Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-12-10
Sequel to Tragedy Which Occur
ed in Texas and Wherein About
Thirty Union Sympathizers
Lost Their Lives.
INTERESTING ACCOUNT
BY Captain George H. Pettis, Compsny
K, First California infantry, to
Whom Survivors Applied
For Help.
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Providence, Rhode Island Dec. g.
1t is certainly strange that forty-two
years after the occurrence of the af-
fair related herewith that a person
way up here in Rhode Island, nearly
1000 miles away, should be able to fur
niSh it's sequel:
SIN 1864, the little town of Comfort,
Texas, was settled by colony of Ger
mans just from their native country.
Their settlement then was away from
civilization and among hostile Indians,
but the colony grew and prospered un-
til 1861, when the heavy rumblings of
Civil War began to roll on the distant
horizon. The Southern COnfederacy
needed more men, and word was sent
to the able-bodied men of Comfort to
take up arms and defend their coun-
try.
"After the messenger departed, "a
of the men decided to go westward and
enter Mexico. Some say they left for
Mexico to remain neutral, and others
think they intended to join the north
ern army.
1--WE shall not discuss the question
but they left Comfort on horseback
and started for the Rio Grande. They
expected to be followed, for they put
out guards when stopping at night.
"They finally reached the Nueces
River, and crossed to the West Prong,
about two miles north of Silver Lake,
in Kinney County.
"The bed of the West Nueces Is us
ually dry, excepting permanent lakes
of water usually about three miles
apart, and the little party, after cross
ing the river, proceeded up stream un-
til they reached the lake of water now
known as the Dutch Battle Ground,
which took it's name from the unfor-
tunate conflict which occurred on its
banks and where the gallant little band
met death.
"On arriving there they seemed to
have thought they were out OF danger,
for they guarded less carefully. They
camped on a little cedar-covered ridge
which lies between ravine and the
gravel bed bordering the lake. Old
residents of this place say that at that
time there was no timber south of the
ravine, and the Germans staked their
horses out in the open, making their
beds in the timber. Just before day
they arose and were cooking their
breakfast when suddenly and without
any suspicion of danger they were
fired upon. A squad of Confederates
in San Antonio having heard OF their
departure and supposing they were go
ing to join the Union army, had fol-
lowed them. Firing on both sides con-
tinued until most Of the Germans were
killed. Several escaped and started
for the Rio Grande, but were overtak-
en- there and killed in crossing. A
brother of Captain Bonnett, now Post
master at Del Rio, was killed in cross
ing the Rio Grande. One or two OF the
Germans escaped entirely 1t is said
that one who was wounded crawled IN
to a cave in the bluffs and was fed for
some time by Mr.. Beckett, who lived
near there.
"The Confederates went back to
San Antonio, and the ravages OF cruel
war continued.
"About two years after the fight,
some men came in wagons from Com
fort, gathered up the remains of the lit
tie band and carried them to Comfort,
where they were buried together IN
one grave and large monument plac-
ed in memory over them. Mr.. Isaac
Cox, of this place, was living here at
the time of the fight, and assisted in
gathering up the remains that were
carried back to Comfort. A recent ar
ticle in the Houston Chronicle stated
that some of the Germans having sur
rendered and given up their guns, were
lined up against the bluff and shot.
When asked about this, Mr.. Cox said
that he did not believe it was true. as
he never heard of anything of the kind
at the time of the fight, which was
freely talked of here, having occurred
only 25 miles away."-National Trib-
une, Washington, D. CO. Oct. 27, 1904
| Colonel John r. Baylor, with about
800 men of his regiment, Second Tex
as Mounted Rifles, Confederate States
Army. finished his Buffalo Hunt" by
reaching Ell Paso in the first week In
July. 1861, and soon took possession OF
that part of New Mexico lying south
of the "Joarnardo del Muertc," as we'll
as what is now the whole OF Arizona,
as far west as Fort Yuma on the Col
orado River.
On the 14th of December Gen. H. H