Nine of Primitive El Paso's Patriotic Heroes
To the memory of
nine of primative El Paso's
patriotic heroes
Emmett Mills
Aged 19
Freeman Thomas - Joe Poacher
M. Champion - John Pontel
Bob Avlin - John Wilson
Who in July 1861
were loyal citizens
of El Paso, Texas
and Loyal employees
of the Butterfield Overland Mail Co.
When all Federal troops in Texas had been surrendered by General Twiggs to the Confederacy, when the war department had withdrawn all the federal troops from west of the Rio Grande in Arizona, now New Mexico, and when Major Lynde and other federal commanders had determined to surrender their troops to the Confederacy, these seven patriots courageously removed most of their company's property from Texas, and on July 20, 1861, they seized one of the stages at El Paso, intending to join the California Column and return with it, in order to save El Paso to the Union and restore the mail company's property to it's owners.
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The next day they were intercepted at Cook's springs, near Deming, by a large force of hostile Indians under Chief Mangas Coloradas. Hastily building a small fort of stone they defended themselves until the night of the second day. Two weeks later their mutilated bodies were discovered with a note under a stone stating that on July 23rd all had been killed, save two, who planned escape that night. Later they, too, had fallen with their comrades.
The perilous situation and heroic defense of these heroes are described fully in volume IV records of the rebellion, and in correspondence in the El Paso Public Library.
Colonel W. R. Scurry
Fourth Texan Cavalry
And
Colonel P. T. Herbert
Seventh Texan Cavalry
Who were called into the service of the state, by its governor, in 1861, both obeyed the call when their state was practically at war with the federal government and heroically performed all the duties required of them until their regiments were engaged in the battles of Jenkin's Ferry, Ark, April 20, 1863, and Mansfield, La. April 3, 1864 respectively where they gave the last full measure of devotion by laying down their lives for that which from their viewpoint, was a righteous cause.
Authorized by the Mayor and City Council to be erected by their mutual townsman and friend, Anson Mills.
Marker is at the intersection of North Stanton Street and Myrtle Avenue, on the right when traveling north on North Stanton Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
