Bank's Army of the Gulf. Under siege for 43 days and near starvation, the 5,500 Confederates surrendered. According to one soldier, "we ate all the beef, all the mules, all the dogs and all the rats that could be obtained."
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| Butternut Colored Jacket |
This jacket was worn by Private James S. Wise, Co. G 41st Georgia Infantry. It was made at the Columbus Clothing Depot located in Columbus, Georgia. Private Wise enlisted on March 10, 1862, and served in the Western Theater of the Civil War. In July 1863, he was captured in the defeat at Vicksburg, Mississippi and paroled several days later. He was captured again at the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864, and sent to Camp Chase prison in Ohio until paroled on March 4, 1865. Wise died November 6, 1900, in Carroll County, Georgia.
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| Slouch Hat |
The "hand in coat" pose was common in pictures from the 18th and 19th century. Some have said it is linked to freemasonry because many masons have been pictured doing it. Was this ever a masonic thing? If so is it still done today? See: Why Do Men Tuck One Hand On Their Clothes In Paintings And Photographs?
Born in Nashville, Tennessee on October 20, 1820, Benjamin F. Cheatham served as a colonel of Tennessee Volunteers in the Mexican-American War. He served in the Confederate Army of Tennessee throughout the war and was given command of a corps in 1864. After the war, he served as superintendent of the Tennessee State Prisons and as Postmaster of Nashville. He died on September 4, 1886, in Nashville and is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
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| Confederate Officers' Frock Coat |
Bryan Grimes began his military career as a major in the 4th North Carolina Regiment. The Regiment was assigned to the 2nd Corps under General Stonewall Jackson in the Army of Northern Virginia commanded by Robert E. Lee. In 1862, he was promoted to colonel. He had a reputation as a furious fighter and lost 10 horses that he rode in battle. He was promoted to major general on February 15, 1865. Grimes commanded his division in the last attack of Lee's army at Appomattox Courthouse. He died at his home "Grimesland," North Carolina in August, 1880.
The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, September 1862: "They were the dirtiest men I ever saw, a most ragged, lean and hungry set of wolves. Yet there was a dash about them that the Northern men lacked. Were these dirty, lank, ugly specimens of humanity the men that had driven back again and again our splendid legions with their fine discipline, their martial show and colour? I felt humiliated at the thought that this horde of ragamuffins could set our grand army of the Union at defiance. Oh! They are so dirty! I don't think the Potomac River could wash them clean."
Since this was the last day of operation for the museum, there were some musicians dressed up in period attire and playing songs. I was able to download a couple of their songs.
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| Original 1852 1st Edition of Uncle Tom's Cabin |
In 1852, author Harriet Beecher Stowe of Brunswick, Maine published a two volume fictional story about slavery in the South. The work focused on harsh conditions and miserable every daily life on some Southern plantations. Vivid descriptions of the abuses of slaves stunned Northerners that this could be happening. Southerners were also angry and accused Stowe of negatively stereotyping the Southern way of life.
The book was very popular, selling over 300,000 copies in 1852 alone and it became the talk of the nation. As a result, the North and South became even more deeply divided and slavery now became one of the major issues that led to civil war.
The election of Abraham Lincoln in November 1860 became the event that set in motion the secession of the Southern States from the Union. By 1860 (because of rapid growth in Northern population and new non-slave States added to the Union) the South had effectively lost its ability to block legislation that was detrimental to its interests. Furthermore, Abraham Lincoln had campaigned on the promise that no new slaves states would be added to the Union. As the United States grew, the federal government could simply legislate its will upon the Southern states. The South had two options to deal with this dilemma: (1) Stay in the Union and be governed by the majority; or (2) withdraw or secede from the Union and form a new government which probably meant a civil war.
The South chose secession and with the attack on the federal garrison at Fort Sumpter, South Carolina, on April 12, 1861, the American Civil War had begun.
The following states chose to secede from the Union: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and Kentucky.
