BRIONES, ANTONIO (1844~1938) Antonio Briones, Union veteran, was born January 11, 1844, in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. After immigrating to Texas, he appears to have settled in Brownsville, where he enlisted in Company D of the 2nd Texas Cavalry (U.S.). The 2nd Texas was organized at Brownsville on December 15, 1863, and it is believed that Briones enlisted on, or around, that date.
The 2nd Cavalry was stationed in Brownsville and along the Rio Grande River until July, 1864, when the regiment was sent to New Orleans and Morganza, Louisiana. On November 1, 1864, the 2nd was consolidated with the 1st Texas Cavalry.
After the consolidation, Briones was then transferred to Company M. After reading through his military records, it is difficult to say if Briones participated in skirmishes in Louisiana and Mississippi, or if he was a part of the regiment that stayed in Texas and took part in the last battle of the Civil War, Palmeto Ranch. No matter where he served, Briones was discharged from the U. S. Army at San Antonio, Texas on October 31, 1865.
A slight man of only 5 feet 3 inches, Briones worked as a laborer in San Antonio until 1867, when he moved to Austin. After working in Austin for a number of years, he married Refugia Rijias and, together, they had two children, Jose and Leonardo.
After divorcing Refugia, Briones married Francisca Constancia in Lockhart, Caldwell County, Texas. They had another child, Antonio, who was born, circa 1885. At the time of his death, Briones was separated from his second wife.
Briones continued to work as a laborer in Travis County until his death on June 30, 1938. He was buried that same day in Oakwood Cemetery in Austin.
Unfortunately, Briones' grave was lost to his family until his grandson, James Briones, found it after nearly seventeen years of searching. With the help of State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, the Briones family was able to have the patriarch of their family moved to the Texas State Cemetery.
On Wednesday, January 27, 1999, Briones was reburied with full military honors in the area of the State Cemetery that had once been used for Union veterans who died in Texas. Those soldier's remains were moved to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio after Reconstruction ended in Texas.
Today, Briones is one of only a few Union soldiers buried in the Texas State Cemetery. One of the most prominent, is his commanding officer, Edmund J. Davis, who went on to become the last Reconstruction Governor of Texas.
Information taken: Pension Application; National Park Service Website, http://www.itd.nps.gov; Man's 17-year quest end with new honor, Austin American-Statesman, Thursday, January 28, 1999; Union soldier's descendant sees him reburied, honored, Dallas Morning News, February 8, 1999.
