Augustus Buchel

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Augustus Carl Buchel
Brigadier General
(Appointed, never confirmed)
UnitFirst Regiment of Texas Foot Rifles (USA)
Third Texas Infantry Regiment (CSA)
Commands heldFirst Texas Cavalry Regiment (CSA)
Battles/warsFirst Carlist War

Mexican–American War

American Civil War

Alma materÉcole militaire

Augustus Carl Buchel (

military officer who served in several national armies during the 1800s. During the American Civil War, he served as a colonel in the Confederate States Army
.

Born in

Buchel County, an unorganized county that existed in the late 1800s, was named in his honor. Writing on him in 1940, historian Ella Lonn called him "[a] citizen of the Confederacy but a soldier of fortune
if ever there was one!"

Early life and career

Augustus Carl Büchel was born in the

Hesse-Darmstadt.[1] He later furthered his military training at the École militaire in Paris, after which he became a lieutenant in the French Foreign Legion.[1] Büchel would serve in several national armies during his lifetime, and by the time of his death would be fluent in seven different languages.[1] At the outbreak of the First Carlist War, he joined on the side of Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies.[2] In 1837, he participated in the Battle of Huesca and the following year he was knighted by Maria Christina for his actions during the battle,[1] being awarded the honor of the Cross of the Order of Golden Crosses.[2] Following the war, Büchel, at the recommendation of Ali Pasha,[2] served as a military instructor in the army of the Ottoman Empire, during which time he rose to the rank of colonel.[1] As a Christian, this was the highest rank he could attain, and while he was offered the rank of general if he converted to Islam, he declined and resigned from his post, later returning to Germany.[1] There is some evidence that he was awarded the title of Pasha while an instructor.[1]

Move to the United States

In late 1845, Büchel emigrated with the

U.S. President Franklin Pierce named Buchel as the customs collector for Port Lavaca, Texas, and Buchel also engaged in business dealings in Corpus Christi.[1] During the Crimean War, Buchel led a company,[2] and during the Cortina Troubles in 1859, Buchel organized volunteers in Indianola, though they never saw military action.[1]

American Civil War

At the beginning of the

Texas Lieutenant Governor Fletcher Stockdale.[1]

Legacy

Location of Buchel County in Texas

Buchel was not married and had no heirs at the time of his death.[1] At his burial site, the state of Texas erected a large stone memorial.[1] In 1887, the Texas Legislature passed an act creating Buchel County in the western portion of the state, named in his honor.[1] However, the county was never formally organized and by 1897, it was absorbed into Brewster County.[4] Writing on Buchel in 1940, historian Ella Lonn said the following: "He was described as a quiet, unassuming man, and though apparently a secessionist, not nearly so violent as his superior, Luckett. A citizen of the Confederacy but a soldier of fortune if ever there was one!"[2] In 1965, the University of Texas at Austin acquired a number of historical documents pertaining to Buchel as part of an 800-document collection.[5]

Notes

  1. Mayence".[2]
  2. ^ Sources differ slightly on the exact date of Buchel's death. According to the Handbook of Texas, the commonly accepted date of his death is April 15, though Buchel's commander Hamilton P. Bee stated in his official report of the battle that Buchel had died on April 11.[1] Additionally, a 1940 historical book by historian Ella Lonn states that he died "four days" after the battle, giving a death date of April 13.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Stephens, Robert W. (July 31, 2020) [1976]. "Buchel, Augustus Carl". Handbook of Texas. Texas State Historical Association. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8078-5400-6
    .
  3. ISBN 978-1-58544-487-8
    .
  4. ISBN 978-0-9765213-5-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  5. ^ "800 letters from Texas' past". The Alcalde. LIV (II): 24. October 1965.

External links

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