HEROIC DEEDS OF HEROIC MEN.

BY JOHN S. C. ABBOTT.

XIII.-TEXAS LOST AND WON. Magnitude of Texas.-Its Secession.-Treason of General Twiggs.-The Capture at Leon.-Bombardment at Galveston.-The Royal Yacht.-The Massacre at Johnston's Creek.-Testimony of Dr. Douai.-Capture of Corpus Christi.-Sabine Pass.-Expeditions up the Calcasieu and the Mermenton.-The Surrender of Galveston.Recovery by the Rebels.-Slaughter upon the Wharf.Fate of the Westfield. The Alabama.-The Conscription.-Disaster at Sabine Pass.-Aransas Pass.-Evacu

ation of Brownsville.-Surrender of Kirby Smith.

THE State of Texas is
Empire of France.

larger than the whole The greatest length of France is 664 miles; its greatest breadth 620 miles. Its total area, according to official tables published by the French Government, is 199,946 square miles. Texas, in extreme length, is 800 miles; its extreme breadth is 750 miles. Its area is 237,504 square miles. It has been said that the whole island of Great Britain could be laid down upon the State of Texas, leaving a border all around sixty miles broad.

nearly two million of dollars. All the United States soldiers, 2500 in number, were taken prisoners, stripped of their arms, and only released on parole not to serve against the Confederate States until exchanged.

In response to this action of General Twiggs the Secretary of War, J. Holt, on the 1st of March, issued the following order, which was countersigned by Samuel Cooper, AdjutantGeneral of the United States. This was the last order issued by Cooper, who directly after entered the Confederate service as AdjutantGeneral:

"By the direction of the President of the United States* it is ordered that Brigadier-General David E. Twiggs be and is hereby dismissed from the army of the United States for his treachery to the flag of his country, in having surrendered, on the 18th of February, 1861, on the demand of the authorities of Texas, the military posts and other property of the United States in his Department and under his charge."

In reply to this a letter appeared in the Charleston Courier of May 18, over the signature of General Twiggs, addressed to James Buchanan, then ex-President, in which the writer says:

"Your usurped right to dismiss me from the army might be acquiesced in, but you had no right to brand me as a traitor. This was personal, and I shall treat it as most assuredly pay a visit to Lancaster for the sole pursuch not through the papers, but in person. I shall pose of a personal interview with you. So, Sir, prepare yourself. I am well assured that public opinion will

This majestic domain was received into the American Union on the 27th of December, 1845. Its admission involved the United States in a costly and bloody war with Mexico, and the payment of ten millions of dollars in five per cent. bonds. Its population in 1860 amounted to 601,039, of whom 180,682 were slaves. Of this white population we may suppose that one in five were adult males, making 84,069. Of these probably one-half, including their pa-sanction any course I may take with you." triotic Governor, Samuel Houston, were friend- The rebel convention in Charleston, a few ly to the Union. Thus less than fifty thousand settlers in Texas-the majority of them men of no property, no intelligence, and no consideration-had the effrontery to attempt to wrest from a nation of thirty millions of people territory equal to the whole Empire of France, and for which territory the Government had paid ten millions of dollars, and had conducted a sanguinary war at an expense which can not well be estimated.

weeks after, passed a formal vote approving the conduct of General Twiggs in resigning his commission and turning over the public property under his control to the enemies of the flag he had sworn to defend.

The traitor General was, in May, by the rebel authorities, placed in command of the Military Department of Louisiana, and also received the reward of the appointment of MajorGeneral in the Confederate army.

There was in Texas, at the time of General Twiggs's treason, a force of United States troops consisting of about 2500 men. They were or

On the 1st of February, 1861, a packed convention, which represented scarcely one-half of the counties in the State, assembled at Austin, and passed an ordinance, with seven dis-ganized in thirty-seven companies. Of these senting votes, declaring

"That Texas is a separate sovereign State, and that her citizens and people are absolved from all allegiance

to the United States or the Government thereof."

Immediately upon this General David E. Twiggs, an officer in the United States army, who was in military command in Texas, joined the Secessionists, and voluntarily surrendered to them all the United States property which had been intrusted to his care. This consisted of thirteen forts, fifteen thousand stand of arms, eighty pieces of ordnance, fifty-five thousand dollars in specie, about twelve hundred horses, with mules, wagons, tents, provisions, ammunitions of war, to the estimated value of

twenty-two were infantry, five artillery, and ten cavalry. These troops were mainly employed to protect the country from the invasion of savages. They were consequently very considerably dispersed over the wide territory. Twenty of these companies were on the Rio Grande. The remainder were stationed at various forts quite widely scattered.

