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Konrad Joh
Company E, 2nd Infantry Brigade
Waul's Texas Legion


CONFEDERATE ANCESTOR OF DAVID N. WEBER
Konrad Joh and wife
 
Joh Cabin

Konrad Joh is the great great grandfather of David N. Weber. He is shown above with his wife, Catharina Zwenermann. Konrad Joh served in Waul's Texas Legion at the Vicksburg siege.

The cabin above is located about six miles south of Round Top, in Fayette County, Texas. The one room cabin, with loft, is about 20 feet by 10 feet. This is where Konrad and Catharina raised five girls and one boy. The boy died from drinking spoiled beer at a church social. The cabin, a registered Texas Landmark, has a marker.

Konrad Joh's daughter, Minna Joh, married Otto Weber, David's great grandfather. Otto was the son of Carl Fredrich Weber who also served with Konrad in Wauls Texas Legion. Carl was captured in a skirmish in December 1862 and missed the Vicksburg siege. Both veterans were members of Company E, 2nd Infantry Brigade, Wauls Texas Legion.

Konrad Joh was born in Germany September 3, 1830. In 1856, at the age of 26, he left Germany as a stowaway on October 1st to arrive in Galveston November 30. Records indicate that his sister Maria and her husband Phillip Etzell with their four children and John Bru and Ernest Pochman formed a party traveling to Fayette County by oxen drawn wagon taking three weeks time.

On April 28, 1859 Konrad married Elizabeth Zwernamann who had arrived in 1854, with her mother.

The referendum on secession took place February 23, 1861. The votes were canvassed and the proclamation declaring Texas had left the "Union" officially March 2, 1861. Konrad enlisted in "the Second Company", a reserve unit of the 22nd Brigade Texas State Troops on July 1, 1861, at Round Top in Beat No. 4. The unit called Captain J. A. Ledbetter's Company was called to active duty June 2, 1862, becoming Company "E", second Infantry Battalion, Waul's Texas Legion June 16, 1862. Waul's Legion served at Vicksburg from May 16 to July 4, 1863. Konrad was paroled July 9, 1863.

Konrad was a farmer in the Round Top Community. He is an 1867 charter member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. He helped build the church, which still stands, by using his oxen to haul rocks for construction.

Konrad and Elizabeth had six children, the first being born January 26, 1860. The next child was born in January 1865 after the war had ended for Konrad. Their other children were born between July 1866 and June 1875. Elizabeth died July 4, 1901. Konrad lived with his daughters Anna Weber and Sophia Neese until he passed away March 8, 1912. Konrad had received a Confederate Pension in July 16, 1903, file number 9696.

WAUL'S LEGION

The formation of Waul's Legion took place at "Camp Waul" beginning May of 1862. Waul's Meadow, located some seven (7) miles north of Brenham, on Gav Hill overlooking New Year's Creek near the southern boundary of the Glenblythe Plantation, saw the training and organization of the legion. The legion originally consisted of twelve companies of infantry, six companies of cavalry, and a six-gun battery of artillery with a total complement of 2,000 men. The first infantry battalion was originally commanded by Lt. Col. Barnard Timmons and the second by Lt. Col. James Wigley. The cavalry battalion was led by Lt. Col. Leonodias Willis and the artillery battery by Capt. William Edgar. The legion was part of the Eastern District of Texas until completion of its training in August 1862. Transferred to Lovell's Division District of the Mississippi, Department 2, it marched toward Clarksville, Arkansas. Orders were received to go to Shreveport, Louisiana instead. Camping on the Sabine River September 11, they arrived on September 14. The legion was assigned to Vicksburg October 1st as a part of Loring's Division, Lovell's Corps, Army of West Tennessee, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. They were sent to Holly Springs on the 8th where they received converted muskets, cartridge boxes with 40 rounds ammunition, cap pouch, bayonet and scabbard. October 27th they went to Coldwater Mississippi and on through Holly Springs and Dumphins Mill before reaching Camp Natchez on the Tallahatchie River.

Owing to the difficulty associated with commanding mixed arms, it was stripped of its cavalry and artillery components. The infantry companies were reorganized into two battalions of six companies each. Uniforms were issued November 9 and the unit moved to Rocky Ford November 12th where they threw up breast works. All was quiet through November 28th. On December 1st there was a skirmish, and the legion retired to Coffeeville Mississippi. The Legion was part of the Army of North Mississippi in December of 1862, and transferred to the Army of the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, assigned to Loring's Division, in January of 1863.

The legion moved to Grenada December 7th. Orders issued January 2nd made the legion part of Pemberton's First Division, under direct command of W.W. Loring. The legion moved January 24, 1863 going through Yazoo City some 60 miles by boat to Snyders Mill ,then back to Yazoo City on February 16. From there up the Yazoo River February 20th. They were stationed at Fort Pemberton until May 4th, after which they were ordered to Vicksburg to defend the city.

After being surrendered July 4, 1863, paroled mid-July and declared exchanged September 12, 1863, the legion reorganized in the fall of 1863 in Houston and was assigned to duty protecting the Texas coast in the region of Galveston. Barnard Timmons was promoted to Colonel and assumed command of the legion until the end of the war, May 26, 1865.

Waul was promoted to Brigadier General September 18, 1863. He was given command of the first brigade of Maj. General John G. Walker's Texas Division, which he led during the Red River campaign of 1864. After the battles of Mansfield (April 8, 1864) and Pleasant Hill (April 9, 1864), Waul and his brigade were transferred to Arkansas. At the battle of Jenkins' Ferry on April 30, 1864, Waul's unit helped repulse federal Major General Frederick Steel's attempted invasion of Texas.
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