Andrew Jackson West Story

       

                                       Andrew Jackson West

I spent this morning with Andrew Jackson West- someone I had never heard of before; a gap in my research that I expected to be a dead end or a quick fill in -those quick names that you just fill in to complete a family list. But once I came across him, like so many people I am getting to know, I realized that A.J. had a story that deserved to be told.

I was researching the family of my great-great grandfather, Robert Ransford Taylor, and his wife, Jane T. “Jennie” Ainsworth while trying to figure out another puzzle- the story of family groups emigrating from Mississippi to Trinity County, Texas in the 1850’s. I was making charts comparing the 1850 census in Mississippi to the 1860 census in Texas and took a moment to glance at the 1870 Trinity County census- a census which shows the abrupt changes in families and fortunes after the close of the civil war.

Like many families in the south, the home of Ransford Taylor now reflected an extended family. At 60, he and his 50 year old wife, Jennie, had 3 unmarried sons living with them- 23 year old Lee, 14 year old William, and 9 year old John, plus a married son- 21 year old James and his wife Lizzie. I knew that one of their daughters, my great -grandmother, 17 year old Nancy Francis “Fannie” Taylor, was already married to 20 year old James Cornelius Womack, and that her sister, Mary Jane “Mollie” Taylor had married JC’s brother, George Franklin Womack. They also lived in Trinity County, next door to each other and next to my Womack great-great grandmother, Rebecca Jane Franklin Womack. I have many pictures of their offspring- double cousins-including my grandmother, Mattie, who grew up together and stayed close throughout their lives. But I didn’t know that Nancy Francis had another sister.

Womack double cousins- Jennie, Mattie, Dona, Edna, Ora, and Leona.

Living with the extended Taylor family were some people with names that didn’t match- 30 year old Matildie West, 13 year old Luther West, 11 year old Robert West, and 8 year old Jackianna West.



The 1850 Scott County Mississippi census showed me that Robert R (Ransford) Taylor also had a daughter named Matilda- his eldest child, age 11- four years older than Mary Jane (“Mollie”.) Further searching brought me some more information- this was Margaret Matilda Taylor, born on February 15th in 1840, who emigrated with the Taylor family from Mississippi to Texas sometime soon after 1850. Family stories say that they came in an ox drawn wagon train and one census report shows my great-grandmother, Nancy Frances “Fannie” born in Arkansas in 1852- so it is possible she was born in the midst of the migration.(Other stories show her born in Mississippi before the trek to Texas.) But in any case, by 1860 the Taylor family were ensconced on their plantation in Trinity County, with only 2 daughters (Mollie and Fannie) living at home, along with sons Lee, James, and William.



Apparently the 30 year old Matildie West in the 1870 census was their daughter, Matilda, and her 3 children- and that her husband’s surname was “West.” According to ages of the children on the census, Luther had been born about 1856, Robert about 1859, and Jackiana about 1862- during the civil war. It looked likely that Matildie was a widow in 1870. Now began the search for her husband.



The 1860 census showed AJ West, a 32 year old tax assessor and collector, born in Louisiana. It showed his wife 20 year old Margaret M. (Matilda) and two children- 4 year old Luther and 1 year old James B., both born in Texas.

Like many people, I use Ancestry.com online to connect with other researchers on families, and to dig into and organize facts on ancestors and relatives within these families. One researcher showed Andrew Jackson West born 1828 in Calcasieu Louisiana, died on September 22, 1862- in Virginia. In the 1840 Calcasieu census there is a Richard West, married to Sarah “Sally” Lyons b 1808 La. with 5 sons, including Jackson, born in Louisiana, and 2 daughters (including one named Annie.) Another researcher showed that Andrew Jackson West married Matilda on October 25, 1855 in Trinity County- no sources referenced. Both showed that AJ died in Stephensburg, Virginia, on 22 September 1862. It was certainly likely that a Texan of the time dying in Virginia had been in the war. Yet another researcher, a West descendant, had listed a number of possible CSA regiments to research. One proved to be correct and led to the story of Andrew Jackson West during the civil war.




