MORRISS, GEORGE WASHINGTON (1841 ~ 1942). George Washington Morriss, Confederate veteran, was born August 1, 1841, in Macon County, Missouri to William and Elizabeth Ellis Morriss, both of Kentucky.
He moved to Texas in 1858, at the age of seventeen, and joined the Confederate Army four years later. According to his service records, Morriss enlisted in Company B, Flournoy's Regiment, Texas Infantry on May 4, 1862, at Camp Groce. He was mustered into service by a Lieutenant Colonel Shepherd.
Flournoy's Regiment fought in the 16th Texas Infantry, John G. Walker's Division. The 16th Texas Infantry fought in Banks' Red River campaign during the spring of 1864, and participated at Mansfield on April 8, 1865. In a July 31, 1941 newspaper article, Morriss recalled his experience of marching 55 miles in 24 hours in a steady rain, with only three hours of rest.
Morriss recounted: "Lee's men east of the Mississippi didn't have those long marches. West of the Mississippi, we had to hunt a fight. Those forced marches went on day and night; they blamed near marched us to death. The Cavalry could not go around us. We went around the cavalry, because a man can stand more than a horse."
Morriss suffered from old age and was admitted to the Confederate Men's Home on September 23, 1921. He died on February 18, 1942 and was buried in the Texas State Cemetery shortly after.
Information taken from Texas State Cemetery file materials. |
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