Herman Ehrenberg
Encyclopedia
Herman Ehrenberg is the namesake
of Ehrenberg, Arizona
. A native of Germany, Ehrenberg joined the military volunteer unit the New Orleans Greys
and fought against Mexico in the Texas Revolution
. He was one of few survivors of the Goliad Massacre
. His memoirs of the Revolution were published in Germany in the 1840s and translated into English in the 20th century.
Ehrenberg created the first map of the Gadsden Purchase
.
detailing influential Germans in 19th-century America. It was repeated in the introduction to the 1935 English translation of Ehrenberg's memoir. Crisp, p. 429. In this version, which is supported by historian H. W. Brands but which Crisp maintains has "not a shred of evidence to suggest that [it] is true", Ehrenberg later attended the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena
, where he became involved in protests against the government.
An alternative theory, held by historians Carlos Castaneda, Clarence Wharton, and Natalie Ornish, is that Ehrenberg was Jewish. This is based primarily on hearsay from Barry Goldwater
, whose grandfather was a close friend of Ehrenberg.According to Crisp, Barry Goldwater maintained correspondance with relatives of Ehrenberg. In some of their letters, those family members signed "Heil Hitler", which pointed to a non-Jewish lineage. Crisp, p. 431.
Crisp and Ornish agree that Hermann Vollrath EhrenbergEhrenberg's baptism record listed his name as "Hermann". In the 1830s, he began signing "Herman". His memoirs were published as "Hermann", but he did not change the spelling he used to sign documents. Crisp, p. 423 was born on October 17, 1816 in Steuden
, Prussia
. His birth, and his baptism three days later, was recorded in a local Lutheran Church.Ornish maintains that in a small town like Steuden, the local priest may have recorded births of Jewish children. Crisp cites works by other historians which show that the Ehrenberg family was descended from Catholic bishops and Lutheran nobility. Crisp, p. 430. Ehrenberg was one of three sons of Johann and Sophie Ehrenberg. His brohers were Emil and Friedrich (d. 1832).
Ehrenberg left Prussia in 1834 to move to the United States. He spent a year in New York City
and then travelled to New Orleans.
. All of the local papers and many of the residents supported the actions of the American settlers in Texas against the government of Mexico. On October 11, Adolphus Sterne
organized a rally in support of the Texian
s. Ehrenberg attended the rally, which collected over $10,000 for the volunteer troops. The next day, he enlisted in the volunteer militia company that Sterne was organizing. The group became known as the New Orleans Greys
for the color of the uniformat that they wore. Ehrenberg claimed to be the third person to volunteer for the Greys, and he was most likely the youngest member.
The Greys were divided into two companies. Ehrenberg was assigned to one led by Captain Thomas H. Breece. His group took a steamboat up the river to Natchitoches, Louisiana
, where they prepared to enter Mexican Texas
. The United States was officially neutral in the conflict, and President Andrew Jackson
had publicly ordered that no armed men be allowed to cross the border. The Greys were cautious and crossed without incident.
outside San Antonio de Bexar (now San Antonio, Texas
). The Texians had laid siege to the city
, trapping Mexican General Martin Perfecto de Cos
and his troops. On December 5, the Texians attacked. Ehrenberg's company followed the San Antonio River
into town and made their way to the central square. As they neared the square, Mexican soldiers opened fire. Ehrenberg and several others entered a stone guardhouse which soon bore the brunt of fire from Mexican artillery.
Unwilling to return to the streets, where there was no cover, Texians began fighting from house to house. Ehrenberg's small group exchanged fire with forces on the other side of the street. One of Ehrenberg's companions, was seriously wounded one before they realized that neither group contained Mexican soldiers. Determined to join forces again, the men dug a trench to allow for safe passage from house to the other. Fighting continued for three days as the Texians consolidated their positions and worked their way towards the center of town. Cos surrendered on December 11 and led his troops back to the Mexican interior.
and Frank W. Johnson
were lobbying the provisional government to authorize an invasion of the Mexican interior. Many of the Greys, including Ehrenberg, left the Alamo to join the Matamoros Expedition
.
