New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-06-16
"THE TEXAS MYSTERY" EXPLAINED.

To tie Editor Of The n. y. Tribune
SIR: In your article headed "The Texas Mystery"
published in THr TRIBUNE of the 4th, you have done
the army in Texas great injustice, and believing that
your only desire get at the truth will venture to
offer you some facts, which have little doubt will en-
trely remove all the "mystery" that envelopes the
! case.
You enumerate with sufficient accuracy the number
and character of the troops and the posts they occu
pied They such troops as are found N all the
depots no better and no worse, and their outht IN
arms, &c. was like those of all other troops Their
supply of provisions would last till June, they had no
TRANSPORTATION to with and their ammtrnton was
very limited. You say this army surrendered in Feb
ruary to the enemies Of the United States Let me de-
! tail the facts:
Early in Winter, when there was a prospect that
Texas wOuld secede, il was announced by staff
officer in high position at Washington that 10 that
event. all the troops would be Withdrawn from Texas
thus preparing the troops for thn movement and II 10
believed that subsequently order to that effect was
Issued.
In the month of January, Gen. Twiggs issued cir
cuar to commanders OF forts TO hold Themselves IN
readiness TO march 30 coon as he received Instructions
from Washington.
As preparatory TO this movement, on the 9th Of
February he ordered commission of officer to meet
Texan Commissioners TO decide ON what terms the
public property should be turned over 10 Texas After
two or three days, the Texan Commissioners received
notice that Gen. TwggS had been ordered % turn over
bis command TO Col. Waite, and believing THAT the
Colonel would put stop to these proceedings II IN his
power they called in q thousand to twelve hundred
men who had been held in readiness for this purpose
not the rabble you describe, but embracing large
number of the most influential men in the conntry-to
seize upon the public stores IN San Aniotio
The commissary stores were at one place, The ord
nance at another and the Quarternaster stores at
another quarter Of mile from the other two, and
the guard FOR thete stores company and half,
or 100 On the day before this occurrence an,ci-
psting IT, the commander OF tins small force asked Cen
Twpgs under what circumstances he should nse bail
cartridges in defense of the property and was told tha
thew should not be used under any circumstances.
The General said he would not be the hrrt 70 shed
blood
This was the policy that had been pursued By the
Government up TO this time, and who wilI now say
that there would have been shadow OF lustihcation
for any subordinate officer TO have stepped ionh ana
,aid lido not approve Of this policy; look upon it
a. traitorous to the oouDtry and take It upon myse
10 RESET the commanding general. In matter u
mutny every man acts for himseh and IA responsible
for himself alone, and the person who orlg1natesa
muny undertakes il BY LsnleE for bis official sathor
ty can not lie brought IN TO help him. what foily
therefore to suppose that in this case such muiiny
was practicable or lubtaAble.
The Texan tsoOpe, aided by several companies or
oanized in San Antonio and armed by Twig1, entered
Tie town at night and took possession OF the store
houses and mule herds, which Were come distance
from town. Our troops were under arms III the time
but were only permitted 10 resist III case IN attempt
was made to take their There was no occasion
for the Texans steal in under cover OF the nsht TO
do this thing, for they knew very WEB Gen. Twiggs
had said repeatedly that " If an old woman with
broom on her shoulder were 10 come and demand the
property in tie name Of Texas be would give IL 10
her,
After breakfast at the instance Of the commanding
officer the companies went into camp mile from the
town with khe understanding that when they left the
State they would go by the coast. They took with
them an their and company property and had not
surrendered nor been asked 10 surrender.
~. al, oil fha IN q
State h into the hands of the Texans, except the cav
alry hosses and their equipments The transportation
at the different posts OF little consequence, and II
WAS only by the OF that seized ~ San Antonio that
the garrison able 10 reach the coast the anmuni-
ton except at Fort Brown, only what was mecca
sary TO meet immediate wants. and the provisions We're
| ltsle more than enough TO serve br the march.
After two days discussion it was agreed that the
troops shoud leave Texas by way Of the coast leaving
| behind them on embarking the cavalry horses and
equipments, and the camp equiPage.
steamer had already been ordered from New York
TO take some artillery and infantry ION the mo
| Grande TO Florida.
II was during this time tina. the order for Col Waite
to take command arrived; but the Commissioners,
who had been notified Of its coming, Did not Wish Is
obeyed they endeavored TO intercept the VINO
was carrying it 10 Camp Verde, and II wat only after
five days that of the messengers reached the post
| distance Of sixty.hve miles
Col Waite obeyed the order at once, and was 81
San Antonio the next day at noon, managing TO escape
those who were the lookout for him, oy taking
by-road.
He found the convention, under which the troops
were TO leave Texas, sIgned; and, admitting that he
could have looked INTO tie future far enough TO see the
mighty change in public sentiment which War effected
by the attack on For Sumter, and could have known
how much would have been expected 81 h,m, let uf
see what be could have done.
He could have said look upon this thing rs trait
orous act on the part Of my predecessor denouncc II
as base and iriquitons aud will not be bound by IT,
The officers about him were his only support, for
there was not soldier In the town, had be any
means Of ordering troops from any other posts, or
giving them instruction Of any Kind ar no express
could leave, except by consent OF the Texas CON-
niissioners- $3.50
carry out the agreement they would put him and his
officers in prison. The transportation beng all IN tneir
hands, they would be able 10 pick up his garrsons IN
detail when they would all be diarned, and only re-
leased IA prisoners Of Ii at any post the troops
found themselves in position to refst the best they
could bore for would be 10 demand permission 10 leave
the country with their arms, the only thing which was
stipulated for in the Convention. Why, then, waste
lives and time TO gain nothing Under the Convention,
some 20 OF q companies eft Texas and arc now hight,
ing under the Stars and Stripes at the head OF your
armies and the Union does not furnish more loyal or
Gallant soldiers. Seven other companies, little over
800 men. would now be with them but for the unfor-
tunate absence of the United States steamer Mohawk,
which should have protected their embsrkation. They
were forwarded in two small schooner IN helpless
| condition and captured.
Seven other companies, about three hundred men,
were captured recently their way from Fort Bliss,
hundred Texans composed Of artillery, mounted men,
and infantry Three Of these companies entered Texas
| after the signing Of the Convention, under orders
which gave The commander discretion, and which,
but for the violation OF the Convention by the rebel
authorities which he couldpd have anticipated, wouid