The gilt brass badge consists of a pinback rectangular top bar in the form of a plaque held by scrolling acanthus leaves with “TERRY’S TEXAS RANGERS” in raised letters in a shallow arc over “1861 -1865” with a vine of leaves and berries across the top and down the sides. Two short chains support a “Texas star” with raised border and “TEXAS” spelled out on the points of the star in raised letters, along with a raised circle at center with an “R” in the middle (certainly for “Rangers.”) The reverse of the star is plain, but shows the maker’s mark of Whitehead and Hoag, well known for veterans’ badges, in small raised letters. The top bar has two spring pins- one for attachment to the coat and the other probably for a ribbon now missing. The top bar and star show some gilt finish. The chains and reverse of the badge show a darker brass tone, as is natural from wear.

Organized at Houston in August 1861 by Benjamin Franklin Terry, the 8^th Texas Cavalry, also known as Terry’s Texas Rangers, mustered into Confederate service in early September and took part in wide-ranging campaigns in the western theatre of the war from 1861 to 1865. Some sources credit them with participation in roughly 275 engagements from December 1861 in Kentucky to Bentonville in March 1865, ranging from small skirmishes to major battles such as Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Chattanooga and the Atlanta Campaign, as well as raids with Forrest and attempts to slow Sherman in the March to the Sea and the Campaign of the Carolinas. They took part in a charge at Bentonville and largely skipped surrendering with Johnston in late April, only about 30 appearing on the surrender rolls according to the NPS, with the remainder heading home or trying to join Confederate forces still in the field before also making their way back to Texas individually or in small groups (158 out of 248 survivors in the field according to the TSHA.)

Texas Civil War material is very scarce and Terry’s outfit is one of the best known cavalry units of the war with a great deal of romance and adventure associated with it in the minds of collectors and students of the war, and a great deal of hard fighting and campaigning for the men who were in its ranks.  [sr] [ph:m/L]

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