Earl Pittman,

Two of your assertions are not quite as I understand the Civil War era in North Texas, not to be confused with the North and West frontier.

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POINT ONE ... “bush men”

I doubt that Scanland's Squad "operated against the 'bush men' and renegade Unionists in North TX" since most of the men in the bush hid out along the creeks of Collin, Grayson, Fannin, and Hunt Counties during the summer and fall of 1863 when Scanland was in Indian Territory: on the Emachaya Creek, near the Canadian River, Choctaw Nation (now Haskell Co OK) per ORsIv22/1[S#32]p457 (Brig-Gen. D.H. Cooper to Brig-Gen. Wm. Steele, Aug 12, 1863). ..The men in the bush were actively sought during the summer and fall of 1863 (per THE BOURLAND PAPERS). ..As I understand Cooper’s following letter, he suggests that Scanland's Squad (Well's Regt, Co A) was on the North and West frontier.

Reference: ORsIv34/2[S#62]p859 (Brig-Gen. D.H. Cooper to Capt. T.M. Scott, ca. Jan 12, 1864).

“It is important, I think, to place a small reliable force of white men at Fort Arbuckle, under an officer capable of directing the troops intended exclusively for frontier defense. In this connection I would respectfully suggest Lt-Col. J.W. Wells, with a portion of his battalion (J.J. Scanland's squadron, who are frontier men), as well suited, from his long service among the Indians and knowledge of their character and mode of warfare, for the command of the frontier force.”

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POINT TWO ... “only regular CSA at the Forts in 1863-1864”

Col. Bourland’s and Col. McCord’s men were Texas State Troops until March 1, 1864 when they were mustered into the Confederacy. ..Both had patrolled the North and West frontier since early 1863.

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Captain J.J. Scanland is mentioned on 6 pages of my 1,022-page book.

Patti, prochette@Juno.com