Brigadier General Hiram Bronson Granbury led a brigade of Texans, fighting in the Army of Tennessee, for only nine months. Others had preceded him, and others would follow—only to be snatched away by death, transfer, or promotion. But Granbury remained the most popular of the brigade’s lengthy list of commanders—so much so that after Granbury’s death and well after the end of the Civil War, men referred to themselves as members of Granbury’s Brigade, one of Texas’ most famous fighting units.

James M. McCaffrey traces the history of the brigade, from the formation of the individual regiments by Texas’ citizen-soldiers to the last days of the war, when heavy losses had reduced the brigade to a single regiment. The brigade’s involvement in early confrontations, such as the Battle of Arkansas Post, are discussed.

First published in 1985, This Band of Heroes is now once again available to readers drawn to Civil War history and researchers and historians interested in Texas’ military heritage. McCaffrey supplements his text with maps, drawings, historical photographs, and appendixes that describe the flags and weapons of Granbury’s Brigade. Of particular interest to genealogists researching the period is a comprehensive list of the men who served in the brigade.