Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-02-02

! me euIlOE OF tle houston -A6lrs,
[ writing from Galveston under date ofthe
/ twenty-second, gives the following ac-
count Of the capture Of Bagdad:
GALyEsE5S, Jan. Q. ISsa
have Just had some conversation with
an old friend who left Brazos Santiago
only few days ago. He was there
| during the time of the capture of Bagdad
and Is correctly informed in regard TO al
/ the more important events. His state
ments may he strictly relied upon, and
| they are ia substance as follows On the
morning of the fourth instant, some
| twenty or thirty Federal officers crossed
/ over to Bagdad from this side, apparently
| for the purpose Of some recreation.
Late in the night some sixty soldiers
crossed over in boats, al fully armed
and these captured the guard II Bsgdad
/ by surprise, and the surrender of the city
followed. What part the officers, who
went over the previous day, took in this
affair appears not to be well known, but
Bagdad was taken by these sixty soldiers,
and such assistance as they had from a
few Liberals in the city not believed to
number over thirty in all. II was at a
later hour Of the night, perhaps about 1
A. n. OF the 9th, that some three hun
dred or four hundred negro soldiers
armed.
taking with them two PARROT guns. As
soon as they landed they commenced an
indiscriminate plunder fthe city, carry
ing away everything Of value that could
be carried, demanding Of every man thav
met his money on peril Of death. Every
house azd store was gutted except two
or three, and these only saved them
selves by paying out"
These negroes We're not content simply
with plumber, but gratitled their Internal
passions by stripping and Outraging the
women they met. Our rinfurmant was at
Clarksviiie and did not cross over. He
cannot therefore speak of all the occur
rences at Bagdad from personal knowl-
edge, but a. he was there a week or ten
days after the capture, he had opportu-
nifty Of learning from officers and others
all the important occurrences. He saws
a portion of the reports We have had only
are true. That "A regiment of negroes
under the command Of Federal officers
could embark in and carry out success
fully such an enterprise without the as
sistanee of Federal officers, is too prepos-
terous 10 need retutatiOn, and vet the ac-
count given Us seems TO be written with
a manifest effort TO throw the entire re-
sponsibility on the negro troops and
some lawless flibusters and Liberals who
had no control whatever over the ne
grOes.
1t Is true, some Of the white Federal
troops have been discharged on the Rio
Orande, and these may have taken part
IN the expedition, but no negro troops
have ever yet been so discharged. and
they must therefore have been under fbe
immediate command of their officers
and Recording 70 our informant If was
these troops that perpetrated most of the
Outrages in Bagdad. Our informant cor
robOrates the accounts we have had. but
these negroes ali returned with plumber
to this side, and great deal that thev
could not bring was brought over by the
boats and was deposited and made use
Of in Clarksyille. Many Of the Federal
officers expressed themselves in presence
Of our informant as thoroughly disCusted
with such shameful transactions, and in
timatej a desire to resign their commits
siORs and, indeed, the INSPECTOR Of
Customs has already done so, thereby
nRniiesting his adherence of such out
RACES as he saw perpetrated by Federal
troops. The letter ia the New Orleans
Times Of the nineteenth is PROBABLY in
the main correct, though the writer says
nothing Of the regiment Of negroes who
crossed over with the two Parrot guns
and with All their arms, and who were
guilty of such horrible outrages.
His statement that the Liberals on this
side were entirely ignorant Of the whole
affair until after Il was over, is corrobo-
rated by our frieEd. who says Escobedo.
then al BsoWnsville, was greatly sur
pFised when he heard of it, though he
Immediately hastened over, and endeav-
ored to make the capture Of Bagdsd in
ure 20 the benefit of the liberal cause by
holding possession Of il In this Gen.
Weitzel Showed a disposition to aid him,
hough ostensibly rather for the purpose
Of restoring order than with view Of
taking part with the Liberals.
As soon as EscObedo was securely in
command of Bagdad, the Federal troops
were Withdrawn 10 this side.(
II is vel known that the desire with
the Federal officers and troops on this
side Of the river is very strongly in favor
Of crossing over and joining the Liberals
70 carry out the Monroe doctrine praeti-
eally, and as this capture of Bagdad has
resulted in placing the Liberals in pos
session Of the place, 1t viii probably be
oltheuit to prevent the impression nom
gong abroad that this result was one
ou9ect OF the expedition, though the Lib
tIais LOOK no part in It, But plunder was
gro troops, 80 W =