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Descendants of William Reynolds & Jane Milliken |
On October 5, 1861 at the age of 23 David Richard Reynolds joined the Confederate Army as a Private at Daingerfield, Titus County, Texas by Captain W. E. Beason. He was mustered in at Camp Rusk, Lamar County, Texas on November 26, 1861 and assigned to Captain James H. McReynolds’ Company, Maxey’s Regiment, Texas Infantry. This company subsequently became Company D, 9th (Young’s) Regiment, Texas Infantry. The 9th (also known as the 8th and as Maxey’s) Regiment, Texas Infantry appears to have been organized about November 4, 1861. It was mustered into the service of the Confederate States December 1, 1861, for twelve months, under special authority from the Secretary of War, and it was re-organized May 8, 1862, under the Conscript Act. On July 10, 1862 David was advanced from Private to the rank of Second Lieutenant by Election. I know from a letter that he wrote his brother, John R., that at one time he was stationed near his old home, “about 5 miles from Aunt Betsy”, near Shelbyville, Tennessee. D.R. was in several engagements and fought many battles including famous ones at Shiloh, Corinth, Mobile, Chickamauga, Atlanta, New Hope Church, Missionary Ridge, Murfreesboro and Perryville. He was wounded in the leg during one of these many battles. He was surrendered by Lieutenant General E.R. Canby at the end of the war and was paroled from the Confederate Army on May 9, 1865 at Meridian, Mississippi. The letter below was written by David Richard to his brother John R. Reynolds. Aunt Betsy Campbell mentioned in the letter is Elizabeth Reynolds, wife of Arthur Campbell and Art is Arthur Campbell Reynolds, their other brother: In Camp Near Shelbyville, Tenn. I can only say that we are here in camp undistrubed by the Yankee forces. At present we are about five miles from Aunt Betsy Campbell's toward Shelbyville. The Yankees still stay at Murfreesboro and make no attempt to drive us from this place. Farewell; they may know whenever they come to Shelbyville there will be a happy time of getting to the place for one Joseph F. Johnson is a snag sticken in their way. Although we lost a great many men at the battle of Murfreesboro, yet our reanks have since been filled to a greater number than they were before the fight at that place. John, Art received the lines you wrote with James Reynolds, in which you said you had wrote three letters to him and me. I have never seen a line from you before since I have been out of Texas. I would have wrote to you before now, but I had made application for a ten days furlough, and I thought I would get to come and see you all, but I failed to get it approved by General Bragg. I want you to write to me and let me know where little Henry Reynolds went to join. I heard they had conscripted him. If he has not joined any Regiment yet, tell him I wish he would come and join our Regiment. He could not get a Regiment that is praised for its gallant conduct more than this one. It has the honor of breaking the Yankee lines first at Murfreesboro on the 31st day of December 1862 when they had repulsed the Alabama troops the thire time and scattered them all over the woods, we were put into the front and we run them about one and a half miles at one race killing them by the hundred. Tell Jimmey that I would be very glad to see hime and he must write to me. Cate must write. Give my best love to all inquiring friends, and tell them to write and remember yourself to write. So I will close saying no more at present, and I shall ever remain your Brother unto death. D. R. Reynolds, Asst. Leut. 
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