Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-04-14


back door Of the rebels by means of the
occupation Of the Rio Grande frontier, by
the Postmaster-G General Of the United
States, the Honorable Montgomery Blair.
That gentleman, whose education at West
Point and whose service in the Florida
war qualified him to judge as TO military
matters, urged that, as there were both
men and surplus Government arms in Cal
ifOrnis, where they were not wanted, they
should be sent by land, via El Paso; that
the troops should occupy the posts on tie
Rio Grande, and meet the further supplies
that might have to be sent them at some
point on the Gulf Mr.. Blair's views met
with the approval of the President and the
entire Cabinet, and the expedition was de-
termined upon. General Stoneman, an
officer peculiarly qualified from his known
activity ard his practical knowledge of the
topography of the country, was designated
to command it. Still, q short time there
after, it was countermanded by the then
Secretary of War, Mr.. Cameron, who gave
no reasons for his action. However, the
cause that impelled him to do so has since
leaked out. 1t appears that he wished
some extraordinary course to be pursued
in regard to the contracts and transporta-
ton. This was proposed to General Stone
man, and he, to his honor be it said, prompt
ly declined to countenance or permit.it. In
consequence the expedition was broken up.
The failure of the first contemplated ex-
pedition to Texas is due solely to Mr.. Sec
retary Cameron.
General Buffers active mind seems to
have not long after led him, or an in
dependent investigation, to the conclusion
originally arrived at by Mr.. Blair. Ae-
cordingly, he prepared and presented q
memorial asking, for reasons therein set
forth, to be sent with a sufficient force to
occupy the Rio Grande frontier, with the
two-fOld object in view of ridding Texas
from the thrsldom of JEFF Davis tyranny,
and acting as an army Of observation on
the movements Of the allies in Mexico.
His request was granted, and he was sent
with portion Of his force TO the place of
rendezvous selected, Ship Island. The
subsequent attack on Forts St. Phillip and
Jackson, which ended in their reduction
and capture Of New Orleans, rendered it
necessary to retain the nearest available
land force, which happened to be General
Buffers, in Louisians.
This explains the failure of the second
Texas expedition.
Still later, Colonel Hamilton came on
from Texas, and, backed by the National
War Committee, again pressed the relief
Of Texas upon the attention Of the Pres
ident and his Cabinet. What each mem
ber of the Cabinet said in reply is set
forth in Report No. Of the War Com
mittee. Suffice it to say, that Colonel
Hamilton was appointed Military Governor
of Texas, with the rank of Brigadier Gen
eral, and was directed to report to Gener-
al Banks. Why General Banks delayed
setting out for near a month, (detaining
his feet Of transports chartered at high
rates. and unit e received a very peint-
ed letter from - lesident, and one of
the Assistant Secretaries of War was sent
to New York to hasten him, the writer of
this article is not prepared TO say. Ger
tain it is, that General Banks was not ap-
pointed Secretary of War, that he order
ed Governor Hamilton and staff on board,
and at last sailed, and, after useless and
expensive stoppage at ship Island, brought
up at New Orleans and relieved General
Butler by presenting him an order to that
effect, and announced that Texas was add
ed TO the Department of the Gulf What
brilliant feats of arms he may have since
performed it is not within the
purview of this article to set forth
Nor is it necessary to discuss how far his
appointment was satisfactory 10 NJ Mer-
cier. As the fact that General Butler was
relieved and General Banks was on his
way to supersede him was known all
through seeessis, and was ascertained
by General Butler through his spies in
Louisiana before it was known to the
officers and soldiers on the transports on
the way to New Orleans, it seems not i'm
probable that the Secretary of State had
not only agreed with NJ Mercier that the
change should be made and had informed
him Of the destination and object Of the
Banks expedition" but that NJ. Mercier
had communicated it to the French consul
at Richmond, through whom it reached the
rebels. Thus the third attempt at the re-
lief Of Texas seems to have been frustrated
by means Of carrying out of what is now
commonly known as the Selcqrd policy.
From the foregoing statement one thing
is clear: that, as the occupation of the Rio
Grande frontier has been three times deter
mined upon By the government, there is no
necessity now to discuss the propriety Of
that measure. Such being the case, when
we know that large rebel mails continually
pass out and back through that region
that arms and supplies go into Texas and
cotton is exported; and that by the very
latest sdvices there are one hundred and
tVeHty vessels (including three steamships)
lying off the mouth Of the Rio Grande,
landing goods that the rebels need, and
freighting with cotton obtained indirectly
from the rebel government, the inquiry
naturally arises, how long will our Igov-
ernment suffer this state of affairs to con-
tinue2
The occupation Of the Mississippi river,
which is several hundred miles off, will
not cut off the rebel mails or the contra
band trade en- the Rio Grsnde. In case
the Mississippi were occupied, those mails
could be shipped across it at night at un-
guarded points, and many supplies also.
In the meantime the rebel forces west Of the
Mississippi could continue to receive all
that they want, and could fight our soldiers
with arms and ammunition obtained
through the back door so obligingly left
open for them. That this IS the case is
the more notifying when it is borne in
mind that there are over two thousand 10y
al Texans on the Mexican side of the Rio
Grande, who ask only for arms and sup
plies to rescue their homes and retrieve the
honor Of their country.
Important Information TO Soldiers Claim
ing BOunties.
The following letter contains some i'm