HistoricSiteMarkers
Civil War

"Battle" of Adams Hill

San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Marker Inscription

Near this site, an early armed confrontation of the Civil War ended without bloodshed. On February 16, 1861 in San Antonio, General David E. Twiggs, commander of the U.S. Army Department of Texas, surrendered all federal military property in the state to forces under command of Ben McCulloch. Possession of the San Antonio Arsenal and 20 other installations statewide transferred to Texas forces, who permitted U.S. soldiers to march to the coast and leave Texas as soon as ships could be procured. After the outbreak of hostilities in the South in April, federal troops still in Texas were declared prisoners of war. There was, however, one unit still armed and not in Confederate custody. Marching southeast from Forts Bliss, Davis and Quitman in far west Texas were six companies of the 8th U.S. Infantry, a total of 347 men under the command of Lt. Col. I.V.D. Reeve. Here near San Lucas Spring, Col. Earl Van Dorn, Confederate commander of Texas, stationed 1300 men and six field pieces to meet Reeve. Federal troops took up a defensive position on Adams Hill, a half mile in front. After a six-week march from El Paso, Reeve's numbers were down to 270 men. On May9, Van Dorn sent a demand for surrender, but Reeve refused. Reeve rejected a second flag of truce with the same mandate. Van Dorn succeeded with his third request -- that Federal officers come over, see the Confederate strength and surrender peaceably. The move brought an end to the encounter without the firing of a shot. Reeve's men were made prisoners of war, interned and later exchanged. In February 1863, the last of the 8th U.S. Infantry left Texas in exchange for Confederate prisoners at Baton Rouge after more than 21 months of imprisonment. (2007)

Erected by Texas Historical Commission

The Story

In the tense spring of 1861, six companies of the 8th U.S. Infantry marched east from far West Texas, the last federal troops in the state still armed after Twiggs's surrender of army property to Texas forces. Near San Lucas Spring, Confederate Colonel Earl Van Dorn massed 1,300 men and six cannon against Lt. Col. Reeve's footsore column of 270. After three flags of truce and no gunfire, Van Dorn persuaded the Union officers to inspect his strength and surrender peaceably, ending the encounter without a single shot.

Why it matters

The bloodless "battle" at Adams Hill captures the strange opening of the Civil War in Texas, where Union soldiers were surrendered into captivity by circumstance rather than combat.

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Related people

  • · Earl Van Dorn
  • · I.V.D. Reeve
  • · David E. Twiggs

Themes & tags

Civil WarBattlefield

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