The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-02-28
No 30

than his own sterling qualities, this proud soldier
fonnd himself charged with the care Of pubhc stores
yet intact with the maintenance 81 oEder among d7
troops still remaining at their posts ana tsill DE-
more difficult than all, with the subsistence OF those
troops This indeed vas TerT serious question
upon which all was dependent. lHe 5onms5ar'ts
was bankrupt The principal depot at elters5a bad
shared the fate of the others, h1a 2 sapplss could
have been obtained there no pdgts transportation
for their removal Those only VINO IeEe with ana IA
the confidence of Gen. Pagan, can appreciate the diff
fculties which surrounded him at this time. Almost
any other man would have been overwhelmed; bue
the hero of Marks mill rose superior to them all
Wish ndomitable energy be made available every poS'
able means of procuring subsistence. whenever p
bale of cotton which belonged to or had been taken
from the Confederate government could be found it
used for the purchase OF ratonS, ana when th!S
source failed Gen. Pagan pledged his private means
for payment This was the bad faith exhibited by tho
last Confederate commander at Shreveport but thus
was starvation warded off and train of consequent
evils prevented There is no historian TO record the
events Of those dark days. There is no superior off
Ger TO compliment in his reports those who deserved
we'll But brilliant as have been the achievements OF
James f. Pagan the field there is no time in which
that gallant young officer more completely proved his
fitness for command, more goriously illustrated tho
nobility Of true chiyalrous soldier and the generous
! qualities of the hgh-toned and courageous gentio'
man than when he stood--as it like the last pail
bearer-at the grave of the infant Contederacy
where with the hopes Of people buried all that
NAMED of civil and religious liberty ia republic
which grandsres had established and fathers and
/ fought fruitlesSly to perpctuate,
OF the leaders alluded to as having surrendered
in person" and then taking refuge the soil of Mex
ico most prominent is ma ior Gen Sterling Price Ir-
deed he is perhaps the only general officer in tho
trans Mississippi army who did surrender in person
and afterward seek asylum abroad The circum.
stances of this these: Gen Price faithful to
the interests of the Missouri troops the last accom-
panied Gen. Buckner to Baton Rouge to secure for
shem the best terms possible and to provide for tho
safe return to their State of such desired Il;
After the surrender Mt Baton Rouge, Gen. Price was
then and there paroed, with the express object Of
avoiding delay in his contemplated journey Mexico
In reply to his inquiries he told by the federal
officers that although the military authorities could
not give him passports to leave the country, his doing
so would not be considered breach Of his parole,
This statement was fully and freely repeated at
Shreveport as he passed through his way to Wash
ington, Texas, where his family then residing
The exied patriot, safe in the enjoyment of that
liberty denied him in his native land conscious Of
right, desiring pardon of no human power and secure
in the respect and affection of his countrymen to
whom he has given the best years of his life and in
whose service bis hairs have whitened can we'll treat
with silent the puny efforts Of those who would
attempt to sullY his fair fame; but vile indeed is
that enemy who would venture to aSperse the rare
integrity, the noble hoaesty of purpose Of Sterling
Price
Major Gen. NJ II. Parsons, of Missouri anothog
leader who sought refuge in Mexico may have given
bis parole at Shreveport He, however has expiated
his political SINS having been brutay murdered near
Monterey.
Msjor Gen. J. 0. Shelby never surrendered. Tho-7
who know that fearless chief believe that he wCud
have endured a thousand tortures and have sougns
death rather than submit to those whom he had aa
well taught to fear him.
The terms of the surrender were first announced sa
Cen e. Kirby Smith, at Galveston His approval O.
these terms qualified by the proviso that Confed
crate officers desiring TO leave the country were to b.
permitted to do So this indorsed over his sign
ture. 1t was then that major Gen. Magruder cor
nienced his journey to Mexico, in the exercise of
right justly claimed by all reeusant leaders under tie
conditions OF the surrender of the department Tbst
SO few abandoned the country not because of ee
faith In the magnanmity Of the conquerors Indeed
many other brave hearts frightened BY the so-calad
" amnesty proclamation" would have Welded to tHs
impulse which prompted expatriation, but lack al
means prevented Gen. Smith himself notwithstani
ing the base ISLANDERS ndustriousy circulated as 30
his specuations in cotton, was indebted to the ra,
Tosity OF friends for the light purse with which H
crossed the Rio Grande. He had caused to be turn
over to the federal commander the only public fund
at his disposal being several thousand dollars in gol
an unexpended balance of secret service money TLs
particular instance of bad faith" does not appear tg
have been mentioned in the reports to the war depar
ment 1t is to be hoped the United States treasure
has record of the transaction
VI
from any official of government which has shownss
much CT it. There is not officer Of the Confede
ate army who, if free to-day would not thrust It d.
family in the teeth of him who would dare to utter H.
aye, and none so bold among the conquerors of t.
hour as would not hesitate ere he made the cbarQs
PnicG fdes, in classic times expressed tho maxim Or
perhdy' 1t was for the government of the modern
model republic to inauSurate and nationalist its supe
atFe sartoria aith illustrated daily By the arrest d
men who fancied themselves protected by tho ossu-
heir that tla
officer will not be disturbed by the United States NJ
thores as long as he observes his parole and the sv
in force where ne resides"-this duly authcnticatc5
and signed by commissioned officer of the Upit-7
States army. The prison bars of Raphael Semmes. *
Winder and Of scores Of others attest how well the1g
pledges are kept. The grave Of the murdered VII
stands monument of national fidelity
II is due to the officers of the late trans Mi,siss;nf
department to state that the undersigned Is alone
Eponsioe for what ne has written in their vndicatior
be had held no communication with anv of them On
the subject, nor even made known his inteption %,
correct statements so calculated to do wrong Ofsila
inc members OF the department staff he is probab
Inc only one now in position to vcn snch rptitatio
It has been pleasing task to rcc1r TO those davs
1itteF sorrow, when men who had stood together az
brothers amid leaden rain and iron hail papted viii
crushed hopes, many to meet no more Ewes moig..
eued then that had looked fearless on tho efar for
d ialcn kiusmen but though all else were lost eacr
Ieart felt that honor saved What hut fnndi,E
naIigny would seek to steal away that tho mo-
cherished attribute OF every true soldier? Yet n,7
whom the ration in its better days was proud 70 d.
lngasn SIS It's servants, are now pursued even ingq
exile, with vile calnmnies, intended to iniure them
new homes; and this for no other crime than de57.
ion to their native land With shame bo il aid H.
hese attacks have not all emanatad from sst,n
'FeS7' J. +. BELroS.
late \. i. Cen trans Hiss Dep'.
As HNGLtsH Journal on ruE ARREST OF CAPrAI1
'EMNzs The London News (Which favored the mort
turing the war; says:
II really does not seem worth while to make an er
epslon OF harshness to the prejudice of Capt Semmer
NsPE' oemnes Is TO De tried and punished for hes
'oT exceedingly stale charges, while generous Glen
ncT has been shown to many who we're 50 much NOR,
1ubi ba :.