Lt. Col. Philip A. Work

Work left the field ill in 1863. He fell sick in September, resigned that November, and in fall 1864 raised a company in Terry's Texas Cavalry. After the war he moved to New Orleans in October 1865 to practice law and work in the steamboat business, then lived in Hardin County from 1874 as a land lawyer. He owned the steamboat Tom Parker, which ran on the Neches River. Before the secession convention reconvened in March 1861, he had resigned to raise the Woodville Rifles. He died in 1911.

What the plaque says

Lt. Col. Philip A. Work Came to Texas, 1838, represented Tyler County, Texas secession convention, 1861. Raised and was Captain, Co. F. 1st Regt., Hood's Texas brigade. As Lieutenant Colonel, commanded Hood's Texans June 1862-Jan. 1864, in battles such as Sharpsburg, where brigade had over 82% casualties. Greatest loss for any unit in any Civil War action. Col. work led Texas brigade second day, Gettysburg; And in Chickamauga victory, 1863. After coming home to regain health, was in David S. Terry's Texas cavalry. After war practiced law. Is buried in old Hardin Cemetery.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Martin Dies, Jr. State Park — 13 mi
  A 705-acre state park on Steinhagen Reservoir at the meeting of the Neches and Angelina rivers, with about 14 miles of paddling trails through sloughs and more than 200 campsites.
• Big Thicket National Preserve — 22 mi
  Start at the Kountze visitor center, where rangers sort the preserve's scattered units for you, and learn why Congress made this 1974 string of pearls the country's first national preserve.

More markers nearby

• Tyler County — steps away
• Home of James Edward Wheat — steps away
• Original Site of Bethel Baptist Church — steps away
• Texas Statesman Allan Shivers — steps away