INDEX
Those individuals with an * by their name were not listed on the original muster but joined the company after August 27, 1861.
This company was mustered into the Confederate service at San Antonio, August 27, 1861, and was composed of men principally from Guadalupe and Caldwell Counties. This company under the command of Capt. W. P. Hardeman was the first to be mustered into Sibley's Brigade and was therefore known as Company "A."1 The regiment was often referred to as the "First Regiment," (being the First Regiment in Sibley's Brigade) leading to confusion, the proper designation is the Fourth Regiment, Texas Mounted Volunteers, Company A.2 Company A, as was the case with all others of the brigade, was sworn ino Confederate service "for the war." Each recruit was expected to furnish his own horse, horse equipment and weapons. Shortly after its organization, the Fourth Regiment moved from the camp first established by Captain Hardeman on Leon Creek to Camp Sibley, situated on the west bank of Salado Creek six miles from San Antonio on the Austin road.3
On October 23, the regiment took up the line of March for El Paso, reaching Fort Bliss on January 1, 1862.4 Since water at many of the springs along the way was inadequate for large groups at a time, it was deemed necessary to divide the regiment into three sections which would march a day apart. Captain Hardeman set out with the first squadron (Companies A, F, and Reily's battery). The march from San Antonio to Fort Bliss was almost seven hundred miles through landscapes that varied from rolling plains, to deserts and rugged mountains, most of which were occupied by hostile Indians. To further complicate matters, the brigade was accompanied by a long wagon train and a herd of cattle.5
The brigade reached Fort Thorn (approximately 40 miles north of Mesilla on the Rio Grande) later that month and established headquarters.6 A private in Company A, Theo Noel, described the conditions at Fort Thorn:
Forage, there was none; commissary supplies were getting scarce; the cold season was coming; clothing was needed; all of the country afforded none.7
Smallpox and pneumonia were daily thinning the ranks of the brigade. Winter weather and lack of warm clothing and blankets accounted for the large numbers of pneumonia cases. A hospital was established at Dona Ana to accommodate the sick. Hostile Apaches made heavy escorts necessary for supplies and grazing livestock.8
The Battle of Val Verde took place at the Valvrde ford of the Rio Grande, approximately 6 miles north of the Union Fort Craig, on February 21, 1862. Confederates numbered about 2800; the Federals 5000, and the latter had choice of positions. The battle was a desperate one, resulting in the Federals retreating. The Confederate losses were 39 killed, 169 wounded and 30 missing.9 A flag of truce was dispatched by the Union commander at sunset for the purpose of ceasing hostilities to enable the dead and wounded to be removed and cared for. The Confederates were prevented from capturing Fort Craig by the flag of truce which they at first interpreted as indicating the intent of the Union commander to surrender. 10
The next fight took place at Apache Canon, or Glorietta. It was a draw fight, but Major Henry W. Ragute of the 1st regiment was killed.
About April 8th, 1862, Co. A First Regiment, commanded by Captain L. Stevenson, which had been left as a garrison at Albuquerque, was attached by about 1500 Federals but the attack was repulsed. Another fight took place on the 13th in which Federals were again defeated.
Sibley’s brigade then began the retreat down the Rio Grande, and reached San Antonio in the first part of July, where a furlough was granted until October 28, 1862.
The next fight was at Galveston, January 1, 1863, in which the Confederates were again victorious. Sixteen days later the company started to Louisiana arriving at Apelousa in March 1863.
In a fight at Bisland, April 12 the Confederates were defeated. Col. Tom Green was made Brigadier and Lieutenant Col. Riley was killed; also Pendleton Francis and Jim Helm of Company A.
The next battle was at Brashear and the Confederates were successful.
At Donaldson the Confederates were defeated. The battles of Fourche and Fordoche were won by the Confederates and in the battle of Bourboux November 1, 1863, the federals were again defeated.
The brigade started to return to Texas December 14th, but was ordered back to Louisiana to re-inforce Gen. Dick Taylor, reaching Natchitoches March 20th, 1864.
