The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 74, July 1970 - April, 1971 Page: 524
616 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Beauchamp Springs near Houston." On May 22, 1865, he was relieved
from command at his own request."
The engagement at Poison Spring was the high point of Maxey's
military career in the Trans-Mississippi Department. What had he
been able to accomplish on behalf of the Confederacy during his
tenure in the Indian Territory? A comparison of his problems and
achievements with those of other commanders of the Territory may
help render a judgment on his success or failure.
The lack of disciplined, well-armed troops was a problem common
to all the commanders of the Indian Territory from Ben McCulloch
to D. H. Cooper. Maxey saw more action against the enemy than any
commander except William Steele, and he was never caught napping
as T. C. Hindman was. He had a sense of what was required to train
and discipline the Indian troops, and he contributed personally to
the command by realizing that the Indian troops could function bet-
ter on raids than on prepared attacks like the white troops. Though
the Indians admired Albert Pike, and though D. H. Cooper had had
long contact with them and was eager to command them, they actually
responded best to the leadership of Maxey, the "Texan with a sound
service record.""
The rapport between Maxey and Smith began with their close
association in the 7th Infantry during the Mexican War." They re-
mained friendly toward each other throughout the Civil War and
especially so after Maxey joined the Trans-Mississippi Department.
There can be no doubt that Smith believed Maxey had discharged
his assignment in the Indian Territory in a highly satisfactory manner.
s"Boggs to J. A. Wharton, February 17, 1865, ibid., 1392-1393.
"7Special Orders, Headquarters District Texas, Houston, Major General Magruder,
May as2, 1865, Maxey Papers (Gilcrease).
"eFrank E. Vandiver, Their Tattered Flags (New York, 1970), 192; Brown, "Albert
Pike," 705 ff.; Duncan, Reluctant General, 186; West, "Douglas H. Cooper," 69-76.
e"Smith and Maxey took turns directing the detail which worked all night to haul
the heavy guns up the steep cliff at Cerro Gordo. Address by Maxey to the Association
of the Soldiers of the Mexican War of the State of Texas, May 8, 1875, pamphlet, Political
file, Maxey Papers (Texas).524
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 74, July 1970 - April, 1971, periodical, 1971; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101200/m1/536/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.