CHARLES LYNN PYRON (1819-1869)
Charles Lynn Pyron was a distant cousin to the Pyron store owning family in the Lytle-Somerset area. Charles was born in Perry County, Alabama. His military service in Texas appears to begin with his enrolling in “San Antonio de Bexar as a Private with Capt. Gillespie’s Texas Mounted Rangers from September 1845-March 1846 and from June to August 1846. This service record shows in September, Charles is now with Capt. John C. Hay’s men and was “enrolled in June 1846” and “mustered in at Camargo [Mexico], on August 1846.” He took part in in General Zachary Taylor’s Monterrey Campaign in the Mexican War. On his return to San Antonio he bought a ranch on the San Antonio River, south of Mission San José, married Octavia Caroline Smith of Port Lavaca, with whom he raised four children.
In May 1861, at age 43, his Civil War Service begins as with organizing “Captain Charles L. Pyron’s Company, Texas Mounted Riflemen.” His regiment was tasked with taking over two forts including Fort Stockton then leading General Sibley’s army north to battles at Val Verde then Glorieta Pass. Capt. Pyron’s became Major Pyron in this campaign. After defeat at Glorieta Pass north of Santa Fe and recognizing that his exhausted men had their year of service completed, he ignored Gen. Sibley’s request that his command stay in the fight. Instead, Pyron told his men they were headed home to San Antonio. Maj. H. B. Davidison who remained behind in Sibley’s command said of Major Pyron and his men as he watched them leave:
“No purer patriot, no braver soldier, no truer man, and no better officer wore the gray then C. L. Pyron….There never breathed better soldiers, or purer patriots, than the little band of brothers to who followed him.”
When they returned home, Major Pyron, made sure they received a 60 day furlough. He was given a Lt. Colonelcy with a new command leaving the “brothers” of his old Company B in the hands of other officers.
A FEW MEN OF CAPTAIN PYRON’S “BAND OF BROTHERS” FROM OUR AREA
CARDENAS, JUAN TEOFILO (JOHN) (1844-1903)
Juan Cardenas, age 18, was the son of an old Villa de San Fernando de Bexar family: Jose Maria Teodoro Cardenas and Maria Herlinda Courbiere Curtiel. Juan joined Capt. Pyron’s Company B, on May 23, 1861. Rode west to Fort Stockton, survived the hardships and battles at Val Verde then Glorieta Pass to make it back home. On his return from New Mexico, Private Contreras and some of his buddies, requested transfer to Capt. Angel Navarro’s new command in August 1862, the Texas Mounted Volunteers. It was approved.
CARDENAS, RAPHAEL (1832-1918)
Private Raphael Cardenas, age 28, was born in Texas, a son of Felipe Santiago Cardenas and Juana Ramos. He enrolled at San Antonio on May 23, 1861 as a Private in Capt. Pyron’s Company B, 2nd Regiment, Texas Mounted Rifles. Upon his return from the New Mexico campaign, he asked to be assigned to Capt. Angel Navarro’s new Texas Volunteer Cavalry company. Permission was granted. (In the 1860 U.S. Census there is a Raphael Cardenas a laborer, age 28, born in Texas, married to Jesusa Gil. He was enumerated next door to Antonio Herrera, farmer, age 33.) Raphael died in Bexar County in 1918.
GARZA or De La GARZA, ESTEBAN
Private Estevan Garza (also seen as Stephen and De La Garza), age 26, was born about 1835 in Texas and was enrolled to Company B, 2nd TMR, in San Antonio, on May 23, 1861. A remark on his service record reported that his horse was killed in action on September 26, 1861. Upon the 2nd Mounted Rifles’ return to San Antonio, by summer 1862, Esteban has re-enlisted in Capt. David Poor’s 2nd Mtd Riflemen (Capt. Poor took over Pyron’s company).
With this new Company, Esteban was assigned to “Detached Service” at “the powder House in San Antonio. This must be at or with the Arsenal was begin moved in 1861 from Houston Street to the new location on Main and Arsenal (where the HEB headquarters is today in 2020). In February 1863, Esteban is on “detached service with horses.” Furloughed for several months he is reassigned to Capt. Mitchel’s Company of Col. Benavides regiment at Galveston. His parole record read that “Esteban Garza of Byrom’s 2nd Texas Cavalry, CSA was paroled at San Antonio,” August 1865. (yes, the misspelled Pyron). I do not have a birth or death date for Esteban/Estevan/Stephen Garza. There is a voting record 12 July 1867 for an Estevan de Garza living in San Antonio.
GARZA, JESUS
Jesus Garza was born about 1834 in Texas? (says one record) and Mexico? (says another – same wife and kiddos) Private Garza, age 27, enlisted April 12, 1861 in Capt. Pyron’s Company B, 2nd Texas Mounted Riflemen. Jesus enrolled May 23, 1861 in Pyron’s Company, His horse was valued at $60 and equipment at $25. (IF YOU KNOW THIS SOLDIER, please let me know more about him.)
