The Confederate Military Commission Held in San Antonio Texas July 2 - October 10 1862

A large number of Germans settled the Texas Hill County prior to the War Between The States [Civil War] Among them were a group of Freethinkers (did not believed in organized religion) and Forty-Eighters, who had escaped from Europe after the failure of the 1848 Revolution]. One of their goals was to establish the Free State of West Texas, in the present-day Texas Hill County. At the start of The War they organized an insurgency with a political element called ‘the organization’ - the Union Loyal League, and a military element ommanded by the researcher’s great-great uncle. The Organization believed the Union was going to invade Texas and divide the state along the Colorado River. At that time ‘the organization’ support by other Unionists group would rise up and assist the Union Army and proclaim The Free State of Texas. With the Texas and Confederate authorities began to learn about the resistance they proclaimed martial law and set military forces into the Hill County. Several insurgencies and unionists were arrested and tried by a military court. This is the record of the trial, with extensive notes compiled by William Paul Burrier.