Between the Enemy and Texas: Parsons's Texas Cavalry in the Civil War

Preface

Preface ] here are over fifty thousand volumes that relate to the American Civil War. With so many books already in print one might assume that another could not provide anything new or significant. This is not completely true. When I first became interested in the conflict I wanted to learn more about the participation of Texas troops, particularly those who served on the west side of the Mississippi River. I soon discovered that there were few publications devoted to the common soldier in this region and only a handful related to Texans. Although in the last few years there have been some excellent studies of Texas units published, this is still a relatively unexplored and often neglected field. I hope this book will help to demonstrate that the men who fought on the "other side" of the river encountered many of the same privations and hardships as Southerners serving in Virginia or Tennessee and that their contribution to the Confederacy deserves long overdue recognition. This book is divided into two parts. The first three chapters recount the organization of the regiments while chapters four through thirteen chronicle the fighting in Arkansas, Missouri, and Louisiana. This was a war characterized by raids and skirmishes but few major encounters. Since much of this account is told by the soldiers themselves, I have kept the original form of their statements, within the limits of readability. As far as possible, I have allowed the troops to tell their version of what happened in their own words and with their peculiar spelling (often in regional dialect) without interrupting the narrative with sic or with needless explanation. A map accompanies each major military action. These are drawn from official military reports as well as descriptions added by contemporary observers. Based on the information available, I have tried to be as accurate as possible, although some degree of error may exist. In order to emphasize that military history is more than just strategy and tactics I have included, following the narrative, a brief descripix x; Between the Enemy and Texas tion of the men who commanded the various companies in the brigade. This part is arranged by regiments and is intended to give the reader a feeling for the socio-economic status of each company captain. Many people gave me valuable assistance while I researched this book. I am particularly indebted to the staff at the Texas State Archives and Barker Texas History Center in Austin for answering all my requests for material cheerfully. Numerous librarians, genealogists, and local historians also guided me toward often obscure information that made the characters in this work come alive. lowe a special thanks to four good friends. Grady McWhiney read the manuscript, asked significant questions which I tried to answer, then patiently read it again. And two special ladies, Mildred Padon and Mabel McCall, at the Layland Museum in Cleburne, Texas, sparked my enthusiasm and always offered me encouragement and support. Finally, William D. Parsons of Lake Forest, Illinois, great-grandson of the colonel , never failed to share any bit of information he thought might prove important. I cannot overlook my family-my sister, Lyndal Wilkerson, helped with the maps and never complained when I asked her to add another town or alter the existing layout. And my two daughters, Shawn Marie and Shana Lyn, travelled with me from Missouri to Louisiana visiting site after site when I know they, as teenagers, would have preferred to spend their vacations in other ways. Finally, I am grateful to all of those who took time to read and comment on all or parts of the manuscript: Alwyn Barr, Norman D. Brown, Perry D. Jamieson, Glenn T. Nelson, Frank T. Reuter, John D. Squier, and Kenneth R. Stevens. At the T.CU. Press my thanks go to Judy Alter, A. T. Rowand Nancy Stevens. ...