Treue der Union Monument explained

Treue der Union Monument
Nrhp Type2:	cp
Partof:	Comfort Historic District
Partof Refnum:	79002989
Map Label:	Treue der Union Monument
Locmap Relief:	yes
Location:	High Street, between Third and Fourth Comfort, Texas
Coordinates:	29.9694°N -98.9136°W
Area:	less than one acre
Added:	November 29, 1978
Designated Nrhp Type2:	May 29, 1979
Refnum:	78002966
Designated Other1:	TSAL
Designated Other1 Date:	January 1, 1996
Designated Other1 Number:	8200000407
Designated Other1 Num Position:	bottom

The German-American Treue der Union Monument (Loyalty to the Union), is located in the Kendall County community of Comfort in the U.S. state of Texas. It was dedicated on August 10, 1866 to commemorate the German-Texans who died at the 1862 Nueces massacre. Thirty-four were killed, some executed after being taken prisoner, for refusing to sign loyalty oaths to the Confederacy. With the exception of those drowned in the Rio Grande, the remains of the murdered are buried at the site of the monument. This monument was the first authorized to fly the Star-Spangled Banner at half-mast in perpetuity.It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The battle

In 1862, the Confederate States of America imposed martial law on Central Texas, due to resistance to the Civil War. Jacob Kuechler served as a guide for sixty-one conscientious objectors attempting to flee to Mexico. Scottish born Confederate irregular James Duff^[1] and his Duff's Partisan Rangers pursued and overtook them at the Nueces River.

Thirty-four were killed, some executed after being taken prisoner. Jacob Kuechler survived the Nueces massacre. The cruelty shocked the people of Gillespie County and surrounding areas. Two thousand took to the hills to escape Duff's reign of terror.^[2]

The monument

On August 19, 1865, Eduard Degener, Eduard Steves, and William Heuermann paid $20 for a lot in Comfort, for the purpose of building a monument. The bodies of those who drowned in the massacre were never recovered. The bodies of the remaining massacre victims were recovered for burial by local residents in a mass grave on the lot purchased by Degener, Steves and Heuermann. On August 20, 1865, at Comfort, Texas, three hundred people attended the funeral for the remains of the victims of the massacre. The funeral cortege was accompanied by Federal troops who fired a salute over the mass grave. Edward Degener, father of victims Hugo and Hilmar, delivered the eulogy.^[3]

With donations from local residents and families of the victims, the Treue der Union Monument was dedicated on August 10, 1866 in Kendall County. The obelisk stands twenty feet high and was constructed of native limestone by local stonemasons and several carvers.^[4] The main obelisk weighs, with the top containing the original four name tablets. The United States 1865 flag has thirty-six stars, representing the number of states at the time of the monument dedication. On the lawn at the base are four name tablets in German. Inside the second course of the monument is a time capsule.^{[3] [5] [6] [7]}

In 1994, the Comfort Heritage Foundation oversaw a restoration conducted by Boerne stonemason Karl H. Kuhn.^[8]

Names on Treue der Union Monument

Name! scope="col"

1862 death	Place of death	Notes
	August 10	Nueces River		^[9]
	August 10	Nueces River	aka Fritz Beherens	^[10]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[11]
	Unknown	Fredericksburg		^[12]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[13]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[14]
	October 18	Rio Grande		^[15]
			New Braunfels carpenter	^[16]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[17]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[18]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[19]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[20]
	October 18	Rio Grande River		^[21]
	October 18	Rio Grande River		^[22]
	August 20	Medio Creek	Sources vary on when and where	^[23]
	October 18	Rio Grande River		^[24]
	October 18	Rio Grande River		^[25]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[26]
	October 18	Rio Grande		^[27]
	Unknown		One of the original Luckenbach family that settled in the hill country.	^[28]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[29]
	October 18	Rio Grande River		^[30]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[31]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[32]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[33]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[34]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[35]
	August 10	Comfort		^[36]
	August 10	Comfort		^[37]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[38]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[39]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[40]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[41]
	October 18	Rio Grande River		^[42]
	October 18	Rio Grande River		^[43]
	August 10	Nueces River		^[44]

In popular culture

The Treue der Union monument (1866) has been broadly asserted to be the first monument of the Civil War, and the first Union monument raised on "Confederate" soil. Other Union monuments in former slave states include the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial (Judsonia, Arkansas), the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial (Siloam Springs, Arkansas), the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall (St. Cloud, Florida), Union memorials and graves at Arlington National Cemetery, and numerous monuments at battlefields such as at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