HERRERA, FRANCISCO ANTONIO
Private Francisco Herrera, age 33, (son of Blas Maria Herrera and Maria Paula Ruiz) was enrolled May 23, 1861, in Pyron’s Company, 2nd Regiment Texas Mounted Riflemen. On January, 1862, while with his company at Doña Ana, New Mexico Territory, he was discharged from the regiment. His discharge paper records that Francisco is “33 years old, 5 feet ten inches tall, of dark complexion and hair and is a farmer.” It further states that, “said soldier lost his right arm twelve years before enlistment.” The officer in charge of health for the men, wrote, that he found him, “incapable of discharging the duties of a soldier because of the loss if his right arm.” Francisco/Frank made it back home to family near the Medina River to continue farming and raising a family with wife Luisa. He passed in November 1885, and is buried with family at the Ruiz-Herrera Cemetery.
LEAL, ALFONSO
LUCKEY, JAMES W.
Born about 1838 in Missouri, Private James W. Luckey (or Lackey) was 23 years old when we was enrolled Co, B 2nd Regiment Texas Cavalry by Capt. Charles L. Pyron on May 23, 1861 in San Antonio. Then, with Co. B 2nd Rgt TMR back home, the 2nd was transferred to the command of Capt. D. M. Poor. James rose from Private to Sergeant during his enlistment. He was paroled as a prisoner of war in October 1865, in San Antonio, Texas. An 1880 US Census shows him a stockraiser, boarding with James McCluskey. They were next door to the McMonigals, Avents, Kirkwoods, and near Patrick and John Kenney, Jr., whose properties were in the Benton City Road-Kenney Road- Briggs Road-Rockport Road -FM2790 area, which is west of modern Somerset, Texas.
LUCKEY, SAMUEL B.
Sam B. Luckie, (also seen with the L looking like an S – don’t ask me why this guy wrote this way) was 21 years old when he was enrolled with Capt. Pyrons’ Company B of 2nd Regiment, Texas Mounted Riflemen on April 15, 1861 for 12 months service. Hs service record shows he was a Private at enrollment and a 1st Sergeant by August 1861. The 1850 US Census from Bexar County, Texas, on “The Medina River,” shows the farming family of William F. Luckie from Georgia. His 1 year old son Samuel is listed. In 1860 Sam is living in San Antonio. Skipping ahead, the 1900 U.S. Census he is living in Nolan County, Texas.
McCULLOCH, WILLIAM ROBERT “BILL”
Private William Robert “Bill” McCulloch, was born in 1839, Jackson County, Texas. “Bill” McCulloch was a son of Texas Revolutionary hero Sam McCulloch, Jr., the first man wounded in Texas’ fight for independence at Goliad in November 1835. Sam, Jr. had been born a slave in South Carolina, but was freed with his slave mother, Margaret/Peggy, when his father brought the family to Texas by October 1835.
In Texas next big fight, Bill signed up as a Private on May 23, 1861 with Captain Pyron’s Company B, 2nd Texas Mounted Riflemen. In July 1862, on their return from the New Mexico campaign, the company was given to Capt. David M. Poor’s command and Bill was promoted to 5th Sergeant. In February 1864, he was promoted to 4th Sergeant and in April, he was noted to be “on D. S. (detached service) in Matagorda.” In the last year was referred to as “Sergeant.” He returned home to farm and raise a family. He died in 1927, likely on his farm near Von Ormy, and is buried in the McCulloch Cemetery at Mann’s Crossing of the Medina River in Von Ormy, Bexar County, Texas.
“defend the Constitution of the United States and the Union of States thereunder; and will …support all law and proclamations which have been made during the existing rebellion with reference to the Emancipation of Slaves. So help me God!”
Like the others, this document is from the www.FOLD3.com collection of service records.
NAVARRO, SIXTO EUSEBIO
NAVARRO, SIXTO EUSEBIO (records also under SEXTON, SIESTO and SEXTO) was enrolled as a Private on May 23, 1861 in San Antonio in Capt. Charles L Pyron’s Co. B 2nd Texas Mounted Riflemen. In June 1862, upon their return from New Mexico Campaign, Private Sixto and others requested they be able to leave B Company (now with Captain D. M. Poor) and with his brother Ceslo join their brother Capt. Angel Navarro’s new Company of Texas Mounted Volunteers. Their headquarters, they were told, was to be “in Atascosa County on Padilla Creek.”
I’d also like to know where “Camp California Springs” is located: New Mexico? West Texas? East Texas?
The source of this letter is to be found on www.FOLD3.com and its wonderful collections.
In this letter, to General H. P. Bee, headquartered in San Antonio, Captain Angel Navarro writes from his Camp at California Springs, June 19, 1862: …”that the bearer of this note is my brother Sixto who has been a Private in Pyron’s command. If he is allowed to transfer he may be able to bring 20 men with him if they are allowed the privilege of transferring to my command.” He further says he is “getting along well and his stock is in good condition and should be at Fort Davis in ten days. I remain Yours very truly, Angel Navarro.”
By March 1862, he is “at Atascosa Station” with brothers Celso and Sixto. A Valentine Navarro was also listed. These four Navarros survived the war. (Does anyone know who Valentine/Valentino Navarro was? I can find him in 1880 era documents, but no family trees.
END OF PART 2 of 3 parts. PART 3 is expected to be a list of the 100, or so, men who were enrolled in Captain Charles Lynn Pyron’s Company B, 2nd Regiment, 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles / or Riflemen. Thank you for reading. Peggy
