Dear Friend of Texas Civil War History,
In September 2007, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) established the Texas Civil War Monuments Fund to continue the great work begun in 1961 by the Texas Civil War Centennial Commission and the Texas State Historical Survey Committee (the THC’s predecessor) to honor the contributions and sacrifices of Texans throughout the nation. In 1961, these two preservation-minded organizations began placing Texas Civil War Monuments on battlefields commemorating and preserving the memory of the contributions of our state’s military units during the war on the battlefields where they served, whether in Texas or far from home. The original memorials stand at places such as Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, The Wilderness, Anthony, TX (to Sibley’s New Mexico/Arizona Campaign) and later Galveston, among others. Our new project’s first goal was to honor Texas soldiers at two Kentucky battlefields: Rowletts Station and Richmond. Thanks to the inaugural support of the Texas Civil War Monuments Fund, this new effort is off to a great start. We have reached our first goal and placed a new granite monument at Rowletts Station to Terry’s Texas Rangers on December 17, 2008 — the 147 anniversary of the battle. We currently need $1,000 to finish fully funding the dedication of the Richmond, KY monument. If you’re interested in making a contribution, please contact the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission within the next 10 days. Our planned dedication date, for the Richmond, KY monument is May 23, 2009. Contact information for the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission is:
Toni S. Turner
Development Officer
Friends of the Texas Historical Commission
Texas Historical Commission
PO Box 13497
Austin, Texas 78711-3497
(512) 936-2241
At Richmond, Texans changed the tide of battle with a heroic attack through Churchill’s Draw. The Battle of Richmond was part of the Confederate army’s Kentucky Campaign, with the goal of forcing the Union out of the region. Under the leadership of Union Maj. Gen. William “Bull” Nelson, the 1st and 2nd brigades of the Army of Kentucky met Confederate Maj. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith’s Army of Kentucky in multiple engagements. Confederate Brig. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne led the advance assault of Gen. Smith’s invasion force. On August 29, 1862, a skirmish began when Confederate cavalry moving north encountered Union troops on the road to Richmond. The Confederates were eventually repulsed when Union artillery and infantry joined the battle. Cavalry elements under Col. Leonidas Metcalf, part of Union Brig. Gen. Mahlon D. Manson’s Brigade, advanced southward and engaged Confederate troops south of Rogersville. Fighting ended late on August 29 and three larger engagements ensued the next day. On the morning of August 30, Gen. Smith ordered Gen. Cleburne to attack the Union forces on the road to Richmond. To support the assault, Gen. Smith sent Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Churchill’s 3rd Division against the Union right. Gen. Cleburne’s force struck Gen. Manson’s battle line. After an artillery assault between both sides, led by the elements of the Confederacy’s 1st Texas Artillery, Churchill’s division’s concentrated assault, led by Col. Thomas H. McCray’s Brigade (composed of the 32nd TX, 11th TX, 14th TX, 10th TX Dismounted Cavalry Regiments and the 31st AR Sharpshooters), turned the Union right flank at what became known as Churchill’s Draw.
The Union line repeatedly attempted to withstand the advancing assault, but was compelled to fall back toward original positions as the Confederacy pressed through Rogersville on to Richmond. Afterward, Gen. Nelson took personal command of his troops; however, he was unable to withstand the continued battle pulses of the Confederate force against his own diminishing lines and Richmond fell to the Confederacy late that day. Of the 5,650 total casualties, the Union suffered approximately 4,900 (including nearly 4,000 taken prisoner) compared to 750 Confederate casualties. Interpretation of the Battle of Richmond is significant because of the decisive manner in which the Confederate Army defeated its determined opponent and opened a corridor to the north.
The Richmond, KY monument and the next planned marker at Corinth, MS will serve as important visible reminders of the sacrifice, valor and hopes of all Texans during the war. Knowing that you value and appreciate this history, we hope you will join our effort to honor the brave troops who fought at these battle sites. Together, we will tell the stories of our state’s pivotal role in the conflict that changed American history forever.
Please find attached a copy of the Richmond, KY monument inscription and a photo of the latest Texas Civil War Monument dedication to Terry’s Texas Rangers on December 17, 2008.
I thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
William McWhorter
Military Historian
History Programs Division
Texas Historical Commission
P.O. Box 12276
Austin, Texas 78711-2276
512/463-5833
www.thc.state.tx.us