The expedition was soon the subject of much political turmoil. The governing council and the interim governor disagreed on who should lead the troops and the governor soon dismissed the council, which impeached the governor. It was unclear who was in charge of the expedition - Grant, Johnson, or Colonel James W. Fannin. Sam Houston
, who had originally been named head of the army, and who may had been relieved of duty by the council, joined the troops near Goliad
. There he gave an impassioned speech exhorting the soldiers to remain to defend Texas from the Mexican army rumored to be returning to the province.
led one group of troops through the center of the province towards Bexar. General Jose de Urrea
led a second group up the coast toward Goliad. Urrea's Goliad Campaign
was victorious over Grant and Johnson's small groups of troops.
On March 19, Fannin ordered a retreat from Goliad. Ehrenberg was one of several scouts assigned to watch for signs of Urrea's army. When his group saw the column of soldiers headed their way, most of the scouts scattered. Ehrenberg was the only one to return to Fannin. They were confronted by Urrea's troops that evening, and the Battle of Coleto
commenced. On March 20, Fannin began negotiations for surrender. This almost caused a mutiny, as the soldiers had heard rumors that Mexican troops had killed Texian troops who attempted to surrender after the Battle of the Alamo
several weeks previously and were worried that they would meet the same fate.
None of the Mexican officers spoke English, and none of the Texians spoke fluent Spanish. When it was discovered that Mexican Captain Juan Jose Holzinger spoke German, Ehrenberg was asked to conduct the parley on behalf of the Texians. Fannin conceded all arms, while Urrea agreed to expel the men from Texas provided they all promise not to take up arms against the present government of Mexico. Ehrenberg later admitted this was an easy promise to make, as no one expected the same government to be in power the following year. As a German citizen, Ehrenberg was invited to join the Mexican Army with no consequences, but he declined.
The Texians were imprisoned in the church at Goliad. It was so crowded that the men couldn't sit or lay down. Although Urrea left orders for the Mexican commander there to treat the prisoners well, these were countermanded by Santa Anna, who ordered the execution of all prisoners. A week later, the Texians were divided into groups and marched from the barracks. Ehrenberg was in a group marched towards the San Antonio River. Mexican soldiers opened fire at point-blank range. Ehrenberg was not wounded in the first volley. In the confusion, he fell to the ground and crawled towards the river. He suffered a small wound from a sword before jumping off the banks to the river 30–40 feet below. According to Ehrenberg, after he reached the safety of the opposite bank, he "looked back at the place where my friends lay bleeding to death. The enemy was still shooting and yelling, and it was with a sorrowful heart that I listened to these shouts of triumph which in my fancy were mingled with the groans of pain of my dying friends." Ehrenberg was one of only a handful of men to survive the Goliad Massacre
.
Ehrenberg wandered the countryside for the next few days. Most settlers had already fled, and Ehrenberg was unable to find food. With few options on how to proceed, Ehrenberg approached Urrea and claimed to be a Prussian traveler who neded protection. Urrea allowed Ehrenberg to travel with him for the next few weeks. After Texian troops defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto
on April 21, Ehrenberg and another Texan slipped away from Urrea's men and made their way to Matagorda, which was in the hands of the Texans. He was discharged from the Texian Army on June 2, 1836.
He returned to the United States in 1844, and journeyed to St. Louis, Missouri
to join a group traveling to Oregon Territory
. In May 1845 he sailed from Oregon to Hawaii
, on the brig
Chenamus. Within several months he had been hired by the Hawaiian government to survey the streets of Honolulu.
For the next two years, Ehrenberg likely operated a schooner
, Louise, which brought good from La Paz, Baja California Sur
to Hawaii. For at least part of that time, Ehrenberg lived in La Paz. Some historians, such as Ornish, maintain that in 1846 and 1847 Ehrenberg sailed to Tahiti and several other Polynesian islands.
Some historians report that in 1846 Ehrenberg joined the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers
in California to fight in the Mexican-American War. Most evidence disputes that Ehrenberg actually joined the army. According to the memoirs of one of the soldiers in that unit, Ehrenberg was a civilian and "volunteer aid" to Captain Seymour Steele of that regiment. In March 1848, Ehrenberg and 33 other men rescued American prisoners held south of La Paz.
had been completed. Charles Poston recruited prospectors, including Ehrenberg, to travel to the new area and see what mining opportunities existed in the region. The group intended to sail aboard the Zoraida to Guaymas
, Mexico, then travel overland to Tucson. The Zoraida was shipwrecked just off the coast of Mexico, and Ehrenberg and his comrades were stranded on a small island which had fresh water and wild cattle. The men constructed a raft and sailed to the mainland, where they continued on their journey. They were briefly imprisoned when Mexican authorities mistook them for filibuster
s following William Walker in trying to take Baja California.
