CS Effort at Franklin

[DougCooper]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

http://www.zipcon.net/~silas/franklinlinks.htm - Mark Tackitt made up this handy page with all the links for Franklin from the top all the way down to our company (B, G, H consolidated). We are working feverishly on a large background piece that will be distributed in plenty of time for preparation, as well as links to other stuff.

Best Granbury's Brigade specific books are:

This Band of Heroes, by James McCaffrey

The Finishing Stroke, by John Lundberg

[wardawg]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

SB - I was responding to Dusty's comments, not you - no worries. He was just kidding about the sabre dancing.

My apologies Doug, and I'll humbly butt out. I'm new to these forums and such, as well as AC in general. I find it difficult to keep up sometimes.

We're doing our first AC type event at Monocacy this month, and I'm very excited about it.

I'm also glad to see you guys don't dance with fairies either.......S.B.Dunn

[Strawfoot]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

"As a Cavalry soldier, I can tell you there is no greater rush than flying across some field in a tight formation directly at an approaching unit. That crash on impact, man, that's almost as good as sex!!"


"Crash on impact??????" Yikes! And us poor foot soldiers are not even allowed to touch our bayonets in the field at an event...

All Kidding aside... There is an authentic cavalry group called the Critter Company, and they are among the best there is. I would recommend studying them if you are serious about moving your group in a more authentic direction...

Good luck!

Mike Phineas
Arlington, TX

[wardawg]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

Mike, thank you for your advice, and this confirms what I've been told several times before. I have heard they disdain the Saber as unauthentic, and for Western CS Cav it is. I saw them in the field at ITW, and they have an awesome impression and appeared to be good riders. I was observing on the sly, but I did have my fieldglasses, so I got a decent look.

Regards............S.B.Dunn

[tmdreb]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

The Critters are kinda scary up close. I sure am glad they were on our side at TAG.

Doug, the problem with doing authentic dismounted cav is that it's basically an infantry impression with a different name. That means no tall boots, no 8 pistols each, no sabres, etc. There was a guy who randomly showed up at Mansfield once and wanted to fall in with us at an LH with his 34th TX Cav (dismounted). This would have been cool, seeing as how the 15th was brigaded with the 34th, but he was all decked out in yellow trim, boots, pistols, sabre and a chicken. Didn't have a canteen, but he did have a chicken.

There was actually a CS sabre charge at Pleasant Hill. The troopers were cut down in droves, so they probably would have been better off leaving the blades at home.

[Alamo Guard]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

The returns for weapons used by this battalion reveal that they were in fact for all intensive purposes an infantry unit. Like Doug had mentioned the Texas frontier had raised many a boy in the saddle since he could walk. The 6th Texas had a hard time finding a "few good men" to fill their ranks as infantry. Company K at first was supposed to be made up of prison convicts due to this shortage. The government rejected this idea and the Alamo Rifles a pre war militia unit was used. The Alamo Rifles were one of the few companies who were versed in company drill when this unit was founded in Victoria Texas. They had also seen service before the war, against indian incursions and at Twiggs Surrender in San Antonio in Feb., 1861.
It appears now all companies are filled for the 6th/15th Texas as far as company assignments. Some companies may need additonal men to fill out their ranks however.
Phil's story about the man in the chciken guts reminded me of a fella who once showed up at one of our events. He was wearing a butterick pattern of a light grey cotton uniform. On the sleeves and collars both were enough yellow trim to outfit a battalion. He had two pistols, one in a holster, on which sprayed in white paint was "CSA", another pistol was jammed in a sash around his waist. A large bulky shiney saber, knee high boots, a floppy hat with more gold braid topped by an ostrich plume completed the ensemble. He walked up to our unit camped under the shade of a large pecan tree and asked "You men need an officier to lead ya'all in battle"? We declined his offer and marched on to the field. The last we saw of this stoic figure he was standing behind a fieldpiece waving his saber over his head shouting profanity laced encouragement to the men on the field.
Situations like these serve as a reminder how far we have come, where we are going in this hobby, and why we dont want to ever go back.

