In mid-1861 Samuel Boyer Davis organized seven companies from Harris, Caldwell, Galveston, Leon, Montgomery, Washington, Liberty, and Fort Bend counties and formed them into Davis's Mounted Battalion, and became major of that unit. He also was assistant adjutant general at General Hébert's headquarters for the District of Texas. On December 7, 1861, Maj. Xavier B. DeBray assumed command of the mounted battalion when Davis assumed full-time administrative functions under Hébert. In February 1862 three more companies from Montgomery, Grimes, and Harris counties were added to DeBray's command, which was reorganized as the Twenty-sixth Texas Cavalry. When Hébert appointed Davis colonel of the new unit, members of the regiment protested and claimed the right to elect their own officers. Davis then resigned from the unit, and DeBray was elected regimental commander. The 26th Cavalry, considered to be one of the best disciplined regiments in Confederate service, participated in the recapture of Galveston on January 1, 1863 and later fought in the Red River Campaign. For the gallant performance of the 26th in the battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, Debray was appointed brigadier general by General Edmund Kirby Smith on April 13, 1864 and the 26th Texas Cavalry was combined with the 22nd and 23rd Texas Cavalry to form Debray's Brigade. After the Red River Campaign, the 26th was stationed at Houston and later Navasota. Here the 26th disbanded in May, 1865. Other field officers were Colonel John J. Myers; Lieutenant Colonel Medard Menard, Major George W. Owens and Captain Robert F. Oliver.