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Re: Training Camp-Rusk, Texas
In Response To: Training Camp-Rusk, Texas ()

Rusk references:

1862 entries

10th Tex Infy
4/30 Marched 8 miles to Bonner Ferry on the Trinity River. We had to ferry & were detained two days in getting across to the other side. 4/30 the Trinity River was very high & spread all over the bottom for about a mile. The day was warm & the prairie countryside was beautiful. The native cedar trees were abundant, dogwood blooms a vision of white, & a purple vine overran the old city cemetery in Palestine, & there were no graves that day of young soldiers all in a row.
It took the Regt two days to cross the big treacherous river between Freestone & Anderson Counties at Bonner's Ferry above the crossing now called Long Lake (where present day US Hwy 79 crosses the river). Col Nelson, absent since 4/17, had caught up with his Regt that morning & was cheered by his soldiers who were glad to see him again.
- See more at: http://www.palestineherald.com/localscene/x474406719/The-Forgotten-Ones-Part-1#sthash.qhlPbgLY.dpuf
5/2 Then to Palestine - 12 miles, a fine road & beautiful rolling country though very warm
As noted earlier by James H. Hurst, Co A, 10th Tex Vol Infy, from his diary that the Regt crossed the Trinity River on April 30th & May 1, 1862. So did Pvt. Ben Seaton, Co G of the 10th Tex”

Both diary entries from Pvt. Hurst & Pvt. Seaton place the 10th Tex in Palestine on May 3, 1862. The Regt most likely camped by Gum Springs, southeast of East Hill Cemetery on Rusk Road. That would be located between present day Spring Park Lake & the cemetery off Lacy Street, formerly Rusk Road.
After the Regt left those sick at Palestine, it continued east, crossing the Neches River & into Rusk. More soldiers would be left sick there, among them Pvt. John H. McCoy, age 17, who died of typhoid fever May 12, 1862. In a letter dated May 11, 1862, Pvt. Isaiah Harlan says that “the health of the Regt is only tolerably good. Fifteen or twenty of the sick have been left - top four or five have died.
5/5 Pass thru Rusk & then the Regt crossed the Sabine River in Panola County (near where present day US Highway 59 crosses the river).
5/7 By this date, the Regt had passed thru Rusk & Nelson received orders again to change his route of march through Shreveport

25th Tex Cav
6/12/62 Camp Dark, Mount Enterprise, Rusk County-will remain here 10-12 days then on to Little Rock-address me to 3rd Tex Lancers

18th Tex or 22nd Tex Infy
http://18thtexasinfantry.org/bb/forums/1303/ShowPost.aspx
A Copy of the Original Diary of Places and Dates Through Which David Thaddeus Manry Passed During Operations of Walker’s Confederate Division (Texas) in the War Between the States 1862-1865
I left my home six miles East of Moscow on the 15th of June 1862. From home to Sunpter-18 miles
From Sumpter to Longilas-20 miles
Longilas to the Neches River-12 miles
Neches River to Alto-10 miles
Alto to Rusk-12 miles, then to Jacksonville-14 miles

But see how he signs as 22 Tex inf

later references:

11/3/63 though the majority of the occupants of Camp Ford were Federal prisoners after the fall of 1863, the training of conscripts continued to the end of the war. When Col R. T.P. Allen, former Cdr of the 17th Tex Infy Regt, was ordered to Tyler on 11/2/63, his assignment as Cdr of the Camp of Instruction at Tyler included responsibility for the conscripts & Federal prisoners at Camp Ford. Col Allen is still mentioned as cdg the "Unattchd conscripts" at Tyler as late as May 14, 1864, when K Smith ordered the conscript camp moved to Rusk, & that arrangements be made for guarding the Federal prisoners remaining at Camp Ford. It is not certain when training activities ceased at Camp Ford, though no further record of the conscript camp has been found after May 1864.

In February, 1865, Lt. Col. George W. Guess was placed in command of the 31st Texas Cav. The dismounted regiment was marched to Rusk, Texas & consolidated with Brig. Gen. Hamilton P. Bee's brigade.

In May 1865, Brig. Gen Bee's Brigade including Lt. Col George W. Guess' 31st Texas Cav Regiment was disbanded at Rusk, Texas.

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Training Camp-Rusk, Texas
Re: Training Camp-Rusk, Texas