Reminiscences of the Boys in Gray
Oscar W. Alexander

Oscar W. Alexander, Wellington, Texas— Was born June 10, 1843, near Columbus, Colorado County, Texas, and enlisted in the Confederate Army March, 1862, at Memphis, Tenn, as Sergeant in Company F, Terry's Texas Rangers, Eighth Cavalry, Gen. Thomas Harrison's brigade, Gen. Joe Wheeler's corps, Army of Tennessee. Name of first Captain, W. R. Jarmon; first Colonel, Terry.

Was wounded at Aiken, S. C., Feb. 11, 1865. A slight wound in the right leg. At Nononnah, Tenn., Wm. Thornton was shot by a Yankee after he had surrendered to Thornton. He had left the prisoner in his rear and the Yankee took up a gun and killed him. I was in the battle of Murfreesboro, July 13, 1862, under Gen. N. B. Forrest, also under Gen. Bragg, Dec. 31, 1863. Here I had my horse shot through the left knee an I was hit on the foot by a piece of bombshell. I was also in the battles of Munfordsville, Ky., Perryville, Ky., and then with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston till the surrender at Greensboro, N. C., April 26, 1865.

I will tell you of one fight in which I was engaged. I was under Gen. Forrest in this battle in East Tennessee near Morris Station. We were ordered to dismount and cross the railroad near a stockade, where 100 Yankees were hiding. We went on and crossed a fence into a field, came to a ravine when a call for four or five to step out for skirmishers. I, with four others, advanced, and went on in front to the stockade. About this time the command was ordered to fall back. We five went on, not hearing the command to fall back, and when we got near the stockade, Sam K. Tutwiler was shot through his left side, though the belt, but it proved not to be serious. Then Wm. Thornton was shot through the left thigh, missing the bone. I turned to the right to see Drisdale, and found that he was the only man with me. I then went back to the command; but how the bullets cut the weeds and grass around and between my feet! Running on the ground like scared mice, I came out unhurt. As for eating, I went for seven days while in Kentucky, with Gen. Bragg, without eating a bite. We could lift the skin on our bodies, and in meeting one another we would ask, how was he getting along. He would say, "I can take the skin of my body and wipe my face with it."

I never missed but one roll call during the war. Of course, when on duty or out by permission was the same as answering to my name. This is only a sample of what the Confederate soldier had to do. We had to take the weather as it came, hot or cold, wet or dry. On Gen. Sherman's "destruction" to the sea, four or five of us rode out of ranks to where the Yanks had burned and destroyed everything on the place, where a two-story house with six chimneys had stood. An old lady, about 85 years old, was there with a crutch under each arm and a night cap on. One of the boys says, "the Yanks have burned and destroyed everything." "Yes," she says, "and I do not know where those two little children and I are going to stay." In every direction we could see the smoke of burning houses.

If it had not been for the dear ladies we could not have held out as long as we did. They planted and cultivated the cotton, spun and wove it to make our clothes and raised the provisions, nursed the sick and wounded. God bless the women of the South.

Yeary, Mamie. Reminiscences of the Boys in Gray. McGregor, Texas, 1912.

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