Individual Details

Census-shared

Henry Caves age 48 farmer $2000 bprn South Carolina
Nancy age 38 born Alabama
John age 23 born Alabama farmer
Clarke age 17 born Alabama
Wayne age 13 born Alabama
Marion age 11 born Mississippi
Lucy age 9 born Mississippi
Mary age 7 born Mississippi
Permelin age 3 female born Mississippi

Marriage

John B Cave and Thomas S Parker provided bond for the marriage.

John's brother, Clarke married 4 days later

Death

All that is shown on his military records is that he died on 27 March 1862 in New Mexico. It is not known exactly where he died or place of burial.
The gravemarker was placed by his family in 2002 at the foot of his father, Henry W. Cave's grave in the Hurt-Graham Cemetery in Elevation, Milam County, Texas (near Milano).

Rank: Private

Joined for duty and enrolled: 18 Sep 1861
Mustered-in at: Cameron, Milam Co., TX
By: Charles Buckholts
At: Camp Sibley

Unit: Co. C, 4th Cavalry, Texas (also known as: Capt. Charles Buckholts' Company, 1st Regiment, Shelby's Brigade, Texas Mounted Volunteers - Cavalry)

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The following letter was found in the book, "History of Milam County, Texas" by Lelia McAnally Batte:

In Camp, New Mexico

Jany 13th 1862

Dear John:

We are near Fort Thom, about 60 miles above Mesilla, and 90 miles below Fort Craig, where are some 3000 of the enemy.

Today, five companies go on a reconnaissance to that point; my company is not of them. When they return, I expect we are to move upon it.

The 2d regt. is below us 30 or 40 miles. We are surrounded by the Indians. Night before last a picket guard killed one of them. Last night I commanded a picket of 16 men; we lay in a canyon a mile from camp but we saw none.

Below El Paso, I had one horse stolen, and above, 25 miles, I had 14 stolen, and at this camp, one -- sixteen in all. Other Cos. lost also. One had 23 stolen. The men have been very carless, but have now become very careful.

The weather has been charming during our whole route -- no rain, no snow, or sleet, or cold. The weather has been that of spring. We have plenty to eat and in sufficient variety of health. Surely God is with us, and we must conquer. We are well armed and have a sufficiency of ammunition. No one many yet lost, and no casualty among the men save the accidential shooting of Wm. I. Springer through the hand.

The company are now doing well. All seem cheerful and happy and eager for a fight, and they will do themselves and their country credit, you may depend upon it. I believe I have as brave a company of men as any Captain ever commanded. I have a fine Orderly Sergeant now; he is Tom Williams, and is a gentleman and a good officer, every inch of him. He and his brother, John, are the only ones who make music for us. They fiddle and the boys dance.

The men who had horses stolen by the Indians are as follows: J. G. H. Abel, Winfred Bailey, W. CAVE, J. S. Wade, Richard Allday, R. S. Vancleve, W. M. Newsom, V. S. Ritchie, J. E. Long, G. I. Olive, Daniel Eckman, Mat Logan, James Bailey, A. I. Bigham, C. C. Sage, Thomas B. Fisher.

I have enjoyed the service hugely, thus far.

Your brother,

Charles Buckholts.

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Two Milam County companies saw action in New Mexico during the Civil War. In 1861 Brigadier General Henry Hopkins Silbey raised a Confederate force to drive the Federal troops out of New Mexico. Sibley's Brigade, as it came to be known, some thousand men mostly Texans, was formed in San Antonio. The brigade included Captain Charles M. Lesueur's cavalry company and another company from Milam County commanded by Captain Charles Buckholts.

On March 28, the Federals defeated Silbey's Brigade at Glorieta, and Captain Buckholts was killed, as were, it is said, all but four of his company.

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The 4th Texas fought a skirmish at Apache Canon on 26 Mar 1862. There was no action on 27 Mar 1862. The actual Battle of Glorieta Pass occurred on 28 Mar 1862.

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Henry Hopkins Sibley: Confederate General of the West - p. 278-279

"Early on the morning of March 25 the Confederates filed through the narrow and dusty streets of the territorial capital and rode southeast along the Santa Fe Trail toward Gloreta Pass at the southern extremity of the towing and frigid snow-covered Sangre de Cristo. By the evening of the first day they had reached Johnson's Ranch near the mouth of Apache Canyon at the western entrance to Glorieta Pass."

Henry Hopkins Sibley: Confederate General of the West - p. 282

"[On March 28] The defeated [Major Charles L.] Pyron retreated to Johnson's Ranch where a flag of truce was sent to [Major John M. ] Chivington [Union] who agreed upon a cease fire until 8:00 a.m. the following morning for the nursing of the wounded and the burying of the dead. There was little jubilation in the Confederate camp that night. Confederate losses were reported as four men killed and six wounded while Chivington reported the Southern losses at thirty-two killed, forty-three wounded, and seventy-one taken prisoner."

Died of wounds as a Confederate Soldier. Company E 4th Cavalry Regt., Shelbys Brigade, Texas
A Memorial is in the Hurt Cemetery Milano County, Texas