USA > Texas > History of the German element in Texas from 1820-1850, and historical sketches of the German Texas singers' league and Houston turnverein from 1853-1913, 1st ed > Part 8
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search. The expedition remained near the Comanche vil- lage several days and was met there by Major Neighbors, as stated in the preceding chapter. On the 10th of Feb- ruary the expedition advanced further into the wilderness and was met on the 12th by emissaries of Santana (Santa Anna), the greatest chief of the Comanches, who also wished to be informed about its intentions in invading the red men's territory. His inquisitiveness being satisfied through the receipt of some presents, von Meusebach, with 14 companions, set out on a further exploration, wishing to reach the old Spanish fort, San Saba, leaving the re- mainder of his party in their camp and instructing the three American surveyors to make a survey of the sur- rounding country.
On the 18th of February the Spanish fort was reached. Although in ruins, the walls were still standing to a height of nearly 20 fect, showing that the fort had been 280 feet long and 260 feet wide, containing a great number of small apartments, presumably the living rooms of the former garrisons. The intrepid explorers remained two days at the old fort, during which time Dr. Roemer, the geologist, who had accompanied the expedition, collected various minerals and numerous specimens of petrified plants and animals. Then von Meusebach marched back and was met on February 27 by Indian scouts, who led him and his party to the large Indian village, where, on March 1, the great council of peace between him and the Co- manches was to take place.
In this council about 20 Indian chiefs participated, of which Mopechucope (Old Owl). Santana and Pochan- aquarhip (Buffalo Hump) were the most prominent. At the time of the midday sun they all arrived at the prear- ranged meeting place, sitting down in solemn silence on buffalo skins spread out in a wide circle around the camp- fire, on the embers of which the pipe of peace was to be lighted. Von Meusebach opened this momentous meet-
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ing with the following address, which was translated by the Indian interpreter, Jim Shaw, who had arrived with Major Neighbors.
(Translation of a report published in the Magazin für Literatur des Auslandes, 1847.)
My Brethren :
I have come a long way to see you and to smoke the pipe of peace with you. I hope you will listen to the words that I am going to speak to you, for they are words of truth and sincerity, as it is the German's custom. My father's people, which are a martial people, brave and well armed, as you have seen, sent me out and I came with part of my people from far away from across the great waters; we have joined the Americans, they are our brothers, and we all live now under the same great father, the Presi- dent.
You have lately made peace with the chiefs of that great father. That you may learn to know my people, your present neighbors, and live with them as brothers, I want to consult with you and make a special treaty of peace. Many of my countrymen live near the water that you call Guadaloupe, and many more near another river that we call Pedernales. There they live close together in tents, huts and houses. Now, I intend to come with part of my people to the Llano and there make our homes for- ever. My countrymen are industrious and thrifty and I:now how to win from the earth many things that you like to eat and they will always have plenty for themselves and their brothers. But few who cultivate the soil, like to chase the fleeing deer or to kill the buffalo. We do not fear war, but we prefer peace, and if you are willing to wander with our people on the white path of peace, it will gladden the hearts of our wives and warriors, and we then wish that you should abandon the red warpath and tread on the path that is white and visit our people, our cities, villages and
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wigwams. When we are friends, we shall always share our meals with you, whenever you come to us hungry. If you choose the path of peace with us, you will always receive corn, white flour, sweet sugar and the brown water (coffee), also meat of different kind, and you can ex- change for it your skins, horses, and mules, and your squaws and children will know where to receive that, which will gladden their hearts, when they are hungry.
I now make the following proposition :
1. My countrymen have the permission to go and travel where they please, and no harm must be done to them, but you must protect them everywhere. On the other hand, your people can come to our wigwams and cities without fear and can go wherever they please and shall be protected as long as they wander on the white path.
2. You the chiefs, and your people will assist us and re- port to us, when bad men and redfaces of other tribes steal our horses or intend other felonies, and we shall do the same, when you are attacked.
