The Shasta courier., 1866-05-12
SHASTA COURIER.
The UniOnists of Texas.


Mr.. Ben. c. Truman having traversed
Texas Tor weeks and made careful inquiry
as 10 her recent history and present condi
,'on' transmits to the N. Y Times the fol
lowing carefully complied and most inter
esting narrative OF the treatment, suferings
and fortunes of her open Unionists during
the dominance of the rebellion:
THE GREAT GERMAN MAssAcREs.
AT the outset of the rebellion there were a
great many colonies and settlements in this
State, counting. in all, some $4,000 of this
class. 1t is almost needless to say that they,
like the Germans in all other sections of the
country, were loyal to the Government, and
hated slavery. Some time before the actual
commencement of hostlities the hatred of
the leading Rebels was aroused against
these peoTle. They hated them. first, be
cause they were Industrious and democratic
But this hatred of these loyalists knew no
bounds after their refusal to participate in
the destruction of the best Government in
the world which was at first noticeable in
their declension to vote for any but Union
men as delegates to the Convention in 1861
In Gillespie county there was 10 election at
all, while in many of the other counties the
Germans either elected Union delegates or
kept away from the polls altogether. When
the ordinance of secession was submitted to
the people of this State for their ratification
or rejection, Gillespie county gave 467 votes
against the ordinance and IA for it, of W hom
only one voter was German. Kew county
voted solid against it, and many other Ger
man counties did ms WELL
During the sitting of the Secession Con-
tho ha1l o,J
arrived at the very correct conclusion that it
vas seditious body. and that it was cut
and dried that the delegates therein assem-
bled would proclaim themselves for disunion
and for open war. In consequence Mr.
visit Gov. Sam. Houston, some time before
the adjournment of the Convention, and
offer him the services of 1000 armed men to
assist him in putting that unauthorized and
insurrectionary body under arrest, but the
old hero of San Jacinto was hardly pre-
pared to take so bold step and he respect
fully declined.
In the Spring of 1861 Henry Mccullough
raised a regiment of one years men for ser
vice in this section and quartered it in Fort
Mason, on the Colorado river. about 100
miles northwest of this city. then in charge
of the men surrendered by Twiggs. the trai-
tor. Early in the Summer some of the
companies of Col. McCulough's regiment
were distributed through what are known as
the German counties, and particularly in
this county, Kew. Gillespie, Comal and
Brandara. With the exception of here and
there knock down, or a street fight, and
an occasional murder. no active prosecutions
took place till late in the year. In the
- ~
under the leadership of few brave and
skilful men. bad organized secret Union
Society throughout the above mentioned and
other counties, and were holding meetings to
devise what they should do. The Hon A.
J. Hamilton (now Provisional Governor of
Texas, having fed for his life. had returned
among them. and was hid in the mountsins.
Some of them, hearing of his Whereabouts,
called upon him, and desired him to put
himself at their head and march in armed
force upon this city but this was subse-
auently not deemed advisable.
Early in the war the Americans in this
city and vicinity who favored Secession, but
declined service. in the field. established
secret societies for the sole purpose of exer
cising an espionage upon the Germans.
which they vigilantly tut quietly did. and at
the same time they would profess friendship
for and ingratiate themselves into the con
fdence of the unsuspecting loyalists. In
this manner they became thoroughly con
versant with all the movement of the Ger
mans. and kept the Government at Austin
well informed as to the situation and an
ticipated opera Ions.
Early in the year 1862 the Germans Of
Gillespie. Kew. and Comal counties Eeld
series of open meetings, to which they in
vited all classes, including secessionists, in
which some of the more inudicious boldly
denounced disunion and all connected with
it, including McCulough's regiment and the
Government at Austin. This sort of thing
put the Rebel authorities on their guard, and
they became more thorough in their es
pionage upon the loyalists. About this
time. which was in the middle of May, 1862
an Englishman named Stewart. who had
been for some time one of the members of a
secret Union league, near this citv. turned
traitor, and made important disclosures re
garding its proceedings and intentions. A
short time after bis treason became known
the league of which he was a member met.
not at its old place. but in wild place in
the mountains, during an awful storm, and
after uttering a solemn prayer to high heav
en- for their success. and invoking the On,
nipotent to guide them in the commission of
no wrong. majority of the members present
decided that Sewart must be put to DEATH
They cast lots as to which of their number
should perform the part of executioner.
which fell up"n the brother of the gentleman
who gives me this information. and whose
name | have promised never to mention.-
Stewart was killed in less than ten hours
afterward, in thicket near by the place of
meeting, but his body was discovered in
few days, and the affair created a great ex
element; and crisis was Immediately nre
ciptafed, at which the Germans were com
PEELED to declare themselves openly for either
one side or the other.
Various attempts had been made by the
rebels TO recruit among the Germans, but
up TO this time they had not succeeded in
getting any followers, which enraged them
beyond all description. As 1 have stated
above. the or ST. had arrived. Affairs had
reached such pass that they were Obliged
to enlist in the rebel ranks or flee to The
mountains for life.
At this iuncture one of their most nron,-