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

9. "To Strike a Blow for Vicksburg"

9· "To Strike a Blow for Vicksburg" I n June 1863Theophilus H. Holmes in Arkansas received instructions from Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department, to operate "a cavalry force, at least a brigade, on the Mississippi River, as low down as Lake Providence." Kirby Smith believed the situation in Louisiana required immediate action by all his district commanders. "There are many plantations on the river being cultivated by the negroes for the Federals," he added. "All such should be destroyed and the negroes captured." 1 Although this meant Holmes's troops would go into Richard Taylor's district , cooperation was vital if the Confederacy hoped to alleviate the situation at Vicksburg. Holmes immediately dispatched Colonel Parsons; for the next few months the Texans would scout in the bayous of northern Louisiana.2 Soon after Kirby Smith had assumed command of the department he began concentrating available troops to reinforce Taylor. John Bankhead Magruder, in command of the District of Texas, reported he had forwarded 4,694 men toward Alexandria, where the Confederates had retreated in May.3 From Arkansas Holmes sent John G. Walker's Texas Infantry Division to support Taylor.4 Neither, however, arrived in time to prevent a Federal movement toward the city. Fortunately, after occupying Alexandria, Nathaniel P. Banks, commander of the Federal Department of the Gulf, halted his army. Urged by Ulysses S. Grant to take part in a joint campaign against Vicksburg and Port Hudson, Banks began to concentrate his army outside the Confederate stronghold on the lower Mississippi River. With Banks outside Port Hudson and Grant threatening Vicksburg, Taylor had reason to worry. In an attempt to aid the Confederates opposing Grant, Walker's division attacked Milliken's Bend and Young's Point, both Federal supply depots on the Mississippi early in June. But these actions failed to bring any relief to the besieged city. Taylor consid133 134: Between the Enemy and Texas ered transferring Walker's infantry south of the Red River to assist the Confederates around Port Hudson, but he decided instead to hold the force in northeastern Louisiana until the events at Vicksburg were "more fully developed." Walker's command was to raid plantations operated by the Federal government, destroy their crops, and capture former slaves.5 Holmes detailed Parsons's brigade to join Walker. Colonel Parsons had instructions to march his Twelfth Texas to Louisiana at once, while the remainder of the force would follow as soon as possible. In reality there was no such organization as Parsons's brigade, for the colonel had not seen most of his men since Carter left for Missouri with them several weeks before. Carter, operating near Helena, now believed he had permanent command of those troops under him and even suggested to Holmes that he could cross the Mississippi at Memphis and operate in Tennessee.6 Holmes probably decided to explain the serious situation in person; he directed Carter to proceed to Pine Bluff, where the colonel would receive"special instructions." 7 Carter's command had not been idle since returning from Missouri. Camped on Crowley's Ridge in northeast Arkansas, the force had repulsed a Union advance between the White and St. Francis rivers in early May. During the engagement at Taylor's Creek, a tributary of the L'Anguille River, on May 11 and 12, Carter performed ineptly and handled the troops poorly. According to W. P. Zuber, the colonel realized his blunder and later admitted, "through my error, we have let them escape." 8 Lieutenant Buck Walton agreed: "Our men had whipped the fight, and I was at a loss to know why they did not follow the enemy to & across the Languille River-and even farther, but I never got a satisfactory explanation , save the very unsatisfactory one-that our men were so cut up-they were not in condition to pursue. "9 The men under Carter were rapidly becoming frustrated with their commander. Carter informed headquarters: "A good deal of dissatisfaction , verging on mutiny, has manifested itself in the brigade.... From what I can learn, it is avowedly caused by my personal interferences with the men and companies." Yet he added: "I believe other causes are operating, but will not state them till better informed." 10 Lieutenant "To Strike a Blow for Vicksburg": 135 Walton elucidated: "The men, being rested got mischievious, and a great many complaints were brought in of hogs disappearing...