Brigadier-General Allison Nelson, of Texas, entering, in 1961, with all his heart into preparations for the defense of his State and of the South, was largely instrumental in raising the Tenth Texas regiment of infantry, of which he was commissioned colonel. He devoted himself with untiring zeal to the drill, discipline and proper equipment of his regiment, and when, in 1862, he was ordered to report to General Hindman, in Arkansas, he marched at the head of one of the finest bodies of troops that ever left the Lone Star State for the scene of conflict. General Hindman, at that time commanding the army in Arkansas, spoke of this regiment as a well-armed and finely-equipped command. Colonel Nelson, in June, took position at Devall's Bluff, where intrenchments were thrown up and three heavy guns placed in position. General Hindman reinforced him with a regiment and a battalion of Arkansas infantry, just organized, and armed partly with shotguns and sporting rifles, and partly with pikes and lances, together with three batteries of artillery, and placed Colonel Nelson over the brigade thus formed. A Federal force of infantry and artillery, on transports, and several gunboats, approached this point toward the last of June, but the enemy was repulsed with a loss of 55 killed, wounded and prisoners, by Morgan's squadron of Texans and four unattached companies of Arkansas troops, under P. H. Wheat, assisted by several independent companies of non-conscripts. The Federals did not reach the position occupied by Nelson's brigade. When Hindman first took charge of operations in Arkansas there was great demoralization among troops and people in that State. His vigorous measures brought order out of chaos and restored confidence. In a report to the war department he referred to the "prompt patriotism with which Brigadier-Generals Hébert, McCulloch and Nelson, and the officers and men of the various Texas regiments, came to my assistance." Colonel Nelson had been promoted to brigadier-general on the 10th of September, 1862. Not long after this the country was deprived of the services of this estimable gentleman and talented officer by death. General Holmes announced this event as follows: "I have the painful duty to perform of reporting the death of Brigadier-General Nelson, who commanded a division. He is an irreparable loss to me."