The Goodhue volunteer., 1864-01-06
Mi8re1lA1lepMs 3eafliua,
Affairs in Texas.

Affairs in Texas.
Tho success Of Gen. Banks in obtaining a
lootho'd at several important points along
the Texas Coast, makes US naturally eager
to obtain all the information we can in re-
gard to the present condition Of affairs in
the interior, and as to the extent Of the I'm
jlcn sentiment that Still! prevails. Consid
cred merely as military achievements, the
capture and occupation of a few seacast
towns amount to very little. The main
Importance Of such conqucsts depends on
the success We meet with in stimulating
Union sentiment in the State, in afford;nc
protection to refugees from rebel tyranny
and in securing recruits from the able bodied
white and black Unionists.
| We have lately seen somewhat detailed
and apparently authentic accounts of the
state Of affairs in Texas, furnished by ,elu
gees who have arrived in New York, which
may throw some light upon the situation
and enable US the better to judge Of the sor.
fof cooperation that Is lik ;ly to be extend
cd to Gen. Banks forces.
1t is estimated that there are now in
Texas and Western Louisiana any W here
from thirty to forty thousand organized reb
el troops. all under the general command Of
Lieut.. General Kirby Smith. Volunteering
having ceased for over a year past, nearly all
these troops are conscripts impressed into
the service. Every man within reach Of the
military agents has been impressed, who is
under fifty years Of age ard able to stand
under musket. That d larger force has
not been obtained from so sweeping a con-
scription is due to the fact that large por
ton Of the able boiled men Of Texas have
already periShed OF become disabled in the
rebel service.
The whole state is under a most rigid
military discipline, spy system having
been established which prevades almost CIV.
cry neighborhood in the State. and enables
the military authorities t. keep we'll advised
as to the movements Of union men. Larse
numbers of prominent Unicnists have been
hung on the reports OF these rebel spies.
Gen. Magruder is the commanding off
Ger in the Military Distric. Of Texas, and
has had his headquarters a: Houston Lie
has been very active iu putting the State
into condition Of defence, and before the
arrival OF Gen. Banks Expedition the
houston papers boasted that he was ready
TO repel any Invasion made by less than
fifty thousand men, statement which has
not been entirely borne out by subsequent
events. From a letter written ty Gen.
hasruder in detenes Of his "spy system and
OF his summary banishment and execution of
Union men, it seems evident that he has
the gravest anxiety even as to the sen.imen,
of his own soldiers-impressed men as most
of them are. A phrase is said to be in
common circulation in his Army to the e.
feet that "this is the rich mans war, and
the poor man fght,' which caused him so
much uneasiBess that he ordered his SOL
diers to hang on the spot any one who made
use Of it. This is the report Of the Texas
refugees, who say that the Generals mild
|order has never been executed, mainly be-
canse the forbidden phrase is vastly popular
among the soldiers. g. -
Although better supplied than any other
tot the rebellious States, Texas has for some
time been in state Of great destitu,ion ol
all kind Of manufactured goods. The con,
traband traffic BY way Of brownsville has
supplied bat small portion Of their needz
for the reason tha. it has to be carried on
lover grea. distances By And transpor.ation
and the danger of impressment by the mil
ltary authorities has tended 70 discourage
it.
The sioon.ie>t pictures are gIvsn Of The
interior towns and settlements. business
lmostly suspended. The stores shut up, th.
Ivomen and children let without their mi
Iurai projectors and supporters, tseling Q
Idiss1ast prevailing. ths mast rigid mil5tar!
desPssism perv.dlng every where, and : ssn