The battle of Mansfield was fought on April 8, where Robert W. Ferguson was mortally wounded, dying eight days later.
The battle of Pleasant Hill was fought April 9th, battle of Blain’s Landing on the 10th of April, 1864. Here General Tom Green was killed. The command of the brigade then fell to Gen. A. P. Bagby.
The next fight was at Monett’s Ferry, with another at Mansura or Marksville Prairie. The battle of Simmersport on May 18 was the last of the campaign.
The brigade was disbanded a Millican, Texas in May 1865.
Theophilus Noel, Pvt. - was born near Berrien Springs, Michigan, on July 3, 1840. When thirteen years of age, his family moved to Texas. He and his brother bought a bookstore/newstand at Richmond, Texas. He sold the business in 1859, after a mob threatened him and burned all his copies of Harper's New Monthly Magazine pronouncing it "abolitionist" literature. With the succession of Texas from the Union, he joined Hugh McLeod's expedition which marched to Brownsville to receive the surrender of the Federal forces there. Noel enlisted in Company A, 4th Texas Cavalry, as a scout. He also worked as a correspondent for the Richmond Examiner, the New Orleans Picayune, and the Galveston News during the War. Noel marched with his company to Arizona but did not participate in the invasion of New Mexico because he contract smallpox and remained behind in the Mesilla Valley. He rejoined the Brigade at the conclusion of the New Mexico campaign and remained with it until the retreat from the Tech region in Louisiana. He was taken prisoner at Washington, Louisiana
1 Ferguson, A.O., Company Record
2 Hall, Martin Hardwick, Sibley's New Mexico Campaign (University of Texas Press, 1960).
3 Id.
4 Ferguson.
5 Hall.
6 Ferguson
7 Noel, Theo, A Campaign from Santa Fe to the Mississippi; Being a History of the Old Sibley Brigade from Its First Organization to the Present Time; Its Campaigns in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, in the Years 1861-2-3-4 (Stagecoach Press 1959).
8 Hall
9 Ferguson.
10 Hall. Note that General Sibley estimated that his troops in this fight numbered 1,750 and the Union forces 6,000. Col. Tom J. Green, who commanded in the battle due to Gen. Sibley's illness gave the losses as follows: 36 killed, 150 wounded, 1 missing. Union losses were given as 68 killed, 160 wounded, and 35 missing.
Among the effects of the late A. O. Ferguson, who passed away at the home of his nephew, J. Box Roberts was found the following record of Company A, 1st Regiment Sibley’s Brigade (4th Texas Cavalry.)
The above history of the 4th Texas Cavalry was handed to us by Mr. D. J. Denman, of Seguin, a brother of Mrs. J. K. Nixon who spent several days here visitng. The article was published in the Seguin paper and we have copied it. In reading over the roster you will notice the name of Mr. Nixon as a member of the company.
The Pearsall Leader (Newspaper)
Sibley Brigade
On September 26 the Brigade was complete with 30 companies. The first was called the 4th Regiment Texas Cavalry; the second was called the 5th and the third was dnown as the 7th Regiment.
Officers:
The Brigade officers were: Brig. General H. H. Sibley, Major A. M. Jackson, Acting Adjudent General; Capt. R. T. Brownrigg, A.Q.M.; Capt. Griffin, commissary; Dr. Covey, brigade surgeon; W. L. Robards, aid de camp; Thomas P. Ochiltree and Jos. E. Dwyer, volunteer aids.
The regimental officers of the first regiment were:
James Riley, colonel
W. R. Scurry, lieutenant col.
H. H. Raguet, Major
H. E. Loebnitz, quater-master
Captain Nobles, commissary
E. R. Lane, adjutent
J. W. Matchett and ---Taylor, assistant surgeons
The officers of the second regiment were:
Tom Green, colonel
Harry McNeill, lieutenant colonel
Sam Lockridge, major
Of the 3rd regiment:
W. M. Steele, colonel
J. S. Sutton, Lieutenant col.
A. P. Bagby, major
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