, 1865-11-13
LETTER FROM SAN ANTONIO,
4 City OF 1he Ra1t-Thc Alamo and fts
AssoefatIons--Thc Government Canl-
etA-Anierican Citizens Of stGreasans -
Dercent-HorrlbleH HutcherIes By Ikeb-
elH-German OynltY, dc.

ttorTeepondeuce CT the Chicago Tribunal
SAN ANTONIO DE BEzAn, TEXAS,
| October II, 1855.
From this ancient and oddly pcoplcd town
| again address through you my friends at
| home. The past thirty years has swept over
it without removing any Of Its old landmarks,
/ or charging Its aspects, and the place exhibits
but few alterations or improvements which
old Kendall, at the time Of his Santa Fe OK.
pedftion, would not hare recognized as exist
ing in his day. This town had population
OF about 600 before the war broke out, and
has not Jet recovered from It's effects. The
river Of like name, as It crookedly winds
through It, and the irrtgattng waters derived
from the san Pedro Springs, arc tho rcma1ka-
bic features Of the place, and The gardens
bordering on the stream, and the green TOLL
ogo Of the trees bordering on Its banks, are
refreshing to the eye beneath that glare Of
the sun, reflected from the white walls of its
stone buildings These are mostly of one
story In lhcight, and nearly Of the same size
and shape, devoid Of oil taste and ornaments.
4 few American houses Of residence, and the
new, airy and well conducted 'tMenger Hotel,''
kept by an enteEprisiDg German of TINT name,
form pleasant relief and contrast to the mo-
notony displayed IN architecture The "Ala-
liz
ishcd, with It's outbuiilings forming small
square, was made the historical battle ground
| Of Crockett In the war for Independence OF the
Lone Star Republic, In 1887, and when he and
his comrades were forced to full back upon
tie church, which vas rootless, they were at
walls Of the building, Killed all but one Of the
devoted band; that one, O child iu arms, eYer
afterwards known Is the daughter Of the
Alamo, Is yet living, a woman 81 loose NOR
als, In the cfty Of Alatamoras. The Catholic
cathedral, more thau hundred years old,
and said to have been built during the relsu
OF Philip the Second Of Spnin, Is one Of tie
oddest looking, homlfest eaitices probably in
existence in our country. In no fully Ameri-
can land by that ! mem enterpFItng) COM
munity would such m eye-sore be permitted
to rctnain.
THE UNITED STATES cAslELs.
The Government ca1nels, the descendants Of
the herd imported some fifteen years ago from
Egypt, excite most the curiosity Of strangers.
They number about seventy, are Of nl1 sizes
and ages, some still unweaned. Only seven Of
tic original lot are ret a1fye.
VARIETIES OF AMERICAN CITIZENS.
As one hustles his way along the narrow
four feet sidewalks, wrctchedly tagged, one
wonders ut the various tongues spoken here,
and looks with surprise upon tie quaint hous-
lngs md trappfnGs which constitute the eques-
trian outfit ofthe Mexican cayal1ero, contem-
plating the wide-sprcading sombreroes, the
with ha1f hundred Of ptatcd buttons, the
monstrous spurs weighing each pound ayolr-
dupols one wonders whether these swarthy
individuals, Castilian, half fhreed or Indian, as
the case may be, are really American citizens,
and will be allowed to vote as e'hae citizens !
VIE gehts,nst How are you,s IBon Jour-
Buenos Dias,f and other sa1utatfons, &c,
fall upon your ear, aud many hearty greet
Ing Of old friends is witnessed. whom these
citizens returned from forced or voluntary
exile, across the Rio Grande, or from hospf- |
these .' renegades'' OF Il dcserters' as tie Con
iederatea styled them, had to leave homes,
wires and children under the cover Of night !; |
lection and reached the boundary river |
tempts failed, md many were way1aid
and cruelly hung OF shot BY these Southern |
blood-thtrsty hounds IN human shape. Those |
rae who now are daily returning, fe1ate tales Of
fortunate. Of their class. These murdered |
loyalIsts mostly belonged to ths German |
population Of Western Texas Lately one |
man returned, who collected the friends and
neighbors Of the missing men, and took them
to spot, near Fort Clark, where about |
twenty Of his comrades were bntchercd, aud /
from thence brought back the little there was
left Of their remains for decent burial-a few
bleached scnlls and scattered bones. Gen.
Merritt, then In command Of the troops here,
furnished two companies Of cavalry "a an es-
cort to the party, for, until onr forces occu-
pied the country, no one had daSed to ven
ture to the spot to discharge that Christian
duty, as for upwards Of two years the rebels
had Threatened death to any cne attempting
It, The remains Of twenty-three bodies we.s
found, and they were placed IN. one common
grave ut Comfort.
LorALTT oF THE GERMANS.
There are but few of the American born
citizens loyal at heart, comparatively speak-
ing. while nine-tenths II the Germnns are
and have been firm supporters OF the Federal
Government, but here, Us elsewhere though
out the whole South, the former a.e to be
met with on every side doing homage with
hp-serylcet with treason still h their hearts.
The 9TH Wisconsin cavalry, formerly the 4th
infantry, LEFT To-day for the Rio Graade, at
point opposite Csmargo. a. Fl. Z.
Visitor franz Japan-TeH Weeks In
the Country and Proposcs to Write a
Hook.
IFrcm the New York Journal Of Commerce. fat,E
The Japaneso Risaboro who came on q
special visit to this country 70 observe the
working Of our social aud political system,
p IL -tE NtYI nm