DUANE
Duane's take
The way the official marker tells it, here's the story of Camps Verde, C.S.A. — and friend, it's one you're gonna want to hear all the way through. Out here in Kerr County, eleven miles southeast of the old United States post called Camp Verde, a Texas frontier regiment outpost was established in 1862. It sat along a line of posts stretching from the Red River all the way down to the Rio Grande — each one spaced roughly a day's horseback ride from the next.
That's the kind of geography that puts things in perspective real quick. Now, the county itself wasn't large. Population of 585.
And when the question of secession came to a vote in 1861, Kerr County said yes — seventy-six to fifty-seven. Seventy-five men went on to serve in Confederate and state forces. Some were sent to protect the Texas coast from Union invasion.
Some stayed to defend this very frontier. Others found themselves on distant battlefields far from these hills. And nineteen men from the county went the other way entirely, serving in Texas Union forces.
Same county, same neighbors — different roads taken. The troops at the outpost furnished their own guns, their own mounts. They often lacked food, clothing, supplies.
And yet, scouting parties and patrols effectively curbed Indian raids until the war's end. That is not a small thing, done on an empty stomach with a horse you saddled yourself. But here's where the story takes a turn nobody sees coming — and I mean nobody.
In February of 1861, Confederate troops took the old U.S. post Camp Verde. Along with the other United States property they captured, the Confederates found themselves in possession of eighty camels and two Egyptian drivers. Eighty camels.
In the Texas Hill Country. You heard me right. Those camels were put to work hauling cotton — the life's blood of the South, as the marker calls it — down to Mexico, where it was swapped for vital supplies.
Salt came back from lakes north of Brownsville. It was trade born of necessity, and those long-necked animals were right in the middle of it. And when there was a dance at the post?
The ladies rode a camel named Old Major around the parade grounds. Old Major. I'd have paid good money to see that.
Now, hold on — the story's got one more layer. Six hundred Union soldiers, captured while leaving Texas early in the war, were confined in a prison canyon southwest of the camp. Three cliffs surrounded the area, described as — and these are the words — "very difficult to ascend." The prisoners were held from August of 1861 until sometime in 1862.
They were allowed to build shacks, get adequate exercise. With those cliffs doing the guarding, there wasn't much risk of escape. And at one of those post dances — the same dances where Old Major was giving ladies the ride of their lives — a Union prisoner stood up and performed as a ventriloquist.
Scared the ladies half to death with the sounds of an unseen pig. A camel named Old Major on the parade ground. A Union ventriloquist throwing pig sounds across the dance floor.
Nineteen men going one way, seventy-five going another. Six hundred prisoners held between three unclimbable cliffs. Out here in Kerr County, the Civil War didn't look like anything you'd find in a textbook.
It looked like this.
What the marker says
Texas frontier regiment outpost was established 1862, 11 mi. southeast and near old U.S. post Camp Verde. Part of Red River-Rio Grande line of posts a day's horseback ride apart. The troops furnished own guns, mounts, but often lacked food, clothing, supplies. Still, scouting parties, patrols effectively curbed Indian raids until war's end. Kerr County population was 585. County voted 76-57 for secession 1861. 75 men served in Confederate and state forces. Some sent to protect Texas coast from Union invasion, some helped to defend frontier in this region, others fought on distant battlefields. 19 men from county served in Texas Union forces. Old U.S. post Camp Verde was taken by C.S.A. troops Feb. 1861. The Confederates captured 80 camels and two Egyptian drivers with other U.S. property. These camels were used to haul cotton - life's blood of South - to Mexico swap for vital supplies, including salt from lakes north of Brownsville. During post dances ladies rode a camel "Old Major" around the parade grounds. 600 Union soldiers captured leaving Texas early in Civil War were confined in prison canyon southwest of the camp. 3 cliffs, described as "very difficult to ascend" surrounded the prison area. Prisoners, held from Aug. 1861 until sometime in 1862, were allowed to build shacks and get adequate exercise with little risk of escape. One Union prisoner performed as ventriloquist at post dance, scaring ladies with unseen pig sounds. Erected by the State of Texas 1964