James Hardcastle - Post-Oakers

Email rec'd 2015-12-08

Kelly Kerr

the4kerrs(AT)gmail(DOT)com

League City, TX

Hello, I found a wonderful newspaper article on my ancestor Eli Hardcastle's brother James Hardcastle. It was

about post-oakers in the Confederacy and it is a personal interview of James Hardcastle in 1866.

A newspaper journalist from Ohio just happened to stop by his house and James invited him to spend the night.

James gives him great insight into a Post-Oakers from Little River, TX as well as personal anecdotes about his

time in the war under Hood's Brigade.

It's definitely something that anyone can appreciate from Milam county. How can I send this to you?

You also have an article about Elias Hardcastle and his memoirs. Elias was James' nephew.

Kelly Kerr

*****

Transcribed by Kelly Kerr

"Views Afoot."

Urbana Union

Cincinnati Commercial

January 24, 1866

The Cincinnati Commercial has a good correspondent in Texas, who has gone by Red River,

Austin and San Antonio, on his way to Rio Grande. He travels a foot and sees what would

not otherwise be seen. We give another extract from his sketches.

As I said, I got lost wandered out into a wild, sand-hill region, somewhere near Little

River turned back, and near sundown, having taken another road, brought up at the house

of James Hardcastle, among the "post oaks." I was received hospitably, the road

explained to me, and then, before I had asked, (indeed the premises seemed to be so

small as to make entertainment out of the question), I was invited to stop all night.

Although these people are poor a family of four boys, a girl and an infant crowded into

two small rooms, in a little log cabin, the back room made under the porch caves the

mother and one son sick I was nowhere more sincerely welcomed, and nowhere made to feel

more at home than at this place, sharing homely but grateful Fare.

James Hardcastle, like all post oakers, keeps stock, but while absent in the war, most

of his stock was scattered. James had been a secessionist, (strange for a poor) but his

wife "for the Union." James and his oldest son had seen service. James in the 5th Texas,

Colonel Archy, then Colonel Robinson, (both made Generals by the prowess of their

regiment,) and lastly Colonel Powell, had served in Maryland under Hood, as brigade

commander. After "Sharpsburg" (Antictam) he was so much used up as to be obliged to lag.

As he was toiling along, General Lee himself passed in an ambulance with three of his

staff, and asked him what he was doing there. "What you ought to be doin': walkn'," was

the Texan's off-hand answer, upon which Lee said he would haul him but that he was so

Heavily loaded, and asked him again, kindly, what ailed him, and promised him a

discharge. "Now I hope you'll remember this, General, when I apply."

Thrown into hospital soon after, Hubbard, his Congressman, forwarded an application for

his discharge, which, however, was returned "disapproved." Then Hood, visiting the

hospital one day, and brought into his ward, after a little kind talk, engaged to get

him a furlough; and sure enough, in a few days he got it was off not to return. Had

since done duty on Red River.

I had heard elsewhere that the Texan troops were allowed considerable license, and, on

account of their dash and recklessness in battle, and regarded as the pets of the army.

They "made" Hood, who commanded a brigade of the 1st, 4th and 5th Texas and 18th

Georgia, and, at one time, it was Hood's ambition to get 30,000 Texans under his charge.

Hood regarded his Texans with great favor. Of this fact, an anecdote, related by

Hardcastle, was seemingly significant. In the winter, once, Lee reviewed the troops. The

day was wet and cold, and pools of melted snow stood over the ground. The Texans, who

had been in the habit of playing the part of amused spectators about the camp-fires,

while the other troops were out drilling in the snow, were told they might choose their

own ground for inspection, and they accordingly formed a rather irregular line, avoiding

the pools that covered the ground. Hardcastle said Hood's position happened to be within

his hearing as Lee passed:

"General Hood, your's are the worst drilled troops in the army." "That makes no

difference, sir," answered Hood indignantly. "They are always drilled at the proper

time."

Hardcastle said he felt for Hood thought he had got into trouble, when Lee inquired.

"What troops are those?" "Those are my Texas troops, sir." "Ah," said Lee, bowing, "that

accounts for it," and he passed on.

Another Texan army joke. My host, said the 1st Arkansas, Colonel Manning, was at one

time in the Texas brigade, and their Colonel was "great" on discipline, to the great

disgust of the Texans, who omitted no opportunity to annoy him by mocking his commands,

until in a rage he sent out armed details to scout in the direction of the echoes, to

the mischievous amusement of the tormentors.

One of the 5th Texas returning from watering his mule, made it convenient in passing to

approach curiously near the headquarters of the disciplinarian, when sure enough out

stepped the rectangular aversion and diversion of all Rangers, and with voice and

gesture of very impressive decision gave utterance to the command of "right about,"

prompt to which the Texan responded by reversing his seat upon the mule, but without

changing the direction of the animal, and so quietly contemplating the indignant but

astonished officer over his mule's tail, amid the cheers of the camp, retired leisurely

to his quarter. Of course, then the worsted martinent sent over a file of soldiers after

the offending Texan, but his captain refused to surrender him, and his Colonel's reply

to the demand for him was the reply of a Texan confed., viz., "The mule's his own, and

he has a right to ride it as he likes."

Hardcastle had come from Alabama - born, however, in North Carolina. His daughter was

doing the cooking, a negro woman who had performed the office having left. The furniture

of a grazier's premises, whether "post-oak" or "prairie," is very primitive, and what

little there is disposed of without any regard whatever to order. Hardcastle thought

things would gradually improve, though beef is now but $8 a head (used to be $15,) sheep

$1, and pork five cents a pound, while the big planters on the bottoms, who raise all

the corn to supply the region, persist in keeping it at $1 a bushel, just to keep the

post-oakers from hiring the negroes.

*****

2016-11-17 NOTE:

Hi Jerry,

I wanted to thank-you for the post on the website. It looks great.

I wanted to add a note to the Elias Hardcastle article if possible. The article states

that Elias and Elijah Hardcastle were implicated in a murder. Just a note about Elijah,

Elias’ brother. Elijah was born in 1868. Elias was implicated in 1874. That would make

Elijah only 8 years old. Elias was 32 years old. Elijah, being an extremely young minor,

would not have made the news today with privacy laws about minors. Might want to note

that on the article or remove it. Elijah was never mentioned in the papers after that.

Elijah’s grandchildren are still living.

Kelly