New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-08-23
Letter from Texas.

Special to the New Orleans Crescentl
AUSTIN, TEXAS Aug. 10, 1861.
Ed. C'cSceu-O Owing to the blockade at Calves
ton, and there being no other open route for the
transmission of mail matter, we are constantly in
the dark and behnd-hand out here as to the pro-
gress of events in these fast moving times. What
mail We receive is given us by accident rather than
by system Or Order but we do not complain, be-
cause we know the difficulties under which the
mail arm Of the Government labors and are in full
sympathy with it. 1t is hoped and expected that
before long we will be in communication with our
brethren of the States, and with them rejoice and
with them weep, according to the result of our
battles. We are a hopeful people out here. We
expect largely for instance, we have no doubt
but that in each and every general engagement
our brave boys will gain q signal victory, even
unto the end of this most unprovoked and uniusti-
fable upon the rights and liberties of the glori
Gus South
While we wait and wait, impatiently, for news
from the East, we cannot, and will not, stand still,
looking idly on, when our brothers are in the
thickest of the fight. Our own brave Texas boys
have gone over six hundred miles to meet and
chastise the insoent foe. Yes, and noby did they
do their duty in keeping with the efforts of our
brave countrymen in the Old Dominion.
Col Baylor, with some three hundred raw Texas
boys, met between four and five hundred of the
insolent and mendacious blue-belles beyond I'll
PaSO, and, with yell aud q shout, charged the
fleeing foe, killing thirtythree and capturing the
remainder, together with all their AIMS, camp
eGupage, ordnance, stores, and munitions; and
that too, without losing q man. God is with US,
sir, and under His Divine protection, With His ap-
proving smile, we cannot and will not tail in our
efforts to maintain our liberties.
Col. Baylor has been one of our noted Ranging
Captains, whose bravery and skill are unques-
toned, and whose military efforts end in success
ut all times.
While we bravely met the enemy on our far
western frontier, and took him n,' we have not
been idle on our Gulf coast. The foe with lelb.
crate insult, has remained "oh" and "on' Calves
| ton, cruising in and out until death and dcstruc
! ton were preferable to his quiet and homelike
| movements, We.had doubted the power of oul
| guns in battery, and were fearful that he c0ulG
shot and shell us, and at the same time remain out
| of harms way; but as brave death is nubel
| than COwardy existence, our stout men, with 6
| noble daring, assumed the responsibility, anG
| when the enemy again came in range, our cannon
| gave invitation to a trial of strength. No grea
! damage was done on either side, after fourteen
| shots from our batteries and sixteen shots from
! the enemy had been fired. The result of the figh
| only demonstrated what was kn0WP before: tht
| cOwardice and brutality of the enemy. Instead o
standing and fighting like men, they threw the
shells far over the batteries and sought to murder
women and children, and that, too, without giving
any notice of their bastard designs. But, thanks
be to God, their shell were Intellectual to do harm
save in one instance, when thrown into body o
spectators, some five hundred yards from the bat
| teTies; one man, spectator, was killed, and
| boy or two wounded.
The result of the fight was, one of our people
! killed and two wounded, while the blockadint
| steamer caught one ball amidships at the water
edge and another in the stern.
| We have learned one thug, and that Is, that thu
! enemy cannot burn Galveston without gettn!
burnt himself, So we are satisfied. AL We wan