***The first U.S. Income Tax was passed on August 2, 1861, under President Lincoln. It called for a 3% tax on incomes over $800 per year.***
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| Regimental Flag of the Second Regiment, New York State Militia |
This flag was presented by the citizens of New York to the Second Regiment, State Militia just prior to the beginning of the American Civil War. The Regiment reported for duty on April 15, 1861, and participated in the First Battle of Manassas in July 1861. It suffered 45 casualties during this battle. On December 7, 1861, the Second New York was designated as the 82nd Infantry Regiment and remained the 82nd until June 25, 1864, when the Regiment mustered out due to expiration of term.
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| U.S. National Flag of Co. C 116 Illinois Infantry Regiment |
The 116th Illinois was formed in September 1862 and served in the Western Theater for the entire war. The flag carries 13 battle honors which represents significant engagements in which the company participated. The final battle (Bentonville, N.C.) occurred on March 20, 1865. It is likely this flag was presented after the Bentonville battle in time for the Grand Review of Sherman's Army in Washington, D.C. on May 24, 1865. The regiment and company were disbanded on June 7, 1865.
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| 1st National Confederate Flag made by the ladies of Estillville, Virginia |
It was customary when the war began in 1861 that each town or county presented a flag to the local men as they left for war. The Estillville Davis Guards were mustered into the Confederate Army as Company D, 37th Virginia Infantry. When each regiment received their battle flags, those home made banners were generally returned home as this one was. The name Davis referred to the elected president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis. The 37th Regiment was attached to the Army of Northern Virginia under the command of General Robert E. Lee and was attached to Stonewall Jackson's Corps. They were shot up and killed so that only a few men surrendered at Appomattox.
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| Battle Flag of the 2nd Texas Infantry Regiment |
The 2nd Texas Infantry was formed in September 1861 at Galveston. The first battle for the Texans was Shiloh, Tennessee in April 1862. After Shiloh, the Federals pressed the Confederates to the City of Corinth, Mississippi where the Federals occupied the town. The Confederates attacked in areas around Corinth including a battle at nearby Farmington, Mississippi on May 9, 1862. When Confederate Regiments performed well in battle, they were allowed to place battle honors on their flag. Thus, the 2nd Texas placed "Shiloh" and "Farmington" on their flag as battle honors.
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| U.S. Cavalry Swallow Tail Guidon |
These small flags of the swallow tail design were carried into battle by cavalry regiments. This unidentified 1863-64 flag with 35 stars is made of silk.
All items in this case were used by Lt. Col. John G. Walker who was a member of Terry's Texas Rangers. Walker joined the Rangers in September 1861, and was elected captain of Company K. The first action occurred in Woodsonville, Kentucky. Col. Benjamin Terry was killed. Captain Walker was shot in the arm and lost partial use of it. The Rangers were in constant action through Shiloh, Tennessee. After Shiloh, the Rangers were assigned to Nathan Bedford Forrest's command. Walker resigned on October 6, 1862 due to his wound and saddle fatigue. Colonel Walker returned to Confederate service in November 1863 as Provost Marshal of Orange County, Texas and served in that capacity to the war's end. He died on July 12, 1869.
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| Saddle Blanket (Shabraque) and field sword |
Philip Henry Sheridan was born in Albany, New York on March 6, 1831. He graduated from West Point in 1853. With the outbreak of the civil war, Sheridan served as quartermaster under General Halleck. Dissatisfied with this assignment, he was appointed Colonel of the 2nd Michigan Cavalry in May, 1862. Due to his success in battle, Sheridan was promoted to major general of volunteers on December 31, 1862. His division fought with distinction during the Battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga. This came to the attention of Ulysses S. Grant who gave him command of all cavalry in the U.S. Army of the Potomac. His cavalry corps gave the Confederates fits during the spring of 1864 campaigns by cutting supply lines and communications.
In August 1864 Grant gave Sheridan command of the newly formed Army of the Shenandoah with orders to drive the Confederates out and destroy all supplies that could aid the enemy. On October 19, 1864, Sheridan's Army was attacked by Confederate General Jubal Early's Corps at the Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia. Being in Washington at this time, Sheridan made his famous ride on his horse, Rienzi, to rally his troops and win the battle. Sheridan died on August 5, 1888.
