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Battle on the Nueces, 1862

Stanley S. McGowen, "Battle or Massacre?: Thesituation, and martial law was declared in
Incident on the Nueces, April 10, 1862,"Gillespie County. After learning of plots to
Southwestern Historical Quarterly, vol. CIV,attack the Confederate troops, Captain James
no. 1 (2000), 64-86.This article examines theDuff arrested several local citizens and
events that led to the confrontation betweenexecuted two German immigrants that he
German unionists and Confederate soldiers onconsidered to be troublemakers. These
the banks of the Nueces River. Stanleyincidents caused many German unionists to
McGowen presents evidence that the Germandecide to flee to Mexico.Informants told Duff
settlers were heavily armed and, therefore,of this exodus, and he sent ninety-six
not massacred as some later generations havesoldiers in pursuit of them. They located the
claimed. However, the German unionists whoGerman unionists on August 9 at the Nueces
were captured in the battle were killed laterRiver. The soldiers planned to attack at 1
under suspicious circumstances, and theya.m. while the Germans were asleep. The
could be said to have been massacred.Germansoldiers split into two forces to attack from
settlers did not initially participate intwo directions. However, two Germans ran into
unionism after Abraham Lincoln's election toone of the Texas forces, and the battle was
the presidency. They organized the Unionbegun prematurely. The Germans took what
Loyal League in 1861, and earned the title ofcover they could and fought back, killing and
traitors and insurrectionists fromwounding twenty-one men, but were overrun by
secessionists. Although many people assertsuperior forces. About twenty-three men
that the Union's purpose was to maintainescaped early in the battle, and six others
neutrality in the war and prevent animosityescaped after the Confederates overran the
between Union and Confederate sympathizers,camp. What happened after the Confederates
McGowen contends that soon after Texastook the camp can be considered a massacre;
seceded the Union Loyal League organizednine or eleven of the wounded Germans were
militias in eighteen German communities todragged into the woods and shot in the
actively oppose the Confederacy. Members ofhead.The Battle of the Nueces resulted in a
the militia swore oaths never to betray thebushwhacker war between Unionists and
United States of America and were well armedConfederate sympathizers. Ambushes from both
with rifles and ammunition. McGowen presentssides were so common that many features of
the testimony of a Union Loyal League memberthe surrounding terrain were named
as to the Union's purpose, which was to joinBushwhacker. Many homes and farms were set on
the Federal troops as soon as they invadedfire, and sometimes the occupants were shot.
Texas. Some of the actions taken by theThese incidents created animosity between the
German unionists were to write letters of antwo factions and it continues today among the
insurrectionist nature to Northerndescendants of German unionists and
newspapers, establish an undergroundConfederate sympathizers.Mary Arnold
communication system between themselves andgraduated from University of Houston-Clear
the United States, and to intimidate anyoneLake with a B.A. in literature and
who supported the Confederacy.Soldiers werehistory.She is an author on which is a site
sent to Fredericksburg to control thefor Writers.



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