The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1862-05-24
From the Nsv Orleans Delta.
GEE LOWELL.


We publish letter from Gen. Lowell. which
presents . clear and satisfactory yindicat,on OF
his course IN the defense Of thia city, The stale.
ments Of Gen. Lowell, We believe ara fully sus.
tAlnsd by the ssck. In vindication Of ourselves
for the alasion 10 which The General takes exc~p-
tion, We beg 70 ~sy that he never was. in sbe con.
temptation ., tue writer. ii the reference n lack
OF energy aud cn'ne>tnews on the part of the
agents Of the Confederate Governments. We h.
liese, on thef eoutrary. that Gen. Lowell, N far
from being obnoyioas 10 the charge Of lack "
eAfnessnes, an3tneray. accomplished with the
scsoorccrplsrcd 81 his command, tersits VI Char.
aot~r which have excited general surprise and ad-
miratlon. There werc other parties who were IN
our view. In the aliasion IN which the General
takes exception. who did not prove equal To The
occasion.
We would further add that in the .evera, allu.
sions 70 the evacuation Of the city by Cen Lowell
VIC dosnot think il WA intended BY zny spb~r-
thinking person 10 convey any ccn.ure, or any
doubt A. 70 the propriety 81 Gen. Lov-ll's ron,
duct in Withdrawing his troops from the city after
our fosttAcatons had been forced BY the enemy.
ZEN vin only On sniantry force, Gen: Loseli r'
manned In the city after the tnemy'a feet had an.
chored In front Of the city. lie vas wiiias sad
ready 10 share the fate Of the city but u wM
evident that he WAS not only impotsnt for defence
but the enemy. with his command Of the river.
would hay" had Il In his power to reduce the city
TO starvation, BY cutting on all communication
with the Interior. Besides She continuation o
the troops 10 the city would have exposed Il u a
bombardmcnt In which the enemy would have
been justified by the laws Of war, = garrisoncd
town being always subject 10 such fate. II
Gen. Lowell had I've or ten times the infantry
force which he rcsi!y had. b. you'd not have made
any adequate defence against the enemy, pow
erfu fleet. His retirement was, therefore, not
only an act Of sound policy ard wisdom, but one
o, absolute ity for the salvation of the city
from the most terrible Disaster, tn well ~ for the
ri The M whirh Esp Iaven hna svad
to lead 10 Other fields. wher their va!of may le
made avAiisbis for the a.ntenanec aad defense
OF our cause
NV ORLEANS, April 70. lsc2.
To Judge Walker
DIAN ssx--ln the evening Delta, IN an article
headed Fallen but not Disgraccd,' this express
ION occurs The lack OF energy and earnest
ness on the part n the agents OF the Confederate
Government, &c,
This includes me In It's sweep, and think I'm
Justly. When | came here, bu, few shor,
months since ! found the State defcncecss its
ports blcrksded. and il young men gone - other
pats Of the Coniedcracy 10 the the army. VITA
out anything but what was created, every inlet
WAS pat In a position 10 offer protractcd and
gallant defeLse. Forts were armed powder and
munitions Of every description were made. and
gallant lAdy oT troops otgsnx-l and drilled.
Guns were cast and materials Of all kinds sN1em-
porixed by incessant labor and activity. The rive,
Of the forts was twice bridgcd by distractions
which would have resisted anything but the Tor.
mdablc rush Of the great Mississippi In ia swollen
wrath
Ny troops, At the call Of their country. rushed
" Cortnth, and the deeds OF the Louisiana rcgi.
menA on the 9Th and 7th Of April, indicated their
courage and their trsining. Our foundries were
beginning TO turn oct heavy guns OF the best quail
ity. and = newly erected arsenal furnished us with
various implements Of war. An this has been
done since October, besides preparing sixteen
scls for river defense. eight u which are nov de-.
faa mr. md iyht hay We lrsr ia.
stroyed IN the vain attempt 10 keep hack the enc
my's feet 81 war vessels below. This has been
done with no host Of generals and stat officers Of
experience 10 Assist. Almost alone, With but few
exceptions, have worked day and night for more
than i've months 10 defend this great city. The
responsibility OF It's fall il not due 20 any want of
energy or esrnc-tness " on my part In short
time more should have had guns enough, and
men enough to defend che numerous approaches
by that element on which the enemy Is ~ pGe-em-
nenily powerful and therefore beg that you
will do me the Justice n say 20 the people OF New
Orleans that | did all tina, enc man could do 10
preserve them from an nsnlenf and powerful foe
When their teets passed ali eur batteries, with
arew my Infantry forces beyond the city limits in
order 10 permit the people Of New Orleans 10 de
eide whether they would subject their wives, their
children and property TO bomblrdmcnt, in t6e
endcavor 10 maintain their freedom intact and
returned 10 the city 70 day to learn their decision
and u otfcr myself and my command 10 stsni by
them TO tbs last mcfncnt. in case they should d..
eide to Undergo a bombardment. I know that
there arr many gentlemen here who will bear me
witness that ali that is here set forth, and much
more, has bren done 10 avert this sad disaster. An
exAmi Of my letter and order books and
tclcEnphic dispatches. will show that no stone
has b~en l~fs uuturncd by me TO save New Orleans
from this humiliation and feel web convinced
that few short weeks would have rendered the
position impsegnAble All | AK il simple Justice
md nothing more. In concIr-:ru, will Add. that
terrible ~ the blow har been. am neither dis.
hesrsencd nor in despair THIS war Of indepen-
dcnce II not yet fought out Our ancestors strug
gied on against the massive power OF GysAt Brit
ain when Boston, New York. Philadelphia.
Charleston and Savannah were ell in posseseion
Of the enemy and gained their liberty.
II Ia moral and physical mpoasibillty that nc
can bc conquered. Let VA be true 10 ourselves
aud our cAase- never firing despsirng -bu. rising
ActeoaIik with renewed vigor from every fall
Ne shall yet be rewarded with success. Above
all. we should not crush down thu spiri, aud the
energies Of those who are naiAg oil the faculties.
mental and physical. that God has gives them, by
making light u their labor. bebause. with limited
means snd undrr adverse circumstances, they have
mot bees uscceasfal in resisting ut ali points a
great. wealthy. and powerful encmy, with alI the
appliances Of modern warfare, both military aud
naval 10 great abundance II his control W.
have never yet ~rcu rnch dark days "A thc~e which
eny sroned George Washington Il Valley Fosgc ;
and should zach le our lot, trust that the same
spirit will animate Us TO work out the same sue
ces.fal rrsu|ts
Respectfully your obt servant.
MAJ