Corpus Christi in Nueces County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Confederate Army Deserters Hanged in Corpus Christi

Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2021

1. Confederate Army Deserters Hanged in Corpus Christi Marker

Inscription. The hanging of two Confederate Army deserters at Corpus Christi in May of 1862 was the only military execution to take place in Nueces County during the Civil War. At that time, the Texas coast from Matagorda to Corpus Christi was blockaded by the Arthur, a Union ship commanded by acting Lieutenant John W. Kittredge. A nearby Confederate outpost on Shell Bank Island, Camp Aransas, was garrisoned by Captain Benjamin Neal's artillery battery and Captain James Morgan's Company D of the 3rd Texas Infantry Regiment.

The May 21, 1862 issue of the Galveston Weekly News reported that four enlisted men at Camp Aransas tried to desert by stealing a launch to reach the Arthur. One was fatally shot, two were captured and one escaped. The two captured, both reportedly from New York, were promptly court martialed, hanged and unceremoniously buried at the site of the hanging, in the vicinity of Mesquite Street and Upper Broadway. The sentence was carried out by Captain John Ireland, a future governor of Texas.

Given the increasing rate of desertions at the time due to conscription and the ongoing pressure from the blockade, these executions would have served as a warning to potential deserters. Local Unionists were forced at gunpoint to view the bodies and placards on them reading "Traitors take warning" and "Union men beware."

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As a result, many Corpus Christi Unionists fled with their families to Matamoros, Mexico. Confederate military records reveal that actually three deserters, not one, were shot "While trying to escape." Whether they were deliberately murdered or actually tried to escape custody is not known.

Erected 2016 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 18250.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Law Enforcement • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1862.

Location. 27° 47.522′ N, 97° 23.777′ W. Marker is in Corpus Christi, Texas, in Nueces County. Marker is at the intersection of Coopers Alley and South Upper Broadway (State Highway 544 Spur), on the left when traveling east on Coopers Alley. The marker is located in the middle of the street in a small median. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 413 Coopers Alley, Corpus Christi TX 78401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Site of Kinney's Trading Post (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Centennial House (about 600 feet away); Corpus Christi Cathedral Site (about 800 feet away); Gold Star Court of Honor (about 800 feet away); Corpus Christi Cathedral (approx. 0.2 miles away); Old St. Patrick's Church

The view of the Confederate Army Deserters Hanged in Corpus Christi Marker from the street image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2021

2. The view of the Confederate Army Deserters Hanged in Corpus Christi Marker from the street

(approx. 0.2 miles away); The Ranchero (approx. 0.2 miles away); Corpus Christi Fire Department (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Corpus Christi.

Also see . . .
1. USS Arthur.

In the Union blockade of Texas seaports during the Civil War the USS Arthur captured five Confederate vessels and was one of three federal boats to attack Corpus Christi in August 1862. The bark was a three-masted sailing ship built in Amesburg, Massachusetts, in 1855 and commissioned on December 11, 1861, with acting volunteer lieutenant J. W. Kittredge in command. Source: The Handbook of Texas

(Submitted on October 2, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

2. Ireland, John.

John Ireland, governor and legislator, son of Patrick and Rachel (Newton) Ireland, was born near Millerstown, Kentucky, on January 21, 1827. He served for several years as constable and sheriff of his home county, began to study law in 1851, and was admitted to the bar in 1852. He established himself at Seguin, Texas, in 1853. Ireland, mayor of Seguin in 1858, was a delegate to the Secession Convention in 1861; he voted for secession. He volunteered
Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2021

3. Confederate Army Deserters Hanged in Corpus Christi Marker
as a private in the Confederate Army in 1862 and advanced to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was stationed on the Texas coast at the end of the war. Source: The Handbook of Texas

(Submitted on October 2, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

John Ireland, 18th Governor of the State of Texas. image. Click for full size.

Public Domain - Texas State Library and Archives Commission, 1884

4. John Ireland, 18th Governor of the State of Texas.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 2, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 2, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 385 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 2, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.