[Gallo de Cielo]

Updates

Gents,

I'm not a moderator here but perhaps we can let go topics such as "to saber charge or not to saber charge" and "worst dismounted impressions ever."

This is a folder, and a topic within it, designed to pass along info about the authentic CS contigent at Franklin.

To add to what Dusty most recently said, I'm not positive that every company is formed and full but we're certainly getting pretty close to that point.

The original 6th/15th TX Consolidated fought as two battalions. The 6th TX operated a 6 company battalion composed of the original 10 companies condensed into 6. The 15th TX was even smaller, fielding only 4 composite companies of its original 10. The two units fought under one flag (see Echoes) but operated as two seperate wings. That's precisely how Fred Yokubaitis, the RRB commander, is laying this one out. Right now, the 5 normal standing companies that compose the RRB along with one other company will form the 6th Texas while the authentic adjunct contigent is forming the 15th Texas. As some of the previous posts illustrate, this will be a pretty diverse blend. The Cleburnes are on board in company strength, the Texas Rifles in company strength, as well as the company I'm a part of composed of the Texas Ground Hornets, the Lazy Jacks, the CHAP's and a few stray guests. I've also heard talk of some of the 1st Georgia State Line boys coming out and some of Sam Doolin's (of canteen fame) pards from Colorado coming down.

It's far enough in advance yet that there will certainly be some flexing and adjusting but even at this relatively early point, things are looking very good, at least in my opinion. The campaigner battalion, and its parent brigade, will campaign for the entire event. There will be mobile artillery, a period traveling sutler, and a number of supply wagons along as well. On top of that we'll be conducting picket posts, fighting in the dark at Franklin, and participating in several other unique opportunities. What's the last national level event where those sorts of provisions were in place?

As I've said previously, no one should attend with the impression that this is a huge EBUFU event but I will say that everything I've read from the event organizers indicates a promising level of detail and effort and I think we'll all have a fine time.

Kind regards,

Fred Baker

[DougCooper]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

In the new book on Texans in the Tennessee Campaign "The Finishing Stroke" by John R Lundberg, the author cites the unpublished letters and diary of William Young of Co A, 15th TX Dismounted Cavalry. Young wrote his sister on November 17 after the troops had been in Tuscumbia AL waiting to cross the river into Tennessee. This is the place Hood had gathered supplies for the invasion and where the huge load of uniforms and shoes had been received. Young states "With this army we can tough it out 4 years longer. As for rations and clothing we have done very well since here."

If you can get this book, buy or borrow it. It reads well and there are a good number of letter and diary accounts from Granbury's soldiers, including many from the 6th and 15th Texas.

It has a good account of the stripping of black federal prisoners of shoes and clothing at Dalton, foraging across northern Alabama and good info on their hopeful mindset, most of which can be summed up with "if marching can turn the tide, lets march...because marching beats fighting anytime." Atlanta had been tough on Granbury's men. It also has a complete roster and casualty list.

Even more important is the actual QM report by Lawton showing what he forwarded to the AoT at Tuscumbia, AL. Kevin Dally dug this out of:
Confederate Industry: Manufacturers and Quartermasters in the Civil War.
2002. Harold S. Wilson. Univ. Press of Miss. ISBN 1-57806-462-7

Page 127...
" on Nov.8th Lawton sent Hood's command at Tuscumbia another supply consisting of 28,408 Jackets; 38,305 pants; 36,865 pairs of shoes; 21,561 drawers; 17,910 shirts; 40,800 pairs of socks; & 141 bails of Blankets...
The Confederate Army of Tennessee that fought the Battles of Franklin on Nov.30, & Nashville on Dec. 15 was dashingly outfitted." (The last part is the author's opinion).

Further reading shows an additional 6500 pairs of shoes and 2900 blankets shipped to Hood during this same time frame.

