Huntsville, Walker County
Inmates, slaves, free men worked in the penitentiary textile factory, main source of cloth goods for Confederate Southwest. Here "king cotton" and wool became millions of yards of cloth and yarn, osnaburgs, uniforms for state troops, Confederate army, needy families of soldiers, cloth sales supported 300 inmates and Union prisoners of war briefly kept there. As Union blockade tightened, army requests flooded in and family cloth distribution rationed. Later financial difficulties and worn machinery caused production lag. A memorial to the Texans who served the Confederacy. Erected by the State of Texas 1963. [back side] Texas Civil War Manufacturing, 1861-65 Heavy military demands-90,000 Texas troops, a 2000 mile coastline-frontier to guard-plus reduced imports, caused a fast expansion of Texas industry. Arms and munitions plants were built, and land grants were used to encourage production. Private industry met the need and produced vital supplies for military and civilians. The Confederate quartermaster formed depots and shops for military goods. Production of salt and "king cotton" was hiked to trade for scarce items. Ladies and societies spun and sewed to outfit soldiers.