The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-27


Legal Refugees - Position and
Strength OF msgruder's Army.
New ORLEANS, Feb. IL, 1864
The news received in this city by the
steamer Crescent, which arrived last
night bringing mails from Brownsville,
Texas, and from Pass CavallO, is inter
esting, though not exciting. At the points
occupied by our troops on the Texas
coast all is quiet and dull. A party
consisting of nine loyal Texsns arrived
in Brownsville 3 day or two before the
sailing of the Crescent, direct from San
Antonio, which place they left on the
night of the Esd ult. 0ae of the party,
. very intelligent gentleman, who has
heretofore occupied 3 high social and
political position in Texas, was sent here
by Gen. Heron to communicate directly
to Gen. Banks, bis information touching
the state of affairs in the Lone Star
State. I have seen and eOnversed with
him. He says that Gen. MagTudeF's ar
my, amounting to about twenty thousand
men, is eneamped in aud around Hous-
ton. At least One-half of il is well
armed with Enfield rifles and Mimic
muskets. The remainder is cavalry,
and is armed promiscaOusly with shot
guns, ssbres, sporting rifles, csrbines and
pistols, aad such other weapons as had
been picked up through the country.
Magruder was poorly supplied with field
artillery, and his siege guns are princi-
pally in position ct Galveston. TIE loss
OF artillery sustained BY him st Ssluria
has been seriously felt. The smmuni-
ton for this army has been supplied
through Mexico, aud in small quantities
from the east side of the Mississippi,
the crossings having been Effected above
Natchez without much difficulty. Sup
plies of articles of prime necessity are
easily procured in the neighbOrhOod Of
Houston, that being one Of the earliest
settled and richest portions of tho State,
with good crops last year.
The measures adopted By the rebel
authorities, State and Confederate, have
been very effective in swelling the ranks
Of the armies of MagTuder and Kirby
Smith. Nearly every male citizen Of the
State is now either connected with some
military organization, or is refugee in
Mexico, the mountains, or elsewhere.
Exempts are no longer exempt, and Moth
ing bat fight, or absolute and utter
physical ineapacity to handle . gun, will
save . man CT boy from becoming food
for powder in the rebel ranks. Ii will
be remembered that Tom Reynolds of
Missouri and other fugitive and peri
patetic Governors, met the Governor Of
Texas, for council, some time last Fall.
An address 10 the people Of the South
West and Trans Mississippi States was,
then and there connected, in which it
was mysteriously limited that very
vigorous and very effective measures for
involving in the ruin of the war the
entire population without the lines Of
Federal occupation had been agreed
upon. at the time il was doubted
whether anything more than q set of
buncombe resolutions had been passed.
lis now evident, however, that the
measures alluded to consisted in the
formation Of ; well-Organizsd set Of Sc
cret societies, distributed throughout the
country, and controlled and managed by
the most mslevOlent spirits. II is or
ganizsd terrorism. The individual Whe
fails to exhibit . prescribed amount Of
zeal in the rebel cause is st once put
down on what is styled ''the roll of in
fanny" and thsncsforth his life, bis lib
erty, and s&nctity Of his home are in the
hands Of - gracsless . set Of seamps -
ever cut = throat. Prosecutions the most
dire and relentless soon drive him into
the army, or to hiding places. By such
machinery Is . show Of strength kept up.
Espionage being RteVery door, and sus-
pieiOn in every heart. Union men have
but little chance to confer with and en-
courage one another, and hence all es-
timAtes Of the extent Of the disafectiOn
10 tbs rebel cause, and Of Uaionism, are
bat guesses based upon reflection - 70
the natural effect Of certain causes.
Still my informant thinks that not more
than one-half, and perhaps not one
third, of the citizens Of the State Of
Texas are reslly and sincerely DESTROYS
Of the success Of the rebellion. He is
quite certain that the advance OF our
armies into the interior vii give sn oc-
casion for the development Of an amount
of loyal sentiments which viii astonish
both sides
The diffusion Of correct information
a. to the actual state OF the war, the
condition and straits Of the totteEing
ConfedeEacy, and IS TO other matters OF
public interest, will do much toward
changing the minds Of many who, long
celaded, are just awaking from dreams
Of an independent and prosperous Con-
fedsracy. Correct information Is nov
nnsttainabie. To promulgste is 70 in
vits death In ita most a5horrent form.
A copy of Con. Hamilton's eloquent sd-
dress to lis felIoR-citizsns. found upon
tks body Of . man, would be . warrant
for his Instant execution IN almost any |
part Of the State. To inSinuats ; doubt
IS to the truth Of stories Of miraeulous
rsbsl successes in the field, Is an overt
ast Of high treason, and would Be pan
fshed Gs such.
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