Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1865-12-23

Tho Rel River Expedition.

border in the spring Of 1861, we
give below an account Of the kad
River expedition as detailed by l's
leader Gen. Banks, in speech re-
Gently delivered in Charle''owh'
Massachusetts;
Immediately upon the surrender
Of Port Hudson, Joined win ueh'
Grant in the recommendation 10
proceed against Mobiles but | was
informed by the General command
ing the army, that while the militia
~ reasons given iaf the expedition
against Mobile were appreciated ana
important, there were other reasons
than military why oar flag should
I've established in Texas; aud / was
instructed to move into that STATE
and re.cstablish the supremacy OF
the Government in that part OF the
country. The object Of my propo'
sition to move against Mobile was
to ret II t0othold at that point so rs
/, uni,e with Rpsocrans and Subsc-
onsntly Sherman, and thus bring
together in ono column the forces OF
the Gulf and tho forces oil Tcnncs-
seo against the army Of rebels IN
that part OF the country. But l
waved this under instructions from
the Government, and proceeded TO-
Texas.
The first movement in Texas was
against Sabine Pass, the expedition
consisting OF 5000 men and Il cor
responding naval force, under the
direction Of Gen. Franklin, an Oil
Ger of considerable roputc, who fail.
ed to effect landing and returned
to New Orleans, leaving the works
in possession Of the enemy, who
were not more than fifty strong, and
losing two gunboats in the cncoun-
ter. Immediately on the return OF
that expedition, sailed myself with
force of 5000 men to the RIO
Grandc. We effected Il landing ut
Brazos Santiago, and moving on
Brownsville drove the enemy from
that part of the country, and held
ituntil it was evacuated, under or
ders in the fall of that year. After
tho capture ofone or two more places
the enemy evacuated the country
aud left the whole coast from the
Rio Grande to the island Of Calves
ton in our hands. 1t was our pur-
pose to move inland and capture
Houston, and then fall back on Gal
weston, which we could have held
with q thousand men, in order to
assist Rosccrans, who was then APP
preaching Atlanta, by combining
our forces with his.
While we were engaged with these
operations, | notified the Govern
ment Of our success, and expressed
desire to have an increase of my
forces, for thirty days, Of five thous-
and men, with which number | was
confident Of success, for it would
have drawn the enemy from the in
terror to the coast, and left us at lib
ertv to move on Mobile. We were
operating by two lincs-by land and
ut sea--an advantage which was
certain to give us success flour plans
were not interrupted. | have had
the satisfaction Of having this view
coroboratcd by Il townsman Of minc
II Union man, who was in Texas at
that time, who said the Union men
there were in daily expectation OF
our movement, and it could hardly
have failed CT success. | was mott
fed, however, that there could bono
increase Of forces in that quarter,
but | was informed that could have
twenty-five thousand men to enter
upon an expedition to the Red River
and that it WAS also the opinion OF
the Western Generals that this was
the proper line Of military opera
tons.
This was the origin Of tho famous
or notorious Red River expedition.
1t was taking our army from the
Southern coast where we had GER
tainty of success, to drag it inland
SOC miles, into a country already
overrun by six armies, without food;
without any material that could be
applied to the support of our army,
and where we had to depend for
power to move our materials Of war
upon the waters Of one of the most
treacherous streams on the face OF
the earth. | surrendered my opin-
ions on the questions in obedience
to orders, as a soldier should do; but
| repeatedly protested against any
movement on the line of the Red
River, narrating, in detail the GER
tainty of failure. These protests
are embodied in the dispatches | sent
to the Government. 1t was my du-
ty to waive my opinion, follow the
suggestions of the Government,
did this without reluctance but with
regret. The day / left New Orleans
for the Red River was the darkest
day of my life, for / knew what the
rcsultwas to be. l had reasons foi
knowing that which l am not at lib
erty to state now, but which some
,:.,r ~. thu, I e1,lI bo,-o tho r,rix-i