Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 91 of 372
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ENCYC LOPEDIA,
75
Congress at Montgomnery, and withi his usual sa- the eve of the en+aiement, but in his report of the
gacity urged upon that boLdy the necessity of ade- battle truthfully gave the credit of the victory to
quate preparation for a struggle, ais the most effect- the brave Texans and their conmmaulnder. At the
ive miethod of securing a satisfactory arrangement siege of Yickshurg General Wauls coimmand did
between the sections, or if necessary to fight, for active service in the trenches, their presence being
an honoralBle peace. Before his term of ser- required to repel every attack along the lines.
vice expired it was obvious that an micable They suffered greatly in loss of oticers and men
adjustment was imipossible. He declined re-election, during the siege, but there, as elsewhliere, sustain d
beingi resolved to take the field. He succeeded in the high reputation achieved by Texas valor on
raisiing over two thousand troops. Tihey were or- every battle field of the war. After the siurrender
ganized as "WanTul's Legion,"' went into camp in of Vicksburg General Waul was ordered to RichWashington
county, and proceeded thence to Vicks- nmond, anidi was promioted for gallaniit service in the
burg and Corinth, where Federal and Confederate field to the rank of Brigadier General. Hle was
troops were being concentrated. At Holly Springs then sent to Texas to recruit his Legion to the full
he heard of the defeat of the Confederate forces, comiplement of regimnents, and to organize the coinand
was ordered to the rear of the defeated army mand into a .brigade of cavalry, and report for
to protect anid cover its retreat. Thenceforth the duty in the cis-Mississippi department. , Before tlihe
Legion, nuder thle command of General Waul, was orders could be executed General Banks appeared
ictively engaged in the conflicts of war. Its valor with a force to invade Texas. General Kirby Smith,
and discipline made its name a household commanding the department of the trans-Missisword
in Southern homes, never to be forgotten. sjippi, offered General Waul the command of one
General Waul's accurate knowledge of the topog- of his best brigades. He accepted, and led it at
raphy of a Mississippi enabled him to render effect- the battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, in both
ive service in defense of the State. Hle urged the of which he bore an active and conspicuous part.
importance of defending Yazoo Pass, and though When the division commander, General Walker,
engineers had reported that an entrane through was wounded, General Waul was placed in cornthat
channel was impossible, his views were adopted imand of the division, and was subsequently placed
by the Government, and at the instance of the in command of the field by General Tay lor for perPresident,
and by the wish of General Pemberton, sonal gallantry, and the military skill displayed in
he was ordered to the defense of the Yazoo and the successful massing of the troops. General
Tallahatchie rivers. ThIe commanding general re- Wal took an active part in the battle of Saline,
quested him to make his selection of troops in tlie or Jenkins' Ferry, which, on account of the mud
field to aid thIe Legion in this responisible under- renderiniig tlie use of artillery possible, was
taking. His choice fell upon the Second Texas, fought exclusively with muskets and bayonets.
commanded by Colonel Ashbel Smith, whose gal- The Federals were driven from the field, but the
lantry had been illustrated in iiiany engagements. severest losses were sustained by thle Texas troops.
General Waul proceeded to a strategic point near Of their three generals, two were killed, and Genthe
confluence of tihe -Tallalbusha and Tallahatchie eral Waul was severely wouniided, while some
rivers, where hle quickly erected a fortification of tweiinty other general commandhing officers escaped
thie South's great staple. unhurt. The war soon ended, and General Waul
Thle Federal G(eneral oss, with troops and gun- returned to his lonme on the Guadaloupe. In 1865,
boats had already entered the Pass, and was ap- against his opposition and protests, hlie was elected
proaching withi a well appointed land and naval to the Reconstruction Convention. In obedience
force. But thlie narrowness of the river and the solely to a senise of duty, he accepted the responwant
of knowledge of the channel somewhat re- sible position, and employed every influence to setarded
the Federal advance, while the Confeder- cure a constitutional recognition of the rights of
ates toiled in the mud through tlhe night to coin- the people of Texas, and allay sectional animosity.
plete their works. Simultaneously with the dawn His course in the Convention, brave and wise,
of morning the Federal fleet appeared, and the forti- was warmly supportedi by friends, and respected by
fication received its last and oinly large gun. Not- political foes. Without regarding Southern sutbwithstanding
tmhe heavy arimamient and superior mission as a disgrace, and with niio tinge of petuforce
of the Federals they were defeated, and for lance or irritability at the settlement of issues
a time Vicksburg and the Mississippi were saved by thl sword, he urged reciprocal compromises,
to the Confederates. General Loring arrived on and a guaranty of the inalienable rights of the
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
Biographical view of Texas and its history including narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history and information about important point in history including: the pioneer days of Texas, Texas' transition from a Mexican state to being part of the United States, and the wars in which Texas citizens took part.
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas, book, 1880; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5827/m1/91/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.