History of the Magnolia Rangers and Their Flag

The Magnolia Rangers Cavalry is sometimes referred to as the 1st Texas Cavalry as they were unofficially established by 66 Volunteers from Brazoria and Galveston Counties on January 17th, 1861, and organized by Captain George Durant in League City Texas.

South Carolina, which was the first state to secede from the Union had already seceded on December 24th, 1860, however, Texas did not secede until February 23rd, 1861 which was six weeks after the formation of the Magnolia Rangers. So it is likely that the Magnolia Rangers were actually the first Cavalry unit formed in Texas with the intention of joining and fighting for the Confederate States Army. This plan did not work out for Durant and his volunteers because the State of Texas did not authorize the formation of volunteer regiments until the spring of 1861 and the Confederate government recognized the Magnolia Rangers as “State Troops” or more specifically Company B of the 1st Brigade of the Texas State Militia, so they found themselves assigned to “Home Guard” duty providing protection to the citizens of southeast Texas against hostile Indians, Mexican bandits, policing and arresting Union spies and deserters from the Confederate army.

The state militia plans did not work out, however, and on August 30th, 1861, the Magnolia Rangers were disbanded. Durant and his men mustered into service at Galveston shortly thereafter with the expectation of being sent to the front line. Captain Durant even sent a letter to the Governor of Texas requesting that they be sent into battle which is what they volunteered for. Due to the surplus of cavalrymen from Texas and the shortage of infantry, the Magnolia Rangers were forced to become “dismounted cavalry” just to “get into the fight”. Although it was difficult for them to give up their status as cavalrymen, Durant and most of his men enlisted in Nichols’ 9th Texas Infantry for a six-month term and found themselves assigned to Galveston Island preparing for the imminent Union invasion of the port.

When the Union Navy first advanced on Galveston, the Confederates were ordered to withdraw allowing Union naval ships and troops to occupy the port without a single shot being fired. This angered most Texans and a few weeks later, a daring plan to retake the island was put into action. Durant along with several of the disbanded Rangers serving with him in the 9th Texas Infantry became instrumental in what is now known as the Battle of Galveston. Durant was to lead a diversion tactic that involved mounting heavy artillery on a railcar and advancing across the causeway firing on the Union occupiers as the men pulled the railcar by hand as the mules refused to advance onto the bridge. This ruse created the diversion necessary for two Confederate steamers fortified by cotton bails lined up around the perimeter of the deck to attack and capture two of the six Federal gunboats docked there (including the flagship) thus retaking the port of Galveston.

The Confederates suffered only 26 casualties while inflicting as least twice as many on the enemy and taking roughly 400 prisoners. Galveston would remain under Confederate control through the remainder of the war. As a reward for their performance at Galveston, Durant and many of his men were assigned to the Texas 3rd Calvary – Arizona Brigade, fulfilling their long-desired service in the Confederate Calvary where they served with distinction.

The remainder of the men of the Magnolia Rangers who were not assigned to the Texas 3rd Cavalry moved on to other regiments in other theatres of the war. Captain Durant also further distinguished himself, fighting in several subsequent battles having horses shot from under him, and being wounded. He eventually was promoted to Major and then Brevetted Brigadier General (because of the shortage of general officers in Texas towards the end of the war). Since the war was lost by the Confederacy, the last promotion never became official and Durant mustered out of the Confederate Army as a major. He was simply known as “the Major” for the rest of his life and was a well-respected member of his community and was held in high esteem by the men who had served with him. He went on to live a long and prosperous life as a planter, engineer, and inventor. He died in Alvin Texas on November 8, 1918, at the age of 85.

The famed Magnolia Rangers flag was made from the silk petticoats of several enthusiastic ladies from Harris and Galveston counties who donated them to make the large and beautiful but impractical flag. Measuring 4.5′ x 8.75′ it was the largest First National-style Confederate flag in existence at that time. The blue canton contains 10 five-pointed stars in a circle around one larger central star which represents Texas. “Magnolia Rangers” is sewn onto the front side of the flag while “Instituted Jan 17th, 1861” is applied to the reverse side. (Note: this physical description applies to the actual original flag. Not the reproduction). The flag was presented to the Magnolia Rangers during a flag presentation ceremony at a 4th of July 1861 picnic by15-year-old Lucrezia Coward, who had at least nine family members serving in the calvary unit, along with several of the ladies responsible for sewing the flag. After the war, the flag was retained by Major George Durant and brought home for storage and safekeeping.

Because of its impressive size and beauty, Major Durant used it to drape over the caskets of the Magnolia Rangers veterans as they passed away over the years. It was also displayed at several United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) and Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) meetings for posterity. The flag was passed down to Durant’s descendants as the generations passed, and finally, great great grandson Ralph Cushman donated the flag to the Texas UDC in 1989 with the stipulation that it belongs to the people of Texas and the descendants of the Magnolia Rangers and that the flag must also be on display for the public to view. The flag is currently held in trust by the Texas Division of the UDC and is on display at the Museum of Southern History in Sugarland Texas.

Read more about the history of the Magnolia Rangers.