The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment (1861–1865), popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, was a light cavalry regiment of

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

volunteers for the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

assembled by

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Benjamin Franklin Terry in August 1861. Although lesser known than the Texas Brigade's actions during the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

, the 8th Texas Cavalry distinguished itself in several battles during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. Over four years of service, Terry's Texas Rangers fought in approximately 275 engagements across seven states. The regiment earned a reputation as one of the most effective mounted units in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.

Organization, loss of commanders

Following Texas's secession and entry into the Confederacy, Benjamin Franklin Terry, a wealthy slave owner and sugar planter, recruited and organized the regiment in August 1861 in

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

. Initially intended for service in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, the regiment was instead placed under the command of Confederate

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Albert Sydney Johnston for service west of the Mississippi. They first saw combat in a skirmish on December 17, 1861, near Woodsonville, Kentucky, where they engaged the Union and were supported by the 6th Arkansas Infantry. Colonel Terry was killed in action during this skirmish. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Lubbock succeeded him as colonel but died of disease before taking command. John A. Wharton was then made colonel and held the position until his promotion to brigadier general. Wharton was succeeded by Thomas Harrison.

Major battles and shock troops

As part of the

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was a Field army, field army of the Confederate States Army in the Western theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. Named for the Confederate States of America, Confederate state of Tenn ...

led by General

Braxton Bragg Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army Officer (armed forces), officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate General officers in the Confederate States Army, general in th ...

, the Texans' riding and shooting skills often led to their use as

shock troops Shock troops, assault troops, or storm troops are special formations created to lead military attacks. They are often better trained and equipped than other military units and are expected to take heavier casualties even in successful operations. ...

. Their first major action was at the

Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the American Civil War fought on April 6–7, 1862. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater of the ...

, where they distinguished themselves. They also supported

Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was an List of slave traders of the United States, American slave trader, active in the lower Mississippi River valley, who served as a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Con ...

's cavalry during the Battle of Murfreesboro. Afterward, they were sent behind enemy lines to harass the enemy and disrupt their lines of communication. They were engaged in all three phases of the Battles of Chattanooga, the

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 18–20, 1863, between the United States Army and Confederate States Army, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a U.S. Army offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign, in southe ...

, the Knoxville Campaign, and the Atlanta Campaign. The Rangers' ability to harass the enemy was frequently utilized against

William Tecumseh Sherman William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a General officer, general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning recognit ...

. By July 1864, Sherman's army had reached

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

. On July 30, Terry's Texas Rangers met the troops of Union Col. E. M. McCook and defeated them. They then attempted to destroy railway lines, though with little lasting effect. Following the loss of Atlanta, the regiment harassed the flanks of Sherman's force as it marched through Georgia, although by then the Confederacy lacked the strength to stop him. Their last engagement was at the

Battle of Bentonville The Battle of Bentonville (March 19–21, 1865) was fought in Johnston County, North Carolina, near the village of Bentonville, as part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was the last ...

, where they made their final charge, losing three officers: Gustave Cook, who had been the regimental colonel since Harrison's promotion, Lieutenant Colonel Christian, and Major Jarmon. Declining to surrender with the rest of the

on April 26, 1865, the Rangers made their way south in an effort to link up with other Confederates who had yet to surrender. Ultimately, they returned to Texas in small groups without formally surrendering. On May 1, 1865, the regiment led a raid on a Confederate commissary and quartermaster in Washington, Georgia.

List of documented soldiers

Ephraim Shelby Dodd

George Harrison Grosvenor May

John Goodwin Haynie

Thomas McKinney Jack
* Oswald Tilghman * William Andrew Fletcher * Silas Henry VanschoubroekSilas Henry Vanschoubroek
/ref> * Cyrus S. Oberly * George Morse Collinsworth Jr.

References

External links

Historical Reenactors, 8th Texas Cavalry (Terry's Texas Rangers Regiment) mountedDiary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd : Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, December 4, 1862--January 1, 1864
hosted by th
Portal to Texas HistoryThe Galveston "Weekly News" March 8, 1865 pp.29-31 Diary of Private Enoch D John Nov 18 1864 to Dec 18, 1864Mel Wheat's Terry's Texas Rangers Website
{{Texas Confederate units navbox Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Texas 1861 establishments in Texas

Organization, loss of commanders

Major battles and shock troops

List of documented soldiers

See also

References

Further reading

External links