CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY: G. A. KNIGHT.-  Dallas County, TX 
***************************************************************** 
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

Submitted by Doris Peirce - ginlu@home.com 
28 October 2001 
***************************************************************** 
TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson

G. A. KNIGHT.

Gabrael A. Knight, of Dallas, was born in Bedford county, Tenn., 
July 10th, 1842.  His father, O. W. Knight, removed to Texas, 
Nov. 1846, and settled four miles from the city of Dallas.  Here 
"Dude" was reared on the farm, receiving such educational advantages 
as fell to the lot of the average frontier boy at that time.  In 
April, 1861, he joined with some other Dallas county boys, an 
expedition that had been organized for the capture of the Federal 
garrison at Fort Arbuckle in the Indian Territory.  The mission was 
undertaken and accomplished.  In June, 1861, he enlisted in Good's 
battery, which was being recruited in Dallas.  In this company, 
afterwards known as Douglas' 1st Texas battery, he served through 
the entire war as a private, participating in every battle and 
skirmish in which the company was engaged, excepting the artillery 
duel at Columbia on the 29th of November, 1864, when, with others 
of the battery, he had been detailed to accompany Gen. Cheatam on 
his fruitless expedition.  He was with the battery in its 
experiences at Franklin, and in the battle and rout before 
Nashville, and the terrible winter retreat through Tennessee.  
After reaching Mississippi and the army was encamped at Columbus, 
the authorities adopted the policy of furloughing every seventh man 
among the troops, whose home was west of the Mississippi river.  The 
furloughs were drawn by lot; the number of furloughs due each command 
represented by slips of paper on which "furlough" had been written, 
and a blank slip representing every other soldier, all shaken together 
in a hat.  "Dude" having relatives, and perhaps "some" one else that 
he was anxious to see over in Texas, was naturally very anxious to 
make a lucky draw.  The orderly sergeant began to sound the roll and 
as each soldier's name was called, he would step forward and draw.  
"Dude's" name was soon reached and he stepped forward with his "heart 
in his mouth" to try his luck.  He brought out a blank slip, and 
feeling a good deal blanker than the paper, he fell back with the 
best grace he could.  Away down on the list the name of Stephen 
Scheafer was called.  Now Scheafer was a German whom we had enlisted 
from a mercantile house in Dallas.  Scheafer died in Galveston with 
cholera, during the epidemic in that city a few years after the war.  
He had the typical form and features of the Teutonic race, floried 
complexion, blue eyes, stocky build, and large round head with but 
little hair "where the hair ought to be"  to hit off this peculiarity,
he was frequently called "cabbage head."  He was an excellent soldier 
and of perenial good nature.  Stephen, answering to his name, went 
forward and drew the lucky slip.  Waving it above his head he 
announced his good fortune in his best English.  A soldier, eager to 
go home, offered him $2000 for the furlough,  Scheafer replied:  
"Me sell a furlough!  By Got, vot you take me for?"  then turning to 
Knight he said:  "Toode, I've got nobody in Texas to go to see and 
you have, I give you dis furlough."  The furloughs for 90 days each, 
were soon delivered to the boys and they set out for Texas.  But it 
was much easier to start than it was to get there in those troubled 
times.  They paid a man $100  to put them across the Mississippi river 
in a leaky canoe, some bailing out water while others rowed.  They 
walked the entire distance from Columbus, Miss., to their respective 
homes  in Texas, nearly 700 miles, the route they traveled.  Although 
the war had grown very strenuous and the outlook gloomy, these men in 
due time got together and started back to the army.  At Mansfield, 
La.,  they learned of the surrender of Gen. Lee, and were officially 
authorized to return home. 

The war over, young Knight went to farming, and on Sept. 7th, 1866, 
he was married to Miss Hanah E. Jenkins, of Dallas, a most excellent 
woman.  They have had born to them nine children, seven of whom have 
reached their majority, two dying in infancy.  Two are married.  In 
1888, Mr. Knight sold his farm and became a grain merchant in the 
city of Dallas, which business in association with his sons, he has 
successfully prosecuted, and constantly enlarged.  He has been an 
active member of the Methodist church since the war, being a 
comunicant of Trinity church in that city.  Genial, warm hearted, 
and impulsive by nature, loyal to the heart's core in all his relations.    
Mr. Knight has made an ideal citizen and member of society.  He and 
his sons are the "salt of the earth."
ED. W. SMITH, SR.