The group reached Tubac, Arizona
and soon gathered samples of gold, silver, and copper. Much of this was likely acquired from other miners. Ehrenberg and Poston took the samples overland to San Francisco to gain investors for a mining consortium. On the way, the men stopped near Fort Yuma
and Ehrenberg surveyed a townsite, which he called Colorado City. The site eventually became the town of Yuma
; Ehrenberg saw no profit from it. In 1856 he partnered with Charles Poston to form the Sonoro Exploring and Mining Company.
From 1863 through 1866, Ehrenberg served as Indian Agent for the Mojave people at the Colorado River Indian Reservation
.
In 1865, Ehrenberg was a member of the convention held in Tuscon in August 1856 requesting that the United States Congress organize the territory of Arizona.
Ehrenberg contributed to Mining Magazine, the The Journal of Geology
, and Arizona Weekly.
Ehrenberg was murdered on October 9, 1866 in Dos Palmas.
called Ehrenberg "one of the greatest surveyors and map makers ever to visit the Western United States". Grand Canyon National Park
includes a summit named Ehrenberg Peak, and the town of Mineral City, Arizona was renamed Ehrenberg
after his death.
In 1877, Ehrenberg's friend Poston published an epic poem, Apache-Land describing Ehrenberg's life. Poston followed this with an article in the Arizona Weekly Star in 1880. In both, Poston claimed that Ehrenberg romanced Queen Pōmare IV
of Tahiti in 1846 and 1847, leaving her to pursue further adventures. Poston also gave Ehrenberg a larger role in the Mexican-American War than evidence suggest he played. According to Crisp, "Poston was notoriously unreliable in the memoirs that he penned late in his long life".
Ehrenberg's book on the Texas Revolution was translated into English in 1925. Ten years later is was translated again and edited into a book for children named With Milam and Fannin: Adventures of a German Boy in Texas' Revolution. Crisp calls the book "the longest and most vivid eyewitness account of the revolt by a Texan soldier".
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
of Ehrenberg, Arizona
Ehrenberg, Arizona
Ehrenberg, also historically spelled "Ehrenburg" is a census-designated place in La Paz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,357 at the 2000 census. Ehrenberg is named for Herman Ehrenberg ....
. A native of Germany, Ehrenberg joined the military volunteer unit the New Orleans Greys
New Orleans Greys
The New Orleans Greys, the Greys named for the color of their uniforms, were a Military volunteer unit of two militia companies formed in the city of that name for service in the Texas War of Independence. Their name came from the grey military fatigues they wore...
and fought against Mexico in the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
. He was one of few survivors of the Goliad Massacre
Goliad massacre
The Goliad Massacre was an execution of Republic of Texas soldiers and their commander, James Fannin, by Mexico, reluctantly carried out by General Jose de Urrea.-Background:...
. His memoirs of the Revolution were published in Germany in the 1840s and translated into English in the 20th century.
Ehrenberg created the first map of the Gadsden Purchase
Gadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase is a region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico that was purchased by the United States in a treaty signed by James Gadsden, the American ambassador to Mexico at the time, on December 30, 1853. It was then ratified, with changes, by the U.S...
.
Early life
Ehrenberg's early life is the subject of some discussion. According to historian James Crisp, "the majority of what has been published about him consisted of misinformation". A frequently repeated story is that Ehrenberg was the son of William von Ehrenberg, an official at the royal court of Frederick William III.According to Crisp, this version first appeared in an 1880 work by Gustav KörnerGustav Körner
Gustav Philipp Körner, also spelled Gustave or Gustavus Koerner was an Illinois lawyer, politician and historian....
detailing influential Germans in 19th-century America. It was repeated in the introduction to the 1935 English translation of Ehrenberg's memoir. Crisp, p. 429. In this version, which is supported by historian H. W. Brands but which Crisp maintains has "not a shred of evidence to suggest that [it] is true", Ehrenberg later attended the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena
Friedrich Schiller University of Jena
Friedrich Schiller University of Jena , is a public research university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany....
