John Haynie, of the Eighth Texas

Confederate Veteran
Volume 17, Number 6, Page 271
June 1909.

E. H. Alexander, of Houston, Tex., writes:
I notice in the December number of the VETERAN an article from C. W. Stone, of Hondo, Tex., asking about a Federal colonel captured by John Haynie (not Haney), of the 8th Texas Cavalry, Terry Rangers. The writer of this was a classmate with John Haynie prior to the war at La Grange, Tex., but served during the war in the Trans Mississippi Department. My brother [O. W. Alexander] served in the same company with Haynie (Company F) through the war, and I have heard him speak of the circumstance related by Mr. Stone, and it is my recollection that the colonel's name was Lagrange. The death of John Haynie was a sad affair. When Johnston's army was preparing to surrender at the close of the war, the 8th Texas was near Saluda, S. C., part on the east side of Saluda River and part on the west side. John Haynie was sent with a dispatch to this last named detachment in order to concentrate the company that they could surrender together. When he delivered the dispatch, the men, after discussing the matter, determined that they would try to cross the Mississippi and not surrender, as they believed the war would continue over there. John left them to return to the regiment, but was never seen afterwards. He was not missed until the company reached home, each detachment thinking he was with the other. His father and mother went to Saluda to try to trace him, There they learned that a man answering his description had come at about the time he should have reached there, but, finding the bridge on fire, he had plunged his horse into the river to swim across, but before he reached the other bank the horse turned over with him and he lost his hold and was drowned. John was wearing heavy boots, pistol, etc. Those who knew John Haynie will bear me out in saying that the Confederacy never had a braver or more daring soldier than was he. He was about twenty one years old at the time of his death, had served through the whole war, and just as he had his first chance to go home lost his life."