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Letter from
W. M. Peacock, Paris, Texas July 7, 1861
9th Brigade.
[Note: Letter is missing in the Archive collection. Only the cover jacket is present.]
Gen. Wm. Boyd
Austin, Texas
Bright Star, Hopkins Co. Texas Aug. 15, 1861
Dear Sir,
I am informed that you have finished for distribution among the Counties a small Military work called perhaps "The Militia Manual". This County is delayed in her organization on account of the conflict in appointment of Messrs Shelton and Johnson. Our election comes off tomorrow. I know nothing about the manner of a County getting possession of the books but deciding that we should have the benefit of the books at as early a period as possible, I write to know the particulars. You will confer a favor upon me if you send me a copy and call upon the com. Of Gen. L. office (with whom I have a small deposit) or amt. Of its value.
Respectfully Your friend
W. M. Payne
P. S. Clark, Cosly and Fosque carried this county by hansom majorities. W. M. P.
Blossom Prairie Dec. 17th, 1861
Gen. J. Y. Dashiell
Dear Sir:
In looking over my Austin Gazette I discover that Gen. Wm. C. Byrd has been removed by the present Executive and that you had been appointed Adjutant General in his place. Whilst in his duties Gen. Byrd made an effort to organize the Militia. The law however was so conflicting as to render it impossible to execute it. He however issued a bill of instructions to the various Brigadiers for the purpose of accomplishing the organization. As Brigadier General of the Ninth Brigade I secured instructions from his office and have laboured faithfully and zealously to organize the Militia in my district and succeeded in doing so, so far as organizing it into Captains of Companies. The returns of said elections are still in my office but I thought that I would elect for each of my Regiments a Colonel Lieutenant Colonel and Major and make the returns altogether. I have made two efforts to elect those officers but the action of the volunteer ladies has disorganized my companies to such an extent as to render it almost impossible to accomplish it in a satisfactory manner. My last effort to elect Regimental officers shows a very partial election in each regiment there being not more than a half dozen companies that voted in said election. Under these circumstances had I better make a return of these elections or not. It is true that the expansion is quite limited but I believe is as good as can be had during the war. The last calls for volunteers has completely disorganized my work and another call out would leave few if any Militia men in my district. I see a bill pending in the legislature to make a new militia law and repeal the old. This seems to me to be useless for an election for militia officers would be limited to so small number as to render them wholly unsatisfactory to the mass of our people.
Please let me hear from you immediately on this subject and if advisable I will make a return of my labours to your office at once.
Very Respectfully
H. Shelton
Head Quarters Paris
January 25th, 1862
Adjt. Gen. J. Y. Dashiell
Dear Sir:
Your notice is at hand in which is communicated the fact that in accordance with a provision in the new militia bill of the last session of the legislature our worthy executive has thought proper to retain me in the service of the State troops organization. In accepting a position so distinguished may I not hope to be able to discharge the duties of the same with satisfaction to my superiors in office and credit to myself.
Accompanying the same is a copy of the new militia law which I will endeavor to carry into effect the earliest opportunity.
Very respectfully,
H. Shelton
Brig. Gen. 9th Brigade
Texas State Troops
No. 19
Brig. Gen. Harvey Shelton
Paris Texas January 26, 1862
Sends up certificate of election of Field Officers of his Brigade.
Headquarters, Paris
January 26th 1862
Adjt. Gen. J. Y. Dashiell
Dear Sir:
I hereby certify that at an election held by my orders for the offices of Col., Lieutenant Col. and Major in the first and second Regiments which compose the Ninth Brigade the following gentlemen were elected. To wit: For Colonel of the first Regiment in Lamar County Thomas Littlejohn was elected and for Lieutenant Colonel and Major of the same Regiment R. D. Wilkins was elected Lieutenant Colonel and E. B. Harris Major. Also at the same time C. M. Houston was elected Colonel, C. Lyons Lieutenant Colonel and F. M. Clifton Major of the second Regiment in Hopkins county.
Given under my hand and official signature this the 26th day of January 1862.