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| National Flag of the U.S. Sanitary Commission |
The Sanitary Commission was organized by civilians in June 1861 to provide nursing care for sick and wounded soldiers. It also furnished food, lodging, paper, stamps and telegraphed relatives of the very sick. The central office was in Washington D.C. with main branches in 10 of the North's largest cities. The Sanitary Commission was financed by private donations and by funds raised at Sanitary Fairs which were held throughout the North. This flag flew at Hospital No. 15 which was located in Beaufort, South Carolina.
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| Amputation Kit |
Serious wounds to arms and legs were dealt with by amputation. Thousands of amputations were performed during the war. Jared W. Tuttle, Surgeon with the 29th Illinois Infantry Regiment, entered military service on April 25, 1862, and promptly went to work in the field near the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee. Like many soldiers in war time, Tuttle was not prepared to deal with death and sickness on such a large scale. He was discharged from the army on November 1, 1862 for excessive drinking.
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| Medical Box |
Although the box is empty, Dr. Pugh probably used this box to store bandages and other supplies used to care for his patients. Chimborzo Hospital in Richmond, Virginia could hold up to 3,600 patients and was the largest medical facility in the South. Its pavilion style wards, with good ventilation along with the dedication of the staff offered excellent care for the 78,000 admitted patients. The hospital was turned over to the Union surgeons upon their arrival in the city on April 3, 1865.
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| Stomach Pump |
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| Amputation Kit |
This amputation kit was used by Dr. Sidney B. Barham. He served as an assistant surgeon in a prison hospital called Hospital No. 11 located in the City of Richmond. His poor health caused him to leave Confederate service in the fall of 1862. During the remainder of the war, he volunteered as he was able to tend to the wounded and sick Southern soldier along with their families. Dr. Barham practiced medicine in Petersburg until his death in 1915.
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| Underground Keg Mine |
The Underground Keg Mine, also known as a Confederate torpedo, also known as An Infernal Machine. "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" These were the words shouted by Rear Admiral David Farragut after a Confederate mine sank the USS Tecumseh in Mobile Bay, Alabama on August 5, 1864. The destruction of Union ships around Mobile Bay was severe. During the campaign that ended on April 12, 1865, nine U.S. warships were sunk by the Mobile Bay mines.
This mine is a Rains barrel type that was recovered during the Civil War in Mobile Bay. It was developed by General Gabriel James Rains, Chief of the Confederate Torpedo Service. The main body is made from a barrel or keg and the inside and outer surface is coated with tar to make it watertight. The barrel was then filled with black powder with an air pocket left for buoyancy. The mine was then tied with a rope to a weight, which was then dropped to the seabed. It was set just below the surface of the water. One fuse was attached to each side. When the ship's hull struck the fuse, the pressure from the hit caused the volatile chemicals inside the fuse to ignite the flame. The flame traveled down the fuse tube to the gunpowder chamber, which caused the mine to explode.
The Confederate torpedoes sank more U.S. ships than all the other Confederate weapons or ships combined. Twenty-seven U.S. ships were lost and hundreds of sailors were killed as a result of the underwater mine explosions. Not only were they used in Mobile Bay, but also in Charleston Harbor, Yazoo River, James River, Red River, and the St. John's River, Florida.
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| USS Tecumseh |
This picture is a view of the sinking Monitor Tecumseh. While Farragut was making his entrance into Mobile Bay past Fort Morgan, the Tecumseh, proceeding on the left of the fleet, struck a torpedo and went down. The infernal machine exploded almost directly under the Monitor, whose side was lifted six feet above the water, when she settled so rapidly that only five of her crew, who tumbled out through her port holes, escaped. The Monitors, in a casualty of this nature, appear to be perfect traps, out of which there are no loop-holes of escape except the port holes. The Tecumseh sank at the beginning of the action.
