Hi Dennis:

Thanks for responding.

I went to your SCV site. It looks great!

I am trying to identify by name and compile something biographical on as many African Americans and what they did in their military units as I can find who served from or who later lived in Texas as possible. As many as there were I will never see an end. This is my interest in the statement you had attributed to Lt. M L Sims who was at Camp Chase and the African Americans who were there. I checked the Dallas Morning News and other sources and have not yet found the reference.

As to N C Gould, Captain of Forrest's 3rd TN Cav (Old) Co D. I have found he was not captured. After his men were captured he was given orders to go back to Texas and raise another regiment which he did. He was then promoted to Lt Col and later Col. over the 23rd Tx Cav. The new regiment was organized in Oct 1862.

When Gould's former soldiers were released from prison (camp Butler and Camp Chase), many of them joined back up to complete their term of service and actually signed up for the duration of the war rather than their 1 year which they initially signed up for.

Everything I have read says the men of 3rd Tn Co D (Gould's men) captured at Ft Donelson were later in 23rd Tx Cav Co K. Several or I should say most of the men were in Co K including M L Sims and R G Lane who were at Camp Chase. Sims was the Captain of Co K and Lane the asst surgeon and later regimental surgeon with an ultimate rank of major. Several others captured at Ft Donelson were in other companies of the 23rd Tx Cav other than co K.

I have not yet been able to determine exactly how many of Gould's men were actually in prison. Gould, himself was not in prison. I have accounted for some of them dying. I also found where 5 of the men escaped and I do not believe they are listed on the prisoner lists. I also found another soldier who said he escaped and went home and he later served in the 23rd TX Cav under Gould.

When I complete going through the various sources I have earmarked to look at I will compare what I find to determine even if some of the men may not have been captured and not gone to prison.

I am trying to locate and get a copy of the initial muster roll of the 3rd TN Cav Co D Sept 13 1861 to see if I have accounted for all the men in the unit. The muster roll is apparently at the National Archives. The TN Archives does not have it nor does the Texas Archives. It was used when the Compiled Service Records for the soldiers were created.

Thanks,
Mic
mic@micbarnette.com (mic @ micbarnette . com)