The Nineteenth Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organized during the Spring of 1862, and mustered into Confederate Service at Jefferson, Texas on May 13, 1862. The men who joined the Regiment all came from the East Texas area. Company "A", as well as two other companies, were raised in Jefferson. The other seven companies were raised in Titus, Marion, San Augustine, Panola, Rusk, and Henderson Counties, Dangerfield and Pine Forest. The original Captain of Company "A" was William L. Crawford, who later served as Lieutenant Colonel. The Regiment's original Commanding Officer was Colonel Richard Waterhouse, Jr.. Following Colonel Waterhouse's promotion to command of the Brigade, Colonel Ennis W. Taylor led the Regiment for the last year of the war.
The Nineteenth Texas was assigned to the Third Brigade, Walker's Texas Division. Also included in the Third Brigade were the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiments, the Sixteenth Texas Dismounted Cavalry Regiment, and Edgar's Battery of Artillery.
Walker's Texas Division, also known as "Walker's Greyhounds" served in the Trans-Mississippi department throughout the war. The history of the division, including the Nineteenth Texas, was largely a record of long marches over the muddy roads of Louisiana and Arkansas, often in pouring rain. The division was a mobile organization and good marchers. The land over which they operated was bad country, intersected with deep bayous. Compounding this was the lack of bridging equipment. The country had a heavy rainfall, and one could hardly dignify the muddy and bottomless trails as roads. Additionally, the division operated in a secondary theater, which always gets what is left. Unfortunately, there was not much to be had after the Federals cut the Confederacy in two by opening the Mississippi, brought about by the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson in the Summer of 1863.
During the war, the Nineteenth Texas, as well as the rest of Walker's Division was constantly in need of clothing and shoes. Rations were poor and scarce, and issued irregularly. Paydays were few and far between; and when money was received, it had little value. One positive note was that the Confederate government did keep the Division reasonably supplied with arms and ammunition!!!
The Nineteenth Texas, like most Civil War units, spent most of the war in camp and on the march; not in action against the enemy. They participated in several major campaigns of the war. The Regiment saw it's first action in the campaign to relieve Vicksburg, by attacking General U.S. Grant's line of supply on the west side of the Mississippi River. This campaign included attacks on Federal supply depots at Perkin's Landing and Milliken's Bend. The battle at Milliken's Bend was the Regiment's first major action, and the Regiment received high praise from General Henry McCulloch for its part in the victory on June 7, 1863. In the Fall of 1863, the Nineteenth Texas participated in the Bayou Teche Campaign, which prevented a Federal invasion of Eastern Texas.
In the Spring of 1864, the Nineteenth Texas saw their heaviest action of the war during the Red River Campaign against General Nathaniel P. Banks. Men from Company "A" and "H" were captured in the first action, the Battle of Fort De Russey. The rest of the Regiment participated in the great victories at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, which prevented Banks' capture of Shreveport, and once again thwarted a planned invasion of Texas. When Banks' forces retreated Southward, Walker's Division and the Nineteenth Texas turned North and marched to arkansas to counter General Steele's expedition aimed at Shreveport. On April 30, 1864, the Regiment fought it's last major engagement of the war at Jenkin's Ferry, north of Camden, Arkansas. During the battle, the Third Brigade Commander, General Richard Scurry was mortally wounded. Colonel Richard Waterhouse, commanding the Nineteenth Texas, was promoted to command of the Brigade, and Colonel Ennis Taylor assumed command of the Nineteenth Texas.
During the Summer of 1864, plans were made to send Walker's Division east of the Mississippi, but the movement never materialized, and the Division and the Nineteenth Texas went into winter quarters near Minden, Louisiana. In January 1865, Company "K" was detached for duty at the Confederate Powder Works at Marshall, Texas where it remained on duty guarding this installation for the remainder of the war.
By March 6. 1865, it was evident to all that the Confederacy was on it's last legs and the war would soon be over. On that date, "Walker's Greyhounds", including the Nineteenth Texas (minus Company "K") was in camp near Natchitoches, Louisiana. That same day, "Walker's Greyhounds" started the march back to Texas. The Division passed through Mansfield and crossed the Texas State Line on March 15th. Upon entering Texas, they found game plentiful, and this helped the commissary department greatly. Major General John H.Forney, commanding the Division, was determined that "Walker's Greyhounds" would not disintegrate on the road. He maintained discipline by having the troops drill twice each day, despite the fact that the soldier's did not like the idea very much. The Division crossed the Trinity River on April 3. 1865, and reached Camp Groce on the Brazos on April 15th. Beginning around the middle of May, the Division disbanded, by regiments, to aid in the journey home, each regiment assigned one wagon per company to carry equipment and supplies. Company "A", Nineteenth Texas started the trek home to Jefferson, Texas. Company "K" remained on duty at Marshall, Texas and turned over the Powder Works to Federal occupation troops in mid-June 1865.
Walker's Division, including the Nineteenth Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiment, which had performed valuable service to the Confederacy all over the Trans-Mississippi Department and had kept the enemy out of Texas on several occasions, had ceased to exist. The Nineteenth Texas and the rest of "Walker's Greyhounds" were included in the surrender of Confederate Trans-Mississippi forces at Galveston, Texas on June 2, 1865, although they did not participate in a formal surrender.
