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 Camp Montel C.S.A. and Texas Civil War Frontier Defense
N 29° 43.581 W 099° 04.364
14R E 492965 N 3288465
An old, large, pink granite marker engraved on each side, each side presenting a different historical topic, is set into the ground of the Bandera County Courthouse square, near the sidewalk along the Main Street boundary of the property.
Waymark Code: WMP739
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 07/12/2015
Views: 9
The Bandera County Courthouse is at 500 Main Street, Bandera, TX. You can see the top of its spire as you approach Bandera from most of the main highways feeding into the city. The Courthouse square is bordered by Main, Hackberry, 12th and Pecan Streets. A series of TX historical markers, war memorials, and commemorations are found lined along the Main Street approach.
This pink granite stone marker is difficult to read for two reasons: it is spotted with black, gray, and pink flecks throughout the granite block which make discerning the engraving very difficult and distracting; and, the engraving is very shallow so there is not much differentiation between the surface of the stone and the text lightly carved into it. A paper and chalk rubbing of the surface of the stone would be much more effective in reading the text than trying to discern the engraved words visually.
This marker has two historical topics on the same stone. One side is titled "Camp Montel CSA" followed by its history. The other side of the granite stone is titled "Texas Civil War Frontier Defense" followed by that history.
Marker Number: 668
Marker Text:
Camp Montel CSA
Site 25 mi. West on Hy. 470, 1 mi. South.
Established 1862 as part of Red River-Rio Grande defense line. Named for Captain Charles DeMontel, surveyor and colonizer of Bandera, leader of county defenses. Occupied by troops of Texas frontier regiment who furnished their own guns and mounts but often lacked food, clothing, supplies. In 1860 Bandera County's population was 399. Although all the men were needed to defend the county from Indians, many joined the Confederate and State troops. Some went to protect the Texas Coast from Union invasion. Many were assigned to defend the frontier in this region. Scouting parties and patrols managed to effectively curb Indian raids until war's end.
Texas Civil War Frontier Defense
Texas had 2,000 miles of coastline and frontier to defend from Union attack; Indian raids, marauders, bandits from Mexico & Defense lines were set to give maximum protection with the few men left in the State. One line stretched from El Paso to Brownsville. Another, including Camp Montel, had stations a day's horseback ride apart from Red River to Rio Grande. Former U.S. forts used by scouting parties lay in a line between & behind these lines and to the east organized militia, citizens' posses from "settlements” backed the Confederate and State troops.
A Memorial to Texans Who served the Confederacy
Erected by the State of Texas 1964
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Visit Instructions:
Please include a picture in your log. You and your GPS receiver do not need to be in the picture. We encourage additional information about your visit (comments about the surrounding area, how you ended up near the marker, etc.) in the log.
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