H. Shelton
Brig. Gen. 9th Brigade
Texas State Troops
To Adjt. Gen. J. Y. Dashiell
Austin, Texas
No. 20
Brig. Gen. H. Shelton
Paris, January 26, 1862
In relation to the condition of his Brigade and sends up sundry Muster Rolls and certificates of elections.
Head Quarters, Paris
January 26th, 1862
Adjt. Genl.
J. Y. Dashiell
Dear Sir:
I am at this moment in the receipt of fifty copies of the new Militia law which I will proceed to distribute as per directions. In another package accompanying this communication please find election returns of my command in the 9th Brigade. You will discover that this work was done under the old law and that in organizing my battalions I gave to each Battalion in each Regiment the largest number of companies to which it was entitled. There were therefore ten companies in each county of Lamar and Hopkins. You will also discover that in Military Precinct No. 5 in Lamar County and Military Precinct No. 4 in Hopkins refused to organize. In some of the other precincts the full code of officers was not elected and some others have gone to the war which will leave some more work for me to do on that score. Under the new law I shall at once be able to effect an organization in those Precincts that refused to organize under the old law and also to fill all vacancies for officers in the other companies. My Brigade is divided into two Regiments each numbered and each Regiment is divided into two Battalions and each Battalion into five Companies all numbered in numerical order commencing at No. 1. In laying off my districts I [find] my lines in the territory of each county or Regiment in such a way as to divide as nearly as could be done the military population into two equal portions. These were my Battalions. These Battalions were in like manner divided into five equal portions each. These were my Companies or Military Precincts. So as a matter of course some of my Precincts contained a larger military population then others and likewise with my Battalions. Still the excess of Military populations in each Regiment will not be sufficient to authorize or organize a separate Battalion. The new law provides that each company shall consist of not less than thirty two nor more than one hundred non-commissioned officers and privates. None of my companies are less but some of them contain considerably more. Now what is to be done? If I reduce the territorial limits of the large companies of course it will increase the territorial limits of the small companies to such an extent as to make it _____? indeed on them to come to muster the distance will be so great. So it will be a violation of no law to muster the companies having an excess until the excess in each Regiment is sufficient to organize a separate Battalion would it not be well enough to do so? Then the territorial limits of each Precinct Battalion and Regiment can be reduced. The principal object in this service seems to be to drill the troops and this can be done in large companies as well as several ones by taking from the large companies and adding to the small ones whilst on Regimental or Battalion Parade. Please let me hear from you on this subject.
The information you desire in relation to the Lamar Artillery and Lamar Rifles Companies is at hand. They have both disbanded and most of them have gone to the war.
No Company of which R. L. Askew is a Lieutenant has ever been reported to me and of course I can know nothing of it.
I have not had time to examine the law much yet but it has been the case invariably heretofore in my experience that all military movements of whatever kind were compelled to report them first to his officer in command and he to the Adjutant or Commander in Chief.
In your note of instructions to me of the 14th inst. You say that I can retain my organizations so far as it is effective if I prefer to do so. As the next general elections are close by I can see no reason why I may not finish the work under the new law already nearly completed under the old and retain it until the general elections and if not otherwise instructed when you receive my returns I shall do so. In my elections for Col., Lieut. Col. and Major in both counties the returns are very partial but it is no fault of mine. I gave due notice by news paper publications and besides this it was the second effort to elect those offices..
Having communicated to you as fully as may be desired at this time upon this subject I will close by subscribing myself.
