Notes |
- 1860 Federal Census of Richmond, Fort Bend County, Texas (18 Jul 1860)
Clements Bassett 18 M Texas
Living with George H. Chambers (Stock Raiser)
1870 Federal Census of Richmond, Fort Bend County, Texas (22 Jul 1870)
Clemuel Bassett 28 M Texas Merchant 750 350
A HISTORY OF TEXAS AND TEXANS by FRANK W. JOHNSON
VOLUME III (1914)
Captain Clement Bassett. Among Texas veterans of the Confederacy there
is not one whose name shows more enthusiasm and fine affection for his
character than Captain Clem Bassett of Richmond. He made a splendid record
during the war and in the years of quiet Citizenship which have ensued since
that great struggle, his part has not been less faithful in performance and
strong in achievement. There is a history of the Civil war published by the
United States government, in a great many large volumes, and believed to be
the largest individual work on one subject ever published. In all the
thousands of pages which recount the operations of the contending army during
the four years of war in the south, it is said that the name of only one
private soldier is mentioned for special distinction, and that name is Clement
Bassett.
Fort Bend county feels especial interest and proprietorship in Captain
Bassett since he was the first white male child born in the old town of
Richmond, and is now the oldest native citizen. He was born at Richmond
January 7, 1842. He is the son of Clement N. and Julia (Beale) Bassett. His
father and mother came from Virginia shortly after the battle of San Jacinto,
and were married in Harris county this state. Captain Bassett's maternal
grandmother was a member of the famous Lee family of Virginia, and a cousin of
General Robert E. Lee. She was an F.F.V. Bob Beale, a brother of Capta
Bassett's mother took part in the Mier expedition, which has a chapt
itself in every Texas history, and in the battle of Mier he was shot and left
for dead in the street. But that night he started on his way home on foot,
arriving barefooted and ragged.
The father of Captain Bassett was for a number of years a lawyer in
Richmond, and is the sole survivor of five children. The others of the family
were Winifred, wife of George Chambers; Robert Edwin, and Russell. He remained
home during the period of his boyhood, and on September 7, 1861, at the age of
nineteen, joined the Eighth Texas Cavalry, which was a part of Terry's Texas
Rangers. The regiment first went to Kentucky, was sent to Corinth,
Mississippi, took part in the battle of Shiloh, next went to Murfreesborough,
and Captain Bassett was a participant in practically every battle of the
western army and fought in fully a thousand skirmishes. His battle reco
includes the engagements at Perryville, Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge,
Atlanta, Lookout Mountain, Savannah and others. His first wound came at
Eagleville, Tennessee, and at Aiken, South Carolina, he was shot in the back
of the head by a minie ball. He was wearing a fine broad-brimmed Spanish hat.
The bullet went through a silver ornament, a thick cord and the hat and, after
shattering the skull, imbedded itself in the outer covering of the brain. The
bullet was removed by the field surgeon, and the captain then spent six weeks
in the hospital. He continued to suffer from this wound for twenty years after
it had been inflicted. The war ended while Captain Bassett was off duty as the
result of this wound.
Among the old soldiers of the south, there was never one who was
associated with Captain Bassett who did not give him the highest tribute as to
his gallantry and courage and individual efficiency. The occasion of his
being mentioned in the voluminous work pertaining to the Civil war, as related
above, was the capture of a battery at Murfreesborough, an exploit in which he
was chiefly responsible, and for which he was voted a medal by the Confederate
Congress. Owing to the outcome of the war, this medal was never struck nor
bestowed. Captain Bassett was a warm personal friend of the late Joe Wheeler,
and a deep mutual admiration subsisted between the two, though differing
widely in official rank. It is related that on one occasion General Wheeler
openly applauded this gallant Confederate soldier. This occurred at
Sandersville, Georgia, when Bassett led a brave charge against the enemy, and
his dashing courage caused General Wheeler to toss his hat in the air a
shout "Three cheers for Clem Bassett."
After the war, and on his return to Richmond, Captain Bassett began
his career as a farmer and stock raiser, and for twenty years was in the
mercantile business at the old town of Richmond. He finally retired two years
ago on account of ill-health, and now enjoys a quiet prosperity and liv
among his friends and associates of many years. He has been prospero
business, has acquired considerable property, and in April, 1913, finished a
very elegant and beautiful residence in Richmond.
In October, 1869, Captain Bassett married Miss Lida Moore, a sister of
the present Congressman from this district in Texas, and a daughter of Dr.
Matt Moore of Alabama. Mrs. Bassett died with her first child, and she and her
baby were buried on her first wedding anniversary. Fifteen years later Captain
Bassett married Miss Libbie Mitchell of Fort Bend county, and a daughter of
Captain John C. Mitchell, who was an eminent lawyer and pioneer citizen of
this part of the state. Six children were born to this marriage and four are
now living. One son, Clement Bassett Jr., died one year ago at the a
twenty-one, and his death was a severe blow to his devoted father. A daughter,
Winnie, died at the age of two years. The living children are: Eleanor, wife
of H.L. Williams, a resident of St. Louis; Robert, who is studying l
Austin; Winston and Gerald who are in school. Mr. and Mrs. Bassett are members
of the Baptist church, in which he is a deacon. He is life commander of
Bassett's Camp of the United Confederate Veterans at Richmond, this camp being
named for him and in itself being the finest tribute that could be paid by
veterans to one of their living comrades. Captain Bassett still has as a most
prized xxx the Spanish hat which is perforated by the ball which so nearly put
an end to his career. Captain Bassett has had many honors offered him, some of
which he xx declined and others accepted, so far as private circumstances and
opportunity allowed him to serve his community. In 1890 the county placed him
on the ballet for sheriff by acclamation, and he subsequently served fo
years as tax collector.
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