3. I am going to send men with the thing that steals the land (compasses), as the red men call it, and will survey the whole country of the San Saba as far as the Concho and other waters, so that we may know the boundaries where we can go and till the soil. And if you are willing after consultation with your warriors, to make this treaty, then I will give you and your squaws many presents, or equal them with the white pieces of metal, that we call dollars, and give you as many as one thousand and more of them.
But I do not propose this treaty in order to drive you from your hunting grounds. My people are going to build their wigwams where there is the proper soil for the rais- ing of corn and other plants and we shall dwell and live together like brothers, for it is but little of the land that we are going to occupy, and much will remain for you and your constant abodes. You do neither grow corn nor do
...
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you raise cattle or domestic animals, but live by hunting, striking your tents, made of buffalo skins, today in one place, tomorrow in another. When the buffalo has gone northward, and the fleet deer deep into the forest, when you cannot kill any more game with bow and arrow, when the grass is wizen, when your horses have lost flesh and the north wind confines you in your wigwams, then come to my people and exchange what you have for the necessi- ties of life. Many of you are often now hungry for days -- then you will always have plenty to eat, for my people will raise on little ground more than we need for our sup- port.
I cannot tell now exactly where I shall erect the wig- wams and houses of my people, but it will be near or at the water, that you call Llano. I wish you to consider well what I say.
When my people has lived with you for some time, and when we know each other better, then it may happen that some wish to marry. Soon our warriors will learn your language. If they then wish to wed a girl of your tribe, I do not see any obstacle, and our people will be so much better friends.
When we agree on this treaty, I shall go and fetch the presents and will be ready to sign the treaty solemnly, at the latest when the disk of the moon has rounded twice. I hope that you will agree with me, and I conjure the earth, our common mother, that I have not spoken with a divided tongue. I have no more to say to my brethren. I hear what they are going to reply.
On the 2d day of March, in another council meeting, Chief Mopechucope gave the following answer :
"My friend and father has come a long way to see me. I have heard his words and believe and trust to what he said yesterday at the meeting to the chiefs. The hearts of my people are gladdened after having listened to my father's words.
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"I formerly saw a black streak under my finger nail, but today I see that it is white. My heart rejoices to see the people that came from so far over the great water to see us.
"I have spoken to my people. I have consulted with the warriors and with the old men. We shall abandon the war path and travel on the white path of peace, as my father proposed yesterday, and I will do my utmost that we remain forever on this path, after the treaty has been made.
"But I perceive something that is not dear to my heart, when you now are going to build your wigwams at the water called the Llano. I know that the people, that calls itself Texans, want to erect a barrier between us and the palefaces and I must speak first with the Comanches far- ther away, because I do not want to promise anything and break my word afterwards. When the grass is growing again, the Comanches will meet and I hope that I can re- move all difficulties. My intention is to walk the path of peace under all circumstances on this side of the Brazos River. I have no more to say."
To this von Meusebach answered at once as follows :
"My brother has spoken-I have listened to his words and weighed them. The hearts of our women and chil- dren will be gladdened when they listen to the words of peace uttered by my brother. He is not opposed to our building our wigwams at the banks of the water called Llano. My brother will walk the white path of peace and he will speak with the other Comanches and they will listen to the words of their chief.
"My brother speaks of a barrier between the redmen and the palefaces. I do not disdain my red brethren be- cause their skin is darker, and I do not think more of the white people because their complexion is lighter. If our father, the President, wishes to draw this line of distinc- tion, he may do so, I shall not see it, because we are broth-
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ers and will live together like brothers. My people has nothing to do with the redmen on the other side of the Brazos. We do not wish to make a treaty of peace with them but only with the brave Comanches, my brethren. I have spoken."
Chief Mopechucope replied :
"My heart is glad to hear what my brother said. I shall come with my people to the place you call Fredericks- burg, as soon as the moon has been full the second time. When you are ready to receive us, send us the messenger whom we can trust, to have been sent by you, and we shall come to sign the treaty of peace as you have promised. This is my speech."
