The National tribune., 1884-09-11
TEXAS UNIONISTS.
The Terrible Massacre Of the Nueees.
Slaughter Of Wounded Men.

On Sunday, Aug. 10, the 22d anniversary of
the affair it is intended to commemorate there
was dedicated at Comfort, Tex, monument to
band of devoted Union men, who were leav-
ing Texas to join the Union army, but were
overtaken and brntally massacred by the
rebels. At the dedication Hon. JAS p. New
comb comrade of e. 0. G. Ord Post, IA. r.,
delivered the following eloquent tribute TO
the memory of that band of patriots:
FRIEsDs AND FELLOW CITIZENS: We have
gathered here to-day on this 22d anniversary of
the Nueces massacre to do honor to the memery
OF as gallant a band of patriots as ever struck
blow for home, for country, for liberty. Here in
this peaceful valley. locked in the arms of these
loyal hills you have tendery brought their bones
and reared monument to mark the sacred spot
and we gather here, not fearful heart-sore, but
regretfui that cruel a page should darken the
history of country as that which will relate the
persecution the Union of Texas suffered at the
hands of the secessionlsts regretu too, that this
bright band of men,
THE FLOWER OF YOUR MOUNTAIN HOMES,
should have been slaughtered in the wlds of Texas
far from kindred in unequal struggle and their
eyes closed in death in the darkest hour of their
countTy's peril. ALL could they now look upon
our land restored; our flag proudly floating, the
emblem of the Union they loved and were willing
to die for their mountain homes prosperous and
happy under the old Government their hearts, like
| ours, would throb with joy and gratitude. But
while we regret that persecution for opinions sake
ruled during the Confederacy, are glad to point
TO the unfiinchng and heroic attitude of loyal
people.
They died at the ropes end, were shot down on
thelE thresholds fell in ambuScade but they never
wavered never fatered at any sacrifice for what
! they deemed to be right; selfshness had part
in their nature, and they left example that gives
hope that always there will be found men true to
principle true to country true to liberty and these
men, whose names are chiseled on this shaft, are
enrolled in the golden-lettered book that tells only
| of heroes and OF patriots and of martyrs.
Weeome here TO speak no word OF hypocrisy or
deceit; these men, in the shadow of whose memory
we stand,
DIED IN TOO EARNEST WAY
to admit that we should waste compliment on
their slayers and it is well that | should give q
little history of the massacre. which has been fur
nished me by one of the survivors,
"A party of about 62 Union met IN camp on
Turtle Creek, IN Kerr County, TO leave Texas and
join the Federal Army by way of Mexico. On
Aug. 5. 1852, set out intending to the Rio
Grande below the mouth of Devils River, where
good crossing was known TO L guided the
party as l was best acquainted with Western Texas
Our progress was slow, as the country was rough
and our pack animals were carrying heavy loads
Under the proclamation had sufficient time to
leave Texas, and therefore did not expect TO be
molested by military force, and did not guard our
trail by keeping scout in our rear, we should
have done had we apprehended danger in that
quarter We reached the west fork OF RueeeS
River and pitched camp in open cedar grove
near a spring in the bed of the river. On the
10th, about half hour before daylight,
guard near the spring was shot, and at the
same time volley was fired into camp;
suffered severe loss and Fritz Tegner being badly
misunderstanding him entirely-deprived US of
good man, as he had some influence. The enemy
did not push the fight but fell back Immediately.
thereby giving us an opportunity to improve our
position which was impossible, were crowd
ed III q small cedar grove with no underground.
WE WERE oUTNUMBERED THREE TO ONE;
used the muzzle-loading guns while the rebels
used the Sharp breeeh-loading rifle.
After the second attempt to take our camp
nearly half our men could not face the fight any
longer and left us; the rebels it. and / heard
them.cry out. Boys they are running let US take
the camp and then the shird attack was made;
the rebels entered our camp, but after fierce con-
hIct they had to give way and fail back. This last
attack reduced lighting force to about six men,
which were still unhuTt. We knew now that we
could not hold our position any longer, and the
time had arrived TO leave our camp. The wounded
who could walk left camp first and we followed
guarding the rear; we were not pursued by the
| enemy. We found advantageous position in
cedar brake on the east side o< Nueces River, and
selected a camp for the wounded men near a
spring in Sycamore Creek about half a mile from
/ the battle-ground.