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| U.S. Artillery Limber |
The limber was a two-wheeled carriage that carried an ammunition chest and aided in moving the gun. To move the gun, one end of the limber contained a "trailer hitch" which would fit on the tail of the gun carriage. A long pole for harnessing (in pairs) the team of six horses was fitted on the other end. The four wheeled combination was easily moved by the horses. The ammunition chest could hold up to 40 rounds. A driver rode the left-rear horse and his personal belongings were carried in a valise on the off-horse (right-near horse). Examples of the artilleryman's driver and valise saddles are on exhibit across from the guns. The other members of the gun crew would ride on the ammunition chest. The limber is totally original.
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| U.S. Artillery Parrott Rifled Gun |
Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate and superintendent of the West Point Foundry located in Cold Spring, New York, invented this pattern in 1860. He also invented the ammunition for the gun called Parrott shells. The caliber is 2.9" and fires a 10lb shell. One feature Parrott perfected is the heavy reinforced band at the breech of the barrel. This gun was made by the West Point Foundry in 1861. The carriage is a reproduction. Parrott guns were made in various sizes up to a 10" bore that fired a 300 lb. shell.
These are objects used by the U.S. Artillery:
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| U.S. Model 1841 24-Pound Coehorn Mortar |
The mortar was invented by Dutchman Barron van Coehorn in the late 1600s. It was designed to lob exploding shells into enemy positions at close range. The four handles on the base allow four men to carry the gun to different positions quickly. This mortar fires a 24lb shell and is made of brass. It was made in 1863 by the Ames Manufacturing Company in Chicopee, Mass.
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| U.S. Artillery Mountain Howitzer Smoothbore Gun |
The Mountain Howitzer was a short barrel smoothbore gun made of bronze that could be broken down and loaded on pack mules. The enabled the gun to reach positions in rough terrain where the heavier guns could not be moved. The barrel weighs 220lbs, each wheel weighs 65lbs, and the carriage 157lbs, for a total of 507lbs. It fired round ball and canister projectiles, had a range of 1,000 yards and carried a 4.62" bore. These guns were used by all branches of service (infantry, cavalry, and artillery). The gun exhibited here was made by Cyrus Alger & Co. located in Boston, Mass. in 1863. The carriage is a reproduction.
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| Regimental Flag of the 4th U.S. Artillery |
This regulation flag was carried by the 4th U.S. Artillery Regiment. The 4th Regiment served with distinction while it was attached to the Army of the Potomac. It was actively engaged in every major battle in the Eastern Theater and played a key role in the artillery duel in the third day of fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg.
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| USS Monitor |
The United States Ship Monitor was built by John Ericsson of Sweden at Green Point Long Island, New York. It was a unique design, which featured a revolving turret armed with two 11" diameter smoothbore guns. She was commissioned on February 25, 1862, and commanded by Lt. John L. Worden. On March 9, 1862, the Monitor engaged the Confederate ironclad ship Virginia, which had attacked Union blockade ships Hampton Roads, Virginia. The epic battle lasted four hours with each ship sustaining only minor damage. The Virginia broke off the battle and returned to Norfolk. The Monitor left Hampton Roads for blockade duty in North Carolina during December 1862. While on the way, she sank in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina losing four soldiers and 12 sailors.
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| CSS Alabama |
The Confederate States Ship Alabama was built at the Laird Shipyards in Liverpool, England and launched May 16, 1862. She was 211 feet long and was fitted with one 110 pounder, one 68 pounder, and six 32 pounder smoothbore guns. The ship received its armaments and was commissioned into Confederate service in August 1862 with Captain Raphael Semmes in command.
In the Alabama's first military engagement, it sank the USS Hatteras at Galveston, Texas on January 11, 1863. She concentrated on United States merchant shipping and sunk, burned or captured 69 ships during her 21 months at sea. While in port in the French harbor at Cherbourg, Captain Semmes decided to fight the USS Kearsarge. On Sunday, June 19, 1864, the two warships engaged each other outside the three-mile port limit. After a battle lasting over an hour, the Alabama took a fatal shot in the stern and quickly sank. The Kearsarge took 63 prisoners. Captain Semmes and some crew members were rescued by the British yacht Deerhound and returned to England. The Alabama was the most successful and feared ship in Confederate service.
