Smith, david paul, frontier defense in the civil war. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. As soon as the federal troops pulled out of texas in 1861, these tribes quickly stepped up their raids on frontier settlements across the state. During the civil war, frontier defense troops were generally called texas state troops, tst, texas militia or texas mounted. Smith covers this neverending political dispute in depth and well, while also providing readers with detailed unit. David paul smith, frontier defense in the civil war. The the war in texas we think have quite excellent writing style that make it easy to. Army was stationed at forts in north texas to defend the frontier. Soon the texans found themselves engaged in a bloody and prolonged civil war. Memorial texas civil war frontier defense 1861 1865. The elements that guarded the texas frontier during the war combined organizational policies that characterized previous texas military experience and held the frontier together in marked contrast to its rapid collapse at the confederacys end. We consider these men texas rangers because the service they performed was that of the texas frontier defense against indians, not fighting with the confederacy against union soldiers.
As the war progressed the threat of attacks on texass frontier by comanches and kiowa indians greatly increased. Civil war texas texas history libguides at university of. The texas rangers provided many troops to stay in texas during the civil war to patrol texas borders from union army invasions, defense against indian attacks, make sure that the supply and cattle trails were protected, open, and safe, provide frontier justice in remote towns, and many other functions. The texas ranger tradition of over twentyfive years of frontier defense influenced the methods by which texans provided for frontier defense, 18611865.
He is a member of the texas state historical association, the texas archeological society, the southern texas archaeological association and the society for historical archaeology. Camels made their presence felt at fort davis just before the civil war, and they proved hardier than mules. Texas history the handbook of civil war texas is an unmatched online resource that tells the story. Perhaps nowhere was the struggle more complex than in texas. Army was stationed at forts in north texas to defend the frontier from indian attacks. More a telling of the rangers exploits in war and lawenforcement instead of a. We specialize in the field of western americana with a particular emphasis on books about texas and its rich history. If you look through the whole history of the indian wars in texas before the civil war, and you can find one after another, captain and major, who became a general in the civil war. Soon the texans found themselves engaged in a bloody and prolonged civil war against their northern brethren. The character of augustus mccrae in larry mcmurtrys classic novel. While intended to serve as a centrally commanded organization like all active regiments, the new defense force continued two of the historical strengths of ranger organizations. The frontier regiment is the name history has given to a regiment of.
The third major confrontation in texas occurred in may 1865 as the union army launched a final offensive intended to seize territory in the lone star state. The threat of indian raids was a constant source of anxiety for settlers on the texas frontier, particularly after u. The committee seized all military equipment in texas. The texas state gazette subsequently boasted with poetic appeal after the fight. Feb 01, 1992 excellent book about the frontier confederate soldiers in texas from 1861 to 1865. The frontier organization represented the final modification of frontier defense in texas during the civil war.
Read book mosbys rangers collectors library of the civil. The people of texas supported the actions of the convention in a statewide. Jennings then gives us a chapter on the role of texas forces in the mexicanamerican war, another on frontier defense during texan statehood, a matter which absorbed about a fifth of the u. Jul 16, 2016 read book frontier defense in the civil war. Under the primitive conditions on the texas frontier during the civil war, evidence against the accused was questionable, and the legal proceedings were highly imperfect. Title summary field provided by blackwell north america, inc. Having been involved in outofprint books for over thirty years as either a collector or dealer, we have a deep appreciation for the needs of collectors and libraries. Lee, albert sidney johnston, john bell hood, earl van dorn, edmund kirby. Texas in the civil war genealogy familysearch wiki. Read book mosbys rangers collectors library of the. Such a move would have relieved the state of a financial burden, but the. Texas made an allout effort for the confederacy after voting over 3 to 1 for secession.
