Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1891-02-26
A LETTER FROM AN OLD VETERAN.
Lieutenant Dudley Avery Can't Be at the
Re-Jnion, But Sends His Regrets
With Some War Remi-

With Some War Remi-
nisences.
Col. H. H. Boone, President, 7. G. Rankin,
Esq, Secretary Green's Brigade.
My Dear Sirs and Old Comrades:
1 feel highly honored and deeply
moved by your kind invitation to at
tend the reunion of the survivors of
Green's old Brigade at BRENNAN,
Texas, on Saturday, February q.
1891. Did circumstances permit, it
would give me great pleasure to
meet once more comrades whose pri,
vations, suffering, noble self sacri-
fee and victories 1 once had the
honor to share. The very name of
glorious old Tom Green and his
brave men awaken memories which
have lain dormant for the past
twenty-six years. The blood courses
through my veins as 1 recall their
valiant deeds at Bisland, Franklin,
the campaigns of the Teche and
Lafourche, Berwick,s Bay, Ope-
lousas, the Fordoche, where the
gallant Boone was desperately
wounded as he rode down the Fed
eral cannoneers and captured their
guns, at the Sterling place; Mans
field, where Shepherd and Hart met
a glorious death; Pleasant Hill,
where your dead men and horses
covered the open plain, and Blair's
Landing, where the noble heart of
the great patriot and soldier, Tom
Green, was silenced forever, while
fighting Porter's ironclads with his
mounted men. Upon this occasion
I wish to bear testimony to fact
of which I have seen no record in
the annals of our civil war. To
Green's Brigade was chiefly due the
signal victory achieved by the Con-
federate forces at Mansfield. Col.
"Gautch" Hardeman, commanding
Green's old Brigade, had been or
dcred by Gen. Taylor to protect the
Confederate left flank on the Gravel
Town road: he found no opposing
foe in his front; he heard the heavy
firing on his right and knew that
a desperate battle was being waged
Turning to his command he said:
Men, we have nothing to do here;
this is no place for us. and giving
the order to advance, guided by the
sound of the firing, he struck the
Federal line in flank and rear. At
this moment the infantry of Mouton
division had already made their gal
liant charge. Their dead and wound
ed thickly strewed the open rye field
over which they had advanced and
with shattered ranks they were with
in one hundred yards of the 18th
corps of the Federal army, unable to
advance in the face of the deadly
fire delivered from behind breast
work of rails. It was at this supreme
moment that we heard the soul
stirring Texas yell coming from the
throats of Green's old Brigade as
they struck the Federals in flank and |
rear and the victory was won. J
The record made by your command
for cheerful endurance of privations,
fortitude in defeat and moderation
in victory, should be cherished as a
sacred heritage by the people of
Texas, To the defendants of such
men can safely be entrusted the civil
and religious liberties of their state
and country. Please convey to such
Of our old comrades as may assemble
At this reunion of Green's Brigade,
the assurance of my sincere respect
and affectionate remembrance and
believe very truly yours.
DUDLEY AVERY,
Late LIST Lit. 18th La, Regt. Infantry
and A. A. A. Gen. on Gen. Mou-