The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-05
GEN. BANKS DEPARTMENT,
THE TEXAS EXPEDITION,

THE TEXAS EXPEDITION.
ABANDONMENT OF THE TECHE
COUNTRY.
NEW ORLEANS, January 16, 1854.
Correspondence Of the World.
We have nothing later from Texas.
The steamer Alabama left here on last
Wednesday with few troops, but no
heavy reinforcements, thus practically
giving the denial to current rumors of
disaster. 1t is most likely that the force
at Matagorda Bay is doing precisely as
does that which at Brownsville very pru-
IDENTIFY abstains from any further advance.
If the heavy rains which have visited
this region have prevailed further west,
and we have the word of the captain of
the Alabama that they have, any effort to
penetrate into Texas now would bring
certain destruction upon the force which
should undertake it.
The troops at Lavacca and Indianola
are probably we'll protected against the
rains in the houses of those formerly
prosperous embryo cities, as it is not the
custom of the troops, l believe, to allow
themselves to suffer when there a;e shell
tiers to be had Union men and secesh
fare alike in such cases such it seems is
the experience of the Tennessee Unienists,
and such is that Of those of Louisiana. 1t
will be fortunate for those of Texas, where
fuel is so scarce, and in old times was
often carried from New Orleans to Lavacca,
if their tenements do not disappear alto
gether.
That very distinguished gentleman, the
military governor of Texas, is still here,
carrying on very active campaign against
his old enemy. His address to the people
of Texas remains in the Era as a standing
official advertisement of a full page, and
receives, together with its patriotic author.
occasional frst-rate notices from that dis
interestedly loyal sheet. How soon the
Governor expects to draw on the treasury
to pay for this very indirect mode of reach
ing his people, as we'll as the expenses of
his campaign, do not know; nor am l
certain as to which treasury will be called
upon to receipt the bill. 1t win certainly
have tendency to further depreciate the
currency, if his ammunition has to be all
paid for out of the United States treasury.
General Washburn, who was left by
Gen. Banks in chief command in Texas,
has returned here and Gen. Heron has
gone to the Rio Grande; and Dana to In
dianola Whether this means action or
inaction time will determine. l am sure
they will be quite indisposed to remain
w for
says of his camping ground, which is a
fair sample Of all the region on Matagorda
Bay, "It is the very b rren end of sand
peninsula There is not stick of timber
in sight, nor mouthful of forage on the
face of the country. The water is very
brackish and very bad. Sand, salt water,
the winds and the elements alone abound !"
THE ABANDONMENT OF THE TECHE COUNTRY.
The region known as Attakapas, lying
beyond Berwick's bay, has at last been
abandoned by the federal forces-a few
Outposts only, as rear-guard, being near
Franklin, which are to be withdrawn as
soon as Notifications are thrown up at
Brasher City. this side of Berw;ck's bay,
which is to remain the western limit for
the winter of federal possession in South
ern Louisiana. Alas! for the unhappy
Union men who welcomed the stars and
stripes when thu federrl army first enter
ed the highly cultivated, luxuriously adorn-
ed, rich and lovely valley of the Teche, to
leave itnow desolate and ruined
Numbers of these men are here now,
refugees in truth. The speculator has
snatched up their cups at ruinously low
prices the army has helped themselves
to everything on their plantations; their
mules are in government service; the ne
groes have eaten up their provisions end
refuse to work for them any longer, even
for pay their fences have been burned !;
the freezing weather has killed their future
prospects for sugar their lands are grow
ing up in briers and bushes; their car
riages and furniture, their jewelry and
clothing have gone away to serve rs me-
mentOes of the war; and they have
nothing lett but their principles, which,
not being radical enough to admit them
to the Union associations in this city,
leave them out in the cold, avoided by
secessio9ists, ard hated by those place
holders whose loyalty, which dates with
Federal ascendency, has never cost any,
thing, but has, on the contrary, made
them wealthy. Whatever it may have
been elsewhere, here in Louisiana and
along the Mississippi the original Union
sentiment came from the planters, from
the slaveholding interest. Whenever the
Federal army in its advance has met with
welcome, it has been from this class of
men with what recompense let the fate
of the Bakers, the Palfreys and others
like them demonstrate. Union men and
secessionists seem alike destined to ban
ishment 1t is enough that men are at
tached to the soil it is the transient alone
who are now held to be citizens.