Parsons' Cavalry C.S.A.

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Parsons' Cavalry, C.S.A., out of Ellis County. Now, Ellis County has sent some remarkable men into the pages of history, but few chapters run quite as wild as this one. It starts in the fall of 1861, out at a place called Rockett's Spring, four miles east of where that marker stands today.

That's where the unit organized for Civil War service, in September of that year, drawn from the men of Ellis and the surrounding counties. And the man they put in command; well. William H.

Parsons was not exactly what you'd call a quiet soul. Mexican War veteran. Colorful duelist.

Editor. Merchant. Lawyer.

The marker gives you that list, and every single word on it is doing some heavy lifting. A duelist who ran a newspaper and also practiced law. You get the sense Colonel Parsons walked into any room and immediately became the most complicated person in it.

He trained this unit himself, and what he built was folded into a Confederate brigade alongside the 12th, 19th, and 21st Texas Cavalry regiments, Morgan's Battalion, and Pratt's Battery. Together they ranged across a broad stretch of the war: Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indian Territory. That is a lot of ground to cover, and these men covered it.

But here is the detail that tends to stop people cold. This cavalry outfit (men on horseback, mind you) became famous for attacks on federal ironclad ships. Iron warships.

During the Red River campaign of 1864, Parsons' men went after the ironclads. The marker doesn't elaborate on how that went, and maybe it doesn't need to. The fact that it happened (that it was notable enough to be remembered) says just about everything you need to know about the kind of outfit Colonel Parsons put together out at Rockett's Spring.

From Ellis County, all the way to the ironclads on the Red River.

What the marker says

Originally comprised of men from Ellis and surrounding counties. Organized for Civil War service at Rockett's Spring (4 mi. E. of this site), Sept. 1861, unit was trained and commanded by Col. William H Parsons, Mexican War veteran, colorful duelist, editor, merchant, and lawyer. In a confederate brigade, this unit was joined with 12th, 19th, and 21st Texas Cavalry regiments, Morgan's Battalion and Pratt's Battery, to scout and fight in Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Indian Territory. It was famous for attacks on federal ironclad ships, Red River campaign, 1864.