Texas Germans in the Civil War

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. The year was 1861, and Texas was making up its mind. Ten counties, heavily German in their population, looked at the question of secession and voted against it.

Now, Comal County was an exception to that. But even where the vote ran one way, the men living there were sorting through something harder than a ballot. States' rights was a concept that genuinely puzzled some of these voters.

A good many of them had only lately stood before a court and taken naturalization oaths, sworn loyalty to a new country, and now that country was fracturing right underneath their boots. What exactly did a man owe, and to whom? That was not a simple question.

After secession came down, some men avoided military duty out of concern for their families. Others made a different choice entirely and left Texas to join U.S. units. So you had German Texans pulling in more than one direction at once, which tells you something about how complicated loyalty gets when history moves faster than a man can think.

But here is what the marker wants you to hold onto. Majority sentiment in these communities supported the Confederacy. And from Comal County, three companies formed up, fighting alongside other German troops.

They were praised, specifically praised, for their discipline, their high morale, their skill, and the pride with which they defended Texas. So whatever the argument was before the vote, when the time came, those men showed up and gave something worth remembering.

What the marker says

In 1861, ten heavily German counties in Texas voted against secession, though Comal County was as exception. States' rights puzzled some voters. Many had lately taken naturalization oaths. After secession, some avoided military duty from concern about their families. Others left to join U.S.units. Majority sentiment supported the Confederacy. Three companies from Comal, with other German troops, were praised for their discipline, high morale and skill, and the pride with which they defended Texas.