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| CSS Hunley |
The Confederate States Ship Hunley was the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel. She was built in Mobile, Alabama in 1863 and brought to Charleston, South Carolina to operate against the Federal blockage. An eight-man crew manually operated a hands-on crankshaft attached to the propeller. A barbed spike was fixed to the front for ramming and attached was a spar-torpedo holding 90 lbs. of gunpowder.
On the night of February 17, 1864, the Hunley attacked the USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor. The resulting explosion sank the Housatonic with the loss of five crew members. The Hunley went down with its entire crew of nine. (Jim and I went to see the Hunley in Charleston. You can read about the Hunley in this Blog post.)
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| USS Constitution "Old Ironsides" |
The United States Ship Constitution was constructed from 1794-1797 at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Mass. The ship cost $302,700 and took about 2,000 southern live oak trees to build. Her unique design of slanted sides gave the hull amazing strength. It was outfitted with 450 sailors, 55 marines, 30 boys and carried 54 smoothbore guns cast in Rhode Island. The first battle action of the Constitution was to protect the U.S. merchant shipping against the Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean Sea in 1804. In the war of 1812, she defeated the HMS Guerriere and the HMS Java. During the battle with the Guerriere, the British shots seemed to bounce off the ship's side. A sailor sees this and shouts "Her sides are made of iron," thus giving her the nickname "Old Ironsides."
In 1860 the Constitution begins its duty as a training ship and is docked at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The Naval Academy as well as the US Constitution were moved to Newport, Rhode Island for protection in April 1861 at the outbreak of the American Civil War. It remained there as a training ship for the duration of the war.
Today the Constitution is located in Boston Harbor and is still commissioned into the U.S. fleet. It is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat in the world.
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| USS Pontoosuc |
The USS Pontoosuc was built in Portland, Maine and was commissioned on May 10, 1864. It was a Sassacus class gunboat (also called a "double-ender") with twelve guns. The Pontoosuc unsuccessfully searched for the CSS Tallahassee for two months before being assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. It participated in the assault on Fort Fisher, North Carolina in December 1864, and January 1865, and was present in the James River when President Lincoln visited Richmond in April 1865. On April 16, 1865, the USS Pontoosuc was ordered to make an intensive search along the Virginia coast for John Wilkes Booth.
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| Gunboat Agawam in the James River, 1864 |
The Agawam was a Sassacus Class, a "double-ender" gunboat, and was the sister ship to the USS Pontoosuc. Both gunboats were built at the same time in Portland, Maine by George W. Lawrence Co.
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| USS Hartford |
The Hartford was built at the Boston Navy Yard and launched in November 1858. On January 28, 1862, the Hartford departed for the Gulf of Mexico and became the flagship of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron until December 1864. During this time, she participated in the capture of New Orleans and then Vicksburg on August 5, 1864. Flag Officer David G. Farragut then led an 18-ship fleet into Mobile Bay, Alabama past underwater mines and captured the Confederate defenders in a three-hour battle in December 1864. The Hartford returned to New York and remained there until the end of the war.
This piano was purchased by Jefferson Davis for his niece, Helen Davis Keary in 1860. It was purchased in New York City and shipped to New Orleans by sailing vessel, a journey that took six weeks. It was then moved by river steamer to the Davis Plantation near Vicksburg. Loss of fortune and impoverishment of reconstruction were bravely met by Mrs. Keary by teaching the daughters of the neighboring planters' piano. It is certain that Miss Winnie Davis, the youngest daughter of President Jefferson Davis played many times upon this instrument. It was donated by the Sam Lanham Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Weatherford, Texas.
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| Fort Semmes Flag "Texas Pattern" Battle Flag Variant |
Corpus Christi newspaper editor William Maltby commanded a mixed company of Anglo, German, and Mexican soldiers that was officially part of the 8th Texas Infantry. In mid-1863, Confederate authorities assigned Maltby's company the unenviable task of defending a primitive earthen fortification on the north end of Mustang Island known as Fort Semmes. A few months later 2,000 well-equipped Union troops supported by a powerful navy fleet overran Fort Semmes, captured its hapless defenders, and made a prize of the garrison's flag. The 15th Maine Regiment is credited with taking the flag. It was returned and given to the Texas Veterans in 1928.
