The 11th Texas Cavalry Regiment was raised by Col.William Cocke Young (Young County) and mustered into Confederate service at Camp Reeves in Grayson County Texas with recruits from several counties along the Red River.

The 11th Texas Cavalry Regiment was one of the best units in Confederate service and had a several commanders during the war. Col. Joseph M. Bounds took command when Col.Young was murdered by renagades in Young County. Col.Youngs son caught the murderers and they were hanged by Young's negro slaves. In 1863, Col. Bounds was also murdered, probably by someone who felt that he was unjustly diciplined.

The 11th Texas Cavalry first saw action in Indian Territory where the regiment captured Fort Arbuckle, Fort Washita and Fort Cobb. The regiment was moved to northern Arkansas and was assigned to Brig. Gen. Henry E. McCulloch's Brigade and saw action at Elkhorn Tavern. In 1862 the 11th Texas Cavalry was dismounted atCamp Nelson Arkansas and later moved east of the Mississippi River where they fought at Richmond Kentucky and Murfreesboro Tennessee wherethe regiment foughtas infantry. During the Iuka-Corinth Campaign in Mississippi the regiment was remounted and assigned to Brig.Gen. Matthew D. Ector's Brigade. The regiment in Gen.Albert S.Johnston's army tried to relieve Vicksburg,Mississippi. Ector's Brigade was in action at the battle of Chickamauga,Georgia in 1863. In May 1864, Ector's Brigade joined the Army of Tennessee and saw action at Rome Georgia and skirmished in the retreat to Atlanta. The 11th Texas Cavalry saw action at Lattermore House, Kennesaw Mountain and Peach Tree Creek in Georgia by November 1864. The brigade was engaged at the battle of Atlanta on December 16, 1864 and Sugar Creek on Christmas Day.

Ector's Brigade was ordered to Mobile, Alabama in March 1865 and finally surrendered at Meridian Mississippi on May 4,1865.

Joshiah H.Thompson,private, Co.G, 11th Texas Cavalry.I find noone named Ben Biggerstaff in the 11th Texas Cavalry.

Ben F. Bickerstaff was a Confederate deserter and after the war became an outlaw in Hopkins County. The Confederate deserters Cullen Baker, Ben Bickerstaff and Confederate veteran Bob Lee became wanted men and were pursued by Capt. A.R.Chaffee of the U.S. 6th Cavalry. The KKK tried to recruit Cullen Baker and Ben Bickerstaff and Bob Lee was finally ambushed and killed by a detachment of the U.S. 6th Cavalry in Hunt County as he was leaving for Mexico.