CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY: TOM GREEN - Austin, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Peggy Brannon - peggybrannon@hotmail.com 17 November 2001 ***************************************************************** TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson TOM GREEN Tom Green, one of the bravest generals that Texas gave to the Confederate arms, was born in Amelia County, Virginia, June 8, 1814. He received a liberal education and then becoming enthused in behalf of the struggling people of the Republic of Texas, he left his home and volunteered as a soldier in her army, being one of the Spartan band under Gen. Sam Houston to win renown in the battle of San Jacinto. He remained in the army until its disbandment in May, 1837, when he took up the work of his profession, that of a civil engineer, surveying and locating land for the people. In 1839 he was elected a member of the congress of the Texan Republic, serving for two years. Next he served in various expeditions against the Indians, and in 1842 he was captain of the first company of Texas Rangers that went to the Rio Grande to afford protection against the Mexicans, serving under Hayes and McCulloch. From the year 1841 up to the time of the war in 1861, he was clerk of the Supreme Court of Texas. Upon the call to arms he entered the Confederate service as colonel of one of the regiments composing the famous Sibley brigade in New Mexico and Arizona, and was in the bloody battles of Val Verde, Glorietta, Las Cruces and others. He recaptured Galveston Jan. 1, 1863, and boarded and captured the Federal war steamer "Harriet Lane" and other vessels. Being now promoted as brigadier-general to the command of the veteran brigade, he with his troops entered Louisiana, where from his arrival until his death, first as brigadier-general but speedily as major-general, his name stands resplendent in almost every engagement in that state. He fell at Blair's Landing, April 12, 1864, while leading his men. His body was brought to Austin where it lay in state in the hall of the House of Representatives and then was interred in the State cemetery. The largest county in Texas is named in his honor. He was married in Austin in 1847 to Miss Mary Watson Chalmers, daughter of a former Secretary of the Treasury of the Texan Republic. Several children survive them.