Samuel & John Winn Richardson - CO K 2nd Texas Cavalry

I am related to two men who were privates in Company K. They were brothers. John Winn Richardson and Samuel Richardson. They were both born in Danville, IL in the early 1840s and arrived in Bexar County, Texas from Missouri with their family in 1859. They lived near Sutherland Springs which became part of Wilson County in 1860.

If you read the pass "James" was born in Danville, IL and was escorting his brother back home. This would have been John and Sam.

I noticed that you had posted your Company K message on the Atascosa County genweb page. It turns out the John W. and Sam R. Richardson's half-brother Tilmon Lorenzo Dow Richardson (born 1856 in Arkansas) was sheriff of Atascosa County at the turn of the century. He and brothers Henry and Eugene Richardson were early cowboys and have their photos in the Traildriver museum in San Antonio.

Another little anecdote about Fremantle...When Fremantle finally caught up with the Army of Nothern Virginia just before Gettysburg he regaled Longstreet and Pickett with his tales of travelling though Texas. After the battle as the Confederates began to withdraw Fremantle prepared to cross the line to head to New York and then on to England. Members of Longstreet's staff were worried that Fremantle might not make it across Federal lines in one piece. Longstreet, who had been stationed in Texas before the War responded, "A man who has travelled all through Texas as successfully as the Colonel is safe to get through Yankee lines all right!"

Fremantle's description of Texas Confederates upon his arrival on the Rio Grande was as follows:

"I was taken to a half dozen Confederate officers, who were sitting around a campfire contemplating a tin of potatoes. These officers belonged to Duff's Cavalry. Their dress consisted simply of flannel shirts, very ancient trousers, and black felt hats ornamented with the "Lone Star of Texas." The looked rough and dirty but were extremely civil to me."