Articles
Lone Star General: Hiram B. Granbury
A book review by Andrea Sutton
Born and educated in Mississippi, Hiram Bronson Granbury had an inauspicious enough start. How was he supposed to know the United States would be split in two? How was he to know he would become a brigadier general in the Confederate States of America’s army?
Granbury’s life in Texas began when he moved to Waco in 1852. It was there that he found a profession in law and his wife, Fannie Simms. It wasn’t long till the real adventure started. In 1861, Granbury organized the local Waco Guards and joined them with the 7th Texas Regiment Infantry. This is where his career as a commander began.
Lone Star General’s 127 pages are packed with information about Granbury and the Civil War. Not only will you learn about our city’s namesake, but our authors, Rebecca Blackwell Drake and Thomas D. Holder, provide bios for all the major players in Gen. Granbury’s life.
First hand accounts fill this book with the words of the people who actually knew and worked with Granbury. We find out through a progression of letters that Fannie, who traveled with Hiram during the war, was terminally ill with an ovarian tumor. We also learn that a particular Gen. John Bell Hood made a mistake at Franklin, Tennessee that cost the Confederates an important battle and the lives of six generals. One of which was Gen. Granbury.
His death was remembered by Lt. Mangum, who was on foot with Granbury’s Brigade at the Battle of Franklin: “I was within ten feet of him, and remember well the last words he spoke: ‘Forward men; never let it be said that Texans lag in the fight.’ As he spoke these words, a ball struck him in the cheek and passed through his brain. Throwing both hands to his face he sunk down on his knees and remained in that position until his body was taken off the field after the battle.
He died at the age of 33 and was buried near the battlefield. He was later taken back to be buried in Texas soil in 1893. He was Re-interred in Granbury Cemetery. It’s ironic, though that the city of Granbury and the General’s remains lie in a county named after John Bell Hood.
Special thanks goes to the authors of Lone Star General: Hiram B. Granbury, Rebecca Blackwell Drake and Thomas D. Holder.