Augustus Sanders Goynes Survived Civil War to Be Killed by Kinsman
By Margaret Frances Goynes Olson
Editorial Boardmember
303 E. Hoffman Avenue Kingsville, Texas, 78363
E-mail: molson@interconnect.net
My grandfather, Augustus Sanders Goynes led an almost charmed life during the Civil War. He survived six major bat-tles in the Army of Northern Virginia, only to be killed after he returned to Texas by his brother-in-law!
Augustus Sanders Goynes, son of Wiley Williamson Goynes and Martha Brister Goynes, was born June 30, 1840 at DeKalb, Mississippi in Kemper County. He, an unmarried farmer, was enlisted at age 18 in Company B, First Louisiana [Nelligan’s] Infantry Regiment in New Orleans August 2, 1861. His 24-year-old brother, James B. Goynes accompanied him in enlisting.
The First Louisiana, after a short training period, was rushed to Virginia and placed under the command of Gen. Robert Edward Lee. Although the Confederate Army of Virginia was con-fronted by superior forces, Gen. Lee, the brilliant tactician who was graduated first in his class at West Point, won battle after battle. His troops were fairly successful in the battles of Winchester, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania.
The desperate Union Army was taken over January 1, 1863 by Gen. Joseph “Fighting Joe” Hooker, like Lee, a graduate of West Point and a veteran of the Mexican War. He trained, reinforced and equipped his forces for three months and announced that he then had the “finest army on the planet.” He commanded the largest army–132,000 strong–that was formed during the entire Civil War.
Over-confident, he set out to destroy the 62,000 men of Lee’s command. It was in the skirmishes that preceded the Battle of Chancellorsville which began April 27, 1863 that Augustus Sanders Goynes was wounded. The Louisiana soldier was transported to a Staunton, Virginia hospital located on the Staunton Military Academy campus. His military record states that he was in the hospital in April 1863.
Gen. Lee, by May 3, 1863, had pushed Hooker back to a new battle line five miles in his rear. In subsequent fighting, Hooker himself was injured by Confederate artillery fire in the Battle of Chancellorsville. Gen. Stonewall Jackson joined in the battle and destroyed an entire Union army corps. On May 5, Hooker gave up his positions and retreated to his starting point.
The Staunton Military Academy was established on the banks of the Shenandoah River in 1860 as the war clouds began to appear over Virginia. Fortunately the hospital was isolated about a hundred miles west of the battle corridor that lay between the two capitals. Augustus Sanders Goynes enjoyed the tranquility of Staunton in a well-deserved rest during his recuperation.
When his wounds healed, he rejoined the First Louisiana and completed the war without injury. Most of the battles between Lee and a succession of Union generals were on the 110-mile road which connected the two capitals, Washington and Richmond. It took the Federal Army four years to traverse the span between the two.
The First Louisiana, still under Gen. Lee, was surrendered and paroled at Appommattox Courthouse April 10, 1865. On being discharged, he returned to his home in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. Subsequently members of his family removed to South Texas, and Augustus Sanders Goynes accompanied them. He was married February 16, 1874 to Ellen Elizabeth McMurray in Live Oak County, Texas. She was born October 6, 1853 in San Patricio County, Texas.
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Augustus Sanders Goynes, Continued
She was the youngest child of William McMurray [b1796] and Bridget Fox McMurray [b1813].
Augustus Sanders Goyne received a quarter section of land un-der the terms of his father’s will written August 1, 1875, ac-cording to Live Oak County Will Book 1:
“Second, I will and bequeath to my beloved son Augus-tus Sanders Goynes my homestead, being one hundred and sixty acres of land situated in Live Oak County in the State of Texas and a part of the Bridget Fadden League, subject however to the life estate of my wife Martha, and it is my will that this bequest shall not take effect until her decease.”
They were enumerated in the 1880 census of Live Oak County, Enumeration District 101, page 9, Precinct 1 on June 3, 1880.
“Goynes, Aug S. 40, born in Mississippi, farmer
Ellen 25, born in Texas, keeping house
Margaret 5, born in Texas, daughter
Dott 3, born in Texas, daughter
Violia 1, born in Texas, daughter”
Bad blood had arisen between him and his brother-in-law, Fran-cis “Frank” McMurray and Augustus decided to move away. The McMurray family had taken Augustus’ twin son, William Goynes out in cold weather to have him baptized, and the infant, four days old, died following the ceremony. He was buried in Goynes Cemetery at Goynes Junction, Texas, just off IH37. Shortly afterward, Augustus Sanders Goynes sold his land in Live Oak County and headed for the Big Bend Country, a new frontier in West Texas.
In 1883 they lived in Presidio County, Texas on the Mexican border where he was elected to the county school board. In 1884 he was ranching in the Sierra Diablo Mountains of El Paso County, [later Hudspeth County, formed in 1917] near Van Horn, Texas.
Francis “Frank” McMurray followed Augustus and bought land adjoining the Goynes ranch, near Allamore, Texas. McMurray hired surveyors to locate the boundaries of his land.
The surveyors concluded that a waterwell that Augustus had drilled and developed lay a few feet inside the McMurray line. Water was a scarce commodity in the Big Bend Country. Neither men nor cattle could inhabit the area without a source of the precious water. When McMurray began to build a barbed-wire fence to deny the watertank to the Goynes cattle, a dispute arose, and the kinsmen reached for their guns. Augustus Sanders Goynes was shot and killed near Allamore June 30, 1892 on his 52nd birthday by his brother-in-law who was faster on the draw. He was buried in the Van Horn Cemetery on the edge of town.
