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Personal History of

Richard Hogan

Trooper 14^th Virginia Cavalry

I was born in a small farming community in the Northern part of New York State on September 7^th, 1817. Growing up as close to Canada as we were definitely had its advantages, we learned to hunt and fish as soon as we were able to hold a small rifle or fowler and the daily labor toughened ones spirit and soul.

Childhood goes by quickly and the desire to explore this land and to seek adventure tormented me all of the time, I just couldn’t see myself as a Farmer. My mother just couldn’t understand the need to wander and being a woman who was content with life I couldn’t explain it to her either. A compromise was made and I was sent off to her brother’s home in Arkansas where he was a Professor at a local college. I was to finish my studies and then would be free to do as I liked, I rapidly agreed.

Life in the South was quite a shock everything was different and they even talked differently than I was used to, but the girls sure were pretty. My Uncle started me in class right away and was extremely sympathetic to my plight as he left home for the same reasons and had married down here and stayed. Lessons were relieved with hunting excursions and fishing trips when possible but the most enjoyable was the sword & firearms training that I learned from him. My Uncle always said “You must be able to defend yourself with both your mind and your weapons” as he used to be quite the adventurer himself I soaked up not only his stories but his wisdom.

With trouble brewing in the Texas area I decided that it was time to see some more of this world so I enlisted in the 1st Dragoons under Captain Kearney and was assigned to Company F, the date was 1845

1846 proved to be an interesting year as we entered Mexico , our commander was sure that this would be just a short ride and as comfortable as my Grimsley saddle was I was hoping so. Tacubaya was nicer than South Texas at first; we performed a text book charge with drawn sabers and had those boys running. It seemed like everything was going well until I noticed that there were only a couple of us still fighting it seems that a recall had been sounded and we didn’t hear it. I tried to get the Captain to fall back as there were Mexican reinforcements coming up and he got hit in the arm. I grabbed hold of his reins and turned him around just to take a shot in the right leg.

I stayed in Mexico with the Captain healing and assigned as a courier until we pulled out in 1848.

I went back to being stationed in Texas , served in Kansas and North Carolina and then after 10 years in Blue took my discharge and moved out into a new place called the Oklahoma Territory , they said that land was cheap and the game was plentiful.

I found an Officers daughter who liked old Sergeants got married and had five children.

The time is now 1861 and my son has gone off seeking his glory in the Army of Northern Virginia. I can relate to my mothers feelings of so many years ago. Against the wishes of my wife I am going after my son, at forty four years of age I didn’t think that I would need my old sword and pistol again.