Texas

At the Wilderness on May 6, 1864, from near this spot, the Texas Brigade pleaded with General Lee not to expose himself to Federal fire and, after seeing him to safety, launched a vigorous counterattack that stemmed the advance of Hancock's Corps and saved the right flank of the Confederate army. Of approximately 800 troops involved, the Texas Brigade counted over 500 casualties. Texas troops at the Wilderness were the 1st Texas Infantry Regiment under Lt. Col. E.S. Bass, the 4th Texas Infantry Regiment under Col. J.P. Bane, and the 5th Texas Infantry Regiment under Lt. Col. K. Bryan; the Texas Brigade included the Third Arkansas Infantry Regiment and served in Brig. Gen. John Gregg's Texas Brigade, Maj. Gen. Charles W. Field's Division, and Lt. Gen. James Longstreet's Corps. As Lee saw them gathering, he cried, "Who are you my boys?" and they answered, "Texas boys," while veterans of Hood's Texans of Longstreet's Corps sprang into position and refused to go on unless Lee went back.

Virginia · United States