As these patriot troops could neither be persuaded nor compelled to follow their General into the camp of the enemy many of them were permitted to return to the North. Some detachments were taken prisoners and released upon parole. They were, however, allowed to

* James Buchanan.

wide and lovely realm, with its exuberant soil Lieutenant Bliss, a young officer of the Unitand genial clime, and which civilization and law had scarcely yet penetrated, had become the favorite resort of all the ruffians of this and of other lands. This was so eminently the case that Texas had long been popularly called "The Paradise of Rascals."

ed States Army, distinguished for his bravery, mounted his horse and rode along the line of the rebel troops. As his eye glanced over their serried ranks the exultation of the foe burst forth in repeated cheers. He returned to his commander with the sad announcement that resistance would be utterly unavailing. Col

The victorious rebels, greatly elated with their achievement, marched back to their camp, which they reached about three o'clock in the afternoon. At five o'clock Colonel Reeve arrived with his command. They pitched their tents on the spot designated for them, and stacked their arms. The next morning they were marched though San Antonio to a camp at San Pedro Springs, about two miles beyond.

From such a community it was not difficult to collect a numerous band eager for any reck-onel Reeve was thus compelled to surrender less adventure. Horses abounded, for the al- his whole command unconditionally as prisonmost limitless prairies were covered with wild ers of war, and to give his word of honor that herds luxuriating in the fattest pastures. A he would report himself, with his men, at the large portion of the rebel band was mounted. rebel camp at Leon that evening at six o'clock. The spectacle they presented is described by those who witnessed it as picturesque in the extreme. From the savages around these semisavage men had acquired a taste for barbaric splendor. Many of the horses were festooned with gay trappings. There was every variety of dress and arms. Banners fluttered in the breeze. Music was loud and exultant; for these men knew full well that they were not marching to stern battle and wounds and death, but to the easy capture of a small band of gallant men whom they five times outnumbered. The horses pawed and neighed. Polished armor gleamed in the rays of the cloudless sun. And young rebel officers proudly sped over the field on their mettled chargers. The poor fools thought that it was merely boys' play to wage war against the Government of the United States. A few months awoke them terribly to the consciousness of their error. Ere the war terminated nearly every one of those deluded men bit the dust.

In that hot climate at that season of the year it was necessary, on the march, to avoid as much as possible the full blaze of the sun. On Thursday morning, May the 8th, at two o'clock, Colonel Reeve broke camp, and having reached a ridge of land near St. Lucas Springs, halted his command, barricaded the road with his wagons, and taking possession of a stone-house and some fences, posted his troops to await the expected assault. He did not then know how overpowering the force he was to encounter.

Soon two rebel officers appeared with a flag of truce, demanding an unconditional surrender of the United States troops as prisoners of

war.

Five minutes were allowed to give answer to the demand. Colonel Reeve must have been greatly perplexed. He might, after the surrender, find that he had yielded to a force which he was capable of resisting. By refusing to surrender he might expose his men to indiscriminate massacre from an infuriated force of relentless marauders. He, however, gallantly declined acceding to the terms unless he were permitted to send an officer to see whether the number of troops opposed to him was so large as to render it his duty to throw down his arms rather than expose his men to slaughter. Van Dorn consented, saying:

"You shall have an opportunity to see my troops. And the more you see of them the less you will like it."

As Governor Houston had refused to give his support to the traitorous measures which the rebels had so fiercely commenced, a popular Convention had voted him expelled from the gubernatorial chair, and had placed the Executive power in the hands of a more pliant man, Lieutenant-Governor Clark. On the 18th of June Clark issued a proclamation declaring it to be treason for any inhabitant of Texas to hold any communication with the people of the North, and announcing:

"That it will also be treasonable for any citizen of Texas to pay any debts now owing by him to a citizen or citi zens of either of said States or Territories, or to contract with them any new debts or obligations during the continuance of said war."

All Northern citizens were ordered to leave Texas within ten days. Thus easily was this majestic realm apparently wrested from the United States, and passed over to a band of rebels who insanely engaged in the endeavor to subvert all free institutions upon the continent of North America.

The early exigencies of the war were such that but little attention could be devoted to the remote State of Texas. As soon as possible, however, a small naval force was sent to blockade the harbor of Galveston, her principal port of entry. Galveston was the most populous and commercial city of Texas. It is situated on a small island, at the mouth of Galveston Bay, about 450 miles southwest from New Orleans. This island, about thirty miles long. and half a mile wide, separates the bay from the often tumultuous waves of the Gulf of Mexico. A railroad bridge, three-fourths of a mile in length, runs across the shallow water of a portion of the bay to the main land. The population of the city was about 7000. It was composed mainly of adventurers who were seeking their fortunes in those remote realms. The great majority of them eagerly espoused the cause of the rebellion. At the eastern end of the island, at a spot called Bolivar Point,

they erected batteries sufficiently powerful to command the bay against the entrance of any naval force we could then send there.

