Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-02-15
The Sack OF Experimentation. Pillage and

The Matamoras Ranchero. of the 9th thus fast
ems the responsibility of war between Macmillan
and the United states the latter country:
The Federal commander, upon being apprlzed
of the nnholy and hellish pilage of Bagdad by his
own soldiers, left Brownsville for that place. Two
days after the pilaging commenced, he crossed
into Bagdad force of three hundred men, with
the object, are told, of protecting the lives OF
the non -combatant population. But, remarkable
to relate, did not restore Imperial authority, but
instead recognizes the authority of a pack OF
highway robbers, who received the place from his
soldiers, and who went into it from the Texas
side Thus he recognizes the right of his soldiers
to take and sack town of the Mexican Empire
and after they had enjoyed two days plliage, ne
sends into it force and commands the peace, but
instead of putting the place in the hands of those
from whom his soldiers took it, he virtually turns
it over to Liberal robbers and makes himself and
government responsible for the whole affair.
His soldiers attack and take city from the
hands of the Imperial Government of Mexico his
soldiers capture the Imperial garrison assasslnate
Imperial citizens E; shoot Imperial soldiers sack
the city, and turn all over to hlllbusters and So
called Liberals who enter the place from the SOIL
of the United States. Such even, is the picture
not only declaration of war on the part OF the
United States, but the commencement OF actual
hostiities by the government: .,
Whether the Federal authorities have committed
this awful crime wifully, whether they are
guilty of the higher crime, inertia, stupidity, ig-
norance, we leave it for the public to determine
One thing however, is certain the course which
the Federal commander has taken, fastens, lrrevo'
cably fastens the entire responsibility OF the lgno-
BILE affair upon his government.
The Ranchero of the 10th gives further particu-
lars of the sacking of Bagdad, from which we take
some extracts
| The pillage of Bagdad contains but a small
scale in comparison to the first few days procee-
ding.
The negroes cross boxes of champaign and
other wines and liquors, besides packages of mer-
chandise without molestation from Federal Off
cials but when the whites attempt to carry on the
custom-house officials and made to pay duties.
All the principal houses of Bagdad have been
Quilted completely. Some firms in this city inform
us of their receiving houses and branches have
been robbed of every article worth carrying off,
including their Safes which had been taken to the
Texas side and blown open.
The federal commander has been at GAINESVILLE,
and has sent force to this side to keep or
der, and was holding the place in conjunction with
| outlaws and fihbusters He has done nothing to-
ward restoring the place to those from whom his
soldersi took it. He left yesterday morning for
Brownsvillee, having been, and saw, and done
| nothing.
| The federal commander arrived up yesterday
from below, and has ascertained that very few
of his soldiers had hand in the taking and sack
ing of Bagdad Those few he is going to have
arrested.
We do not understand that he computes the
number of his soldiers who took part in that he'll
lish affair Lest he should arrest too many of
them would inform him that not more than
from five hundred to eight hundred took hand in
the work of pillage Only few-very few
| We tolu that goods taken at Bagdad con-
tinua to arrive in Brownsville, and are already
affecting that market
| The number killed and wounded at Bagdad, is
SO variously estimated that without something
more reliable it would not be worth while to make
an estimate.