The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-06-20
Kirby Smiths Farewell Order-The
Texas Troops,

Texas Troops.
The following is Kirby Smiths fare
well order. 1t is rather di7erting. all
things considered. HIS Texas leqions,
it appears, dissolved before the pro
spective appearance Of Sheridan as
mists before the sun. So poor Kirby
was left a commander without an
army, a General without troops" and
came to the conclusion that it was dis
Greet to surrender instead of struggling
TO the last" Wise Kirbyl
"HEADoUARTERs RLNs-MissIgs1PPrl
D%zPAErEEsT, HoUsToN, Texas,
May so
"SoLDIERs-The day after | refused
the demand Of the Federal Government
for the surrender of this department, 1
left Shreveport for Houston, I ordered
the Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana
troops 10 follow. My purpose was TO
concentrate the entire strength of the
department, await negotiations, and, if
possible, secure terms alike honorable
TO soldiers and citizens. Failing in
this, intended to struggle to the last.
and, united in purpose, firm in resolve.
and batting for the right, / believed
that God would yet give US victory. 1
reached Houston to ..6nd the Texas
troops disbanned and Fastening to their
homes. They had forsaken their cols
ors, and their commanders had aban-
doned the for which we were
struggling, and appropriated public
property TO their personal use.
Soldiers, ! am left q commander
without an army, a General without
troops. You have made your choice
1t was unWise and unpstriotic, but I
pray you may not live 20 regret it. The
enemy will soon possess your country
and dictate his OWE terms. You have
voluntarily destroyed our organizations,
and thrown away all means of resist
anceP Your present duty is plain. Re
turn TO your families resume the occu-
pations of peace: yield obedience to
a laws, and try 70 restore order. Re
solve, both by counsel and example. TO
give security to life and property, and
may God in His mercy, direct you
aright and heal the wounds of our dis
tracted country.
az KIRBY SMITH, General"
The Houston Telegraph gives the fol-
account of the way the Texan
troops walked into the rebel ordnance
and quartermasters stores 1.-THE con
fused and disorderly division Of gov
erEment property among the soldiers
that has been going on for several weeks
through all our country, from Hemp
stead to Shreveport, commenced here
yesterday forenoon by the breaking into
Of the ordnance department and the
distributing Of sixshooters and
muskets among the men. From
thence the distribution proceeded to
the clothing bureau, where large
stores Of cloth, blankets, made-up cloth
ing, etc, were parceled out by the
regardless Of claim, merit, or
anything else, Bolts of domestic fan.
nels, etc, went of by armsful. The
soldiers took all they could carry, and,
having deposited it in a safe place, came
back to add 10 the pile. Some Joined
together, and, leaving one to guard the
Joint stock, the balance gave them
up to the work of adding to it.
The number of troops participating in
the affair must have reached two or
three thousand, besides quite a num-
Der of women children, negroes, and
men in citizens garb. They made a
clean sweep, taking every item Of gov
eminent property worth carrying away.
Private property wss for the most part,
not in every instance, respected We
did not hear of a single instance of
depreciation, and believe none was de-
by any OF the participants in
this affair"