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As It Was: Reminiscences of a Soldier of the Third Texas Cavalry and the Nineteenth Louisiana Infantry
Cater's reminiscences of his Civil War experiences, simply titled As It Was, comprises a superbly detailed and colorful description of a soldier's life in the ranks of the Third Texas Cavalry and the Nineteenth Louisiana Infantry.
In the early chapters of As It Was, Cater describes his youthful experiences, including his family life, education, hunting, and other pleasant pastimes, plantation activities and relationships with slaves, as well as social conditions. These chapters are valuable for their honest views of life in the late antebellum northwestern Louisiana and northeastern Texas.
In early May 1861 a wealthy Rusk County planter, Richard H. Cumby, began recruiting a company of volunteers to serve as cavalrymen. More than one hundred men, including Douglas John Cater, answered the call. Representing the cream of Rusk County's young male population, they would be designated as Company B of Col. Elkanah Greer's Third Texas Cavalry, formed the following month in Dallas. Cater served with the Third Texas Cavalry in the Battle of Wilson's Creek and Elkhorn Tavern.
In June 1862, Douglas Cater transferred to the Nineteenth Louisiana Infantry to be with his brother Rufus, and remained with that unit until the end of the war. He participated in the Battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Franklin, and Nashville.
In the early chapters of As It Was, Cater describes his youthful experiences, including his family life, education, hunting, and other pleasant pastimes, plantation activities and relationships with slaves, as well as social conditions. These chapters are valuable for their honest views of life in the late antebellum northwestern Louisiana and northeastern Texas.
In early May 1861 a wealthy Rusk County planter, Richard H. Cumby, began recruiting a company of volunteers to serve as cavalrymen. More than one hundred men, including Douglas John Cater, answered the call. Representing the cream of Rusk County's young male population, they would be designated as Company B of Col. Elkanah Greer's Third Texas Cavalry, formed the following month in Dallas. Cater served with the Third Texas Cavalry in the Battle of Wilson's Creek and Elkhorn Tavern.
In June 1862, Douglas Cater transferred to the Nineteenth Louisiana Infantry to be with his brother Rufus, and remained with that unit until the end of the war. He participated in the Battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Franklin, and Nashville.
266 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
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June 27, 2025
This book was ok - more so about his life than just the Civil War.
The first third is about his life growing up in the pre-war South, his interactions with people, and the start to his career as a music teacher.
Out the outbreak of what is referred to as “Lincoln’s War”, Cater enlists and serves through the duration of the war in the Department of Tennessee.
His narrative is interesting in that, similar to many other war books, there’s a lot of waiting and marching: to the next town, next battle, next farm.
He is extremely complimentary of General Joseph E. Johnston and the exact opposite of Generals John Bell Hood & Braxton Bragg.
Overall - interesting book detailing life in the rank and file, loss (losing brothers in the war), but a bit slow for my personal preference.
The first third is about his life growing up in the pre-war South, his interactions with people, and the start to his career as a music teacher.
Out the outbreak of what is referred to as “Lincoln’s War”, Cater enlists and serves through the duration of the war in the Department of Tennessee.
His narrative is interesting in that, similar to many other war books, there’s a lot of waiting and marching: to the next town, next battle, next farm.
He is extremely complimentary of General Joseph E. Johnston and the exact opposite of Generals John Bell Hood & Braxton Bragg.
Overall - interesting book detailing life in the rank and file, loss (losing brothers in the war), but a bit slow for my personal preference.
Displaying 1 of 1 review