Texas Brigade

The Texas Brigade, also often referred to as Hood's Brigade, was an infantry brigade in the Confederate States Army that distinguished itself for its fierce tenacity and fighting capability during the American Civil War.

Organization

The original Texas Brigade was organized on October 22, 1861, primarily through the efforts of John Allen Wilcox, a member of the First Confederate Congress from Texas who remained as the brigade's political patron until his death in 1864. The brigade was initially placed under the command of John Bell Hood (hence the Texas Brigade was also known as "Hood's Brigade").

For much of the war, it was assigned to Longstreet’s Corps, General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, and commanded for much of the war by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson. Initially comprised of the 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas regiments, the 3rd Arkansas Infantry was added due to their being only one Arkansas regiment serving with Lee's army. The brigade was augmented at times by Hampton's (South Carolina) Legion and the 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment.

Battle actions

The brigade's most famous action took place on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, during its fight for Devil's Den. Though the Confederacy ultimately lost that battle, the 1st Texas, 4th Texas, 5th Texas, and 3rd Arkansas distinguished themselves in taking Devil's Den despite being greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy casualties, to include General Robertson being wounded.

By the war's end, the Texas Brigade had fought in all the battles engaged in by the Army of Northern Virginia except Chancellorsville. Battles included the Battle of Seven Pines, Seven Days Battle, Battle of Harpers Ferry, Battle of Antietam, Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Gettysburg, and the Battle of the Wilderness. They later fought with the Army of Tennessee at Chickamauga and during the Knoxville Campaign, as well as with Longstreet at Suffolk. [http://texas-brigade.com/framesethq.htm Frameset Hq ] ] Of the estimated 5,353 men who enlisted in the three Texas and one Arkansas regiments, only 617 remained to surrender on April 9th, 1865, at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. The Texas Brigade, along with the Stonewall Brigade from Virginia, were considered to be among the Army of Northern Virginia's shock troops.

Orders of battle

* Second Manassas (August 28 – August 30, 1862); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood
** 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments
** 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment
** Hampton (South Carolina) Legion

* Antietam (September 17, 1862); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Col. William T. Wofford
** 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments
** 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment
** Hampton (South Carolina) Legion

* Fredericksburg (December 11 – December 15, 1862); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson
** 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments
** 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment

* Gettysburg (July 1 – July 3, 1863); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson
** 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments
** 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment

* Chickamauga (September 18 – September 20, 1863); assigned to Hood's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson
** 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments
** 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment

* Wilderness (May 5 – May 7, 1864); assigned to Field's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Gregg
** 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments
** 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment

* Cold Harbor (May 21 – June 3, 1864); assigned to Field's Division; Brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. John Gregg
** 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments
** 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment

ee also

*Terry's Texas Rangers

References

External links

* [http://texas-brigade.com/framesethq.htm The Texas Brigade website]
* [http://www.texas-brigade.com/1texasflag.htm Regimental Flag of the 1st Texas Infantry]
* [http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-20990:23 Re-union of Hood's Brigade at Shady View Park, Dallas, Texas, June 27th and 28th 1884] , hosted by the [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ Portal to Texas History]
* [http://www.morningsidebooks.com/cgi/bookshop/articles.cgi?cat=2&issue=14&article=5&userid=$id "For Ninety Nine Years or the War" The Story of the 3rd Arkansas at Gettysburg]
* [http://www.civilwarhome.com/robertsongettysburgor.htm Brig. Gen. J. B. Robertson, after action report, Devil's Den]