Colonel Travis and General Jackson (Stephen Lang) on the set of Gods and Generals in Staunton"

 

Colonel Jack M. Travis

"Black Jack"

Chief of Artillery, Longstreet's Corps 

Descended from Norman Knight De La Travers, who accompanied William the Conqueror in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings, Colonel Travis’ ancestors were among the founding families of Jamestown Virginia and entered North Carolina in the 1650's. His early ancestors include Dr. Edward Travis, buried at North Carolina’s oldest church in Bath; Lt. Colonel John D. Travis who served in the Georgia Militia and his son Private John Travis served with General Francis Marion, The Swamp Fox during the Revolutionary War.  He is a descendant of Colonel William Barrett Travis, commander of The Alamo who perished in its defense March 6, 1836.  Colonel Travis' Confederate ancestors include; Brigadier General Alexander Travis Hawthorne, Lieutenant Mark Butler Travis, Lieutenant John Quincy Travis, Private H. D. Travis, and Private Barrett (Black Barrett) Travis.

Colonel Travis has been a member of the MOSB and SCV since 1985 and is past commander of Camp 166, Wake Forest, North Carolina, Lt. Commander of the Waddell Chapter No. 32, MOSB, and Chief of Staff for North Carolina Division of the MOSB under Commander Albert Jones.  Colonel Travis gives numerous programs on Artillery and General E. Porter Alexander at SCV Camps, UDC Chapters, WBTS Round Tables, as well as living histories and educational programs for elementary, middle, and high school history classes.  He is also a member of the Raleigh and North Carolina Civil War Round Tables.

A Confederate Reenactor since 1990 specializing in muzzle loading artillery, Colonel Travis was appointed Chief of Artillery for Longstreet's Corps by General Chuck Hillsman in 1997. He has served as Battalion Artillery Commander at the 135th Sharpsburg and Gettysburg, and also at Lee vs. Grant, Cedar Creek, and Chancellorsville.  Colonel Travis founded and organized Reilly's Battery, 10th North Carolina State Troops, Co. D., of Raleigh, NC, in 1995.  He is a member of the NCWAA and Regional Director for SC, NC, and VA, specializing in certification for muzzle loading artillery.  He was founder and creator of The Echoes of Dixie Reenactment, which was in existence for eight years.  Colonel Travis received the prestigious McDonald Award, given by the National Civil War Artilleryman's Association at Fort Niagara in April, 2002.  

Colonel Travis has organized several remembrances and memorials including; Major James Reilly - Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington, NC, Captain John Ramsay - Salisbury, NC, Colonel Edward Willis - Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VA, General E. Porter Alexander - Magnolia Cemetery, Augusta, Georgia, General Thomas F. Toon - Historical Marker, Fair Bluff, NC, Located and marked with Iron Crosses the graves of twelve Confederate officers and soldiers and organized grave marker dedication with artillery Salutes at Wake Forest Cemetery, Wake Forest, NC, 1998.  To numerous to mention, he has provided his service for many UDC and SCV grave marker dedications and memorial services, annually commits to Confederate Memorial Day and Flag Day and Lee-Jackson Birthday including military cannon salutes at the state capitol in Raleigh, NC, and marched in the famous Columbia, SC Save the Flag Parade, January, 2000.  Colonel Travis also marched in the SCV Centennial Parade in 1996, down Monument Avenue in Richmond, VA.

During the monument dedication for General E. Porter Alexander at Signal Hill, Manassas Battle Ground commemorating the first signal sent during the WBTS (Evans, look to your left, you are being turned) he portrayed General Alexander during the dedication.  Participated in the memorial service and rededication at the gravesite of General George Pickett and his wife LaSalle Corbelle at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia. Participated in artillery firing demonstrations at the 1997 Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia, attended by approximately 100,000 Boy Scouts from all over the world.  In cooperation with the Richmond SCV and UDC chapters he has participated in the firing of cannon salutes at the Jeff Davis Grave site the past five years at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.  He has been invited to give artillery demonstrations at the prestigious Pamplin Park, Petersburg, VA.

Colonel Travis is also a member of the Raleigh Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, past president of the Wake Forest Rotary Club, past president of the Wake Forest Fourth of July Celebration Committee, and has owned and operated a safety supply business in Raleigh, NC, since 1991.