It does not appear that the inhabitants of Galveston deserved any special consideration. The Galveston News says:

"During the firing the city rang with the shouts of the people from the roofs and balconies at every discharge from the batteries, and even the ladies participated in the enthusiasm of the excitement, manifesting the utmost anxiety to see our shot strike the steamer and sink her."

Our vessels, however, so effectually blockaded the port that the commerce of the little, bustling, traitorous city was utterly destroyed. Our British cousins could not creep in with their supplies of arms and powder; and no cotton could leave to add to the resources of rebeldom in foreign lands. For a few weeks no occurrence of importance took place. The frowning batteries rendered it impossible for the vessels to enter the bay. And the vessels, keeping watch and ward outside of the bar, rendered ingress or egress alike impossible. Therely replied: had been a tacit understanding that there should be no wanton firing which would merely endanger individuals.

The British and Hanoverian Consuls, residing in the city, had the effrontery to remonstrate against our ships returning the fire of the batteries, assuming that it was the bombardment of the city without giving the customary notice. To this Captain Alden indignant

"We were no sooner within range of their guns than they opened their fire, when we, after exchanging a few shots, retired, preferring that it should appear that we the result shows, so many unoffending citizens must necwere beaten off rather than continue a contest where, as essarily suffer. In conclusion, let me add, that no one can regret the injury done to unoffending citizens more than I do. Still I find no complaints of my acts of the 3d instant coming from the military or civil authorities of Galveston. And, with due deference to your considera

the first time I have ever heard that the women and children and unarmed citizens of an American town were under the protection of foreign Consuls,"

Early in the morning of the 3d of August, 1861, the gun-boat Dart, in its cautious cruisings, came within range of one of the shore-batteries. The rebel commander took deliberate sight of her with one of his heaviest guns. Α slight puff of smoke rose above the breast-tion and humanity, I must respectfully remark that it is work; there was a thundering report, which swept over the ocean, and a shot came booming along which, though aimed directly at the steamer, fortunately did not strike her. The challenge thus given was promptly accepted. In an instant a puff of smoke was seen issuing from the bows of the steamer as she moved slowly onward, and a shell, with return compliments, was hurtled screaming through the air.

On the night of the 7th of November of this year there took place in these waters one of the most daring adventures of the war. The rebels had an armed schooner in the bay, the Royal Yacht, which was acting as a guard at the entrance of the harbor. She was armed For some time this interchange of shots with a 32-pounder, and had a crew of about was continued, though with great deliberation. twenty-five men. Some distance farther up As the rebel batteries were in the rear of the the bay, moored to a wharf, under the guns town and close to it, our gun-boats could not of Pelican Island Fort, there was a rebel manopen fire upon those batteries without endan-of-war steamer, the General Rusk, which cargering the inhabitants by every shot they should ried four guns and a large crew. throw. Captain James Alden had on this account humanely abstained from provoking a contest. He was therefore much surprised at the temerity of the rebel commander, Colonel Moore, in commencing an attack, when he could not but know that the return fire would inevitably reach the women and children in the streets of Galveston. After this exchange of shots for some time, the Dart withdrew and reported facts to Captain Alden in the South Carolina.

Curious to know whether the rebels, under these circumstances, were insane enough to provoke a fight, a larger force was got under way about 5 o'clock in the evening, and stood in for the batteries. As soon as the steamers were within range of the shore-guns the rebels again opened fire. Captain Alden sent back a few return shots, and then with extraordinary humanity withdrew, as he knew that both shot and shell would endanger the helpless people in the town. But twelve or fourteen shots were exchanged. Fragments of shells and one 32-pound ball entered the city. One shell fell among a group of men who were on an eminence watching the conflict. It cut one man in two, and slightly wounded two or three others.

On the 7th, Lieutenant James E. Jouett went aloft, and, after a careful survey of the harbor, proposed to Captain Eagle, of the United States frigate Santee, that he should take two launches and a volunteer crew, and in the night, with muffled oars, row by the guard-schooner and cut out the General Rusk.

"I will not," said he, "attempt the General Rusk unless I can surprise her. If I am discovered by the schooner I will abandon my design upon the steamer and fall back and take the schooner. It would be madness to attempt the steamer if discovered."

Volunteer crews, of twenty men for each launch, were soon found. Lieutenant Jouett was in command. Lieutenant John G. Mitchell took charge of the second launch. The crews were dressed in blue frocks with white cap-covers, that they might recognize each other in the dark. Each man had his specific duty assigned him. Loaded shells, port fires, fire-balls, and slow matches, were all got ready. Immediately after dark the launches were hoisted out, and the guns placed in them with ten charges of shrapnell and ten of canister. Every man was armed with a cutlass and a Colt's | revolver. At just half past eleven the crew