The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1861-12-14
COAST DErENcE.--THy EVACUATION OF GAL
vfsTos.

Amer all that has becn aid and written about
the anticipated herosu, expected TO be display
I ed IN care Galveston was attacked h. naval
force AMI the months Of PREPARATION allowed Tor
the defence Of the place the people Of the int
rior will be astonlshci TO learn that d has been
abandoned and ia, to-day. TO al. intcuis and pur-
I poses. deserted city. Yet such is the fact
I The Houston Telegraph Of the 2nd inst, states
that Galveston has been eaeuated, and the
movable property public and private. was be-
ing removed to Houston. lion. ". T Iliu
arrived a, home iew days ago. from whom
We obtained substantial he following facts;
On ,h8 Z6ih ult a council Of var Wa held
at Galveston at which b WAS determined that
il was impossible TO defaud the city successfully.
The largest guns at thc 6rtf,at.or. upoa the
Island were 32-pouuders smoothe bofes having
a range not exceeding two miles while the enc
NY. guns were II the largest eulibre shooting
with accuracy three or four miles. To await an
attack wa simply to invite the surrender or de
s,ructi9u Of oar troops ard the city. without
the power Of inaieiiug injury upon ihe ssseil'
ants II was thought best, therefore, under all
the circumstance. to eyaouate Galveston, aud
20 occupy a position ir the rear Of The city, SO
as TO fepel any advance Of The Federal troops
after they bad landed IN Consequence Of this
determination an order was issued for the RENE
val of all the hospital patients rom oalycstoa
90 llea-'aa rheh uas aceomp shed immc'ii.
stely. All the public and private property was
being rapidly removed to Houston when Judge
llll len Galveston. The proprietor Of The
Meas had rented a house in Houston, aud an
uounced that hi- teSt issue would be- printed IN
that city. aud all the other newspaper cs'ab-
lishmcnls, IT IS supposed have dole the same
thing The guns have been rem owed ron the
different lort.hca,iou- sud the troops have lalIeu
bark 10 the terminus OF the railroad bridge on
the island, aud a stiI larger force stationed at
Virginia Point on the main land
Il seems that Gen Hcbert has been notified
Of a contemplated attack bni Is not adv 'ed as
to the point that r1ay be- fr-t asaiitd Tbs
enemy, Instead Of landing at Galveston, may
select some Other spo,. and enda'or by Il
circuitous route, to take possession Of the rail
road. In order to prevent surprises. AVID 70 re-
isl any attack tina, may be made measures
have been adopted to wats the first approaches
OF the enemy. aud to send Is news rapidly to
The interior SO ~ 10 concentrate "a large force
without delay Ndettos have been stationed
a. "a I Il
run 10 cvefy direction, 50 " to herald the first
approaches Of the feet Troops have been sta
tioucd at Houston aud other points to await or
dcrs and to be transported by railroad without
a momcnts delay, 10 any point where they NAV
be required
[ It would be imprudent 10 us TO state the
amount Of Confederate forces al galveston and
at the accessible poInt- in the interior II Is
sufliceu, 10 sag that Gen. lIebert has issued
an order for thirty companies more and that II
( the enemy glItct u landing. al thc available
force ia the State with such arms as each ind
yidual Gun procure. will be required IN every
county The militia should meet aud drill mud
every man That cau possibly go, ought to he
ready to start wiihoui a single hour delay
/ While ge believe that the evacuation OF Cab
weston under the circumstances. may have been
a military necessity some one, it se'lis 10 us. il
ocnsuruble oF that necessity. The questions
naturally arise, why has Galveston not been
placed, long since in a state of defence why
have Qualifications not been erected u th, rear
of the city It those in front were incapable If
resisting the enemy Certainly If the cyacu-
alton Of the city is military necessity, as
seems now apparent It ought Go have been fore
seen month. ago and ample provision mudc for
defence without couicmT latlug retreat from
the island the possession Of which is o.! the ut
most Importance to Us at this time aud which.
II surrendered, may do us great injury.
Galveston island is about thirty miles long,
extending cnst and west and from mile to a
mile aud half wide The distance from the
Island across the bay, by the railroad bridge, to
the main land is within fraction Of two miles.
With a sufficient number OF guns Of hong range,
the city could have been easily defended Guns
were stationed at the east ,nd Of the island at
Bolivar Point. aud Pelican Spit island com
m,nding the bay The city is situated on The
bay, mile or a mile and half from the Gulf
thus giving our guns the advantage of that dis
lance in range Thus we are justified in the
belief that the secessity which has driven Oh
the inhabitants Of the island city before nn cnc-
my IA even in sight is a blaud.r ;or which there
is seemingly no excuse or paiation. The nat.
ural inquiry is, who is to blame?