Your Very obedient Servant
H. Shelton
Brig. Gen. 9th Brigade
Texas State Troops
Head Quarters April 15th 1862
Adjt. & Inspect. Gen. J. Y. Dashiell
Dear Sir;
Under your order requiring all volunteer companies raised in my brigade in fulfilment of the last call of Sixteen Regiments from this state to be reported through my Adjutant to your office , I have to state that I have endeavoured far as I could to have it carried out without effect. There were two companies left Lamar County under that call. I believe before I secured the order. I had an opportunity however of sending word to the Captains the substance of my order, and urging the measure of its observance. They have never reported however and I have no official reports of them to make. The names of the Captains are Patterson & Provine. Each of their companies exceeded one hundred men. There has been an artillery company raised in Lamar by Capt. Daniels lately of about a hundred and twenty men. From Hopkins several companies have gone which I am told will be reported to you from the Regiments to which they are attached. My recent elections show that some of my companies in each county have scarcely sent any men to the war and these will never until they are drafted. We have some men who are not over loyal to our confederacy and they will never go until forced. Again it seems to me to be very inpolitic to suffer those to remain when so many of our true men have gone to do battle for our rights as to naturally weaken the loyal party at home. This element should be looked after all over the state and an order for a draft so constructed as to reach the suspicious ones and they made to go to the war. A draft upon all the beats alike would be unjust and oppressive for some of them have sent a greatly more than their quota of troops to the field but the full beats now should be looked after.
In deference to the purchase of arms I don't believe that enough can be purchased to justify the expense of employing an Ordinance officer to attend to them. I have done nothing towards making knives Pikes and Lances in consequence of not securing the plats representing the plans after which they are to be made that you were to send me. The only guns that are profered for sale are such as would bring nothing of consequence when repaired. There are a good many good guns in my brigade but they can not be bought at fair prices. If an emergency should arise and the militia were ordered out and they had not sufficient arms an order to press them would reach their cases with the understanding that they be returned or paid for. The company muster rolls in my brigade in the last organization are so imperfect and unsatisfactory that I have ordered a re-enrollment which will be sent to your office soon as they come to hand. In accordance with the requirements of order to do so, I send you the name of Dr. R. A. Scales for appointment as Brigade Surgeon. I would like also to have the authority to appoint an assistant Surgeon for Hopkins County in order that persons laboring under disability may get certificates in that county without coming to Lamar .
Very Respectively
H. Shelton
Brig. Gen. 9th Brigade
Texas State Troops.
No. 98
Harvey Shelton, Brigadier General
Paris, Texas May 1st, 1862
Certificate of election.
Notifies the Adjutant Gen. That he has orders on election for Brigadier General.
Adjt. & Inspect. 9th Brigade, Gen. J. Y. Dashiell, Austin, Texas
Received May 13th, 1862 No answer required.
Headquarters May 1st 1862
Adjt. & Inspect. Gen. J. Y. Dashiell
Dear Sir;
I hereby certify that at an election held on the 29th of last March in military precinct No. 5 in Regiment No. 2 Hopkins county and of the Ninth Brigade for the purpose of electing Company officers to fill the official corps of said military precinct the following were elected to wit: John Garrett Captain, D. F. Pitts 1st Lieutenant, and H. H. Deaton and F. Mares Second Lieutenants.
I also send you the name of Calvin Davis for Second Lieutenant for Military Precinct No. 1 of the first Regiment and 9th Brigade Texas State Troops, said precinct having failed to elect a sufficient number of second Lieutenants at the last military elections on the 29th of March last.
H. Shelton, Brig. Gen. 9th Brigade Texas State Troops.
No. 171
A. H. Black Ordinance Officer
Hopkins County
Makes requisition for funds
Tarrant Hopkins Co.
Sept. 1st 1862
Adjt. & Insp. Gen.
Sir, I am instructed by the Gov. of the State to draw on your department for a sum of money advanced, for the purpose of buying arms of parties unwilling to take ordinance receipts. I therefore request the amount of $500.00 advanced in addition to the amount of my present report which is $480.00.
Please pay to this my first order of five hundred dollars to be charged to my account as Ordinance officer of Hopkins County State of Texas.
A. H. Black
Ordinance Officer
9th Brigade
Head Quarters 9th Brigade
Paris Texas January 27th 1863
General J. Y. Dashiell
Austin, Texas
Yours of the 7th inst. is to hand and I have to say that owing to the continued enlistments and the conscript law it has been out of my power to get a correct report of the strength of my Brigades, which is composed of the counties of Lamar and Hopkins, making only two Regiments.
At this time I do not think there are now more than 120 men in the 1st Regt. and not more than 100 in 2nd Regt. over the age of 45 years subject to military duty under our state law. Taking all those not now subject to the present call of conscript (above 40) my Brigade will number about 500 men subject to military duty.