, where he became involved in protests against the government.
An alternative theory, held by historians Carlos Castaneda, Clarence Wharton, and Natalie Ornish, is that Ehrenberg was Jewish. This is based primarily on hearsay from Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
, whose grandfather was a close friend of Ehrenberg.According to Crisp, Barry Goldwater maintained correspondance with relatives of Ehrenberg. In some of their letters, those family members signed "Heil Hitler", which pointed to a non-Jewish lineage. Crisp, p. 431.
Crisp and Ornish agree that Hermann Vollrath EhrenbergEhrenberg's baptism record listed his name as "Hermann". In the 1830s, he began signing "Herman". His memoirs were published as "Hermann", but he did not change the spelling he used to sign documents. Crisp, p. 423 was born on October 17, 1816 in Steuden
Steuden
Steuden is a village and a former municipality in the district Saalekreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Teutschenthal....
, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
. His birth, and his baptism three days later, was recorded in a local Lutheran Church.Ornish maintains that in a small town like Steuden, the local priest may have recorded births of Jewish children. Crisp cites works by other historians which show that the Ehrenberg family was descended from Catholic bishops and Lutheran nobility. Crisp, p. 430. Ehrenberg was one of three sons of Johann and Sophie Ehrenberg. His brohers were Emil and Friedrich (d. 1832).
Ehrenberg left Prussia in 1834 to move to the United States. He spent a year in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and then travelled to New Orleans.
Texas Revolution
Ehrenberg arrived in New Orleans in October 1835. The city was abuzz with news of the newly declared Texas RevolutionTexas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
. All of the local papers and many of the residents supported the actions of the American settlers in Texas against the government of Mexico. On October 11, Adolphus Sterne
Adolphus Sterne
Nicholas Adolphus Sterne served three terms in the Texas House of Representatives and one term in the Texas State Senate. He immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1817, living in Louisiana for ten years...
organized a rally in support of the Texian
Texian
Texian is an archaic, mostly defunct 19th century demonym which defined a settler of current-day Texas, one of the southern states of the United States of America which borders the country of Mexico...
s. Ehrenberg attended the rally, which collected over $10,000 for the volunteer troops. The next day, he enlisted in the volunteer militia company that Sterne was organizing. The group became known as the New Orleans Greys
New Orleans Greys
The New Orleans Greys, the Greys named for the color of their uniforms, were a Military volunteer unit of two militia companies formed in the city of that name for service in the Texas War of Independence. Their name came from the grey military fatigues they wore...
for the color of the uniformat that they wore. Ehrenberg claimed to be the third person to volunteer for the Greys, and he was most likely the youngest member.
The Greys were divided into two companies. Ehrenberg was assigned to one led by Captain Thomas H. Breece. His group took a steamboat up the river to Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
, where they prepared to enter Mexican Texas
Mexican Texas
Mexican Texas is the name given by Texas history scholars to the period between 1821 and 1836, when Texas was an integral part of Mexico. The period began with Mexico's victory over Spain in its war of independence in 1821. For the first several years of its existence, Mexican Texas operated very...
. The United States was officially neutral in the conflict, and President Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
had publicly ordered that no armed men be allowed to cross the border. The Greys were cautious and crossed without incident.
Siege of Bexar
The Greys joined the Texian ArmyTexian Army
The Texian Army was a military organization consisting of volunteer and regular soldiers who fought against the Mexican army during the Texas Revolution. Approximately 3,700 men joined the army between October 2, 1835 during the Battle of Gonzales through the end of the war on April 21, 1836, at...
outside San Antonio de Bexar (now San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
). The Texians had laid siege to the city
Siege of Bexar
The Siege of Béxar was an early campaign of the Texas Revolution in which a volunteer Texan army successfully defeated Mexican forces at San Antonio de Béxar . Texians had become disillusioned with the Mexican government as President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's tenure became increasingly...
, trapping Mexican General Martin Perfecto de Cos
Martín Perfecto de Cos
Martín Perfecto de Cos was a 19th-century Mexican general. He was married to Lucinda López de Santa Anna, sister of Antonio López de Santa Anna.-Background:Cós was born in Vera Cruz in the year 1800, the son of an attorney...
and his troops. On December 5, the Texians attacked. Ehrenberg's company followed the San Antonio River
San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in north central San Antonio, approximately four miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River about ten miles from...
into town and made their way to the central square. As they neared the square, Mexican soldiers opened fire. Ehrenberg and several others entered a stone guardhouse which soon bore the brunt of fire from Mexican artillery.
