Val Verde Battery, Fairfield, Texas

(July 2010) Enlarge Val Verde Battery Historical Marker is located on the Freestone County Courthouse grounds next to one of the cannons from the famous CSA battery.

Six brass field guns taken by Lt. Joseph D. Sayers' Company in Civil War Battle of Val Verde, N. Mex., 1862, and brought back to Texas with incredible difficulty, armed a new unit of hand-picked men. Sound of the Val Verde guns in action set pace for other outfits, helped secure such victories as the recapture of Galveston, 1863. At Mansfield, La., April 1864, captured new, longer-range guns. Unwilling to lose their guns when the war ended, the men buried four. The last commander, T. D. Nettles, brought this one home to Freestone County.

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(July 2010) Enlarge Nettle's Gun, Val Verde Texas Artillery Battery

This gun was captured from Federal troops and used by the Val Verde Battery of Artillery. I tried to take photos from several angles so you could get a good view. To be blunt, Fairfield, Freestone County, Texas is kind of out-of-the-way/ remote. Two other guns from the Val Verde Battery are at the Confederate Reunion Grounds in Mexia, Limestone County, Texas but the area was closed when we arrived so no pictures could be taken. A history of this Battery would make a good Hollywood film, but nobody would believe it.

(July 2010) Enlarge Nettle's Gun