These are the facts as near as I can get at present, of the strength of my Brigade.
Yours Respectfully
A. Smith, Brig. Gen. T. S. T.
By N. E. Griffith Adjt.
J. Y. Dashiell, Adjt. And Inspt. Gen. T. S. T.
General order No. 29, Dated Austin, Texas June 22nd 1863 is recd. I am instructed by Brig. Gen. A. Smith to say that General order No. 28, dated Austin Texas June 1863 has not been received. Nov. Orders No. 24 dated Austin Texas November 11th 1862 did not arrive in this office. I am instructed therefore of Genl. Smith to request that you forward to this Headquarters copies of said General orders. Viz. No. 24 and No. 28.
N. E. Griffith
A. A. & Inspt. Genl.
9th Brigade T. S. T.
Paris, Texas July 3rd 1863
Enclosed please find Requisitions for Blanks for the use of the 9th Brigade T. S. T. of this date, approved by Brig. Gen. A. Smith, Commanding 9th Brigade T. S. T. and forward same to this place.
Respectfully,
N. E. Griffith, A. A. and Insp. Gen.
9th Brigade of T. S. T.
Head Quarters 9th Texas Brigade
Camp Beauford, Lamar County, Texas
August 13th 1863
Capt. J. Y. Dashiell
Adjt. & Inspector Gen.
Austin, Texas
[Note: This letter is torn down the left margin and some words are missing]
Sir: I would most respectfully report. That the State Troops drafted, out of the 9th Texas Brigade and Infantry, being 50 per cent or one half, were ordered into Camps at Camp Beauford, Lamar County on the 23rd day of July last and was being sufficient number of Militia drafted to compose five companies, Which entitled them to one Major and Captains and Lieutenant ____ and the five Companies. I therefore ordered and elections for officers for the several companies, and one Major for the Battalion which resulted in the election of the following Officers.
Company A.
Company B.
Company C.
Company D.
[Note: part of this list appears to be missing]
1st Lieutenant Company (Cavalry) Jesse Hughes
For Major of Battalion W. G. Settle,
___d would for the State, that the Rolls, for the several Companies completed in some particulars And not forwarded in the condition I would wish, but taking into consideration the many inconveniences we labor under, the want of suitable stationary tables and etc. ____ ____ presence of the officers render it impossible to get the Brigade? out in the proper form in every particular. Hoping examination of the Rolls forwarded will suffice for the moment? We crave your indulgence until we can have little more _____ in Military matters.
I am Very Respectfully
A. Smith
Brig. Gen. Comdg.
9th Brig. T. S. T.
Though the Rolls of some of the companies do not appear full there is a sufficient number of men liable to draft to fill the companies to number required. A. S.
Head Quarters 9th Brigade T. S. T.
Paris, Texas August 6th 1963
General J. Y. Dashiell,
I am requested by Brig. Gen. Smith, to ask information upon the following points "to wit", are we to enroll militia, all those between the ages of 18 and 40, who have not heretofore been enrolled by the Confederate conscript enrolling officers? Are Captains reduced to the ranks, can they be so reduced otherwise than by the mode prescribed in the military law of the state? After we complete the organization (which will be on the 27th inst.) of the militia, can those drafted return to their usual vocations, subject to the orders of the Maj. Gen. Commanding this dept. or are they to remain in Camps and if so under whose supervision? Can a man subject to this draft, enter the Confederate service as a teamster for the transportation of Government cotton to Mexico, or act as agent or sub-agent for the same purpose? There seems to be differences of opinion upon these points which you will instruct us upon and much oblige.
Yours Respectfully
N. E. Griffith
Adjt. Etc.
No. 54
Brig. Gen. A. Smith, 9th Brigade T. S. T.
Paris, Texas Nov. 1863
Presents the claim of Mr. Wells for $34.00 for Stationery etc. furnished by him for the use of the State Troops of the 9th Brigade.
[Note: Only the jacket is present in the archives and the text of the claim is missing.]
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