Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-03-29
THE REVOLUTION IN TEXAS.
Gen. Twiggs' Place i'm History-Hoyv he
Surrcndered the Arsenal at San Anto-
nio--The Feeling Among the People.

GALVESTON, March 2, 1S61.-Per-
ceiving from Northern papers that there
is such misapprehension concerning the
occurrences which have lately trans
pired at San Antonio, deem it my
! duty to give you full and correct
statement of them, having been an eye
witness of them all. .
/ When, in November last, the sol dis
ant Gen. Buckley, by an army order
published in all the Southern papers,
made San Antonio his headquarters, it
was at first thought to be move toward
an invasion of Mexico by the X. G.. C's.
| In December, after the call for Con-
vention had been published, it was
generally whispered about that this or
ganization intended to take forcible nos
session of the arsenal, and Gen. Twiggs
was duly informed of the rumors by
substantial Union men. Almost sim
ultaneously, local papers from the North
| west reported that Capt. Bavlar, who is
more widely than flvo1ably known, was
meditating descent upon San Antonio
with l 900 men, whom he was collecting
under the pretense of undertaking a
great buffalo hunt. The letter of Gov.
Houston, which has been so widely
published, referred to this matter. In
consequence thereof and of reiterated
remonstrances made to Gen. Twiggs by
Union men, he ordered about 700 troops
to the protection of the arsenal. Soon
after rumors of the intended assault
ceased to be circulated, and the Union
men, who are in great majority in
Western Texas, rejoiced in the belief
that they could not have the beloved
old flag torn from them. During
January, one company after another
left San Antonio, and the citizens,
startled by the movement, found little
consolation in the fact that Gen. Twiggs
was almost daily comforting with three
prominent Secessionists. Still the sus-
picion that he could turn traitor was
generally smothered-simple fools as
the people were!-by the thoughts that
he must feel that his name in history
was at stake. Meanwhile, about the
end of January, the Legislature met in
extra session, and the Convention as
sembled. The members Of the latter
had been elected by minority of the
people, as is we'll known, The Union men
abstaining from voting. 1t was an cleo
ton which put to shame the celebrated
elections in Kansas. In San Antonio,
for instance, careteros from chihuahua
each voted three times.
Soon after the Convention had ad-
journed, it was given out that it had
left at Austin secret Safety Com
mittee, with full power to do every
thing to rush the State into secession,
and that this Committee had appointed
Commissioners to come to some agree
ment with Gen. Twiggs concerning the
surrender of the arsenal, forts and ali
Federal property. Soon this rumor be-
came certainty. The names of the
Commissioners were we'll known, as was
the fact that they were actually in con-
sultation with sOld Oriziba." The
citizens at once became so excited that
| the city authorities were forced to ap-
| ply to the General for arms. After
they had been granted to them, they
were also given to the K. G. C's and to
the Alamo Rifles, company Of several
years standing. Four citizen com
pauies, French and an Irish Company
were then formed, altogether numbering 2
about 700 men,
OF the Generals treachery there was
now no doubt left, and his conduct
combined with the rumor that fillibus-
ters were organizing in the eastern coun-
ties by order of the Safety Committe, >
excited the people to the highest degree
Gen. Twiggs was again approached by
Union men, but in vain. The majority
of staff officers were privately applied
to; they could do nothing, or they pre-
tended not to believe the reports, and
some had more important business or
hand, such as riding about all day on
horseba ok with young ladies'.
On the 18th of February, stage
driver and passengers reported having
seen an armed mob encamped on the
Salado Greek, only six miles from town
and soon some of the passengers were
known as officers of the invading army
1t remained on the Salado, partly from
fear of the armed citizens, partly and
chiefly because the Generals arrange.
ments for the surrender were not perfect
There were too many troops in town
and too few outside of 1.-THE position
which the armed citizens would assume
was not clearly defned-in short, the
invaders had to be strengthened, the
soldiers demoralized, and the citizens
won over While all hands were busily
engaged in this nefarious task, the ar.
rival of the Generals dismissal from the
service, on Friday, the 18th, caused 8
stir among the traitors. Prompt action
was required. One company of troops
which had hurried down from Fort
Mason SO rapidly as to kill 40 mules on
the way, was ordered to encamp foul
miles from town. The invaders received
orders to start at once.
The X. G. C.'s, the Alamo Rifles
and the Irish were at once ready
to join in the raid. The French
company didn't care whether the
United States forces or those Of the
Lone Star came out ahead Two com.
panies of citizens disbanded, one was
willing to assist, provided the arsena
should be handed over to them, poor
simpletons!-one company, ali Germans
except four, refused distinctly to act
against the United States.
1t was memorable night, that of the
17th 18th of February. All the citizens
were armed; the women and children
were in the greatest fear. AT foul
o'clock the invaders rode into the town
bearing innumerable Secession flags
First, the stars and stripes upon the
old Alamo were torn down by the Cap
tain of the Irish company, the chic.
clerk of Assistant Quartermaster Rey
nolds, and the Lone Star flag wa:
hoisted. How the Irish yelled! Ther
the arsenal was Surrendered Il ua,