Civil War Texas Rangers & Cavalry

"The 8th Texas Cavalry Collection: Terry's Texas Rangers, The Diary Of Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Reminiscences Of The Terry Rangers, Life Record Of H. W. Graber; A Terry Ranger 1861-1865" (4 Volumes In 1) by Leonidas P. Giles, Ephraim S. Dodd, James K. P. Blackburn, and Henry W. Graber is a collection of the 1st hand experiences of the authors in the 8th Texas Cavalry known as Terry's Texas Rangers. This regiment was one of the most famous Texas cavalry units in the Civil War. From a full strength of 1,200 men at the start of the war, they could muster only about 200 in their last charge at the battle of Bentonville, North Carolina in 1865. Book I, "Terry's Texas Rangers: The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment In The Civil War" by Leonidas B. Giles is a short history of Company B & tells the history from his frontline prospective in that company. In the original, this short book is very costly in its original binding, since it was printed in small numbers in 1911, mostly for the unit's survivors and their family members. Book II, "The Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd; 1862-64: Terry's Rangers; Company D; The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment" by Ephraim Shelby Dodd is the diary of a member of Company D of Terry's Rangers. Ephraim Dodd was a member of Company D. Dodd was captured and hung as a spy by Union forces in January 1864, ostensibly because he was wearing blue uniform pants and had this diary in his possession. That was the good reason for hanging him as a spy. The real reason was because Generals Sherman & Grant had issued orders that captured confederates wearing Union uniforms and/or carrying papers with Union troop movements were to be dealt with severely. Even Union army officers and at least one Northern newspaper at that time, condemned Dodd's execution, on such flimsy grounds. In the original, this short book of approximately 11,000+ words is very costly since it was printed in small numbers in Austin, Texas in 1914, by the Texas State Library as a contribution to the history of Texas units during the Civil War. Meant only for interested students of the war and for research by historians it was not widely circulated. A companion volume, also very rare "Terry's Texas Rangers" by Giles, (See above). Giles' book, in fact, mentions the incident of Dodd's hanging as "one of the saddest events in all our career." Book III, "Reminisces Of The Terry Rangers" by James K. P. Blackburn, gives Blackburn experiences with Company F, as he rose from volunteer private to captain. In the original, this short history of approximately 32,000 plus words is very rare, since it was printed in small numbers, in Volume 22, numbers 2 (July, 1918) and 3 (October, 1918) of The Southwestern Historical Quarterly. Book IV, "8th Texas Cavalry In The Civil War: Life Record Of H. W. Graber, A Terry Texas Ranger 1861-65; Sixty-Two Years In Texas" by Henry W. Graber is an account of his service as a member of Company B, which he joined as a volunteer private. Henry Graber (1841-1914) was born in Germany & immigrated in 1853 at 13 years old with his parents & siblings. When the Civil War broke out he joined the 8th Texas Cavalry, with whom he served through the War. Graber also relates the troubles in Texas of the "Reconstruction" period after the War. His account of post-Civil War Texas politics is also enlightening regarding the history of Texas secession thinking, as well as the politics of the Texas Reconstruction period. Long out-of-print, scarce & expensive in its original hardcover binding, it is a great bit of the Civil war cavalry history of the Texas military by a surviving eyewitness. This E-book is approximately 168,800 words and about 563 pages at 300 words per page. All in one inexpensive e-book--containing over 168,800 words & 9 illustrations contained in the original four volumes--that gives a 4 distinct histories of service in Terry's Texas Rangers.