The First Texas Voluntary Infantry Regiment/Texas Brigade, known as the “Ragged First,” had been formed early in the war. Col. Wigfall was the original commander. The first few companies were mustered into service in New Orleans, for a period of one year. They left New Orleans to a “grand ovation, music, cakes, pies, flowers, pretty girls and enthusiastic cheers…” (Texas -Brigade.org) and headed by rail to Richmond Virginia via Knoxville, Tennessee. In July 1861, on the way to Richmond, the train carrying 1300 men crashed into a washed out culvert, killing about 40 men and crippling others. This was a bloody start to a bloody task- the Texas Brigade was assigned the task of caring for the dead and wounded after the first battle of Bull Run at Manassas. By December the Brigade was setting up winter quarters near Quantico Creek in Virginia, building log cabins, and relaxing with some entertainments- cards, visiting relatives and friends in other regiments, and even attending the “Lone Star Theatre” of musicians and singers and a band of actors known as “Hoods Minstrels.”

                                     Seven Pines Winter Camp

Illness throughout the war was an ever present enemy- measles, diarrhea, and typhoid fever all took a toll. In January Lt. Col. McLeod died of pneumonia, and many soldiers were ill. In February Brigadier General Wigfall resigned his commission as he was appointed a Texas senator to the confederate congress in Richmond. In March, Colonel Hood was promoted to Brigadier General. After a time near Fredericksburg, the Brigade camped near Yorktown, later engaging in the Battle of Seven Pines. The Texans soon became respected for their fighting on the Virginia battlefields and Hood’s Brigade was affectionately referred to as “My Texans” by Robert E. Lee. (Rolan)

                              
General John Bell Hood- the Texas First Infantry was known as “Hood’s Brigade”
The First Texas Infantry included 12 companies – The Marion Rifles and Star Rifles (from Marion County) The Livingston Guards, the Palmer Guards (from Harris County) the Marshall Guards (from Harrison County) the Woodville Rifles (from Tyler County) the Reagan Guards and Texas Guards from Anderson County, the Crockett Southrons (from Houston County) the Texas Invincibles (from San Augustine County) and- the Sumpter Light Infantry from Trinity County- Company M.

Company M mustered in on May 5, 1862. The company officers were Capt. Howard Ballenger, 1st Lt. Wm. Sanford, 1st Lt. Dr. Wm. Cecil, and 3rd Lt. Jos McMinn. Non-commissioned officers were Zeb MCClain, Shady Roach, Wm Moore, Wm Martin, Presley Brownlee, R.O. Bennett, Jas Day, and………..... “A. Jack West” who entered as a 2nd Corporal. (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txtrinity/military/milindex.htm)

Flora Bowles, in her book “Trinity County Beginnings” gives a good account of Trinity County at this time, referencing the writings of David Henry Hamilton, a soldier from Company M, who returned to Sumpter in 1865 without injury, and wrote the “History of Company M, First Texas Volunteer Infantry.”

“From this county (Trinity) with a population of about three thousand people, there were organized three large companies of soldiers who went to fight for the Confederate States. Besides those enlisting in these three companies, many enlisted in organizations in other sections of the state. The three companies raised in the county were known as Tullos Company, Kirksey Company, and Company M. It is of interest to know that more men enlisted from Trinity County than there were voters within the county. Almost all the men and boys above eighteen years of age and under sixty were in the service.
No records of these companies can now be found except that of Company M. This company served in Hood's Brigade. Company M was organized at Sumpter, the county seat of Trinity County, in the year 1862. It was composed of 120 men, about half of whom were between seventeen and twenty-one years of age. This company was drilled in the maneuvers of warfare on the courthouse square at Sumpter in daytime and spent the evenings attending balls and entertainments given by the citizens for their pleasure.

On the night of May 4, 1862, the citizens gave the Company a grand ball at which the boys danced all night and pledged themselves never to dance again until the Southern Confederacy was established. And the following afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, to the music of the violin and with great joy, the march was begun toward the front.”


Andrew Jackson West was 34 years old at the time. His wife Matildie was 22, with 6 year old Luther and 3 year old Robert at home. She was 4 months pregnant with another child.

