Page images
PDF
EPUB

HORRIBLE CRUELTIES OF THE REBELS TO THE GERMANS IN TEXAS.

IN the month of May, 1861, a rebel command left the neighborhood of Austin, Texas, in order to break up and destroy a German settlement near El Paso, in Texas. It consisted of some two hundred and fifty souls. These Germans had sown and planted largely all kinds of grain. In addition, they had large flocks of sheep and herds of cattle; also horses, mules, and swine, in great numbers. It was one of the most prosperous settlements in the State. They were known to be Union men with no possibility of an exception.

Their fidelity to their adopted country enraged the rebels, and on the 20th of the month some eighty or a hundred of these ruffians attacked the Germans, without the slightest provocation.

An indiscriminate slaughter of men, women, and children was made. Out of the whole population it is not known that more than three persons ever escaped. Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and loved ones, all constituted one heap of carnage. They actually murdered little innocent babes not one month old, and violated the chastity of women, and then pitilessly murdered them, both young and old. Many of the men they hung. After plundering the houses of all valuables, and taking whatever they wanted, they burned them. They drove off all the stock of every kind they could discover, and then returned with an air of triumph to their companions in guilt..

This band of miscreants is said to have been under the command of two men by the names of Dibrell and Jen

kins, both of Tennessee. Dibrell has a brother commanding a guerilla regiment of Tennessee troops.*

BARBARITIES OF TEXAN RANGERS.

MONTEREY, MEXICO, November 4th, 1862. DEAR FRIEND: **** You can hardly imagine how the Union men are treated in Texas. They are hung on the slightest suspicion, by bodies of irresponsible men, who, were they in a country where law was respected, would not be allowed outside of a prison-yard.

You have probably heard of the way that a small body of Union men were treated by a part of J. McDuff's company of Texas Rangers, at the head of the Nueces. I learn from a gentleman here who had a conversation with an officer who was present at the massacre, that twelve passports from provost-marshals of Western Texas were found on the bodies of the Union men killed, by which they were allowed to pass freely over any part

of the Texan frontier.

After the affair on the Nueces, another party of twenty Germans were attacked on the Rio Grande, as they were preparing to cross it, by a large party of Rangers. They succeeded in killing a number of Rangers and driving them back, only having in the party one man slightly wounded. They immediately crossed the river, leaving their horses with the Texans, and throwing their guns into the water.

We have here upon the frontier about one thousand

* General Rodgers and General A. J. Hamilton's secretary.

12

Union men, who are only waiting for an invasion of Texas to get a chance to join the Union army.

Yours truly,

M. MCKINNEY,

U. S. Vice-Consul.

MASSACRE AT BAXTER SPRINGS.

BAXTER SPRINGS, 63 miles below Fort Scott,

October 7th, 1863

CAPTS. THALEN and LORING: **** When I wrote to Major Blair, last night, it was supposed that Major Curtis was a prisoner, as we had searched the ground over near where his horse fell and could not find him. Moreover, Quantrell's Adjutant, or a person representing himself as such, who came into Lieutenant Pond's company with a flag of truce, said they had my Assistant Adjutant-General a prisoner.

To-day he was found, near where he was thrown from his horse, shot through the head, evidently having been murdered after becoming a prisoner. I shall start his body, with that of Lieutenant Parr, to Fort Scott this evening. You probably will have heard some of the particulars of the affair which occurred here yesterday, before you receive this.

The escort, Company I Third Wisconsin, and Company A Fourteenth Kansas, consisting of one hundred men, behaved disgracefully, and stampeded like a drove of frightened cattle. I did not anticipate any difficulty until we got below this point. We arrived near this camp about twelve o'clock, M., and halted on the hill, almost in sight of the camp, and not more than four hundred yards distant, to wait for the escort and wagons to

close up. The escort came up and dismounted, to wait for the train, which was but a short distance behind. At this time my attention was called to a body of men, about one hundred in number, advancing in line from the timber of Spring river on the left, which you will recollect is not more than three or four hundred yards from the road.

The left of the line was not more than two hundred yards from Lieutenant Pond's camp at the spring. They being nearly all dressed in Federal uniforms, I supposed them to be Lieutenant Pond's Cavalry (two companies), on service. At the same time my suspicions were aroused by some of their movements. I ordered the wagons which had come up to the rear, and found the escort in line with their carbines unslung, while I advanced alone toward the party fronting us, to ascertain if they were rebels. I had advanced but a short distance when they opened fire. At the same time firing was heard down in Pond's camp. Turning around to give the order to the escort to fire, I discovered them all broken up, and going over the prairie to the west at full speed. They did not discharge the loaded carbines which they had in their hands, except in a few cases. Had the escort stood their ground as soldiers should have done, they could have driven the enemy in ten minutes. I endeavored in vain, with the assistance of Major Curtis, to halt and form a portion of them. When the escort stampeded, the enemy discovering it rushed on with a yell, followed by another line of about two hundred, that emerged from the edge of the timber. Being better mounted than our men, they soon closed in on them. The men

of the escort were much scattered, and with them it was a run for life. After going a mile, I succeeded in halting fifteen men, including Lieutenant Pierce, Company

A, Fourteenth Kansas, who has done his duty well and nobly throughout.

As soon as I got them in line, and commenced advancing on the pursuing enemy, they fled and fell back to the wood, when their whole command (six hundred) formed in line of battle. The balance of the escort that had escaped were all out of sight in the advance. Major Curtis had been seen to fall from his horse, which had been wounded, and stumbled in crossing a ditch. About one o'clock I sent Lieutenant Tappan, who had kept with me all the time, with four men to Fort Scott, while with the other nine I determined to remain until the fate of those that had fallen could be ascertained, and whether the post at the Spring had been captured, which I much feared had been the case.

As they fell back to the road I followed them up over the ground we had passed, to look for the wounded, but all, with two or three exceptions, who had escaped accidentally, were killed, shot through the head. All the wounded had been murdered. I kept close to them, and witnessed their plundering the wagons. At one time they made a dash at me with about one hundred men, endeavoring to surround me, but failed in their purpose. As they moved off, on the road leading south, I went down to the Spring, and found our men all safe.

Lieutenant Pond, of the Third Wisconsin, and his command, are entitled to great credit for the manner in which they repulsed the enemy and defended the post. The colored soldiers fought with great gallantry. The band-wagon was captured, and all the boys shot in the same way after they were prisoners. The same was the case with the teamsters, and Mart, my driver. O'Niel (artist for Frank Leslie) was killed with the band boys. The office clerks were all killed except one, also my or

« PreviousContinue »