Wounded Veteran's Trip Home on Crutches, an article from the Confederate Veteran
(17:162-163) by Joseph McClure, Co. A, 18th Texas Cav. Contributed by Ron Smith

Nicholas H. Darnell of Dallas, a congressman during Texas' days as a Republic, and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate, traveled to Richmond in the fall of 1861 in hope of securing a position in the Confederate government. He returned to Dallas late in the year with authorization to raise a Cavalry regiment. John Taylor of Lancaster, organized Company I in January, 1862. The companies assembled at the fairgrounds in Dallas during January and February. Mid Perry was elected Captain of Company I. Only two months hence, Company I would be reorganized (as were many others) following passage of the Conscription Act, which imposed certain age restrictions on service eligibility.

In late April the 18th left Dallas, headed for Indian Territory, and arrived in Arkansas in early June. They were brigaded with five other Texas cavalry regiments (10th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th) in Arkansas under General Rust. The 18th saw action in a few skirmishes, but no major engagements. In July of 1862, the 18th, along with the 15th, 16th, and 17th Texas Cavalries, were removed from Rust's command and ordered to Camp Texas, where they were dismounted. The summer of 1862 in Arkansas was unusually hot and dry. Forage was almost nonexistent and potable water a rarity, contributing to rapid deterioration in the condition of the men and their mounts. Many cavalry units were dismounted around this same time, and the horses were taken back to Texas, despite the fact that conditions there were evidently not a great improvement. Some regiments, such as the 6th, would be remounted, but 15th-18th would serve the rest of the War as infantry, although they retained their Cavalry designation. This was not a popular move with most of the Texans, including the 18th. Some of them were especially well-mounted, and match races, with a few bets on the side, were a not infrequent diversion.

"Will Williams, son of Confederate veteran C.A. (Alex) Williams wrote in 1940: 'When my
father joined the cavalry for war service he went in with John Reynolds, later of
Young County.  They both rode Steel Dust colts, with much pride....Whenever they
happened to get with another command of the army, the first thing they would do
would be to match in quarter races.  They said they had more money than they
could spend.....'"
("Horseman" magazine, June 1967, "The Story of Steel Dust" by Bob Gray, p.67.)

On January 11, 1863, the 18th was one of several regiments in the debacle at Arkansas Post, and many were taken POW. The long journey by river and overland to the POW camps did nothing to improve the the health of the men. Enlisted men were taken to Camp Butler, near Springfield, OH, and Camp Douglas, near Chicago, IL. Officers were taken to Camp Chase near Columbus, Ohio. Most were returned in a prisoner exchange, and taken to City Point, VA in April of 1863. In late May, the depleted 17th, 18th, 24th and 25th Texas Cavalries were consolidated into one unit, sent to Tullahoma, TN, and assigned to Gen. Cleburne's division of Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee.

On March 5, 1864, Col. Hiram Granbury was promoted to Brigadier General and given command of the Texas Brigade. As much as possible, he endeavored to reverse the consolidation that had taken place a year earlier, which had not been favorably received among the affected regiments. The 18th Texas Cav. was still too depleted to constitute its own regiment, but was consolidated with only one other, the 17th, in this reorganization. Many of the 17th/18th were captured at Atlanta, and their Hardee-pattern battle flag was held by the survivors of the capturing Michigan regiment until returned to the state of Texas in 1914. It is now in the collection of the State Archives in Austin. Few if any of the men captured at Atlanta would be exchanged. In May of 1865 only two members of Company I were listed on the roll of parolees at Greensboro, NC. Only one of them, John J(I?). Smith was on the original muster roll. 

Arkansas Post
Arkansas Post (Nat'l. Parks Service)
Chickamauga
The Chattanooga Campaign
New Hope Church
Ringgold Gap
The Atlanta Campaign
A War-Era Photo (Brady) of City Point, VA

The Confederate Research Center
Brothers Bound, WBTS POW camps
Confederate Veterans Who Died Or Are Buried in Lamar County, TX
Search the Texas Confederate Pension Index
Website of the 10th Texas Infantry (brigaded with the 18th Texas Cav., et al., for most of the war).

Fitzhugh, Lester N. Texas Batteries, Battalions, Regiments, Commanders and Field Officers, Confederate States Army, l86l- l865. Mirror Press. 1959. Midlothian.

 McCaffrey, James M. This Band of Heroes: Granbury's Texas Brigade, C.S.A.. Eakin Press. 1985. Austin.

Seaton, Benjamin M., Harold B. Simpson, ed. The Bugle Softly Blows. Texian Press. Waco. 1965.

Wright, Marcus J.,comp. Ed. by Harold B. Simpson. Texas in the War, l86l-l865. Hillsboro, TX. 1965. Hill Jr Coll Press.