The Shasta courier., 1866-05-12


on San Antonio at that time slightly gar
rlsoned, and either hold it and wait for as
sstance from the United States, or. in de-
iault Of that, endeavor to escape to Mexico.
ii,is at first worked WELL A company had
heen recruited in Gillespie county, and had
sent word to the Governor for commissions
tor their duly elected officers. The Governor.
however, had in the meantime become sus
p,clous, and he refused to commission their
ofhcers. They then tried another plan.
which was to enlist under the officers sent
by the Government, and to join a regiment
That was to relieve McCullough's, then in
charge of the prisoners of the Sth Infantry,
surrendered by Twiggs, then at Fort Mason.
Oh "nom there were still about 800. Then
the following programme was to be attempt
eo; They were to mutiny. liberate the
prisoners. seize what arms they could, and
harch on this city, as before This plot
came nearly being successful, and would. no
1ouot' nave been carried quite to perfection.
'i"u IL not been for treason within their own
camp. They had relieved Mccullough. and
! were In charge of Fort Mason: and were
nearly ready to release the prisoners. when
they were second time BETRAYED. and their
scheme frustrated. Four of the leaders i'm.
mediately deserted and escaped, but three of
them were shortly after taken and put in
irons IN this city 1t will be remembered
that this was In the month of May, 1867
As soon as this last plot was discovered. the
rebel authorities determined to make an end
OF all id Dutch conspiracies," as thew
termed the acts of these loyalists, and thew
appointed Capt. Duff, Scotchman, who.
with about 800 cavalry, were to escort the
remnant of the 6th Infantry to this CITY for
safe keeping, to take charge of the :. German
mutineers."
After getting the prisoners safe in San
Antonio. this infamous Scotchman. Duff.
proceeded on his mission of cruelty. He is.
sued proclamation, establishing martial
law in the German counties, and ordered all
to be enrolled and take the oath to the
"Confedei acy,' under pain of arrest and
Imprisonment. The terrible threats made
by him. and more particularly by one of
his lieutenants, who. it is said. ordered that
no prisoners be taken, induced the greater
part of those who had fled to the mountains
on his approach to return either through
despair or to protect their homes and fam.
lilies from destruction. Nearly 1000 came
down from the mountains, delivered them
selves up, and took the oath. but band of
63, mostly young men without famli S.
brave and determined, resolved to escape
into Mexico. At the same time, Gov Ham
ilton escaped from the mountains at the head
OF 40 men, and by .judicous management
evaded his pursuers, and he and his whole
party crossed the Rio Grande few miles
below Eagle Pass. The others were not so
fortunate. for on the morning of Aug. 10,
1862, their camp, which was on the Neuces
River, near Fort Clarke, was surrounded by
force OF l20 Rebels, and furiously attacked.
The Germans, led by Simon who, it will be
remembered, offered his services to Sam
Houston to clean out the Secession Conven-
ton, were encamped under little clump of
cedar trees. which afforded them but little
protection, while the rebels on all sides
screened themselves behind the chapparal
and thick musketo bushes. from which
they delivered their fire in almost perfect
safety.
From o'clock in the morning until 10 in
the forenoon the battle was kept up uuin-
terruptedlv and without intermission. during
which time the Rebels made three or four
unsuccessful charges AT last the Germans,
reduced to fifteen in number, still able to
walk, made desperate charge in body
and escaped. The rebels Immediately rush
ed upon the field and put to death all the
wounded, without mercy. Of the sixty two
who were encamped together, seven were
Americans, and escaped at the first alarm,
leaving ffty-f'ur to continue the fqbt.-
Nearly all of the wounded were murdered
by being bayoneted, and left unbured.
This battle marked the real beginning of
the persecution of the Germans. which. in
detail, must be acknowledged as the most
infamous chapter known in the annals of
modern civilization. Inhamed by the des
perate resistance made by the gallant little
band. Duf's cavalry ranged through Bexar.
Gillespie, Kew, Comal, and Kendall coun.
ties, without limit and without restraint.
doing whatever their ruffianly wills might
prompt. They burned all houses that were
abandoned, and shot and hung at night any
all who were suspected of having participated
in the late battle. or whose sympathies had
been elected in behalf of the victims. Dur
ing one short month after the battle, fifty
persons all of whom were old men
were murdered, with form of trial | have
seen the names of twenty six men, with
whom one of my informants was personally
acquainted, who perished within few weeks
after the battle-eight Of whom were hanged
in one day upon the same tree six were
drowned in pond on the same dav, and
two were hanged from the same limb at one
time Another of my informants has in his
possession, the names of eleven others, all
Germans, who, without form of trial. ,cere
shot for treason to the Confederate Gorern-
nlent.
In the battle above mentioned, Mr.. Dege-
ner one of the delegates from this county to
the Convention, and one of the four gentle,
men in that body who were in favor of negro
suffrage, had two sons th of whom were
killed. One was shot dead, while the other
was wounded by his side. The latter called
for water. and he was asked if he would
Join the (Confederate) army if he survived,
to which he gasped No." when two bull
lets put an end to his sufferings. Mr.. De
gener visited this field some time ago, and
in one place found eighteen lower jaw bones
and sixteen skulls-thiee of the latter brok
en-. one of which was evidently split by
saber or bowie-knife. and six with bullet
holes from behind. The surgeon who was
at Fort Clark made Mr.. Degener the fol-
lowing written statement: g was surgeon
at Fort Clark in August. 1862. l arrive
on Monday morning August IL, 1862, on
the battle ground. Twenty one wounded
(Rebel) soldiers were turned over to me for
treatment. | saw few dead (Re6el) sold
iers and pile OF dead bushwhachers tGer
maps). | INQUIRED where the wounded OF