CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY:  Seventeenth Texas Calvalry

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Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
6 June 2002 
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TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson, page 302

SEVENTEENTH TEXAS CAVALRY.

The 17th Texas Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate Army, was organized early 
in 1862 and ordered to Corinth, Miss. In the meantime a Federal army 
was invading Arkansas from Missouri. Our orders were changed to meet it.  
We met the advance of said army and turned it back. By the middle of 
July, 1862, our horses were run down and we were dismounted the 16th 
of July.  Our first hard-fought battle was on the 11th day of January, 
1863, beginning on the 10th. In this battle we were surrendered, nine 
Texas regiments in all surrendering at the time.  Enough of us escaped 
after the surrender to make eight companies.  In the early part of 
spring we reorganized with the title of "The Seventeenth Texas 
Consolidated Regiment." James R. Taylor was made Colonel. We lost our 
flag in the engagement of January 11, 1863 (Arkansas Post), and this 
flag was made and presented to our regiment by a Miss Watson, two 
miles west from Shreveport on July 6, 1863. Its first engagement was 
Vida­lia, La., in February, 1863. The next at Harrisburg, La., in the 
same month.  The next Mansfield, La., April 8, 1864. The next Pleasant 
Hill, La., April 9, 1864.  Next Marks­ville, La., May 16, 1864; next 
Yellow Bayou, La., May 18, 1864, which was our last regular engagement. 
The under­signed received the flag from the hands of Miss Watson and 
was Regimental Ensign to the close of the war.

E. W. H. PARKER.