Offered here is a well-worn letter dated May 27, 1862. Addressed to W.A. Menger in San Antonio, regarding “caps” for artillery officers in Major Shea’s command, and signed by J. Ashworth.

Full page, written in ink, the page shows staining and some minor loss at top and bottom and along folds. None of this damage adversely affects the readability or content.

“Indianola [Texas] May 27th 1862

Mr. W.A. Menger

Dear Sir

Will you do me the favor to have made immediately and sent down by stage to Messes Rogen & Olliver to following caps for artillery officers of Maj. Shea’s command. Address them in my name as above.

One Captain’s Artillery Cap Size 7 1/4

One 1st Leut  “   “   “   7 1/8

One Jr   do   “   “   “   6 7/8

One 2nd  do  “   “   “   6 7/8

I will leave here for San Antonio in five or six days and settle these affairs

All well & no news

Yours Truly

J. Ashworth”.

Daniel D. Shea (1831–1864), sailor and Confederate officer, was born in Ireland in 1831. Shea immigrated to Texas. In 1860 he was employed as a steamship captain. During the summer of 1861 Shea raised an artillery battery, the Van Dorn Guards, for service in the Confederacy. In response to the incipient Federal blockade of the Texas coast, Shea was assigned to take his two companies of artillery to Fort Esperanza on Matagorda Island. In late 1861 Shea's unit received reinforcements, was renamed the 4^th Texas Artillery Battalion, and he received a promotion to major. On May 2, 1863, Shea was promoted to lieutenant colonel and assigned to provide artillery for the newly-formed 8^th Texas Infantry Regiment. This unit was charged with defense of the Matagorda-Corpus Christi area. Daniel Shea died on May 14, 1864, in San Antonio, and was buried in the local City Cemetery #4.

William A. Menger (1827-1871), the son of a master miller in Hanau, Electorate of Hesse, came to prominence as one of the most successful business owners in the frontier state of Texas in the 1860s and 1870s. His Menger hotel, a tourist staple in San Antonio to this day, was a vital and elegant dwelling that catered to military and civilian travelers alike, and housed the largest brewery in the state of Texas for decades.

Joshua H. Ashworth (1842-1922), enlisted as a private in Company “E” of Waller’s Regiment of Texas Cavalry on May 14, 1862 (two weeks prior to writing this note). This becomes Company E, 13^th Battalion, Texas Cavalry, CSA.  Involved in numerous engagements with the Federals, Joshua lost his own horse during the Battle of Bonnet Carre, Louisiana in 1862. Joshua’s unit participated in the battles of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, Mansfield, Louisiana, Sabine Crossroads, Louisiana and Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas. He was taken prisoner and paroled on 29 June 1865. The commander of his regiment, Edwin Waller, served with six other men on a county resolutions committee that participated in establishing a county vigilance committee. In February 1861 at Houston, Waller became captain of a consolidated defense company. His command was transferred from Houston to Brazos Santiago to assist in the defense of the lower Rio Grande. When the 2^nd Texas Cavalry Regiment was formed, Waller became a major of the new regiment and served under John R. Baylor in West Texas and New Mexico. In 1862, he became lieutenant colonel and commander of the 13^th Texas Cavalry Battalion.

This is an interesting note, placing an order for Confederate officers’ kepis, from a command on the Texas Gulf coast. While Mr. Menger did not operate any sort of hat or clothing business, he no doubt knew where to get the job done. A rare primary document in regards to Confederate headgear.

From the Texas Civil War Museum collection.  [jet][ph:L]