DUANE
Get the App
Duane's take
The official marker tells it this way, and I'm just the man ridin' shotgun on the story. Now, before there was a Granbury, Texas, there was a man, a Mississippian who came to Texas in the early 1850s, hung out a lawyer's shingle in Waco, and started down a road that would end in fire and legend. His name was H.B.
Granbury. Born in 1831. Gone by 1864.
Thirty-three years on this earth, and he packed enough into the last few of them to earn a city. When the war came in 1861, he recruited the Waco Guards and stepped into Confederate service. He was elected Major of the 7th Texas Infantry (elected, mind you), which tells you something about how men felt about following him.
And follow him they did, straight into some of the hardest fighting the Western theater had to offer. February 1862, Fort Donelson, Tennessee. Granbury's men beat back Federal forces some miles.
Some miles. That's not a skirmish; that's a statement. But Fort Donelson fell, and Granbury was captured there.
He was exchanged in August, came back as Colonel, and walked straight into the Vicksburg campaign, the whole brutal effort to prevent the split of the Confederacy along the Mississippi River. He took 306 men into battle. He lost 158 of them.
You sit with that number a moment. September 1863, Chickamauga, severely wounded. A lesser man might've called it done.
Granbury had brigade command at Missionary Ridge. And in 1864, he was promoted Brigadier General. Now here's where the second half of this story begins, because Granbury the man and Granbury's Texas Brigade, they're two threads of the same rope, and you can't pull one without the other.
The Brigade was formed in the autumn of 1863 from the remnant of Deshler's Brigade. Texas units: the 6th, 7th, 10th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 24th, and 25th Infantry, along with the 3rd and 5th Confederate Regiments of Memphis. November 1863: Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge.
Granbury's men repulsed Sherman's attacks. Repeatedly. The C.S.A.
Congress thanked the unit for valor at Ringgold Gap. At Kennesaw Mountain, this Brigade and a fellow Brigade together counted seven hundred enemy casualties at their front after one charge. One charge.
And then there's this detail that ought to stop you cold: in bayonet combat, in the dark, the yells alone from Granbury's men were sufficient to rout the Federals. Just the sound of them coming. The marker says it plainly: before troops of equal number in open field, the unit was unconquerable.
But wars have a way of not fighting fair. Franklin, Tennessee. Granbury led the Texas Brigade in with General Hood.
Flags flying. Drums rolling. And no cover.
Not a scrap of it. Granbury's men ran forth on the double into an intrenched army. That is the kind of courage that breaks your heart and commands your respect in the same breath.
H.B. Granbury was one of six Confederate Generals killed at Franklin, Tennessee. He was buried in Granbury Cemetery, the cemetery of the city that carries his name.
Born 1831. Killed 1864. And the marker closes with this: not a lament, but something closer to a verdict.
The courage inspired by the leader named it forever. Granbury's Brigade. Some names outlast the men who earned them.
Out here in Hood County, that's not just history. That's the whole town.
What the marker says
A Mississippian. Came to Texas early 1850s. Lawyer in Waco, recruited Waco Guards, Confederate Army, 1861. Elected Major 7th Texas Infantry. Beat back Federals some miles, Fort Donelson, Tenn., Feb. 1862. Captured there, exchanged Aug. Colonel in Vicksburg campaign to prevent split of Confederacy along Mississippi River. Took 306 men into battle, lost 158. Chickamauga, Sept. 1863 severely wounded. Had brigade command Missionary Ridge. Promoted Brigadier General 1864. Led Granbury's Texas Brigade into Tennessee with Hood. Was one of 6 Confederate Generals killed at Franklin, Tenn. Buried in Granbury Cemetery. (Back of Gen. H.B. Granbury) Granbury's Texas Brigade Formed in Autumn 1863 from remnant of Deshler's Brigade. Texas units included 6th, 7th, 10th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 24th, 25th Infantry, with 3rd, 5th Confederate Regiments of Memphis. Nov. 1863 battles of Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Granbury's men repulsed Sherman's attacks repeatedly. C.S.A. Congress thanked unit for valor at Ringgold Gap at Kennesaw Mountain, this and fellow Brigade counted 700 enemy casualties at their front after one charge. In bayonet combat, yells in the dark from Granbury's men were sufficient to rout Federals. Before troops of equal number in open field the unit was unconquerable. Fought intrenched army, Franklin, Tenn. Battle. Flags flying, drums rolling, but with no cover Granbury's men ran forth on the double. Courage inspired by the leader named it forever: Granbury's Brigade. Erected by the State of Texas 1964