The autobiography of Willburn Hill King With the 18th Texas Infantry is the fascinating biography of this little known Confederate General who enlisted in the beginning of the Civil War in the Missouri State Guard and rose to the rank of Captain. He was in the battle of Carthage and Oak Hills. He was a brave officer and admired by his men. However, when the Missouri State troops were not mustered into the regular Confederate Army because of some unknown reason by President Jefferson Davis, he decided to go to Texas and enlist there. His description of his travels from Missouri to East Texas in 1861 and early 1862 describes the desperation and the destruction of the war in the western theatre of the war. He enlisted once again as private in the 18th Texas Infantry which mustered into the army on May 13, 1862. In this unit he served in Arkansas and Louisiana until the end of the war in 1865. After the Battle of Mansfield he was promoted to Brigadier General and served temporarily as commander of Walkers and Polignacs division. After the war, Wilburn King moved to Central America but eventually settled in Sulphur Springs Texas where he served as mayor and a Texas State legislator. He was a Adjutant General of the State of Texas and commanded troops in the Texas State Militia and the Texas Rangers. He was later in the action of the famed fence cutting war and helped to end lawlessness in Texas during the 1880s. Willburn King Hill passed away in October of 1910 in Sulphur Springs, Texas and was buried in Corsicana, Texas, leaving behind a fascinating memoir of his Civil War service to the Confederacy and was an astute observer of the war and its destruction in the western theatre of the war. This is an excellent book about a little known but distinct and brave officer that served in the Confederate Army in both the Missouri State Guard and the 18th Texas Infantry Regiment Editor L. David Norris did an excellent job of editing General Kings personal recollections and also telling the story of the battles the general was in, what life was like in Missouri and Texas during the war, and the harshness and brutality of the war in the deaths of General Hills troops, friends, and relatives. This is a great read about this unique and brave General who fought for Texas and Missouri and is highly recommended for Civil War scholars, academics, students, and enthusiasts who want to learn more about the Civil War in Missouri and Texas, the battles of Carthage and Oak Hills, Texas history, Confederate History and Civil War History. A GREAT READ!
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 22:04:04 +0000
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