In early August the Texas First was joined by Company M from Trinity County- the last new company to arrive from Texas. Toward the end of August they marched 40 miles in one day to camp at White Plains, then continued on a 30 mile march the next day toward Bull Run. On August 29th they fought at the Battle of Second Manassas with Lt. Col. Work commanding. After the battle they were again on detail to tend to the dead and wounded, and “relieved the dead Federal soldiers of their socks, shoes, and clothing.” They then marched on toward Western Maryland. 

Colonel Philip A. Work- Commander of the First Texas Infantry Regiment at Antietam (Sharpsburg) from Town Bluff, Tyler, Texas

An online journal (which may be part of a re-enactment site and not authentic to the time) nevertheless gives an idea of what this tempestuous week was like for the soldiers in Company M.

”September 12, 1862

Marched through Turner's Gap in South Mountain to Boonsboro, and then through Funkstown to Hagerstown. Went into bivouac, about five miles below the Pennsylvania line. The brigade has becoming quite ragged. No clothing or shoes have been furnished since Richmond. Many are barefoot. Lack of provisions have forced men to subsist on green apples and corn. But the men are in high spirits ready for battle.

September 14, 1862

The regiment was at Hagerstown just below the Pennsylvania border. Received orders to return to South Mountain. The Battle of South Mountain. Lieut Col. Work commanding. Hot dry day. Entire Brigade cheered to General Lee to "Give us Hood!" which he obliged. Began 10 mile march to Boonsboro, MD to aid of D.H. Hill who need help holding off a strong force including the Iron Brigade. A bayonet charge held the field until night fall. Retreated toward Sharpsburg seven miles away. No enemy pursuit that night.

September 15, 1862

Fell back west and south taking a position behind Antietam Creek near the village of Sharpsburg, Maryland. On this movement the regiment along with the Brigade again formed the rear guard. Men are finding it difficult to keep awake and moving
September 16, 1862

Marched 13 miles to Sharpsburg to concentration army around Sharpsburg. Took up position in an open field in front of a Dunker Church north of Sharpsburg. The regiment is involved in preliminary fighting at Sharpsburg. Lieut Col. Work commanding. About an hour before sunset met a probe by Hooker’s Corps and fought a brief battle that caused the Yankees to retire. Retired to a covered position and spent the night cooking the first rations that had been issued in several days.” (Texas -Brigade.org)

September 17, 1862- The battle of Antietam at Sharpsburg

The article below was written by Robert C. Cheeks and originally appeared in the September 1998 issue of America's Civil War; published online June 12, 2006. It is entitled “Battle of Antietam; Carnage in a Cornfield.”

“Deep in the West Woods, Hood's little division was still busy preparing rations. Normally this wasn't an unusual act for Civil War soldiers, especially Rebels, but these men were literally starving. Pressed by forced marches and heavy fighting the past few days, the division had long since eaten up all their victuals and were now about as hungry as heavily armed men could get. But Hood had given his word to Jackson to bring up the command as soon as the request was made and now Jackson was calling. Hood gave the order and the two brigades began to re-form. Men threw down half-cooked pones and bacon or shoved the beginnings of greasy fatback biscuits into their mouths as they moved out.”

Hood's 2,300 men swarmed into the field north of their position at Dunker Church. They halted momentarily and volleyed into Gibbon's line, reloaded and fired again. Hood's appearance on the field broke the Federals' back, and they began to withdraw. The bravest gathered up wounded messmates and fallen battle flags and returned fire as best they could…. Hurriedly, Meade got Robert Anderson's 3rd Brigade formed along a fence north of the cornfield, with its muskets resting on the bottom rail, just as Hood was ordering Colonel P.A. Works' 1st Texas over to the left to support Hampton's Legion. Works soon lost control of the 1st Texas as the men outraced the line and charged straight for Anderson's position. As the Texans cleared the battle smoke, Anderson ordered, 'Fire!' and the brigade's musketry swept the Texans with deadly accuracy, while Union 12-pounders struck them on the flank, halting the charge and driving them to ground…..

On the northwest corner of the cornfield, the 1st Texas lay dying. The regiment's casualties were fast approaching 50 percent as the Texans rose up and fired, point-blank, into the 9th Pennsylvania Reserves. The entire color guard was shot down, while all along their line Rebel artillery walked salvos of case shot. The Federal line buckled and swayed but somehow kept coming, closing over their dead and wounded, pressed by the screams of those closing up their files. Nearly out of ammunition, Work tried to get permission from Hood to withdraw, but couldn't reach him.