Smith, david paul 1992 frontier defense in the civil war. The battalion served on this section of the texas periphery in a vital, if underappreciated role, until the close of the war. The texas rangers provided many troops to stay in texas during the civil war. The people of texas supported the actions of the convention in a statewide referendum, paving the way for the state to secede and to officially become the seventh state in the confederacy. John bell hood, texas in the civil war and general subjects concerning the reenactor organization, texas, the handbook of texas online. Read free full ebook download voices from the trail of tears real voices real history series full ebook online free. Painting by nola davis, courtesy of fort richardson shs, texas parks and wildlife department. More a telling of the rangers exploits in war and lawenforcement instead of a scholarly examination of the organizations politicallegal development and the role that it played in the social structure of early texas good and bad such as dealings with slaves, freed slaves, mexicans and native. An important source of supply and gateway to foreign trade thru mexico, texas was the storehouse of the south. Deaton, indian fights on the texas frontier fort worth. Regular army as well as the texas rangers and militiamen, and one on the role of texass military forces in the civil war. Frontier defense in the civil war delves into the thorny issue of which government state or confederate would assume primary responsibility for protecting the texas border, a natural question in regard to a national boundary.
Nov 15, 2014 william curry holden, frontier defense in texas during the civil war, west texas historical association year book 4 1928. A transpecos site was chosen for frontier defense by brevet maj. The third and final organization that protected texass wartime frontier was the more expansive, and far less effective, frontier organization of state troops. Taming texas law and the texas frontier texas supreme court. Some texans supported the union, but were concerned about political attacks on southern institutions. On february 1, 1861, delegates at the texas secession convention elected to leave the union. As soon as the federal troops pulled out of texas in 1861, these tribes quickly stepped up their raids on frontier settlements. Frontier regiment the handbook of texas online texas state. In 1863 governor pendleton murrah and the legislature proposed to transfer the statesupported frontier regiment to confederate service.
Texas in thecivil war march 2, 1861 the united states was rife with conflict and controversy in the years leading to the civil war. The books six maps are rather unremarkable, consisting mainly of. Smith, and the fort was named in honor of secretary of war jefferson davis. The armys reluctance to go on the offense greatly increased secessionist sentiment in the lone star state. A rather typical history of the texas rangers written by a young historian in the mid1930s. Frontier defense in the civil war tslac texas state library and. Texas rangers and rebels by david paul smith, 9780890965948, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. A granite monument in a small park marks the spot where the hangings took place. Besides the union, texas residents also were concerned with protecting themselves from the plains indians. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading frontier defense in the civil war. Frontier organization the handbook of texas online texas. Frontier defense in texas during the civil war, he concludes, for all its difficulties and apparent failures, was equal to that of antebellum days and superior to that of the immediate post war years. Defense on the texas frontier before the war, a full 25% of the u. Frontier regiment the handbook of texas online texas.
In this breakthrough volume, david paul smith demonstrates that through the efforts of the home guard and the texas rangers, the texas frontier held its own during the eventful war years, in spite of a number of factors. Lee, albert sidney johnston, john bell hood, earl van dorn, edmund kirby smith, all of these were regular army officers on the frontier, but maybe i. Texas history the frontier force and american indian wars. When texas seceded from the union at the beginning of the civil war, the new government created a committee of public safety to organize a defense against unionists from within the state. Frontier defense in the civil war texas settlers pursuing the indians. Excellent book about the frontier confederate soldiers in texas from 1861 to 1865.
Frontier defense in the civil war when texas seceded from the union at the beginning of the civil war, the new government created a committee of public safety to organize a defense against unionists from within the state. This second book in the taming texas series is an exciting. By the end of the civil war, there were as many as 100 civilian picket forts all across the texas frontier, varying in size from one ranch house with a picket stockade around it to groupings of a dozen or more picket houses sheltering more than 100 people. Photograph of a civil war memorial in breckenridge, texas. Book listing for states of arkansas, florida, kentucky, oklahoma, tennessee and texas. Texans faced two foes as the civil war began in 1861. Memorial texas civil war frontier defense 1861 1865 the. Defending texas coast in the civil war realclearhistory. Jeronima echeverria, a former professor and department chair, served as the executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer for the california state university system, and she also. Texas rangers and rebels by david paul smith call number.
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