Yesterday, I visited Thompkin's Station Tennessee.  Sad, a small plaque which stated there had been a Civil War Battle there.  Nothing, in detail. General Earl Van Dorn and his small Corps of Cavalry Troops won battles there, in Franklin and Demonstrated before far superior forces in Nashville.  Later in the Hood Tennessee Campaign, General Forrest, using General Sul Ross' Texas Cavalry Brigade entered Tennessee and fought  the way through retreating Union troops to the doorstep of Nashville. Then Hood sent them to stop the retreat of Union Forces from Nashville on the North side of Town, before he threw southern soldiers to their death against the strong Defence by Union Forces in Nashville.

It would have much more interesting had Forrest had the Command. He would have spread the Union Defence, and then saught a weak place to attack. He would not have forced southern troops to die in an impossible battle. 

Forrest then had the task to provide the retreating Hood forces with protection. Using one brigade of Infantry and Ross' Cavalry, he was able to allow Hood access to Alabama and Mississippi.  Forrest received most of the credit while the Texas Cavalry Brigade left it's dead at every corner, river crossing.

As we drove threw the country side and saw the many hills and rivers, I could imagine the difficulty of the ride on horse back.  My two kin, Privates Robert and James Nolan, would have been at home.  They were from Lebanon Tennessee, before their move to Texas and Joining the 6th Texas Cavalry. They would have traveled this area as they left Tennessee.  After the war they came home to live in Elkton, Giles, Tennessee just a few miles south of Columbia. They may have acted as guides, or introduced their commanders to locals who could help.  The hills and vales west of Columbia would have been made easier for the Texas Troops.

Texas blood was spilt along with that of Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana troops for a loosing Southern Cause. Here in Tennessee, far from home. Many say it was a worthless cause, but they do not have southern blood. They deny the Constitution State's Rights, which were trampled by a government seeking only to perpetuate itself. The cause of Slavery was used in a Political sense. The Union did not care about hte slaves. Their only concern was that without the south, they could not survive. They needed the cotton, and other materials to feed their machines and employ their workers.

The Southerners fought for freedom as had the framers of the Constitution. The faught against high Taxes as we do today. They faught to protect their homes. They did not fight in vain. We will remember, and wave our Battle Flags. 

I have just completed Stephen Kirk's book on the Sixth Texas Cavalry and wait for his new book on the 9th Texas Cavalry. Google Kirk's name for his address and the books. They cost $23.95 each plus shipping. I think he has both for $40 plus shipping. May be a few pennies more. Excellent books because of the stories and individual accounts. Also the rosters have comments and histtory on each soldier. This in itself is a difficult task.

Get these books and read and you will understand the History of the Texas Cavalry Brigade in The War.