Work could see that his supports were under attack and withdrawing and that if he was going to get out at all it would have to be now. He gave the order just as the 9th, 11th and 12th Pennsylvania Reserves fired a volley into his decimated line. Of the 226 soldiers he'd led in the assault, 186 had fallen dead or wounded within 45 minutes. South of his position, the 18th Georgia, Hampton's Legion and the 4th Texas were also quitting the field. The command had given all that they had–of the 858 effectives in the Texas Brigade, 472 would be listed as casualties in what may well have been the grandest charge of the entire war.” (http://www.historynet.com/battle-of-antietam-carnage-in-a-cornfield.htm)
Antietam was the bloodiest single day of a bloody war, with nearly 23,000 casualties. Besides the 3,000 soldiers killed on the field, thousands more would die in the weeks to come from their injuries. The First Texas Infantry advanced the farthest of any unit in the Brigade, at the expense of an 82% casualty rate. At least nine men died carrying the regimental colors onto the field. (Rolan)



Antietam- photo by Alexander Gardner

Company records show that officers Capt Howard Ballenger was captured at Antietam, Lt. Wm. Sanford wounded, and died of his wound, Lt. Dr. Wm. Cecil wounded and taken POW, non-commissioned officers Shady Roach was killed at Antietam, R.O. Bennett wounded, Jas. Day wounded, and “A. Jack West, 2nd corporal, was sick from July 1862 to Feb 1863 and was thought to have died.” (Note that another researcher showed him as having died on September 22- two days after the battle.) (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txtrinity/military/milindex.htm)

After Sharpsburg (Antietam) the First Texas Infantry continued on to fight at Fredericksburg in December, then in 1863 fought at Gettysburg, joined by the 3rd Arkansas, with the 1st Texas again commanded by Lt. Col. Work. This was closely followed by Chickamauga. In 1864 they fought at the Battle of the Wilderness- again with terrible losses- a monument at the Battlefield notes “Of approximately 800 troops involved the Texas Brigade counted over 500 casualties. They went on to fight at Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Darbytown Road before their final battle at Appomattox in 1865, where the regiment surrendered its remaining 16 officers and 133 enlisted men.

Flora Bowles recounts the cost;

“Company M., which went out from Sumpter, Trinity County, May 5, 1862, with such enthusiasm, received its baptism of fire in all the bloody conflicts in which Hood's Brigade participated.


Out of the 120 men and boys that enlisted, only six were present at the surrender at Appomattox. These were Sam Watson, Willoughby Tullos, Sam Stubblefield, John Wilson, Epriam Dial, and David H. Hamilton.


Not an officer of the company survived. Captain Ballinger had become disabled by disease and had been discharged. He returned home and died at Waco, Texas. Thomas Sandford, first lieutenant, was killed at Sharpsburg, Dr. William Cecil, second lieutenant, was killed at Knoxville, Tenn., George Wagnon died of measles at Jackson, Miss.

A small number of the company returned home maimed for life from the battlefront, while some were in Federal prisons. The rest of Company M slept in soldier's graves.”


In my great grandmother’s obituary, it tells of her memories of spinning socks for confederate soldiers. Now I know whom some of those socks were for- her sister’s husband, Andrew Jackson West.

My great-grandmother- Nancy Francis “Fannie “Taylor Womack- sister of Matildie Taylor West
The Aftermath- the family of Andrew Jackson West
Matilda had her baby soon after the death of her husband. The baby, a girl, was named after her father, Annie Jackson (Jackianna) West. Margaret moved in with her parents, and brothers, who no doubt helped with raising the children. In time, Margaret Matilda West received Andrew Jackson West’s pension- #04001. (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~textrinit/military/csapension5.htiml#w)

By 1880 she was 39 years old, living in her own household, with her 19 year old son, James Robert, doing the farming, and Annie J (Jackianna) age 17. This census shows us that the father of Robert and Jackianna was, indeed, born in Louisiana. Matilda lived next to her brother, Lee Taylor, and close to her brothers, William and James Taylor, as well as her sisters, Francis Taylor Womack, and Mary Jane Taylor Womack. Her mother, Jane “Jennie” Ainsworth Taylor (my great-great grandmother) was now also a widow, age 59, living with son William. (Rebecca Franklin Womack, age 63, the mother in law of Matilda’s sisters (and my other great-great grandmother) was also a nearby neighbor living with her son, Thomas, age 22.)





