by Joseph McClure, Fort Worth, Texas
Source: Confederate Veteran (17:162-163)
contributed by Ron
Smith
I was a member of Company A, 18th Texas Cavalry, dismounted, at Little Rock. Arkansas. I was captured at Arkansas Post January 13, 1863, and imprisoned at Camp Douglas, near Chicago, and was exchanged at City Point, Virginia, in April, 1863. We were for some time recruiting and in service around Lynchburg, Petersburg, and Richmond.
Remnants of the 15th, 17th, and 18th Arkansas, and 10th Texas were consolidated into one regiment. We were transferred to General Bragg at Tullahoma, Tennessee. We were placed in General Granbury’s Texas Brigade, under Pat Cleburne and Hardee. We were in nearly every fight from Tullahoma, Tennessee to Atlanta, Georgia, where at daybreak on July 21, 1864, the enemy had a cross fire on us, and I was wounded twice by balls from two directions. I was carried to the Griffin Hospital, where I lay for thirty-two days. Then, using crutches, I was granted a sick furlough for sixty days, and a grand, good lady, Mrs. John M. Garrick, called at the hospital for a Texan that she could take out and care for. This noble woman cared for me and washed and bandaged my wounds and supplied me with good clothes from August 24, 1864, to July 14, 1865. The she gave me money to use on my way home.
I started home on July 15, using crutches much of the way. The railroads were destroyed in so many places that I had to walk about half the way to Vicksburg. I arrived there on Sunday. Soon a nice gentleman, seeing my condition, asked me where I was from and where I was going. He kindly gave me a five-dollar United States bill and said that I would need it on the way. This cash came in good time, for that which Mrs. Garrick gave me was Georgia and Alabama State money, and was not good for my needs across the river. I walked on my crutches from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Mount Prairie, Texas, where I rested for three days with a friend who furnished me a young but wild mule to ride home; but to control the mule I had to leave one crutch. That ride almost wore me out; it was very hard on me. The mule trotted very hard, and I kept him in a gallop most all the way to Alvarado, where I landed home on August 15, 1865, just one month on the trip. I found all good things waiting for me. I had a fine rest. After three weeks I returned to my friend, J. J. Davis, his mule in good condition I stayed with him a week, and enjoyed with him fine deer-hunting.
Well, I went into the war on January 15, 1862.
I was born at Duquoin, Perry County, Illinois, on March 10, 1844; and by
God’s will I wore the gray, of which I am proud of today. I read
the Confederate Veteran and learn of the old-time places that we so vividly
recall. Just think of Chickamauga, where we slashed and ran
over each other for almost a day, and of New Hope Church, where they with
nine solid lines went at us and so close that their dead and wounded would,
in falling forward, hit us with their guns, and of that dark night charge
Pat Cleburne made with us and almost caught Hooker and Thomas, but where
their solid line of battle fired at us not over ten yards away! I
thought all but myself were killed; but no one was hurt, as old Pat told
us they would overshoot us. They wheeled to run, and running over
each other became demoralized. General Cleburne told that they would call
for their commands, and he ordered us to answer them like quails answer
their lost, saying that they would come to us the same way, and so they
did, as well as I recollect.
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