Then Chief Santa Anna spoke as follows :
"My brothers, we have listened to your words. Our people will do what we, the highest chiefs, are going to decide upon and ordain. We hope that all is true what you have said. This will be proven when it comes to the ratification of the treaty and to the presents. I believe you and your people are friendly disposed toward us. I have seen our great father in Washington. We have made a good treaty of peace with him. I hope that the treaty we are about to make with you and your people, will be just as good and sound. I have not forgotten our great father's speech. It is engraved in my heart and I see him every morning when I awake, as he was in Washington and as he spoke to me. I hope, my German brother is like my great father. I hope he has a wide, white heart, like my father, the President, for all his children. My brother will walk the white path of peace and keep it with my people, as the path of peace has been kept until now with my great father. And the white path will be wide and lead to his door, to his heart, and to the hearts of the German people, so that my people can use it and remain on it with- out fear of treachery. I have spoken."
Chief Buffalo-Hump remarked: "Do not believe that I
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amı opposed to anything, because I have not spoken. My friends have spoken. My chiefs and my warriors have consulted. My people have listened. I agree with all that Mopechucope and Santana have said. I have spoken."
This ended the important council and later, as agreed upon, the treaty of peace between the German pioneers and the Comanches was ratified at Fredericksburg. Through this treaty the land concession acquired by the Adelsverein had at last become of some value to the Ger- man immigrants. Before von Meusebach's treaty with the Indians it had been but a negligible quantity, and the more so because the Government of Texas had declined to ren- der any assistance to the Verein in its endeavor to reach a friendly understanding with the Indians, who had abso- lute control of the land.
We cannot but admire the courage of von Meusebach, who, with a few followers, fearlessly penetrated into the unknown territory, but must also give due credit to the able and skilled manner in which be dealt with the feroci- ous and warlike Comanches, inducing them to sign a treaty, which opened the hitherto forbidden land to German set- tlements.
The opening of this vast territory of 3,000,000 acres to civilization and cultivation is without doubt the most im- portant pioneer work of the Germans in Texas, and could only be accomplished through the absolute confidence the Indians placed in the Germans' promises and pledges. The Lone Star State owes a debt of gratitude to the carly Ger- man settlers of the San Saba territory, and their courage and perseverance deserve proper mention in all Texas histories.
While the Indians trusted the pledges of the Germans implicitly, and were treated with every consideration possi- ble by the German settlers, there were, nevertheless a number of conflicts between them and roving bands of redskins, who, on their foraging expeditions, laid their
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hands on everything in sight, and horses and cattle had to be carefully guarded. Of the different Indian attacks and depredations, the following deserve to be mentioned, viz. :
In the fall of 1846, a camp of immigrants was suddenly attacked on the banks of the Guadaloupe River, and in the fight that followed, several of the immigrants were killed. In 1847, Lieutenant von Wrede and two compan- ions were treacherously killed by Indians between Austin and Piedernales, and in the same year several settlers were wounded while working in their gardens at Fredericksburg. The Comanches remained friendly while their Chief San- tana, who was a staunch friend of the Germans, lived ; but after he had died in 1848, a victim of cholera, and espe- cially after the arrival of United States troops, who estab- lished Fort Mason, the Comanches gradually became as unreliable friends as the Lipans. In 1855, Herman Runge, son of Dr. Runge of Sisterdale, was killed and scalped in a field of A. Dresel's farm by several Comanches, who also stole a number of horses from Dr. Runge's farm. A pursuit to avenge the death of young Runge was futile, as the marauding Indians had a start of almost twelve hours. On February 13, 1863, Heinrich Arhelger was killed by a band of Indians near Fredericksburg after a valiant fight on his side, during which he killed one In- dian with a bullet from his revolver and wounded several others. The Indians must have beaten a hasty retreat, as they did not even scalp the victim of their villainous at- tack. In October, 1863, Conrad and Heinrich Meckel of Fredericksburg were murdered by a band of Indians on the road between Loyal Valley and Cherry Springs, while they were resting. and probably had fallen asleep. They were robbed of everything, but not scalped. In the spring of 1864, Rudolph Fischer, the twelve-year-old son of Gottlieb Fischer of Fredericksburg, was kidnaped. Twelve years later he returned and tried to lead again a civilized life, but he had been Indianized to such an extent, and the broad
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prairies of West Texas had so enthralled him, that in less than one year he discarded his civilian garb, dressed in Indian fashion, painted his face red and rode off, never to return.
