[1]does anyone know about Company D, 15th Texas Infantry? M gguncle,
David's brother, William George DARK served there. He was wounded in the
Battle of 'Berbo'(I have never heard of this). This was on his
pension application (#16607) from witnesses that served in the company
with him. They were George M. Johnson, and B. B. Biaird(?). Thanks for
any help you can give me.
[2]Company L- 13th Reg- Infantry (Texas?)I would like to know where they
fought, history of the unit, etc. The pension was approved in 1900. My
gggrandfather, David Lanier DARK received confederate pension (#6649). He
lived in Tyler, Smith County, TX.
Jane
Jane
By george I think we got it!
[1]
This was a real puzzle, no "Berbo" anywhere in Dyer or the OR. I began
looking at the battles again using Spanish and French renderings "et nous
avons recu un morseau de la bonne chance!" you will note in the excerpts
(below) from the CMH "Bourbeau" Bayou which I believe is a French word
rendered phonetically into English as "Berbo." (99.75% Ivory sure)
James Harrison led the 15th Texas Infantry into the battle of Bourbeau
Bayou as a Lt Colonel, he was later promoted to Brigadier General. Based
on skimming the OR and the CMH it appears the Johnnys got the better of the
Yankees at the Battle of Bourbeau Bayou on November 3 and 4, 1863. The OR
Union correspondance is full of recriminations and even has a report from a
Wisconson officer who was captured and had to write his report after his
release. See if the Nov 3 or 4, 1863 date appears on that pension
application. Note that, in the 3rd excerpt, the author may have erred in
stating "Harrison's Cavalry Brigade, 1,000". It is probably Lt Col James
Harrison's Infantry.
[2]
As to the 13th Texas Infantry it appears to have been stationed at
"Velasco, at the mouth of the Brazos river, where it remained during the
war" (see excerpt [4] below) Did not encounter anything that says they
fought, that research I leave up to you. They may have just swam in the
Brazos -- lucky dogs.
Mike
[1a]
"The battle occurred on Bayou Bourbeau (Boggy creek), 8 miles south of
Opelousas, in southern Louisiana."
[1]
In October Maj.-Gen. W. B. Franklin led a formidable force into the Teche
country of Louisiana, composed of the Thirteenth and Nineteenth Federal
army corps, a cavalry division and artillery. After a series of cavalry
skirmishes in which the Texans were distinguished, the enemy retreated, and
General Green, following, attacked his rear guard on November 3d, at Bayou
Bourbeau, and won a signal victory. General Green's force engaged (all
Texans) consisted of the Eleventh infantry, Col. O. M. Roberts; Fifteenth
infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Harrison ; Eighteenth infantry, Col. W. H.
King ; Lane's cavalry, Maj. W. P. Saufley; Madison's cavalry, Col. George
T. Madison ; Stone's cavalry, Lieut. -Col. Isham Chisum ; Fourth cavalry,
Colonel Hardeman ; Fifth cavalry, Col. H. C. McNeill; Seventh cavalry,
Lieut.-CoT. P. T. Herbert; Waller's battalion, Capt. W. A. McDade; section
Daniel's battery, Lieut. S. M. Hamilton. The infantry was under command of
Colonel Roberts, and constituted the right wing of the battle line ;
Major's brigade was on the right, and Bagby's in the center. Roberts began
the attack and pushed steadily forward under a terrific fire of artillery
and musketry ; the cavalry under Major charged on the right, and "Colonel
Bagby with Herbert's regiment and Waller's battalion, mounted, and
Hardeman's and McNeill's regiments, dismounted, charged them in front, the
cavalry making, on a partially concealed foe, the most brilliant charge on
record. Our gallant infantry under their brave officers had given the enemy
such a chastisement on his right flank, " said General Green in his report,
"that the whole Federal force gave way as soon as the engagement became
general and close. " Nearly all the losses in the fight were sustained by
Roberts' infantry.
Gen. Richard Taylor, in reporting this battle, said: "Too much praise
cannot be given to General Green and the troops engaged. The exact moment
when a heavy blow could be given was seized in a masterly manner. I have so
frequently had occasion to commend the conduct of General Green, that I
have nothing to add in his praise, except that he has surpassed my
expectations, which I did not think possible. . . . He is now commanding a
division, and I respectfully urge that he be promoted. " General Taylor
also warmly urged the promotion of Colonel Major, who had shown "marked
energy and ability. "
[2]
James E. Harrison, of Texas, was one of these daring men who were ready to
risk everything for the cause of their country Entering the service in the
Fifteenth Texas infantry, he was made lieutenant-colonel of the regiment,
which he frequently led into battle, the colonel, J. W. Spaight, being
often in command of the brigade. A great deal of the service of these
soldiers was taken up with watching the enemy, cutting off his foraging
parties, skirmishing with detachments, and making things generally
uncomfortable for the Federal soldiers. On September 29, 1863, Gen. Thomas
Green, commanding a brigade in the army under Gen. Richard Taylor, in
Louisiana, attacked a. considerable force of the enemy at Fordoche bridge
and gained a decisive victory, capturing nearly 500 prisoners, two
50-pounder Parrott guns, and many fine arms and accouterments, which
enabled every man with an inferior weapon to secure a good one. General
Green, in his report of this affair, said : ' To Lieut. -Col. J. E.
