DUANE
Duane's take
Here's the story as the official marker tells it — and friend, this one's worth every mile of road between here and wherever you're headed. The year is 1811, and somewhere in Prussia, a boy is born who will one day be buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin — though he'd have to travel through half the armies of the world just to get there. August C.
Buchel didn't come to soldiering easy. He came to it the hard way, educated in the stern military schools of Prussia. That'll shape a man.
But Prussia alone couldn't hold him. He served in the French Legion. He served in the army of Turkey.
He fought in the Carlist Wars in Spain — and when those were done, Spain knighted him. Knighted. The man collected military service the way some folks collect belt buckles.
Then in 1845, he came to Texas. Of course he did. The Mexican War, 1846 to 1847, found him right in the middle of it.
Afterward he settled into something a little quieter — customs collector at the Port of Lavaca. You might think that was the end of the adventure. You would be wrong.
When the Confederacy took shape, Buchel was right back in command. Brownsville, 1862 to 1863. And what he was running down there was no small operation.
He was in charge of roads — roads exporting Confederate cotton and beef, importing corn, munitions, medicines, and factory goods through Mexico. Foreign ships sat waiting beyond territorial waters, because they had to — that's where the law ended. Small boats would haul Confederate cotton out to them, and the goods would come back north, up through what folks called Buchel's post.
It was a lifeline, and he was the one keeping it open. In 1863, his regiment came together — the 1st Texas Cavalry, organized with a nucleus drawn from the 1st Texas Mounted Rifles. And riding in that regiment were Taylor's Texas Riflemen of DeWitt County.
Right here. These roads you're on today had men in that outfit. From 1863 into 1864, Buchel took on what the marker calls the most dramatic chapter in Confederate history — Texas coastal defense.
He commanded the Sabine District, and he harried the Federal blockade fleet with infantry and cavalry both. He protected blockade-runners. He handled prize ships.
And in October and November of 1863, at Niblett's Bluff, Louisiana, he held his position when twenty thousand Federal troops with considerable artillery tried to break through to Texas. Twenty thousand. He held.
January 1864, he defended Caney's Bayou, Texas, from a Federal gunboat attack. Then came the Red River Campaign of 1864 — the push to save Texas from invasion. At Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, Buchel's regiment routed a Federal ambush.
But in that fight, Buchel fell, struck by mortal wounds. He died two days later. The marker records the words spoken of him: an irreparable loss to his country.
He is buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin — a Prussian-born, French-serving, Turkey-soldiering, Spain-knighted, Texas-claiming man who fought his last fight in Louisiana trying to keep the boot of invasion off this state. Some men are just made of war. August C.
Buchel was one of them.
What the marker says
1811-1864 Educated in stern military schools of Prussia. Was in French Legion and army of Turkey. Knighted in Spain after work in Carlist wars. Came to Texas 1845. In Mexican War 1846-47. Later became Port of Lavaca customs collector. Commanded Confederates at Brownsville, 1862-63. In charge of roads exporting cotton, beef, importing corn, munitions, medicines and factory goods thru Mexico. Foreign ships waited beyond territorial waters. Their goods were exchanged for Confederate cotton, hauled to them by small boats. Goods then came north, via Buchel post. Buchel's regiment, 1st Texas cavalry, in 1863 was organized with nucleus from 1st Texas Mounted Rifles. In Buchel's regiment were Taylor's Texas Riflemen of DeWitt County. 1863-64 Buchel had a great role in Texas coastal defense, most dramatic chapter in Confederate history. In command of Sabine District, Buchel harried Federal blockade fleet with infantry, cavalry. One Buchel duty was to protect blockade-runners. Also handled prize ships. He held Niblett's Bluff, La., when 20,000 Federals with much artillery tried a breakthrough to Texas there, Oct. - Nov., 1863. Jan. 1864 defended Caney's Bayou, Tex., from Federal gunboat attack. During 1864 Red River Campaign to save Texas from invasion, Buchel's regiment at Pleasant Hill, La. routed a Federal ambush. Buchel fell of mortal wounds and died two days later - "An irreparable loss to his country". Buried in Texas State Cemetery, Austin. Erected by the State of Texas 1964