Unwilling to return to the streets, where there was no cover, Texians began fighting from house to house. Ehrenberg's small group exchanged fire with forces on the other side of the street. One of Ehrenberg's companions, was seriously wounded one before they realized that neither group contained Mexican soldiers. Determined to join forces again, the men dug a trench to allow for safe passage from house to the other. Fighting continued for three days as the Texians consolidated their positions and worked their way towards the center of town. Cos surrendered on December 11 and led his troops back to the Mexican interior.
Matamoros Expedition
Ehrenberg was assigned to the Texian garrison at the Alamo Mission. He scouted the area around the mission, looking for provisions for the soldiers. No Mexican troops remained in Texas, and many members of the garrison became bored. James GrantJames Grant (Texas)
James Grant was a 19th century Texas politician, physician and military participant in the Texas Revolution.-Early life:James Grant was born on July 28, 1793, in Killearnan Parish, Ross-shire, Scotland. In 1823, he traveled to northern Mexico, ending up in Texas. He became interested in real...
and Frank W. Johnson
Frank W. Johnson
Francis White "Frank" Johnson was a co-commander of the Texian Army from December 1835 through February 1836, during the Texas Revolution. Johnson arrived in Texas in 1826 and worked as a surveyor for several empresarios, including Stephen F. Austin. One of his first activities was to plot the...
were lobbying the provisional government to authorize an invasion of the Mexican interior. Many of the Greys, including Ehrenberg, left the Alamo to join the Matamoros Expedition
Matamoros Expedition
The Matamoros Expedition was a planned 1836 invasion of the Mexican port town of Matamoros by rebellious Texians. As the Mexican government transitioned from federalism to a centralized government in 1835, many federalists offered armed opposition. In Mexican Texas, settlers launched a full...
.
The expedition was soon the subject of much political turmoil. The governing council and the interim governor disagreed on who should lead the troops and the governor soon dismissed the council, which impeached the governor. It was unclear who was in charge of the expedition - Grant, Johnson, or Colonel James W. Fannin. Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
, who had originally been named head of the army, and who may had been relieved of duty by the council, joined the troops near Goliad
Goliad, Texas
Goliad is a city in Goliad County, Texas, United States. It had a population of 1975 at the 2000 census. Founded on the San Antonio River, it is the county seat of Goliad County. It is part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. Goliad is located on U.S. Highway 59, named also for...
. There he gave an impassioned speech exhorting the soldiers to remain to defend Texas from the Mexican army rumored to be returning to the province.
Battle of Coleto
Most of the troops, including Ehrenberg, heeded Houston's plea and remained in Goliad under Fannin, while Johnson and Grant took several dozen troops to continue preparing for a potential invasion. The Mexican Army of Operations crossed into Texas in February 1836. President Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaAntonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
led one group of troops through the center of the province towards Bexar. General Jose de Urrea
José de Urrea
José de Urrea was a noted general for Mexico. He fought under General Antonio López de Santa Anna during the Texas Revolution. Urrea's forces were never defeated in battle during the Texas Revolution...
led a second group up the coast toward Goliad. Urrea's Goliad Campaign
Goliad Campaign
The Goliad Campaign refers to a series of battles which occurred in 1836 as part of the Texas Revolution, which ultimately led to the Goliad massacre...
was victorious over Grant and Johnson's small groups of troops.
On March 19, Fannin ordered a retreat from Goliad. Ehrenberg was one of several scouts assigned to watch for signs of Urrea's army. When his group saw the column of soldiers headed their way, most of the scouts scattered. Ehrenberg was the only one to return to Fannin. They were confronted by Urrea's troops that evening, and the Battle of Coleto
Battle of Coleto
The Battle of Coleto, also known as the Battle of Coleto Creek, the Battle of the Prairie, and the Batalla del encinal del Perdido, was fought on March 19 and 20, 1836, during the Goliad campaign of the Texas Revolution...
commenced. On March 20, Fannin began negotiations for surrender. This almost caused a mutiny, as the soldiers had heard rumors that Mexican troops had killed Texian troops who attempted to surrender after the Battle of the Alamo
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar . All but two of the Texian defenders were killed...
several weeks previously and were worried that they would meet the same fate.