Francis “Frank” McMurray was charged only with second de-gree murder because both men were drawing their guns; “Frank” was faster. His sister, Ellen Elizabeth McMurray Goynes was left a widow with 10 children to raise. She moved back to Live Oak County to be near her family. She died at George West, Texas January 6, 1926, according to Sue Nance of Three Rivers, Texas, a descendant. She was buried in Gussettville Cemetery.
Children born to Augustus Sanders Goynes and Ellen Elizabeth McMurray Goynes include:
Margaret Ellen Goynes born December 10, 1874
Dorothy “Dot” Goynes [twin] born November 8, 1877
William Goynes [twin] born November 8, 1877
Viola A. Goynes born May 7, 1879
Peter Reagan “Pete” Goynes born April 16, 1881
William Earl Goynes born May 9, 1883
Daniel Goynes born August 14, 1884
Nellie L. Goynes born November 6, 1887
Nettie Maude Goynes born November 11, 1889
John Lee Goynes born June 24, 1891
Augustus Sanders Goynes – Continued . . .
In 1883 they lived in Presidio County, Texas on the Mexican border where he was elected to the county school board. In 1884 he was ranching in the Sierra Diablo Mountains of El Paso County, [later Hudspeth County, formed in 1917] near Van Horn, Texas. Francis “Frank” McMurray followed Augustus and bought land adjoining the Goynes ranch, near Allamore, Texas. McMurray hired surveyors to locate the boundaries of his land.
The surveyors concluded that a waterwell that Augustus had drilled and developed lay a few feet inside the McMurray line. Water was a scarce commodity in the Big Bend Country. Nei-ther men nor cattle could inhabit the area without a source of the precious water. When McMurray began to build a barbed-wire fence to deny the watertank to the Goynes cattle, a dispute arose, and the kinsmen reached for their guns. Augustus Sanders Goynes was shot and killed near Allamore June 30, 1892 on his 52nd birthday by his brother-in-law who was faster on the draw. He was buried in the Van Horn Cemetery on the edge of town.
Francis “Frank” McMurray was charged only with second de-gree murder because both men were drawing their guns; “Frank” was faster. His sister, Ellen Elizabeth McMurray Goynes was left a widow with 10 children to raise. She moved back to Live Oak County to be near her family. She died at George West, Texas January 6, 1926, according to Sue Nance of Three Rivers, Texas, a descendant. She was buried in Gussettville Cemetery.
Children born to Augustus Sanders Goynes and Ellen Elizabeth McMurray Goynes include:
Margaret Ellen Goynes born December 10, 1874
Dorothy “Dot” Goynes [twin] born November 8, 1877
William Goynes [twin] born November 8, 1877
Viola A. Goynes born May 7, 1879
Peter Reagan “Pete” Goynes born April 16, 1881
William Earl Goynes born May 9, 1883
Daniel Goynes born August 14, 1884
Nellie L. Goynes born November 6, 1887
Nettie Maude Goynes born November 11, 1889
John Lee Goynes born June 24, 1891
Augustus Sanders Goynes, Continued
She was the youngest child of William McMurray [b1796] and Bridget Fox McMurray [b1813].
Augustus Sanders Goyne received a quarter section of land under the terms of his father’s will written August 1, 1875, ac-cording to Live Oak County Will Book 1:
“Second, I will and bequeath to my beloved son Augustus Sanders Goynes my homestead, being one hundred and sixty acres of land situated in Live Oak County in the State of Texas and a part of the Bridget Fadden League, subject however to the life estate of my wife Martha, and it is my will that this bequest shall not take effect until her decease.”
They were enumerated in the 1880 census of Live Oak County, Enumeration District 101, page 9, Precinct 1 on June 3, 1880.
“Goynes, Aug S. 40, born in Mississippi, farmer
Ellen 25, born in Texas, keeping house
Margaret 5, born in Texas, daughter
Dott 3, born in Texas, daughter
Violia 1, born in Texas, daughter”
Bad blood had arisen between him and his brother-in-law, Francis “Frank” McMurray and Augustus decided to move away. The McMurray family had taken Augustus’ twin son, William Goynes out in cold weather to have him baptized, and the infant, four days old, died following the ceremony. He was buried in Goynes Cemetery at Goynes Junction, Texas, just off IH37. Shortly afterward, Augustus Sanders Goynes sold his land in Live Oak County and headed for the Big Bend Country, a new frontier in West Texas.
Augustus Sanders Goynes – Continued . . .
hundred miles west of the battle corridor that lay between the two capitals. Augustus Sanders Goynes enjoyed the tranquility of Staunton in a well-deserved rest.
When his wounds healed, he rejoined the First Louisiana and completed the war without injury. Most of the battles between Lee and a succession of Union generals were on the 110-mile road which connected the two capitals, Washington and Rich-mond. It took the Federal Army four years to traverse the span between the two.
The First Louisiana, still under Gen. Lee, was surrendered and paroled at Appommattox Courthouse April 10, 1865. On being discharged, he returned to his home in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. Subsequently members of his family removed to South Texas, and Augustus Sanders Goynes accompanied them. He was married February 16, 1874 to Ellen Elizabeth McMurray in Live Oak County, Texas. She was born October 6, 1853 in San Patricio County, Texas.
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Goyen Family Tree 