• In an undated entry about the Nueces massacre in The Handbook of Texas Online, the Texas State Historical Association asserts ""It is the only German-American monument to the Union in the South where the remains of those killed in battle are buried, and where, since 1866, a thirty-six star U.S. flag is permitted to fly at half-staff."^[45]
• As recently as 2012, in the book Texans and War: New Interpretations of the State's Military History published by Texas A & M University Press, authors Alexander Mendoza and Charles David Grear make the claim that it is "the only shrine to the Union erected by inhabitants on former Confederate soil."^[46]
• The 2008 book Civil War Sites: The Official Guide to the Civil War Discovery Trail, compiled by the Civil War Preservation Trust, lists it as "the only memorial to the Union (outside national cemeteries) in Confederate territory, and only one of six places in the nation permitted by Congress to fly the flag at half-staff in perpetuity (and the only one of these to fly the flag with thirty-six stars)."^[47]
• In 2006, authors Walter D. Kamphoefner, Wolfgang Helbich Susan Carter Vogel and asserted in Germans in the Civil War: The Letters They Wrote Home that it is "the only monument of its kind in the South."^[48]

According to the National Park Service, the 32nd Indiana Monument at Cave Hill National Cemetery in Kentucky "is the oldest Civil War memorial in the country." The 32nd Indiana Infantry Regiment of the Union Army was composed primarily of soldiers of German ancestry. After the December 1861 Battle of Rowlett's Station, regiment private August Bloedner created the limestone memorial in the German language as a tribute to his regiment's fatalities. Also known as the August Bloedner Monument, both the monument and the bodies of those it honors are together in the cemetery.^[49]

In a 2012 article for The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, physician and US Army veteran Frank Wilson Kiel sorted known facts from lore about the monument. Citing monuments to the Union on Southern soil, he names two memorials in Tennessee, Greeneville and Cleveland, as well as three others in Texas, Denison, Dallas and New Braunfels. The claim of Treue der Union being the oldest is discredited by the 1863 Hazen Brigade Monument at Stones River National Battlefield in Tennessee and the 1861 August Bloedner Monument in Kentucky. Kiel traces the trail of misinformation back as far as 1938. Accordingly, he states that there is no protocol for flying a flag at half-mast, but rather a matter of choice for non-governmental institutions such as the Comfort Heritage Foundation. The misunderstanding stemmed from personal communications between one congressman and two different individuals associated with the monument. Congress never passed legislation on the issue.^[50]

See also

• German Americans in the Civil War
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Kendall County, Texas

Bibliography

• McGowen. Stanley S. Battle or Massacre?: The Incident on the Nueces, August 10, 1862 . Southwestern Historical Quarterly. July 2000. 104. 1. 64–86. Texas State Historical Association. Denton, TX.
• Web site: Treue Der Union Memorial Cemetery - Kendall County, Texas Burial & Family History Records . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
• Book: Kiel . Frank Wilson . Civil War soldiers of Kendall County, Texas : a biographical dictionary . 2013 . The Portal to Texas History . Comfort, Texas . 978-0-9834160-1-2 . First .

References

Notes and References

1. Web site: Shook. Robert W. James Duff. Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. 2 February 2011.
2. Web site: Kohout. Martin Donell. Gillespie County, Texas. Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. 2 February 2011.
3. Web site: Marker-Treue Der Union Monument. Texas Historic Markers. HMdb.org. 2 February 2011.
4. Web site: List of names- Treue der Union Monument. Comfort, Texas Heritage Foundation. 2 February 2011.
5. Book: Pohlsander. Hans A. German Monuments in the Americas: Bonds Across the Atlantic. 2010. Peter Lang International Academic Publishers. 978-3-0343-0138-1. 16.
6. Book: Herzog, Brad. States of Mind. 2001. Pocket. 978-0-7434-1782-2. 92. registration. treue der union States of Mind..
7. Book: Evans. Brent. Boerne (Images of America Series). 2010. Arcadia. 978-0-7385-7943-6. 26.
8. Book: Little, Carol Morris. A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas. 1996. University of Texas Press. 978-0-292-76036-3. 118.
9. Web site: BAUER, LEOPOLD (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas LEOPOLD (CLOSE UP) BAUER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
10. Web site: BEHRENS, FREDERICK "FRITZ" (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas FREDERICK "FRITZ" (CLOSE UP) BEHRENS - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
11. Web site: BESELER, ERNST (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas ERNST (CLOSE UP) BESELER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
12. Web site: BOCK, CONRAD ANDREAS CHRISTIAN - Kendall County, Texas CONRAD ANDREAS CHRISTIAN BOCK - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
13. Web site: BOERNER, LOUIS (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas LOUIS (CLOSE UP) BOERNER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
14. Web site: Maytum . Ashley . Treue Der Union (Loyalty to the Union) - Marker in/near Comfort . KCHC . Kendall County History . 12 April 2023 . 23 March 2021.
15. Web site: BONNET, JOHANN PETER (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas JOHANN PETER (CLOSE UP) BONNET - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
16. Web site: BRUCKISH, THEODOR (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas THEODOR (CLOSE UP) BRUCKISH - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
17. Web site: BRUNS, ALBERT (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas ALBERT (CLOSE UP) BRUNS - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
18. Web site: DEGENER, HILMAR (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas HILMAR (CLOSE UP) DEGENER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
19. Web site: DEGENER, HUGO (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas HUGO (CLOSE UP) DEGENER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
20. Web site: DIAZ, PABLO (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas PABLO (CLOSE UP) DIAZ - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
21. Web site: ELSTNER, JOSEPH (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas JOSEPH (CLOSE UP) ELSTNER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
22. Web site: FELSING, EDUARD (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas EDUARD (CLOSE UP) FELSING - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
23. Web site: FLICK, HERMAN - Kendall County, Texas HERMAN FLICK - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 12 April 2023.
24. Web site: HERMANN, HENRY (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas HENRY (CLOSE UP) HERMANN - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
25. Web site: HOHMANN, VALENTIN (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas VALENTIN (CLOSE UP) HOHMANN - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
26. Web site: KALLENBERG, JOHN GEORGE (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas JOHN GEORGE (CLOSE UP) KALLENBERG - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
27. Web site: LANGE, FREDERICK "FRITZ" - Kendall County, Texas FREDERICK "FRITZ" LANGE - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
28. Web site: LUCKENBACH, AUGUST - Kendall County, Texas AUGUST LUCKENBACH - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.

