http://peace.saumag.edu/swark/articles/ahq/camden_expedition/avera/avera108.html

An interesting description of the disbanding of the Army at Marshall.....

"Disbanding Army at Marshall, Texas. In the spring of 1865, there were 6,000 or 8,000 men in camp at Marshall. Our Battalion of 5 co's of artilery were camped 3 miles south of town and all the rest on the north and west. When we heard of Lee's surrender, there was much was much excitement but no one thought of our surrender. When we heard that Genl Johnson had surrendered it was different. I have told you elsewhere of Major McMahans offer (7) to take 14 of us to Mexico and how we each took horses at roll call at night and went down on the Sabine river. None of us knew that the infantry were going to disband. When the 14 of us failed to appear at Roll call, the men who had already a suspicion of what was going on, did not remain in line until it was finished, but broke ranks and rushed for the stables. We had more horses than men and but for the fact that some got two horses none would have been left without. They made a grand rush for horses, saddles and everything else they could carry away and many left before morning. The few men remaining next day, gathered up all the harness, cooking utensils and all that was worth anything and at once commenced selling it out to the citizens around. The men took the powder they wanted from the chests also and during the day and night fired the guns with shell about over the country to the great danger of the people. Some of the citizens amused themselves helping to fire the guns, and some of them took about 25 shells, cut the fuses laid them in a row on the ground, sprinkled powder all between them, put a short piece of fuse down for a slow fire, lighted it and skipped back a few yards to witness the explosion. Some of the shell was shrapnel. Those 5 or 6 citizens got enough of the artilery service in a very short while. Fortunately none were hurt but it was almost a miracle they did not. The explosion was terrific and pieces of shell passed all of them and struck their clothing in some cases.

I came back to camp that evening and Lt. Cotton and myself went down the line at night and spiked all the guns, so there was no more shooting. There was 24 cannon in all. I was told that in all the other camps it was worse than in ours There was a terrible fight for the horses and mules. Many of the men in the cavalry, and nearly all of the officers of both cavalry artillery and Infantry owned their horses, but all the rest being government property every man felt like he had a right to whatever he could get his hands on. By the end of the second day the whole army had scattered. . . . "

The footnotes indicate that Robert Cotton of El Dorado was 1st Lieutenant of the Fifth Arkansas Artillery Company, which I take is the Apeal Battery. Another footnote indicates that Major McMahan from Galveston, Texas, was the battalion commander.