THOMAS CHAMBERS

Thomas Chambers, Jr., was born in Texas 1842, the son of Thomas Chambers, Sr. and Isabella Barnhill.

His father, Thomas Chambers, Sr., was born in Tennessee in 1812. He moved his family to Texas in about 1835 and began farming. His wife, Isabella, died before the time of the 1850 census, when he was living in Montgomery County with his nine children.

In 1860, Thomas, Jr., was living in Montgomery County with his family, age eighteen. He joined the Danville Mounted Riflemen as a private on May 4, 1861.

In April the following year, he joined Second Lancers, which was to become Co. B 24th Regiment Texas Cavalry, under Captain Wooldridge. He enlisted at Danville on March 29 and was enrolled by John E. George. He gave his age as twenty, the value of his horse as $100.00, and his equipment as $20.00.

At least three of Thomas's brothers fought with him in Company B. They were Oliver P. Chambers, John H. Chambers, and Daniel L. Chambers.

Thomas rode to Arkansas with the other men in spring, 1962, and was dismounted there. He was trained as an infantryman at Camp Holmes and in the fall was stationed at Ft. Hindman at Arkansas Post on the White River. There he was engaged in building winter cabins for the troops. Unexpectedly, the Union forces attacked the fort on January 11, 1863, and Thomas was captured .

Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis

He was unlucky enough to be transported to Gratiot Street Prison at St. Louis, Missouri, where conditions were harsh and more than half of the men housed there died. Due to illness, he was admitted to the Gratiot Prison Hospital. His hospital record states that his complaint (illness) was pneumonia.

He died in the hospital on February 26, and his Undertaker�s Certificate shows that the cause of death was diarrhea and erysipelas, an acute infectious disease of the mucous membranes characterized by the inflammation of the skin, accompanied by a fever.

CERTIFICATE FOR GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKER

His name is also on a �List of Confederate Prisoners Who Have Died in the Department of the Missouri.�

Thomas was buried the next day in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. His cemetery plot is # 21-0-5057.

Thank you to Scott McKay for sharing this photo of the marker of Thomas Chambers. Scott researches the Tenth Texas Infantry, which was brigaded with the 24th Cavalry through most of the War.

You may view Scott McKay's other photos of Jefferson Barracks markers for men of the 24th Regiment Texas Cavalry.

For further information and records of all Confederate soldiers of Montgomery County, Texas, as well as histories of the regiments they served in, see Montgomery County, Texas, CSA by Frank M. Johnson. The book may be purchased by visiting Frank's website at frankmjohnson.net or by contacting Frank at [email protected].

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