In the tumultuous times of the mid-1800s, one of the men from Comal County who stood out, for his dedication to his community, bravery, and ability was Gustav V. Hoffmann. He was born on November 10, 1817, in Hohm, bei Marien Werder, in the area of Stuhm , Prussia. He served in the Prussian Cavalry as an officer and later graduated from Koenigsberg University.

In 1844, he immigrated to Texas as one of the first settlers in New Braunfels, Republic of Texas. He was a farmer and he was active in his church, the Reverend Ervendberg’s German Protestant Church as member # 166. His home was on the corner of Mill and Academy Streets. In 1847 he was elected the first Mayor of New Braunfels.

As the war broke out, Hoffmann organized the first company of soldiers from this area, and trained them on the banks of the San Marcos River. His military training and bearing were much needed at that time and after an inspection by Confederate Brig. General Earl Van Dorn and interim Texas Governor Edward Clark, Hoffmann’s company was commended for “their excellent discipline” as noted in the Zeitung on July 12, 1861. He later became Colonel of the 7th Texas Cavalry of the 1st Cavalry Brigade in Green’s Division. He and his men fought bravely at the battles of Valverde and Glorieta Pass during Sibley’s disastrous 1862 New Mexico campaign. They later fought at Galveston and Louisiana during the Federals’ attempt to capture Shreveport.

After the war, Hoffmann returned to New Braunfels and in 1872, he was elected a Representative to the thirteenth state legislature. He later moved to San Antonio and died on March 10, 1889, and he is buried at the Comal Cemetery in New Braunfels, near where the SCV Camp that honors his name, meets today. Two of his collateral descendants have been members of this camp, William Hoffmann and Mike Henning, who passed away in 2010.