New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-11-04

shallow bar at its month, is a narrow stream o.
uncertain navigation, and is easily Obstructed
by merely telling timber on its banks, which
would render it, as base of supplies, OF but
little use. And once at Shreveport the same
objections arise as to an advance from Northern
Texas. The land transportation from Shreve'
port to Austin would be too great, and the
route too long, and it would pass through the
heavily timbcred region of Eastern Texas, and
become prey to guerrilla attacks. And in
Eastern Texas the strongest Secession element
exists, and the Army would find but few friends
and many enemies, and these eneIoies would
oppose themselves to the advance and be be-
tween the advancing forces and the Union men
of Northern ard Western Texas, upon whom,
at last, the great work of reconstruction and
restoration must rest. For these reasons this
route was rejected.
Possible Route No. 2.-'TO make the P5cific
Ocean the base of supplies for a Texas cxpe-
dition would hardly have been thought Of by a
Texan, only from notices in Northern papers
that such an expedition was being fitted out in
California The route woulfbc healthy one
aud over good hard roads, and provisions could
be procured in the Nothern States Of Mexico to
supply the troops, but tho march would be too
long. Still, Austin could be reached in shorter
time and with the troops in better health and
condition, by this route than by the last route
referred to, which is:
Possible Rouf No. 3. This route fies over all
no fiat seacoast country Of Louisiana and
Texas, which is but few feet above the level
IF the sea, afording no drainage in case OF rain,
he result being, in such case, that the whole
country becomes great lake Of water Beside
his objection, by this routc every stream IN
Western Louisiana and Eastern Texas has to
lie crossed These streams flowing through a
iat country, spread out, when il rains, and are
omcimcs three or four miles wide, which would
e'iectually stop the progress OF an army until
hcJ run down. When the war first broke out,
III. Davis called for twenty companies of in
f.ntry from Texas. which were raised and sent
Is this route 10 Orleans. and the letters
o these men To their friends at homo de-
s0ibing the seas Of water through which they
had To wade waist deep, their camps at night in
tie mud and water, the impo'sibiity of cooking
tlnir ratons, the sickness caused by these hard
SHIPS, the annoyances from 0yergrown mus
kcocs and gallinippcrs, &c, &c, prevented
thereafter any troops from being sent The same
VIA. The Rebels sflerward sent some heavy
artillery. for the defense of Galveston, by this
10 t., and il took sis months to get this artillery
Access the country. corduroy road had TO be
built. aud sometimes hundred yoke Of oxen
wee hitched Ia one gun to drag il over these
roads And this was only from Bcrwick's Bay
10 BEAUMONT on the Sabine, where they were
put III boats. and then on the railroad from
beaumont tn Houston. This fact alone tells
what the route is. II p true that If the dry
.easn should be chosen. the roads would be
han and level. but at this season Of the year
dry weather cannot be expected. In fact that
rcgbn Of country, ~ 10 weather. is something
! lketAe negro's opinion of white men. VERY I'M
sar1in" The population OF W estcrn Louisiana and
Southeast Texas is very Sparse, and affords no
suppliss for an army except little beef. The
occupslon Of /, therefore Is Of no political OF
miliiGry importance. To reach Houston. the
railroad center Of Texas, by this route the three
wors, riyers in Texas have to BE- crossed. the
Sabine, The Ncchcs and the Trinity besides in
numcrabn Tributaries There is another ohjcc-
ton 10 IBIS route. In certain portions Of 1t, If
person gets out Of the beaten road he immedi-
atcly bogs down. II Is a common saying Of
such place that "thcy would bog blanket"
Military operations in this county. should il
rain. would .cscmbh, march through Holland
Nth the dykes broken down.