None of the Mexican officers spoke English, and none of the Texians spoke fluent Spanish. When it was discovered that Mexican Captain Juan Jose Holzinger spoke German, Ehrenberg was asked to conduct the parley on behalf of the Texians. Fannin conceded all arms, while Urrea agreed to expel the men from Texas provided they all promise not to take up arms against the present government of Mexico. Ehrenberg later admitted this was an easy promise to make, as no one expected the same government to be in power the following year. As a German citizen, Ehrenberg was invited to join the Mexican Army with no consequences, but he declined.
The Texians were imprisoned in the church at Goliad. It was so crowded that the men couldn't sit or lay down. Although Urrea left orders for the Mexican commander there to treat the prisoners well, these were countermanded by Santa Anna, who ordered the execution of all prisoners. A week later, the Texians were divided into groups and marched from the barracks. Ehrenberg was in a group marched towards the San Antonio River. Mexican soldiers opened fire at point-blank range. Ehrenberg was not wounded in the first volley. In the confusion, he fell to the ground and crawled towards the river. He suffered a small wound from a sword before jumping off the banks to the river 30–40 feet below. According to Ehrenberg, after he reached the safety of the opposite bank, he "looked back at the place where my friends lay bleeding to death. The enemy was still shooting and yelling, and it was with a sorrowful heart that I listened to these shouts of triumph which in my fancy were mingled with the groans of pain of my dying friends." Ehrenberg was one of only a handful of men to survive the Goliad Massacre
Goliad massacre
The Goliad Massacre was an execution of Republic of Texas soldiers and their commander, James Fannin, by Mexico, reluctantly carried out by General Jose de Urrea.-Background:...
.
Ehrenberg wandered the countryside for the next few days. Most settlers had already fled, and Ehrenberg was unable to find food. With few options on how to proceed, Ehrenberg approached Urrea and claimed to be a Prussian traveler who neded protection. Urrea allowed Ehrenberg to travel with him for the next few weeks. After Texian troops defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
on April 21, Ehrenberg and another Texan slipped away from Urrea's men and made their way to Matagorda, which was in the hands of the Texans. He was discharged from the Texian Army on June 2, 1836.
1836–1854
Ehrenberg returned to Germany and enrolled at Freiburg University to study mining. In the early 1840s he worked at University of Halle, teaching English. He wrote a memoir of his experiences in the Texas Revolution, published in 1843 as Texas un Seine Revolution. It was reprinted in 1844 as Der Freiheitskampf in Texas im Jahre 1836 and in 1845 as Fahrten und Schicksale eines Deutschen in Texas.He returned to the United States in 1844, and journeyed to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
to join a group traveling to Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
. In May 1845 he sailed from Oregon to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, on the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Chenamus. Within several months he had been hired by the Hawaiian government to survey the streets of Honolulu.
For the next two years, Ehrenberg likely operated a schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
, Louise, which brought good from La Paz, Baja California Sur
La Paz, Baja California Sur
La Paz is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and an important regional commercial center. The city had a 2010 census population of 215,178 persons, but its metropolitan population is somewhat larger because of surrounding towns like el Centenario, el Zacatal and San Pedro...
to Hawaii. For at least part of that time, Ehrenberg lived in La Paz. Some historians, such as Ornish, maintain that in 1846 and 1847 Ehrenberg sailed to Tahiti and several other Polynesian islands.
Some historians report that in 1846 Ehrenberg joined the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers
1st Regiment of New York Volunteers
1st Regiment of New York Volunteers, for service in California and during the war with Mexico, was raised in 1846 during the Mexican American War by Jonathan D. Stevenson. Accepted by the United States Army on August 1846 the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers was transported around Cape Horn to...
in California to fight in the Mexican-American War. Most evidence disputes that Ehrenberg actually joined the army. According to the memoirs of one of the soldiers in that unit, Ehrenberg was a civilian and "volunteer aid" to Captain Seymour Steele of that regiment. In March 1848, Ehrenberg and 33 other men rescued American prisoners held south of La Paz.
