CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY: PLEASANT HILL - Smith County, TX 

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

PLEASANT HILL		

Gen. Dick Taylor speaks of the Texas commands in the battle of 
Mansfield, as follows:  "During this time Walker had led his splendid 
division across the field and was fully engaged in the opposite wood, 
and Major had swept around to the left with his dismounted cavalry 
of Bagby's and his own brigade, under Col. Terrell (severely wounded 
in the fight), cleared the wood to the left, and seized and held the 
position occupied by the enemy's battery in the commencement of the 
engagement.  The stubborn resistance offered by the enemy along the 
whole line soon convinced me that he had received reinforcements of 
fresh troops, and I ordered forward Polignac.  Just then information 
reached me that Maj. Gen. Walker was wounded.  Galloping to the spot 
I found that he had received a severe contusion in the groin, and 
ordered him to quit the field, which he did most reluctantly.  His 
wound was a great misfortune.  The continuity of our line was lost, 
as I could not for some time find either of this brigade commanders,
all of whom were hotly engaged within the pine thicket in front.  
Brig. Gen. Scurry, commanding the right brigade of Walker's division,
 behaved most nobly, and speaks highly of Col. Waterhouse, commanding 
one of his regiments.  Gen. Scurry was slightly wounded in the 
engagement.  The efforts of the leaders prevented the confusion on 
the right from becoming disastrous.  Meantime the fighting on the 
left and canter was close and fierce.  The fresh troops of the 16th 
and 17th corps held their ground manfully.  The dense woods 
prevented a view of the field, and the continuity of our line was 
lost.  An idea prevailed that we were firing on each other.  Green, 
Polignac, Major, Randal and Gray, with their respective staffs, 
rallied the troops and led them again and again into action, and 
the men by their conduct showed themselves worthy of such leaders.  
At nightfall I withdrew the troops to prevent the additional 
confusion incident to darkness and formed line in the open field.  
The men fell in at once, and animated by thier noble leaders, 
brought order and confidence to the ranks.  Brig. Gen Waul withdrew 
from the wood, where he had been hotly engaged in tine style, and 
showed the coolness of a veteran."