Edie,

Here is a short history of the 17th Texas Cavalry written by one of its members:

SEVENTEENTH TEXAS CAVALRY.

The 17th Texas Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate Army, was organized early in 1862 and ordered to Corinth, Miss. In the meantime a Federal army was invading Arkansas from Missouri. Our orders were changed to meet it. We met the advance of said army and turned it back. By the middle of
July, 1862, our horses were run down and we were dismounted the 16th of July. Our first hard-fought battle was on the 11th day of January, 1863, beginning on the 10th. In this battle we were surrendered, nine Texas regiments in all surrendering at the time. Enough of us escaped after the surrender to make eight companies. In the early part of spring we reorganized with the title of "The Seventeenth Texas Consolidated Regiment." James R. Taylor was made Colonel. We lost our flag in the engagement of January 11, 1863 (Arkansas Post), and this flag was made and presented to our regiment by a Miss Watson, two miles west from Shreveport on July 6, 1863. Its first engagement was Vida­lia, La., in February, 1863. The next at Harrisburg, La., in the same month. The next Mansfield, La., April 8, 1864. The next Pleasant Hill, La., April 9, 1864. Next Marks­ville, La., May 16, 1864; next Yellow Bayou, La., May 18, 1864, which was our last regular engagement. The under­signed received the flag from the hands of Miss Watson and was Regimental Ensign to the close of the war.

E. W. H. PARKER.

Do you know anything else about your George W. Martin, dob, wife's name, any brothers names, father's/mother's name,what does the "W" stand for, etc? There are four George Martins listed on the Texas Confederate Pensions site. One is a George W. Martin and the pension is for a widow.

Jim Martin