CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY: FRANKLIN AND NASHVILLE - Dallas County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Doris Peirce - ginlu@home.com - 26 October 2001 ***************************************************************** TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson FRANKLIN AND NASHVILLE "Granbury's Brigade at Franklin, November 30th, lost its division commander, Gen. Cleburne, and its brigade commander, Gen. Granbury. Lieut. Col. R. B. Young, 10th, was also killed, and Maj. W. A. Taylor, 24th and 25th, Capt. J. W. Brown, 7th, and Capt. R. Fisher, 6th and 15th, commanding theri respective regiments, were reported missing. On December 10th, Capt. E. T. Broughton was in command of the brigade; the 6th and 15th regiments were under Capt. B. R. Tyus; the 7th under Capt. O. P. Forrest, the 10th under Capt. R. D. Kennedy, 17th and 18th under Capt. F. L. McKnight, and the 24th and 25th under Capt. John F. Matthews." Henry W. Graber, of Dallas a veteran of the famous Terry Rangers, or the 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, that made a reputation for gallantry and bravery in the army of the Tennessee, is a native of Germany, born in the city of Bremen in 1841, where his father was at the head of a large manufacturing and exporting business. The family emigrated to the United States and in the year 1853 settled in Houston, Texas, where both parents and one brother died the same year. Young Graber soon received employment in a wholesale grocery business, and subsequently conducted a general merchandise store in Waxahachie, Cypress City and Hempstead. In 1850 he was made the junior partner in the firm of Fraddis & Graber, at Hempstead, doing a prosperous business at the breaking out of the war between the States. It was at this place he joined the State Troops, went to Brazos, Santiago, and Indianola. These troops caused the surrender of the Federal forces at above points. In September 1861 he enlisted for the war as a private in Company B, 8th Texas Cavalry, commanded by Col. C. F. Terry. Henry Graber felt it to be his duty to sacrifice his business prospects and offer his services in defense of his adopted country, and being elected a second lieutenant of the company, he declined the honor, preferring the position of a private soldier, having no ambition save that of serving his country in an humble capacity. He was with his company and regiment in the Kentucky campaigns in 1861, was with Col. Wheeler at Shiloh, took part in the first battle of Murfreesboro under Gen. Forrest. Was with Bragg at Mumfordsville, Bardstown and Perryville, and many minor engagements in that famous campaign in Kentucky. Young Graber was severely wounded in a fight with an infantry force near Bowling Green, captured and sent to Louisville and placed in irons for resenting an insult by a negro captain and threatened with a court martial. Subsequently he was imprisoned at Camp Chase and from there to Fort Deleware where he escaped after four months detention. Assuming another name he went with a party of Marylanders that were expecting to be paroled, but were sent to Point Lookout, and thence after several months were exchanged at City Point. Soon he rejoined his command in Tennessee and saw active service in the Georgia campaign, participating in numerous engagements from Dalton to Atlanta and was with Gen. Joe Wheeler during Sherman's march to the sea, participating in daily engagements. His company was then detached as an escort to Gen. McLaws, with whom he remained until the surrender in North Carolina, participating in the battle at Bentonville where his command was surrendered. Returning to Texas he again engaged in merchandising successfully at Hempstead, Courtney, Rusk and Waxahachie until he made his home at Dallas in 1885, where he has placed himself at the front as a business man of prominence and commercial influence. He was always prominent in the work of the U. C. V.'s and was made Quartermaster General on the staff of Lieut. Gen. W. L. Cabell, and later on commanded the 4th Brigade of the Texas Division of the U. C. V. He is a leading member of Sterling Price Camp and was several times its commander. In social circles Gen. Graber is highly regarded among the people of Dallas, and in fact the whole State.