So taken all together, using first person CS accounts, QM records, federal accounts and even the post Franklin photo of CS prisoners (limited use of course), the evidence clearly states that the troops were well uniformed and equipped when they left Alabama in mid-November to begin the invasion. By Nashville, their shoes were wearing out due to the hard marching and awful weather and they were suffering from exposure due to a lack of tents and overcoats. On Nov 22 as the 15th was sent out as advanced guard, Young says "it was freezing like blue blazes." The boys probably wore every item of clothing they had and supplemented with whatever they could get from home or from the enemy. Mail was very intermittent during the invasion so most items would have been received prior to that (also mentioned in Lundberg's book). The frightful weather conditions at Nashville are well documented including accounts of CS troops digging holes in the ground and lining them with sticks to keep them out of the wind and rain/sleet/snow.

As we have said elsewhere on the A/C and the various forums on the event, the jury is still out on the type jacket most prevalent among the boys, but as Atlanta was eliminated and Augusta and Columbus largely cut-off, most of the stores gathered just prior to the invasion must have come from Alabama Depots, making the jackets produced at those places a good bet. These include Dept of Alabama, Columbus Depot and Mobile Depot (Mystery) types.

[Alamo Guard]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

Its really great to see the cross sharing of information between the various organizations. Its like we are getting closer to each other already. Lets ensure this pipeline remains open.
For any of you in the Texas area, the Red River Battalion is having their semi-annual muster on Sept 11th., in Mexia Texas. Feel free to come and join us.

[PogueMahone]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

It isn't really spelled out in prior posts, but one of the most impressive things about this RRB effort is that we have enough organizations and men to recreate the 6th/15th Texas battalion. We have 6 consolidated companies of the 6th and 4 consolidated companies of the 15th, per the original. How often do we see an actual 10 company battalion functioning in the field? The numbers breakdown averages out to something like 23 men per company and I believe the battalion will pass the 230 mark in numbers.

Looking forward to battalion drill,

[Alamo Guard]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

I have been rereading "The Gallant Hood" by John P. Dyer. Just wondering the outcome of the battle if Gen'l Forrest had been allowed to keep his force intact and been supplied one infantry division to attack Wilson Cav on the flank?
I guess Ole John B., was still upset with Cheatham and allowed Brown and Cleburnes Divisions to be part of the greatest stalemate in american history.
Gen'l Hood lost two major generals and ten brigadiers and nearly 6000 men of other ranks.

[12thtxPvt]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

Its really great to see the cross sharing of information between the various organizations. Its like we are getting closer to each other already. Lets ensure this pipeline remains open.
For any of you in the Texas area, the Red River Battalion is having their semi-annual muster on Sept 11th., in Mexia Texas. Feel free to come and join us.

Dusty,
Would that be at the Confederate Reunion Grounds?
I live a short distance for Mexia, in the community of Freestone just south of Teague. I plan to be at Franklin with the 12TH TEXAS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

http://www.geocities.com/rebel12th/index.html

I would like to come out and talk with you!

Pvt. Phillip Allen
12th Texas Volunteer Infantry
Company 'A'

[Alamo Guard]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

No, Its at Old Fort Parker. We spend the weekend in company and battalion drill. We get together twice a year and spend the weekend ensuring we don't look like fresh fish at events, and it pays off.
Feel free at stop by and talk to any of us there. Ill be the tall 1st Sgt of Company K.

[tmdreb]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

Fascinating.....my name is Philip Alan Graf, and I used to be with the 12th. I'm sure I'll see you around somewhere.

[Alamo Guard]

Re: CS Effort at Franklin

Men, I hear so much about ya'all geeting new clothing for the event, which is down right dandy. I think though many of the men would not have drawn complete uniforms or might have had mix and match.
I think it might be a mite funny to see complete squads in brand spanking new clothes after marching so long from northern Georgia and Alabama.
I suggest a mixture of old and new. It appears the worn ragged rebel didnt really surface until after the defeat at Nashville, when the army fell apart.
During the Nashville "seige" due to the extreme cold weather there are accounts of the rebels wearing every pice of clothing they could lay their hands on to wear as there was a drastic shortage of overcoats and winter clothing.
I bet they were about frozen after that ice storm and I bet quite hungry as it says wagons couldnt even move on the icy roads.