On February 8, 1865, four Indians waylaid Miss Anna Metzger, 20 years old, and her younger sister Katherine, 13 years old, on their way from Fredericksburg to their father's farm, north of the city, and after having assaulted both girls, they lifted them on their horses to carry them off. The older girl, trying to escape in the bushes that flanked the road, was killed by an arrow and horribly mu- tilated by the savages. The younger sister, after some months of hard life among the Indians, was taken by her captors to the Indian agent to be offered to him for sale, it then being the custom that the Indian agents bought the white captives of the Indians, the military forces not being strong enough to effectively cope against the numerous Indian tribes and force them to return their white preys. The price the Indians asked for the liberation of the girl seemed too high to the agent and the bargain was not con- cluded on the first day. During the night, the girl escaped the vigilance of her captors and hid in a nearby cornfield, from where she was released on the following afternoon by the agent and returned to her distracted parents.
In August of the same year, Mr. Heinrich Kensing, a farmer on Beaver Creek, Gillespie County, returning home with his wife from a visit at his brother's farm, on the Squaw Creek, was attacked by six Comanche Indians on horseback, and he and his wife were both murdered and scalped.
In the year 1867, four women were taken by Comanches from a blockhouse in which they had sought refuge during the absence of their husbands; one of them was assaulted and killed, the other three being carried off by the savages and nothing was heard of them any more. In 1868 or 1869, Hermann Lehmann was kidnaped by Comanches in Mason
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County. He remained several years among them, but re- turned to his widowed mother and became a prosperous farmer.
Several other atrocities and murders were committed by the redskins until late in the seventies, but in the whole, the German pioneers of West Texas had not to suffer as much as the early settlers in Nebraska, Minnesota and Dakota, a result of the fair treatment that was invariably accorded the Indians by the Germans.
CHAPTER XX. Collapse of the Adelsverein.
The expedition of von Meusebach to the Llano-San Saba territory and his treaty with the Indians were his last of- ficial acts of importance as commissioner general of the Adelsverein. Before leaving New Braunfels on this ex- pedition he had sent to the directorate with his report of January 19, 1847, his irrevocable resignation. This was, probably reluctantly, accepted, and on July 20, 1847, von Meusebach turned the office over to his successor, Her- mann Spiess. For over two years von Meusebach had conducted the affairs of the Adelsverein in Texas under the most trying conditions in an able manner, and although he sometimes was arbitrary in his actions and decisions, he unquestionably deserves the highest credit and appre- ciation for his unselfishness, determination, prompt action and personal courage, qualifications that enabled him to be of real service to the thousands of immigrants thrust upon his care by the senseless haste with which the emi- grants were sent to Texas by the Adelsverein.
Under the auspices of the Verein a total of 7380 immi- grants had come to Texas, viz .:
In 1844.
700 immigrants
In 1845 4,304 immigrants
In 1816. 2,376 immigrants
Most immigrants, arriving at Galveston in 1847, number- ing 8000, according to Franz Loeher in his "History and Conditions of the Germans in America" (Cincinnati and Leipzig, 1849), did not come any more under the auspices of the Adelsverein, the activity of which had practically ceased with the end of the year 1846.
The unavoidable catastrophe was on hand. It was the
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logical sequence of the inconceivable childish credulity with which Count Castell, the managing director of the Adelsverein, had fallen victim to the shrewd schemes of Bourgeois and Fisher, his utter lack of business ability and the total ignorance of conditions existing in Texas. Fur- thermore the capital of $80,000 was entirely inadequate for an enterprise of the magnitude of the hazy coloniza- tion project of the Adelsverein, an enterprise that would have required a capital of perhaps $1,000,000 to make it successful. And even then it might have been a failure after the purchase of the Fisher and Miller grant and un- der such incompetent management at that of Count Cas- tell. When on July 22, 1844, he signed the agreement with H. F. Fisher, which was nothing but a simple assumption of the rights and obligations of Fisher and Miller, he believed that he had actually purchased several millions of acres of land, and without knowing anything about that land, he informed the public on December 11, 1844, that the Adelsverein had acquired these extraordinary fer- tile lands on the right banks of the Colorado River. It seems that Count Castell neither made himself acquainted with the wording of the contract between the Adelsverein and Fisher and Miller, nor that he had any knowledge whatever of the colonization laws of Texas, whither he in- tended to send thousands of families.
