All Afire to Fight:: The Untold Tale Of The Civil War's Ninth Texas Cavalry
Crabb's "untold tale" adds considerably and readably to knowledge of the Trans-Mississippi Confederacy. Raised in northeast Texas in fall 1861, the Ninth Texas contained few natives of the state but a great many men enthusiastic about identifying themselves with it and typically Texan in preferring to ride to war rather than walk. The regiment's career involved fighting in the Indian Territory, Arkansas, Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee before being furloughed to recruit back to full strength in March 1865. Although they missed a good many historic battles, the Texans saw plenty of hard fighting and almost unbelievably more hard riding, which frequently so wore out the horses that the regiment had to be dismounted. Add to those conditions the logistical shoestring on which the Confederacy fought, and it isn't wonderful that the men's health and morale suffered, though never to the point of giving up as long as there was any hope for the Confederacy.Roland Green