DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, Grayson County doesn't always get its due when folks talk about the Civil War. Most of the big stories went south or east.
But up here in the Red River country, this county was carrying real weight — and some real colorful characters came through to prove it. The marker calls Grayson County a military, defense, and supply center in the Civil War, and it earns that title several times over. Start with the 11th Texas Cavalry Regiment, raised right here and in the surrounding counties in May of 1861.
That outfit moved fast — capturing Forts Washita, Cobb, and Arbuckle over in Indian Territory, removing, as the marker puts it, the immediate danger from the North. The beef feeding those posts? Supplied by a local contractor.
Grayson County, feeding the frontier. And that was only the beginning. Men and boys from this county served in the 16th and 20th Texas Cavalry Regiments, the Border Regiment, and the State Militia.
Then there's the 9th Texas Cavalry Regiment — the outfit that would go on to become part of the famed Ross' Brigade — organized in October of 1861 at a place called Brogdon Springs. Seventeen miles north on the Red River sat Fort Preston, used by Confederate and state troops as a post on the defense line along the river — holding against Indian raids and Federal invasion both. Supplies came up to Fort Preston by boat, then went out by wagon to other frontier forts.
And in Sherman itself, a regional depot was set up in 1861 to receive clothing for soldiers. A commissary there supplied food to passing troops, to families, and to the widows of soldiers. Widows.
Hold that thought. Because here's where the story takes its sharpest turn. In 1863 and 1864, Colonel William C.
Quantrill, C.S.A., and his notorious guerrilla fighters camped near here. The marker notes — almost as an aside, but it isn't — that those fighters included future members of the James and Younger gangs. That's the company Quantrill kept.
Now, the marker gives Quantrill his credits. He is credited with stopping cattle thefts from across the Red River. And in a moment that almost strains belief, he is credited with persuading a, and I'm reading the marker's word here, a mob of war widows not to storm the commissary for coffee and tea.
A mob of war widows. Marching on the commissary. And Quantrill talked them down.
You'd think that would make him a hero in these parts. But here's where the story lands hard. After all of that — the cattle, the widows, the guerrilla camps — Quantrill had to flee.
Not from the Union. From Confederate arrest. Because of his own practices.
The marker doesn't finish that sentence. It just trails off after the word "practice." And sometimes, the thing left unsaid is the loudest thing of all.
What the marker says
(Star and Wreath) Military, defense and supply center in Civil War. 11th Texas Cav. Regt., raised in this and area counties, May 1861, removed immediate danger from North by capture Forts Washita, Coeb, Arbuckle in Indian Territory. Beef for these posts was supplied by local contractor. Men and boys served in 16th, 20th Tex. Cav. Regts., the Border Regt. and State Militia. The 9th Tex. Cav. Regt. that became part of famed Ross' Brigade was organized Oct. 1861 at Brogdon Springs. Fort Preston, ;17 mi. N. on Red River, was used by Confederate and state troops as a post on defense line along river to prevent Indian raids and Federal invasion. Supplies brought to Ft. Preston by boat were sent by wagon to other frontier forts. Regional depot was set up in Sherman 1861 to receive clothing for soldiers. A commissary supplied food to passing troops, families and widows of soldiers. Col. William C. Quantrill, C. S. A., and his notorious guerilla fighters - including future members of the James and Younger gangs - camped near here in 1863-4. He is credited with stopping cattle thefts from across Red River and persuading a "mob" of war widows not to storm the commissary for coffee and tea. However, he had to flee to escape Confederate arrest because of practice...