Harrison, commanding Spaight's brigade, F. N. Clark and Maj. John W.
Daniel, who led their commands most gallantly to the attack, all honor is
due, and to the officers of their several commands, who displayed great
coolness in the action. Many of them had never been under fire before, but
moved like veterans up to the enemy under a heavy fire and succeeded in
driving them from house to house up to the levee. The heavy loss sustained
by Spaight's brigade shows the desperate nature of the conflict. " Gen.
Richard Taylor also spoke in high commendation of the conduct of Harrison.
On November 1, 1863, at Bayou Bourbeau, General Green gained another
victory, capturing 600 prisoners, another cannon, and a large quantity of
improved arms and accouterments. On this occasion he again praised
Lieutenant-Colonel Harrison. Throughout the operations in Louisiana in
1864, Colonel Harrison led his regiment, and, finally, at the end of the
year, received his commission as brigadier-general. In the spring of 1865
the war ended. General Harrison then returned to Texas, and in recent years
has been a citizen of Waco.
[3]
On the 24th, when the enemy advanced five miles above Washington, Taylor
drew up his forces in line of battle to meet him, but the Federals declined
battle and fell back to Washington. A few days later it was discovered that
Franklin was in full retreat, and Taylor's cavalry went in pursuit. General
Washburn reported November 2d, "We had a pretty lively time to-day." In a
later report he stated that on the 3rd he heard a rapid cannonading, and
riding back, found "that we were assailed by an overwhelming force in front
and on both flanks. Many of the troops had been broken and were scattered
over the field, and the utter destruction or capture of the whole force
seemed imminent. . . . Our losses are 26 killed, 124 wounded and 566
missing." This engagement, known as Bayou Bourbeau, was fought by Green's
cavalry division, and victory gained with a loss of 22 killed and 103
wounded. Thus ended in disaster the second Federal campaign toward Red river.
As illustrating the achievement of Taylor's little army, it is worth
while referring to Banks' return of his forces in Louisiana in October,
which shows in round numbers, 16,000 infantry about Opelousas in October,
3,000 cavalry in the field, 3,000 infantry in the Lafourche district, 5,000
infantry at New Iberia, 3,000 at Baton Rouge and 8,500 at New Orleans.
Taylor, on the other hand, is shown by the reports of nearest date to have
had at his disposal the Texas infantry, about 5,000 strong; Mouton's
division, including his brigade and Polignac's, 3,000, Green's cavalry,
3,000, Harrison's cavalry brigade, 1,000; and artillery, less than 1,000,
including Benton's Cameron's Cornav's, Faries' and the Crescent Louisiana
batteries.
[4]
General Sibley on the 20th issued a proclamation taking possession of New
Mexico as territory of the Confederate government. A considerable battle
was fought in which many feats of skill and courage were exhibited, near
Fort Craig and Valverde, where the Confederates were masters of the field,
capturing artillery and prisoners. In March, 1862, the command arrived at
Santa Fe, and in a battle near that place, at Glorieta, a detachment had an
engagement in which great loss of life occurred. It was finally determined
that the force was inadequate to hold the country, and the command
retreated fighting until they reached Texas in the spring of 1862,
physically worn by a winter campaign and their ranks depleted by the loss,
as it was reported, of 500 of their body. The brigade for a time was
distributed in different counties in Texas to recruit the companies and
prepare for its future action in Texas and Louisiana. (See Appendix for
details of this campaign.)
A regiment of infantry was raised (styled the Thirteenth infantry, or
Bates' regiment) and stationed at Velasco, at the mouth of the Brazos
river, where it remained during the war. Its officers were Col. Joseph
Bates and Lieut.Col. Reuben Brown. Henry P. Cayce was at another time
lieutenant-colonel, and during its service there were Majors R. L. Foard,
S. L. Perry and L. C. Rountree. Reference will be further made of the
officers when any action at the different ports of Texas shall have
occurred. This must suffice for a description of the disposition of the
Texas forces during the year 1861, so far as the records and other reliable
information show.