10th Regiment, Texas Cavalry (Locke's) [Col. M. F. Locke]
10th Cavalry Regiment was organized with about 900 men during the late summer of 1861. Many of its members were recruited in the towns of Quitman and Tyler, and the counties of Upshur, Rusk, and Cherokee. For the first few months it served in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, then was dismounted after crossing the Mississippi River. After fighting at Richmond, the unit was assigned to General Ector's Brigade in the Army of Tennessee. It participated in numerous battles from Murfreesboro to Atlanta, endured Hood's winter operations in Tennessee, and aided in the defense of Mobile. Ths regiment totalled 565 effectives during the spring of 1862 and lost thirty-four percent of the 350 engaged at Murfreesboro. Very few surrendered on May 4, 1865. The field officers were Colonels James M. Barton and W.D. Craig, and Majors Wiley B. Ector and Hulum D. E. Redwine.
Stone's River after battle report:
Report of Col. M. F. Locke, C. S. Army, Tenth Texas Cavalry (dismounted).
CAMP NEAR SHELBYVILLE, TENN., January 10, 1863.
DEAR GEN.: In compliance with your order (No.--) of the 9th
instant, I have the honor to submit the following report, showing the
operations of the Tenth Regt. Texas Cavalry in the late battles in
front of Murfreesborough:
On Tuesday evening, January [December] 30, [1862], while our battery
and that of the enemy were firing directly across the right wing of my
regiment, a ball from a rifle cannon of the enemy struck the cedar-rail
barricade in front of the command, and timber from the fence bruised
four of the privates and slightly wounded Lieut. J. B. Griffin, of Company
C, who was severely [wounded] the following day. Seeing that the
situation of the Tenth Regt. was more exposed than that of any other
in the brigade on the evening, owing to the facts that a gap of several
hundred yards intervened between the right wing (this regiment being on
the right of the brigade) and the next command, to wit, Gen. Smith's
brigade, on our right, and that powerful efforts were being made by the
enemy on that evening to gain a direct range of the line of the Texas
Brigade with their artillery, and later in the day the enemy
having shifted their position and placed their battery directly in front of
this regiment, it was apparent that the fence which had obstructed the
sight of the enemy would serve as an auxiliary in the enemy's hands if
our position was discovered. Knowing this, although the weather was
very inclement and disagreeable, I did not allow any fire, and the
blankets having been left at camp, the men suffered very much; and but
for the fact that they had been lying on their arms without sleep for two
nights previous, sleep would have been impossible.
Having been kept in a silent still position for two days and nights during
disagreeable weather, on the morning of December 31, 1862, when
orders came that the command would move forward, it was difficult to
restrain the expression of joy and outburst of feeling manifested by the
men at an opportunity being presented upon an open field (such as lay
before us) of relieving ourselves from this unhappy condition, and of
deciding the fate of the Confederacy to the extent that a little regiment
was able to go. It will remembered that, in the first charge made on the
morning of the 31st, my orders require that I should keep close on
Gen. McNair's brigade, who had just moved into the gap alluded to
on the right of my regiment, and that in doing so it threw the center of
the Tenth Regt. directly in front of the enemy's battery, consisting
of six pieces of superior quality, which opened upon our lines
immediately after leaving the cedar-fence barricade; and as there was no
obstruction between this command and the enemy's lines in that
direction, it must be that the houses, shade trees, and fencing on the left
and the cedar timber and fencing on the right sheltered to some extent
the brave troops on each side of us, causing the disparity in the number
killed and wounded in the different regiments of the division and
brigade. For some 400 yards before we drove the enemy from their
position immediately in rear of the first battery and captured the same,
my regiment marched in full view of the infantry and artillery, and
before the sun rose we numbered of killed and wounded some 80 men.
At this point I will mention an incident in this bloody conflict: The
enemy's lines heaving been formed immediately in our front, their
standard-bearer, directly in front of mine, was waving his flag, casting
it forward, and, by various motions, urging the Abolition column
forward, when Sergt. A. Sims, flag-bearer of this regiment, discovered
him and pressed forward with incredible speed directly toward the
enemy's banner, and, on reaching within a pace or less of his adversary,
he planted the Confederate flag firmly upon the ground with one hand
and with a manly grasp reached the other after the flag-staff held by his
enemy; but the other gave back, and in that movement they both fell in
the agonies of death, waving their banners above their heads until their
last expiring moments. My flag-bearer having fallen, and there being but
one of my old color-guard left, Sergt. James T. McGee was only spared
to advance a few paces toward his banner, when another of our noblest
and bravest men fell to rise no more until aroused by the Trump of God
to come to judgment. At this moment Private Manning, of Company H,
gathered the flag-staff and rushed to the front with a spirit and nerve
sufficient for any calling, and bore the same aloft throughout the day.
Two stand of colors are known to have been taken by this regiment,
and, it is believed, three; but as all were sent to the rear by the
wounded and the infirmary corps; I have not had opportunity to look
them up.
Of Maj. (Acting Lieut.-Col.) Craig and senior Capt. (Acting
Maj.) Redwine and Adjutant [J. J.] Jarvis, I will say that they all of
them proved themselves fully equal to the emergency on that occasion;
and, in my opinion, the display of valor and unflinching bravery
in the conflict on December 31, 1862, has not been surpassed upon this
continent.
The loss sustained by this command will foot up as follows, to wit: The
number of comm[issioned officers] engaged was 20, and of that number
11 were killed, wounded, or left in the enemy's lines. The total number
in battle was about 350 men. Of that number 117 were either left in the
enemy's lines, killed, or wounded.
As stated, we captured, it is confidently believed, three stand of the
enemy's colors and at least six pieces of brass cannon.*
In conclusion, I wish not by the mention of names to make distinction
between men where all acted so nobly, but it is with peculiar pride I
state the fact that all of my men knew their rights and dared to defend
them, reckless of hazard or consequence.
All of which is most respectfully submitted.
M. F. LOCKE,
Col., Cmdg. Tenth Regt. Texas Cavalry.
Brig. Gen. M. D. ECTOR,
Comdg. First Brigade, McCown's Division, Army of Tennessee.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. XXXII.] THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN. PAGE 931-29
[Series I. Vol. 20. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 29.]