Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-05-10
NUMBER 27l.
AonrcrIrunAI cArAclrY OF rrxAs.

acres will be worked to the utmost degree
of productiveness. What that will be can
be readily seen. b., ,..rgssre,
: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF TEXAS.
In 1860 there were raised in Texas one
million four hundred and sixty bushels of
wheat, sixteen million five hundred thou
sand bushels of corn, and four hundred
thousand bales, or one hundred and sixty
million pounds, of cotton. Much of the
cotton lands were last year, and still more of
them this year will be, devoted to raising
grain and cattle. Last year the grain crop
of Texas amounted to three million bushels
of wheat and twenty million bushels Of
corn. This year 1t is estimated that the
yield will be, fully four million bushels Of
wheat and thirty million bushels of corn.
IMMENSE TERRITORIAL AREA OF TEXAS.
1t will be remembered in this connection
that the area of Texas, 237, 900 square miles,
is equal in extent to the area occupied by
she nine States Of Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.
No wonder the rebels think it is an empire
worth striving for.
HOW GENERAL MAGRUDER RAISED TEN THOU
SAND YOUNG TEXAN VOLUNTEERS.
/ alluded above to some new regiments
that had recently been formed in Texas. 1t
is said that these are composed entirely of
volunteers, and mostly of young men who
have recently reached the military age. The
basis of the organizations were home guards,
which were formed as long as two years
ago. But when General Magruder was sent
to his present command in Texas he found
that these companies of home guards (for
they had not a regimental organization at
that time) contained more youths, boys of
from fifteen to seventeen. than old men. He
,n1 1agfrs. Co -. III.
some regiments composed entirely of young
men, and he encouraged, by every means
in his power, the young men to come for
ward and join these associations. The stir
ring appeals which he made were not with
out effect; and the result is that there is now
In Texas a volunteer force Of ten thousand
men, organized into regiments, well armed,
and in tolerable State of discipline. These
new regiments have never yet been In ac-
tive service, but it is proposed by Gen. Ma
gruder to have them at once brigaded with
the veteran troops and incorporated with
the rebel army west of the Mississippi, in
order that they can take part in the cam
paign of this summer. This will raise the
number of troops in Lieutenant General
Kirby Smiths Department to forty-seven
thousand men. .e
WHERE DID THEY GET THEIR ARMS? -f
should have mentioned that of the arms
supplied to these newly raised Texas regi-
ments, none came from the east of the Mis-
sissippi. Indeed, when the organization Of
the Home Guards began. they had 10 arms
except few old and unserviceable flint
lock muskets. The whole ten thousand
men are now armed with new muskets of
European manufacture. These muskets
were sent to Texas by the Confederate
agents in England, and they reached CAL
weston and Velasco in three cargoes, in ves-
sells that ran the blockade. The last cargo,
containing four thousand muskets, arrived
at Velasco only about two months ago, and
the vessel came very near being captured.
She was attacked by the blockading fleet off ,
Galveston, but escaped under fog, and ran
into Velasco. There, however, she ran
ashore on sand bank, and would have been Z
captured had it not been for th3rebel bat n
teries on shore, which beat off her assail-
ants till she got atloat again. She finally
ran into port in triumph, and discharged
her valuable freight safely.
OBJECTS OF THE SUMMER CAMPAIGN IN
TEXAS. rla4 'H
The objects which the Confederates hope d
to accomplish by this summer campaign In \.
Texas are partly indicated above. The y,
needs of their large armies now in the field
require more grain and provisions, more
cattle and meat, and more horses than they
can conveniently get east of the Mississippi.
They do not positively depend on the pro :,
ductions of Texas They could get along
without them. But If they can secure them
in the manner above indicated-if they eau
make the teeming productions of this i'm
mense State available, it will give them an
advantage in the campaigns of 1864. the eff
fects of which in their favor will be almost
incalcuable. fss -1--.l' s-
COMMERCE BETWEEN THE SOUTH AND MEX u
u
But the Confederate leaders have another
and deeper object in view in this Texas
one which relates to Mexico, l. "
and which touches their relations with HC
France. The commerce between Texas and /. 71
Mexico, or rather between the Confederacy
and Mexico, has never been abandoned
during the war. Considerable quantities
OF cotton have been sent through Texas,
across the Rio Grande into Mexico, and
European goods to large amount have
been sent back i'm the same way. But the
route was long. tedious, and expensive .---q v
Now that MaXimilan is about TO ascend I'd
The throne, with his dominions extending. ,,-
TO the Rio Grande, the rebel leaders see the
advantage they would derive from having
'he undisputed control of that river, down lc
20 its very mouth. s,a rs ,ffs5sf fisfa
THE FRENCH EMPERoR's CoMPLICITY WITH -
THIS SCHEME.
1t is believed at Richmond by those who i.
,ught to know that a secret treaty, or M, ~
of some kind equivalent to n G 4
reaty, has been negotiated at Paris between >.
he Emperor Napoleon and Mr., Slidell, on ,or7
he basis indicated in my letter Of April l6.
The South will require to have possession
# Brownsville and the mouth Of the Rio boa
irande In order to carry this treaty. into or
nll effect; and II seems that their plans arc ,sa,
J! lad with that end in view. win we be- =,
pie TO Daffie those plansp Or win the Ad- ~
ninistration look tamely on, and see the 9gs
faternization of France and the rebels ssa
cross the Rio GrandeP 81, y.