Confederate veteran and trailblazer

Edited by Jim Fish
Originally published in the Dallas News, 1897

In the rugged expanse of Frio Canyon during the 1890s, few figures commanded as much quiet respect as Charles G. Jarvis—a man shaped by war, tempered by frontier hardship, and remembered for his courage, modesty, and grit.

Born in December 1843 in Algiers, Louisiana, Jarvis moved with his family to St. Francis County, Missouri, in 1852. At just 18, he answered the Confederate call at the outbreak of the Civil War, beginning a long and storied military career. Initially serving in the Missouri State Guards under Colonel Schnabel, he later joined General Sterling Price’s Confederate forces.

Jarvis saw action in some of the war’s most brutal engagements, including the battles of Oak Hills (Wilson’s Creek), Elkhorn, Iuka, Corinth, and Port Gibson. He fought at Vicksburg, where he was twice wounded during the siege on May 18, 1863—once in the arm and once in the shoulder. Defying the odds, he returned to duty just 20 days later.

After being paroled and exchanged following Vicksburg’s surrender, Jarvis rejoined the Confederate Army for the Georgia campaign. At Kennesaw Mountain—a particularly bloody battle—he witnessed firsthand the staggering losses of Union forces. Jarvis spoke with somber respect of Colonel Blood, a Union officer buried by Confederate soldiers with military honors.

Jarvis’s bravery extended beyond open battlefields. During the Atlanta campaign, he and five comrades carried out a daring raid across the Chattahoochee River, capturing a Union sergeant, six soldiers, and thirteen mules within view of federal cavalry. As they fled, one Irish prisoner complained of the bumpy mule ride—prompting Jarvis to jab him with a rifle and bark, “Straighten up,” earning a quick, “All right, begorra,” in reply.

His last battle came at Altoona, where he was shot in the thigh. Rather than surrender, he limped after the retreating Confederate forces with the help of a fellow soldier, Johnny Cockery. In a story he later told with humor, Jarvis recalled discarding his trousers to ease his wound—only to pass by a group of women and children. He begged Cockery to shield him, but his friend sped up instead, leaving him hobbling behind in nothing but a shirt.

After the war, Jarvis turned west, seeking new frontiers. He joined cattle drives from Brown County, Texas, toward California and ventured as far as Las Cruces, New Mexico, Denver, Colorado, and Durango, Mexico. In 1870, while leading a wagon train for Ward B. Blanchard, Jarvis faced a new threat: Native American raiders stole 16 mules near Fort Quitman.

When Fort Commander Maj. A. P. Morrow refused assistance, Jarvis mounted a pursuit using wagon mules and teamsters. Tracking the raiders through rugged terrain, they located the campfire late at night. A misfire of a Spencer carbine alerted a sentry, who was killed in the exchange, though the others escaped. Still, Jarvis recovered the stolen mules and completed the journey.

Despite the many hardships he endured, Jarvis remained humble about his exploits. He preferred to honor his fellow soldiers and pioneers, never seeking personal glory.

Charles G. Jarvis passed on years ago, but among the old friends and families of Southwest Texas, his name still stirs admiration. His life—woven through war, wilderness, and quiet acts of bravery—epitomized the spirit of the Southern soldier and Texas frontiersman.