Cow Camp Massacre on Hondo Creek
Hondo, Medina County, Texas
Marker Inscription
During the mid-1800s the Texas Hill Country was the site of many hostile encounters, some deadly, between pioneer immigrants whose permanent settlements ran counter to area Native Americans accustomed to unrestrained hunting and gathering. One such encounter occurred near this site on January 27, 1866. Three young men from the area, August Rothe, age 19, George Miller, age 16, and Hubert Weynand, age 12, left their homes near D'Hanis to recover stray livestock, an important task for area farmers and ranchers. They set up camp on Hondo Creek and began the "cow hunt." On the morning of the third day Rothe and Weynand were returning to camp when suddenly Miller appeared running toward them with eight Indians in pursuit. Unable to untie their horses in time to escape on horseback, both Rothe and Miller ran for their lives up a hill; Weynand attempted his escape on horseback. The encounter resulted in Miller's death, Weynand's capture, and Rothe's heroic escape. Weynand was never seen nor heard from again. A scouting party later found Miller's mutilated body but were unable to apprehend the attackers. Contemporary author A.J. Sowell wrote of these events in his book, "Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas." 1994
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In January 1866 the Texas Hill Country was still contested ground between settlers and Native Americans resisting the loss of their hunting grounds. Three young men from near D'Hanis — August Rothe, George Miller, and twelve-year-old Hubert Weynand — camped on Hondo Creek to gather stray livestock when they were attacked. Miller was killed, Weynand was captured and never seen again, and Rothe escaped to tell the story, later recorded by frontier chronicler A.J. Sowell.
Why it matters
The marker records the human cost of the violent frontier struggle between Texas settlers and displaced Native peoples in the years just after the Civil War.
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Related people
- · August Rothe
- · George Miller
- · Hubert Weynand
- · A.J. Sowell
Themes & tags
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