Matilda’s 23 year old son, Luther West, had married Francis McClendon (the niece of Rebecca Franklin Womack) in 1877. In 1880 they had a one year old son, William. Again, the census shows Luther’s father as having been born in Louisiana.





The 1900 Trinity Census shows James Robert West, a farmer, living near his sister, Anna J. West Dykes (whose husband was also farming,) and his uncle, William Taylor, also a farmer. In the household of William Taylor are his wife, eight children, his mother, Jane T. (Ainsworth) Taylor and his sister, Margaret M. West.


Matilda lived until June 15, 1906, and is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Trinity County Texas, near her parents, brothers, and sisters.

Luther West lived all his life in Trinity County, dying in 1931.He was buried in the Bennett Cemetery in Apple Springs. Fannie McClendon West died in 1945 and was also buried here.

In 1910, James Robert West was 50 years old, a widowed stock trader in Trinity County. His children were Pearl 24, Coleman 22, Katie 14, and John 11. He lived next door to S.F. Kenley, age 38, and Dona Womack Kenley, age 35, and their children Milton 13, Chester 11, Gordon 8, Ila 5, and Raymond 2. These were my father’s first cousins- Dona was the sister of my grandmother, and the niece of Matilda Taylor West.



Dona Womack Kenley- niece of Matilda Taylor West, and neighbor of James Robert West in 1910




My father’s cousins, Raymond and Ila Kenley circa 1910 in Trinity County, Texas

James Robert West died in Houston in 1932, and was buried there. His death certificate showed him as a retired cattleman. His obituary noted that he was the father of several prominent Houstonians, and that he was survived by two daughters, four sons, and his sister, Mrs. Annie Jackson Dykes, of Kennard, Texas.

Anna Jackson West married William J. Dykes, and had four children. She lived all her life in Trinity County, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Trinity County, in 1938.




Dona Womack Kenley, Leona Womack Kenley, Mattie Womack Garrison, Edna Womack Avery, Ora Womack Burke, and Jennie Womack Magee- who grew up together in Trinity County, Texas- nieces of Matilda Taylor West.



Private D.M. Walker of Navarro County, Texas, member of the "Corsicana Invincibles" that formed part of the "Marshall Guards," Co. E, 1st Texas. Discharged prior to Second Manassas for underage; chose to remain for the Second Manassas battle to fight with his friends and was killed in action. (http://civilwartalk.com/threads/men-of-hoods-texas-brigade.92547/page 3)


A photo of survivors of Hood’s Brigade in their later years (http://civilwartalk.com/threads/men-of-hoods-texas-brigade.92547/page 3)



Monuments to the Texas Brigade exist on several battlefields and at the state capitol. A quote at the base of the monument at the State Capitol notes that 

"Hood's Texas Brigade Shall Retain Its Original Formation As Long As There Is A Man Left To Wave Its Flag"-President Jefferson Davis CSA- 

referring to his refusal to change this historic brigade amongst the need for reformations of other companies in the confederacy.
Sources:

http://www.historynet.com/battle-of-antietam-carnage-in-a-cornfield.htm

http://www.notevenpast.org/texas/texans-antietam-150-years-ago-today

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txtrinit/military/milindex.htm

http://texas-brigade.org/1st_tex/1tex.htm

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txtrinit/military/csapension5.html#w

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/men-of-hoods-texas-brigade.92547/page-3

http://rgaston.tripod.com/CompanyM.htm

History of Company M: First Texas Volunteer Infantry, Hood's Brigade, Longstreet's Corps, Army of the Confederate States of America by D.H. Hamilton

Trinity Beginnings by Flora Bowles


“Andrew Jackson West” article by Janice Garrison Shepherd March 2014

Descendants and relatives of the Womack/Taylor/Franklin and related families are encouraged to contact me to share information, family stories, photos, and other genealogical information.

Email contact: janmariewv@gmail.com