THE rebels left the battle ground on the 18th of
/ August Soon afterwards / visited cur old camp
and stood pale and shuddering at the sight of the
4 fate which had befallen the poor wounded, who
could not leave camp with the rest of us, having
1 every one been murdered and mHtilated by cruel
foe. met Mr. Nater, ofour party, badly wounded;
he had arrived in camp little while before me- Lie
said, have returned to camp TO die near my dead
comrades he had been hid in q dogwood thieket
near the spring. 1t waa Impossible to take him
over 20 our camp; i. therefore, visited him twice
day 20 dress his wounds, give him food and water
During stay, three scouts of 20 men each,
/ were continually hunting l lest sight of Mr.
Water after the last scout had left and could not
/ find him. but know since that he was rescued by
Union man from Uyaide.
:" We got along very well under the circumstances,
/ al of our wounded recovering and at length
reached dthesettlements, after enduring many hard
ships"
Sly informant does not go into particulars; he
does not describe the fight in detail which one
of the most desperate of the late war, considering
| the numbers engaged.
| This bsnd of Unionists were entirely unprepared
/ for an attack; they were leaving the State, and
nandeT of the band, special organization had
/ been made. They were simply travelling together
/ out Of the State; So 1T happening Tegner being
| severely wounded at the first onslaught, every
man fought on his own hook.
After the second attack by the Confederates. a
/ party under the LEAD of Capt Sampson made good
their retreat; but the camp was
FULL OF THE DEAD AND WOUNDED,
and the remainder mostly or all Germans deter
mined not TO desert their comrades and the third
assault was almost hand-to- hand struggle, but
| the Coniederates were repused leaving but six of
the patriots unwounded; than it was that the gal
/ liant Jacob Knechler took command and covering
@ .le Festeat OF tls Mouiaed VINO eouia walk, re-
treated leaving the camp to the mercy OF the foe.
! When those who could tight were out of the way,
/ the COnfederates rushed ia upon the wounded and
! have heard some details from men who were
il the Confederate force at the Nueces massacre,
and how revolving it was to brave men who, under
orders from Confederate officer,
WERE MADE MURDERERs
wounded, was told if he would shout for Jen Davis
| bis life would be spared. lie waved his aloft
and gave brave hurrah for the American flag and
the Union, end was shot TO death. The CoBfed-
eFacy may boast hundred fields of honorable
combat. but this cannot be numbered as one OF
them 1T can only he classed in perlidy and cruelty
along with another massacre that happened on the
| banks of the san Antonio below Goliad, known as
| the Fannin massacre. These men were leaving
| the Confederacy in compliance with Confederate
| proclamation. Their right TO do so was unques-
| toned, yet they were followed and attacked by
! four companies Of Confederate troops under the
command OF a Confederate officer.
| No regimental roll bears the name of these men
whose memory honor to-day, their fame viii
not be enbalned in the official record of the war,
but
THE MEMORY OF THEM
will be cherished as long as roof tree stands over
your mountain homes, and the lesson of their sac
ritice viii go down to other generations to lunine
the page of history and fire the hearts of men with
patriotism.
We might gather here too, the remains of those
Union men who were hung and shot down in this
locality for they too fell in the line of duty Old
men, whose heads were silyered with the frosts oi
many Winters boys like the lad who was captured
near the Perdenailes by the Confederate scouts
who were hunting Union men, and being asked
where his father was refused to tell pulled up
to tree several times, each time refusing to dis
close the hiding place OF his father until he was
dead. No little hero of song story has ever dis
child of the hills. And these Union people were
not rich, their all consisted of their homestead
farms and their little herds of cattle; they had stood
with rifle in hand warding off the Indians while
| they planted their fields and blaZed the way for
civilization. Humble and poor and scanty as their