Count Waldeck had advised against colonization on an extensive plan, and had declared the Fisher and Miller grant an undesirable location, as it was almost 300 miles from the sea coast, but his sound advice was not heeded and now, after the short colonization period of less than three years, and an accumulated debt of several hundred thousand dollars, the commissioner general in Texas was informed that the Adelsverein was unable to fulfill its promises and obligations, and that the colonists at New Braunfels and Fredericksburg had to get along the best way they could. The bubble had burst and the hopes of
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several thousand men, women and children, who had im- plicitly trusted the words and pledges of princes and lords, were ruthlessly shattered.
Great was the consternation and great the misery when in the summer of 1847 the announcement was made by Commissioner Spiess in both settlements that the Adels- verein was hopelessly bankrupt, and that the colonists were left to their own resources. Not one of these unfor- tunate people would have remained at either New Braun- fels or Fredericksburg, if he had possessed the means of returning to the fatherland that he had left only a short time ago with fine hopes and under such glittering prom- ises. But it proved well for them that they were forced to remain at these primitive settlements. After the first outbursts of despair and agony were over, they all set de- terminedly to work, and by hard and persistent labor in cultivating their ten acres, and living on the barest neces- sities of life for several years, they not only succeeded in establishing a firm existence for themselves and their families, but in course of time made New Braunfels and Fredericksburg the garden spots of Texas. These Ger- man settlers, toiling incessantly under adverse conditions for civilization, performed a most noble pioneer work, and are entitled to our highest admiration. Texas would not be what it is today, if these brave men and women of the forties of the last century had not unflinchingly and fear- lessly taken upon themselves the dangerous and onerous task of clearing this West Texas wilderness and preparing for the farmer a vast agricultural region, where, before their arrival the Indians hunted and large buffalo herds roamed undisturbed over the boundless prairies.
When the collapse of the Adelsverein was announced in Texas the farm Nassau, in Fayette County, became the bone of contention. "Dr." Schubert, the colonial director of Fredericksburg, whose real name was Strohberg, and who was a bankrupt tobacco merchant from Cassel, where
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H. F. Fisher, who recommended him to von Meusebach, was also born, then believed the time ripe to get posses- sion of this valuable plantation of 4428 acres. Some time in 1846 Schubert had obtained a lease for eight years on the farm Nassau from von Meusebach. In 1847, H. Wilke, the lessee, threw up his contract on account of sickness, and then Adolph Benner, later for many years postmaster at New Braunfels, was appointed superintendent of the farm, because Schubert had not given or could not give any security for payment of the rent for the plantation. But he was determined to get possession of it by any means.
One morning he appeared at the farm with two wit- nesses and demanded surrender of all the property to him on account of the contract made previously with von Meusebach. According to instructions Benner refused to turn over the property and Schubert left the place. A few days later he reappeared with two Americans, one of whom represented himself as the Sheriff of Fayette County and read an English paper to Benner, stating that it was an order from the County Court at LaGrange, demanding the surrender of the farm and all implements to Dr. Schu- bert. Benner, as well as his assistant, Ernest Soergel, who both had been in Texas only a few months, and did not understand English, now complied with the demand, and vacated the property. Coming to LaGrange, they were greatly surprised to hear, that the court there had not is- sued any such order and that the whole affair was a trick of Schubert to get possession of the farm. He had been successful, and for some months remained in undisputed possession, keeping a small American bodyguard for the protection of himself and his property, among them, the two men, J. Bostick and G. W. Breeding, who had im- personated the sheriff and his deputy.
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