    Web site: TSHA Luckenbach, Jacob . www.tshaonline.org . 12 April 2023.

29. Web site: MARKWARDT, HEINRICH (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas HEINRICH (CLOSE UP) MARKWARDT - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
30. Web site: RUEBSAMEN, ADOLPH - Kendall County, Texas ADOLPH RUEBSAMEN - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
31. Web site: RUEBSAMEN, LOUIS - Kendall County, Texas LOUIS RUEBSAMEN - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
32. Web site: SCHAEFER, CHRISTIAN (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas CHRISTIAN (CLOSE UP) SCHAEFER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
33. Web site: SCHIERHOLZ, LOUIS - Kendall County, Texas LOUIS SCHIERHOLZ - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
34. Web site: SCHREINER, AIME - Kendall County, Texas AIME SCHREINER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
35. Web site: STEVES, HEINRICH - Kendall County, Texas HEINRICH STEVES - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
36. Web site: STIELER, HEINRICH "HENRY" - Kendall County, Texas HEINRICH "HENRY" STIELER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
37. Web site: TAYS, FREDERICH "FRITZ" - Kendall County, Texas FREDERICH "FRITZ" TAYS - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
38. Web site: TELGMANN, WILHELM - Kendall County, Texas WILHELM TELGMANN - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
39. Web site: VATER, ADOLPH - Kendall County, Texas ADOLPH VATER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
40. Web site: VATER, FRIEDRICH "FRITZ" - Kendall County, Texas FRIEDRICH "FRITZ" VATER - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
41. Web site: WEIRICH, MICHAEL - Kendall County, Texas MICHAEL WEIRICH - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
42. Web site: WEISS, FRANZ - Kendall County, Texas FRANZ WEISS - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
43. Web site: WEISS, MORITZ (CLOSE UP) - Kendall County, Texas MORITZ (CLOSE UP) WEISS - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
44. Web site: WEYERSHAUSEN, HEINRICH "HENRY" - Kendall County, Texas HEINRICH "HENRY" WEYERSHAUSEN - Texas Gravestone Photos . texasgravestones.org . 11 April 2023.
45. Web site: Nueces, Battle of the. Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. September 11, 2016.
46. Book: Mendoza. Alexander. Grear. Charles David. Texans and War: New Interpretations of the State's Military History. 2012. Texas A & M University Press. College Station, TX. 978-1-60344-124-7. 140.
47. Book: Civil War Preservation Trust. Civil War Sites: The Official Guide to the Civil War Discovery Trail. 2008. Globe Pequot Press. Guilford, CT. 9780762744350. 310.
48. Book: Kamphoefner. Walter D.. Helbich. Wolfgang. Vogel. Susan Carter. Germans in the Civil War: The Letters They Wrote Home. 2006. University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill, NC. 978-0-8078-3044-4. 437.
49. Web site: Cave Hill National Cemetery Louisville, Kentucky. nps.gov. National Park Service. September 13, 2016.
50. Kiel. Frank Wilson. Treue der Union: Myths, Misrepresentations, and Misinterpretations. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly. January 2012. 115. 3. 282–292. Texas State Historical Association. 10.1353/swh.2012.0004. 41617001. 143613462 .