The Texas in the Civil War Message Board - Archive

Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)

In August 1863, my great grandfather and 100 men of Capt.John Henry Damron's Spy Company left the Warren Supply Depot and rode northwest to Colbert's Ferry on the Red River where the 28 man picket detachment camped at Frank Colbert's Plantation on the Texas Road in Indian Territory. The Confederate Army did not have any forces in Indian Territory besides Capt. Damron's Spy Company to monitor the Texas Road from Colbert's Ferry to Boggy Depot. Capt. Damron's company rode from Boggy Depot to Fort Towson to rendezvous with Col.P.C. Hardeman's 1st Cavalry regiment.

Capt.Damron's company arrived at Colbert's Ferry and detached 1st Lt.Achols C. Kerr to command the pickets at Colbert's Ferry and plantation. The pickets also included 1st Sgt.J.R.Wilmeth, mounted Corp.W.B. Ferrell, Pvt.J.D. Coffee and 23 other privates.The picket detachment camped at Colbert's Plantation in September 1863, one mile north of Colbert's Ferry and remained at the plantation in a tent bivouac until May, 1864.

The pickets on the detached assignment were not at muster when Col.P.C. Hardeman and the 1st Texas Cavalry moved from the Warren Supply Depot to Fort Towson and were declared deserters until their whereabouts could be established. Some of the pickets at the plantaion deserted during the bitter winter. About 15 of the pickets returned to the Warren Supply Depot in May 1864 where they were escorted to a encampment at Oxford Lake in Collin County (3 miles NW of Farmersville) and assigned to Major James Roberson Diamond's Brush Battalion of Col. James G. Bourland's Border Regiment,C.S.A. At Oxford Lake, my great grandfather foraged, cut and hauled timber and built shelters until the end of the war.My great grandfather saw no action. Capt. John Henry Damron married my great grandmother's sister,Nancy Blanton, after the war. Her brothers, Eli and Ben Blanton remained in the 1st Texas Cavalry until the surrender at Camp Groce. Rev.Ben Blanton established the Blanton Chapel in 1876, near Leonard Texas and Eli Blanton died of TB in 1867 at Gonzales TX. My great grandfather saw no action and never left the state except for the winter camp at Colbert's Plantation in I.T.

After the battle at Cabin Creek on September 19, 1864, Maj. Michael Looscan's 31st Texas Cavalry and Col. Hardeman's 1st Texas Cavalry and the other Texas regiments returned to Fannin and Grayson County in November 1865 with their share of the captured livestock, clothing and household goods and distributed it to needy families of Confederate soldiers. The 1st Texas Cavalry regiment was combined with Capt. A.W. McFarland's and Capt. John W. Bone's unattached companies and was returned to regimental strength.In March 1865, Col.Hardeman and the regiment was ordered to Major General John Austin Wharton at Hempstead and on May 26,1865, they were dismounted and were surrendered at Camp Groce.

There was Sr.2nd Lt. W.C.Baker, Co.A, Col. William A.Evans 1st Militia Reg't, 14th Brigade, Fannin County T.S.T.

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31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
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Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)
Re: 31st Tx Cavalry Co A(Hardeman)