Arizona
In January 1854, California residents learned that the Gadsden PurchaseGadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase is a region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico that was purchased by the United States in a treaty signed by James Gadsden, the American ambassador to Mexico at the time, on December 30, 1853. It was then ratified, with changes, by the U.S...
had been completed. Charles Poston recruited prospectors, including Ehrenberg, to travel to the new area and see what mining opportunities existed in the region. The group intended to sail aboard the Zoraida to Guaymas
Guaymas
Guaymas is a city and municipality located in the southwest part of the state of Sonora in northwestern Mexico. The city is located 117 km south of the state capital of Hermosillo, and 242 miles from the U.S. border, and is the principal port for the state. The municipality is located in the...
, Mexico, then travel overland to Tucson. The Zoraida was shipwrecked just off the coast of Mexico, and Ehrenberg and his comrades were stranded on a small island which had fresh water and wild cattle. The men constructed a raft and sailed to the mainland, where they continued on their journey. They were briefly imprisoned when Mexican authorities mistook them for filibuster
Filibuster (military)
A filibuster, or freebooter, is someone who engages in an unauthorized military expedition into a foreign country to foment or support a revolution...
s following William Walker in trying to take Baja California.
The group reached Tubac, Arizona
Tubac, Arizona
Tubac is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 949 at the 2000 census. The place name Tubac is an English borrowing from a Hispanicized form of the O'odham name, which translates into English as "rotten". The original O'odham name is written...
and soon gathered samples of gold, silver, and copper. Much of this was likely acquired from other miners. Ehrenberg and Poston took the samples overland to San Francisco to gain investors for a mining consortium. On the way, the men stopped near Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma is a fort in California that is located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861 and was abandoned May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and a...
and Ehrenberg surveyed a townsite, which he called Colorado City. The site eventually became the town of Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
; Ehrenberg saw no profit from it. In 1856 he partnered with Charles Poston to form the Sonoro Exploring and Mining Company.
From 1863 through 1866, Ehrenberg served as Indian Agent for the Mojave people at the Colorado River Indian Reservation
Colorado River Indian Reservation
The Colorado River Indian Reservation is 189 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona, on highway 95. It lies in western La Paz County, Arizona, southeastern San Bernardino County, California, and northeastern Riverside County, California. It has a total land area of 432.22 sq mi , and most of it lies...
.
In 1865, Ehrenberg was a member of the convention held in Tuscon in August 1856 requesting that the United States Congress organize the territory of Arizona.
Ehrenberg contributed to Mining Magazine, the The Journal of Geology
The Journal of Geology
The Journal of Geology publishes research on geology, geophysics, geochemistry, sedimentology, geomorphology, petrology, plate tectonics, volcanology, structural geology, mineralogy, and planetary sciences...
, and Arizona Weekly.
Ehrenberg was murdered on October 9, 1866 in Dos Palmas.
Legacy
Barry GoldwaterBarry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
called Ehrenberg "one of the greatest surveyors and map makers ever to visit the Western United States". Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is the United States' 15th oldest national park and is located in Arizona. Within the park lies the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, considered to be one of the Wonders of the World. The park covers of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties.Most...
includes a summit named Ehrenberg Peak, and the town of Mineral City, Arizona was renamed Ehrenberg
Ehrenberg, Arizona
Ehrenberg, also historically spelled "Ehrenburg" is a census-designated place in La Paz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,357 at the 2000 census. Ehrenberg is named for Herman Ehrenberg ....
after his death.
In 1877, Ehrenberg's friend Poston published an epic poem, Apache-Land describing Ehrenberg's life. Poston followed this with an article in the Arizona Weekly Star in 1880. In both, Poston claimed that Ehrenberg romanced Queen Pōmare IV
Pomare IV
Pōmare IV, Queen of Tahiti , more properly Aimata Pōmare IV Vahine-o-Punuateraitua , was the queen of Tahiti between 1827 and 1877...
of Tahiti in 1846 and 1847, leaving her to pursue further adventures. Poston also gave Ehrenberg a larger role in the Mexican-American War than evidence suggest he played. According to Crisp, "Poston was notoriously unreliable in the memoirs that he penned late in his long life".
Ehrenberg's book on the Texas Revolution was translated into English in 1925. Ten years later is was translated again and edited into a book for children named With Milam and Fannin: Adventures of a German Boy in Texas' Revolution. Crisp calls the book "the longest and most vivid eyewitness account of the revolt by a Texan soldier".