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| 19th Texas Cavalry Lone Star Battle Flag |
The 19th Texas Cavalry was made up of volunteers from Dallas and surrounding counties. In October 1862, it became part of Parson's Brigade. Parson's Brigade was reputed to have been one of the finest cavalry formations of the Trans-Mississippi region, taking part in more than 50 battles and skirmishes. Texans always preferred to fight under the "Lone Star" and the troops of the 19th Cavalry were no exception. Their unique regimental flag underscores the great design diversity of battle flags carried by Confederate Texas units.
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| 26th Texas Cavalry Battle Flag, "Texas Pattern" |
The 26th Texas Cavalry, sometimes known as Debray's Regiment, after its commander the former French diplomat and soldier Xavier Blanchard Debray, began service in March 1862. The regiment served at various posts in Texas before joining Confederate forces in Louisiana to repel the Union's 1864 Red River offense. The 26th Texas fought at the Battle of Mansfield, Louisiana and lost more than one third of its number at the hard-fought Battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. Debray's troopers were known for their swagger and good discipline and wherever they marched, their fine appearance attracted the interest and curiosity of the local citizens. Their drill on horseback "enlivened" by the brass band that accompanied them reminded onlookers of a circus and earned the regiment the sobriquet of "the Menagerie."
The battle flag "Texas Pattern" was a variant of the Army of Northern Virginia battle flag that Texas soldiers favored. The design featured a rectangular shape without a white border and displayed a prominent "Lone Start" in the center.
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| 17th Texas Consolidated (Dismounted) Calvary Regiment Second National Pattern Confederate Flag |
This regiment was formed on July 1, 1863, in the Trans-Mississippi Department. The men came primarily from Northeast Texas. This flag was presented to the men on July 6, 1863, while they were camped about two miles west of Shreveport, Louisiana. A lady named Miss Watson made the flag out of silk and also made the presentation. The regiment participated in the Red River Campaign against Major General Nathaniel P. Banks and his Union army, which included the Battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. In May 1864, the Red River Campaign ended in victory for the Confederates. The 17th Texas remained idle for the rest of the war spending most of their time in the Shreveport area.
Governor Sam Houston was opposed to secession, and as the state moved toward the final vote, President-Elect Abraham Lincoln offered 2,700 troops to help keep the state in the Union. Houston refused. He had fought for Texas and would not fight against it now. On March 16, 1861, all state officials were required to take a new oath of office to the Confederacy. Governor Houston would not take the oath and the office of the Governor was declared vacant. Edward Clark became the new interim governor. Sam Houston settled in Huntsville, Texas where he died on July 26, 1863.
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| The Battle of Corpus Christi |
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| The Battle of Palmito Ranch, Texas, May 13, 1865 The last battle of the American War between the States |
The African Americans of the 62nd were mostly former slaves from Missouri. Assembled in December 1863, they first served in Louisiana building fortifications. One third of their number succumbed to disease while working in the swamps. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel David Branson, they were a well disciplined unit under fire and credited with saving their comrades at Palmito Ranch.
The Hoosiers of the 34th were a veteran outfit. Under Lieutenant Colonel Robert Morrison, they saw heavy fighting during the Vicksburg Campaign. Prior to the Battle of Palmito Ranch, the 34th was sent on an extended foraging expedition on nearby Padre Island. The 80-mile march left them physically exhausted for the upcoming fight. The battle took its heaviest toll on the 34th who suffered the indignity of having their regimental flags captured.
