The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 105, July 2001 - April, 2002 Page: 466

Southwestern Historical Quarterly

he was on patrol west of Brownsville at Rancho Las Rucias and was also
in a rear guard encounter as the Union troops withdrew from
Brownsville to Brazos Santiago. His letter, in the old German style of
writing, describes the action from his point of view as a soldier. The let-
ter expresses concern about his family, who were probably destitute
since he was no longer at home to do the farming. The letter also dis-
cusses the news from the Atlanta and Mobile Bay battlefronts, and men-
tions concerns raised at the soldiers' evening bull sessions.
Soldier companions are mentioned-Karl Koch, who became lost
during the skirmish; Martin Preiss, who was captured; and Otto Hintz,
who sustained a gunshot wound of the upper arm. Koch rejoined his
companions later that night, Preiss escaped into Mexico, and Hintz was
treated conservatively with excision of the damaged bone, which saved
his arm.
Brazos Santiago
August 27, 1864
Most worthy Wife and Children'
With gladness I take up my pen as for the first time I have the oppor-
tunity to write a few lines. And it will make me happy if my writing finds
you in good health, as is the case with me. I received your letter. It made
me glad to hear from you. I hope you and the children are not suffering
great misery. Sell as much as you have to, but keep the wagon as long as
you can.
The latest news here is very good. At Atlanta in the latest battle,
25,000 men fell on each side. Fort Morgan was surrendered with all
the garrison and eight cannons and a very good gunboat. The people
at Mobile put all their gold jewelry together and allowed the ship that
by the way was called The Bride of Mobile to burn. We will hear the
same from Richmond before long. Grant has not said when it will
happen." When all this is settled, we will all get drunk. We heard that
the women somewhere had sworn off their husbands.4 It was too
2Haufler's wife was Louise Magers (1835-1899). The children were Emma (born 1858),
Anna (born 186o), Gustav (born 1861), and Bertha (born 1863). The Hauflers' fifth child,
Louise, was born in September 1864. See Widow's Claim no. 473,313 (National Archives).
Haufler married Louise Magers in the Evangehcal Lutheran Church of Smithson Valley, Comal
County, in 1857. She applied for a widow's pension on September 1, 189o, which was rejected
on April 1, 1898, because "claimant had other means of support than her daily labor. [She was]
not dependent as the law contemplates."
s Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, overall commander of Union forces.
4 Recall Lyststrata, the Greek comedy by Aristophanes, in which the women of Athens pro-
posed a sex strike against their spouses to force them to negotiate with the Spartans to end the
Peloponnesian War.

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