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LONE STAR ON BAYOU BOURBEUX A Memorial by Steven L. Driskell
Camp near Opelousas
While Texas will mourn the loss of her brave sons, she will treasure the memory as the
glorius martyrs of our common country's independence.
O M Roberts |
The above words echo from the report [01] of Colonel Oran M. Roberts regarding the loss of Texans in the Battle of Bayou Bourbeux. Unfortunately, there are no monuments, nor headstones to lay a wreath for these martyrs. However, there is the memory and deeds of these brave Texans to pass on.
My first encounter of this battle, was found in the book Yankee Autumn in Acadiana by David C. Edmonds [02]. This book is a detailed account of the overland expedition through Southwestern Louisiana during the period of October-December 1863.
Although a small corner of the "War of Northern Aggression", David Edmonds highlighted a particular battle which is rarely mentioned or thought of. My interest remains on the lost graves of the Texans and I will point out references found in the book.
Battle Burial Site
The vicinity of this site was described to me by Mr. Edmonds, however my personal attempts for accessing this site were refused by the property owner.
November 3, 1863
"The Confederate dead were loaded into wagons like so much cordwood and then hauled by the all-black Pioneer Corps to a location north of Urbaigne Lavergne's house. There, near the point of Buehler's last stand, they were unceremoniously buried in a shallow grave along with unexploded missles, broken guns and other discarded weaponry [03]."
November 5, 1863
"... team of Confederates, under the supervision of Lt. O.M. Airhuit of the 11th Texas Infantry, was busily engaged in raising a large mound of earth over their dead breathren [04]."
Hospital Burial Site
November 3, 1863
"In fact not less than thirty Texans expired on or shortly after reaching the temporary hospital and were interred in the yard on the north side of the house (Bellevue plantation home of Benjamin Rogers) [05]."
Epilogue, 1979
"... the Rogers' home, used as a Confederate Hospital following the Bourbeux affair, was being dismantled for its valuable cypress lumber even as this book was going to press. A new house was only recently constructed nearby, the slab of which was poured virtually over the burial site of those who expired under the knives of Confederate surgeons [06]."
"The Texans remain, their actual location unmarked and only recently ascertained by the writer [06]."
The below list contains the names of Texans who died during the period of October and November 1863 [07]. Those dated November 3 or later, were from the Battle of Bayou Bourbeux. If 50% of the number (37) remained on the battlefield, at least 16 are buried in the shallow graves dug by the Federal Pioneer Corps.
Name Rank Unit Date Comment ---------------------- ---------- -------------------- ------ ------------------ Bisons, D. Pvt 11th Tx Inf Nov 3 Bowman, J. J. Pvt 28th Tx Cav Nov 2 Shot for Desertion Brantly Pvt Baylor's Tx Cav Nov 3 Clark, A. L. Pvt Waller's Tx Btn Nov 3 Cook, C. Pvt 11th Tx Inf Nov 3 Duncan, N. D. 11th Tx Inf Nov 9 Duncan, W. H. Pvt 18th Tx Inf Nov 3 Edwards, Samuel Pvt 15th Tx Inf Nov 3 Evetts, Samuel Pvt 15th Tx Inf Nov 3 Field, H. S. Pvt 15th Tx Inf Nov 3 Fleming, T. J. Pvt 11th Tx Inf Nov 3 George, D. M. Pvt 18th Tx Inf Nov 3 Green, J. F. Pvt 18th Tx Inf Nov 6 Green, R. C. Pvt 18th Tx Inf Nov 3 Humphrey, David Pvt 15th Tx Inf Nov 3 Johnson, L. R. Pvt 18th Tx Inf Nov 3 King, John Pvt 15th Tx Inf Nov 3 Lallier, V. A. Pvt 5th Tx Cav Oct 21 Litton, D. Pvt 15th Tx Inf Nov 3 Long, J. M. Pvt 15th Tx Inf Nov 3 McDonald, Barney Pvt 4th Tx Cav Oct 13 Morgan, Wm. H. Pvt 4th Tx Cav Oct 13 Moulder, Joseph Pvt 4th Tx Cav Oct 13 Odom, John Pvt 18th Tx Inf Nov 3 Pribble, W. F. Pvt 15th Tx Inf Nov 3 Ramsey, J. C. Sgt 18th Tx Inf Nov 3 Reddy Pvt 18th Tx Inf Nov 3 Robinson, J. A. 7th Tx Cav Nov 3 Russell, W. O. Pvt 18th Tx Inf Nov 3 Setton, J. D. Pvt 15th Tx Cav Nov 3 Spegies, G. J. Sgt 15th Tx Inf Nov 3 Stillwell, J. L. H. Capt 11th Tx Inf Nov 7 Terry, J. R. Cpl 18th Tx Inf Nov 6 Thompson, W. A. Pvt 11th Tx Inf Nov 3 Wair, W. H. 5th Tx Cav Oct 13 Welch, William Pvt Madison's 3rd Tx Cav Nov 3 Wilkins, Rutherford Pvt Stone's 6th Tx Cav Nov 3 Wimberely, L. Pvt 11th Tx Inf Nov 6 Wright, L. Pvt 11th Tx Inf Oct 21 Zimmerman, W. 4th Tx Cav Oct
Edited by Alwyn Barr Louisiana History