DUANE
Duane's take
The way this marker tells it, here's the story of Jasper County in the Civil War — and I'm just the voice carryin' it down the road. Now, Jasper County wasn't some quiet backwater while the war was ragin'. The marker calls it a communication, transportation, supply, and military center in Civil War Texas.
And the county made its feelings known early — voting 315 to 25 in favor of secession. That's not a close call. That's a statement.
Texas troops crossed this county in the 1862 to 1864 Louisiana campaigns — the whole purpose being to prevent the split of the South and stop an invasion of Texas. And running right through Jasper County was the Confederate Army's military horseback courier route, stretching from Houston all the way to Alexandria, Louisiana. Messages had to move, and they moved on horseback, fast as a man and a horse could go.
In the last years of the war, the rider on that route was a local boy named Abel Adams. Fourteen years old. He rode it in a high lope — those are the marker's own words — carrying dispatches for General John B.
Magruder, commander of the Department of Texas. Fourteen years old, riding hard between Houston and Louisiana for a Confederate general. Let that settle a moment.
Jasper County fed the war effort too. Beef was driven to troops in the Old South by way of an 1823 trail that crossed the county. The county also housed a Confederate Quartermaster Depot and served as the nine-county headquarters of the 2nd Brigade, Texas State Troops, under General W.
M. Neyland — a local citizen himself. The county's men were scattered across war fronts throughout the South: Company G of the 13th Texas Cavalry, Company C of the 25th Texas Cavalry Dismounted, and Company E of the 27th Texas Cavalry, riding in Whitfield's Legion.
Then came 1865. The war was over, survivors were making their way back home, and Union occupation troops bivouacked right in the Jasper Town Square. Their commander was General George Custer — yes, that George Custer, the very one the marker notes would later go down in history for his last stand at the Little Big Horn in 1876.
He hadn't met that fate yet. In 1865 he was here, in Jasper. And his young bride?
She came along for the occupation. Driving her beautiful horse and carriage, she called on the ladies of Jasper. History has a way of concentrating itself in the unlikeliest of places.
A fourteen-year-old riding hard for a Confederate general. George Custer camped in the town square. His bride paying social calls on the women of a county that had voted 315 to 25 to go to war — and was now watching it end on their own doorstep.
Jasper County saw a lot of history. And history, it seems, saw Jasper County right back.
What the marker says
Communication, transportation, supply and military center in Civil War Texas. Voted 315 to 25 in favor of secession. Crossed by Texas troops in the 1862-64 Louisiana campaigns to prevent split of the South and invasion of Texas. Confederate Army ran Houston-to-Alexandria, La., military horseback courier route through here. In last years of the war, Abel Adams, a local 14-year-old, rode this in a high lope, for Gen. John B. Magruder, commander of the Department of Texas. Beef was driven to troops in the Old South by way of 1823 trail across the county. Had a Confederate Quartermaster Depot and 9-county headquarters, 2nd Brigade, Texas State Troops, under Gen. W. M. Neyland, local citizen. County men in service on various war fronts of the South included Co. G, 13th Texas Cavalry; Co. C, 25th Texas Cavalry, Dismounted; Co. E, 27th Texas Cavalry, in Whitfield's Legion. In 1865, as survivors were returning home, Union occupation troops bivouacked in the Jasper Town Square. Commander was Gen. George Custer, later to go down in history for his "last stand" at the Little Big Horn, 1876. Driving her beautiful horse and carriage, his young bride called on the Jasper ladies.