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| The King and Kenedy Steamboats |
Famed Texas rancher, Richard King, and his sea captain partner, Mifflin Kenedy, owned a fleet of 26 steamboats. These Mexican registered steamboats transported cotton and supplies along the Rio Grande during the Civil War. To bypass the Union naval blockade, the Confederacy traded cotton for arms along the Mexican border. Since ocean vessels could not enter the shallow Rio Grande, steamboats were used to transport cotton to ships anchored off the Mexican coast and bring back arms and supplies. Because the steamboats were Mexican registered, Union vessels could not seize them.
During the Battle of Palmito Ranch, one of the King and Kenedy steamboats ventured too close to the battle site. Thinking it was a Union vessel, Confederate artillery fired a couple of shots in her direction. Firing ceased when the steamboat's Mexican flag unfurled in the breeze.
The next section is a collection of Victorian dresses and the different things women did to themselves. The first one is the corset. Did you know that they pulled the corset so tight it deformed the women's ribs? Yes -- look at this:
Fashion in the 1860's. Taffetas, velvets, satins, moires, alpaca, and sateen fabrics were used frequently. Plaids were very popular, as were stripes and even a new geometric print. Red, Royal Blue, bright greens, olive green, silver, gold and magenta (said by Godey's Magazine to be the "Queen of Colors") were the fashionable colors. Braid, piping, puffing, ruching, and fringe were used for trimming. Often braid was used in striped rows, resembling the military stripes, to show support for their loved ones in the Civil War.
Crinolines and petticoats in the 1860's. The word crinoline comes from the French for "crin" and "lin" meaning horsehair and linen, respectively. About the middle of the 1800's fashion required a minimum of six petticoats. Women were not to give any impressions of having legs and were to give the appearance of floating along the floor. The heavy petticoats became hot and unbearable in the summer heat. In 1856 the cage crinoline was introduced. Only one petticoat was required to cover the cage ridges. Long drawers also came into being as the cage often caught the breeze and embarrassed the wearer. The crinoline was worn by all classes. The ladies were freed from the heavy petticoats and were able to move their legs freely. At the height of its popularity half a million hoops were sold in one week. The skirts and hoops became wider until the 1860's when the diameter reached six feet.
During the Civil War, Confederate women found the crinoline an ideal place under which to smuggle ammunition and contraband goods across the Mason-Dixon line. No one would be so bold as to look under a woman's skirt.
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| 1860's Ball Gown |
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| Seven piece silk wedding ensemble |
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| Iridescent Gown and Spoon Bonnet |
The spoon bonnet was named for its spoon shape, and is made of straw covered in green silk. It is trimmed with green ruffles, multi-colored flowers inside, and extraordinary green ribbon ties with a purple stripe.
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| Young Girl's Rose Ensemble |
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| High Style Purple Reception Gown |
Queen Victoria was born in Kensington Palace in London on May 24, 1819. In 1837 Queen Victoria at the young age of 18, took the throne after the death of her uncle. She displayed an unusually unvictorian-like personality and made many changes during her reign. Her religion and strength won the love of her subjects. She was bold. "We are not amused," became her well-known phrase.
After only three years on the throne, Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert. They had a rare, royal relationship of love and admiration. They had nine children ~~ four sons and five daughters. When Albert died of typhoid fever, Victoria remained in mourning for many years. After her Golden Jubilee, her 50th year as Queen, she once again embraced public life. Queen Victoria was much loved and greatly influenced attitudes and fashions in America.
Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years, the second longest reign in the history of England. Her conservative morality and outspoken opinions had a significant influence upon the new nation of the United States.
Shopping for fabric for a dress was a special event. A customer bought the fabric, trimmings, linings and thread to be made up by a dressmaker or by the customer herself. A book of designs and styles was available so select from. A fabric and style was chosen with the idea that it was to last, be versatile and be cut down for the younger members of the family.
Often a dress would have more than one bodice to convert a dress for evening wear. A variety of collars and engageantes (undersleeves) would give the dress versatility. Fabrics of this period were rich and varied. Printed fabrics and some with borders printed on them were worn. Lightweight muslins and cotton along with corded silks and brocades were popular. 1860's introduced aniline dyes and prints became dark, rich colors, such as deep reds and purples.
Some other crazy fashions of the 1800s were "bird hats" and "balloon sleeves."
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