LIFE AND MEMOIRS OF EMIL FREDERICK WURZBACH TO WHICH IS APPENDED SOME PAPERS OF JOHN MEUSEBACH.

San Antonio: Artes Graficas for the Yanaguana Society, 1937. 39pp. Index. Maroon cloth, title in black ink on the front cover. First edition, limited to 500 copies. Very good copy (no dust jacket issued). Wurzbach was born in Germany and emigrated with his parents to Texas in 1844. He and his family moved to Fredericksburg in 1846 shortly after it was founded on May 8, 1846, by John O. Meusebach. Wurzbach recounts his childhood experiences, encounters with Indians, and gives descriptions of early San Antonio. As an adult, he started hauling freight from Corpus to Brownsville. He describes his life as a freighter including numerous encounters with Indians and a variety of interesting characters. In 1854 Wurzbach joined Captain Pat Rogers Ranger Company pursuing hostile Indians and in 1857 was in Utah with Albert Sidney Johnston during the Mormon War. In February 1862, Wurzbach enlisted in the Confederate Army as a member of Duncan’s Company in the 28th Regiment, Texas Mounted Volunteers. Shortly after the battle of Ft. Dora Bayou, he became ill and, after losing his vision, was sent home. Wurzbach would suffer with vision loss until 1870 when he regained his sight. In all, a very interesting, colorful account. The second part of the book reprints letters to and from John O. Meusebach.