The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-18
GEN. SHERIDAN'S REPORT.
Changes in the Fifth Military Dstrlct-Thc United
states ana the Late Revolution in Mexico
Able Defense OF the General Against
Rebel AsperslOns, Etc. Etc.

FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL, NEW YORK, Nov. 81,
lS67.-General:--I have the homer TO make the
following report of operations within my COM
mand from November Ia, 1866, to September 8,
1867. ..
1867 the regular troops in the Department of
the Gulf which embraced within its limits the
States OF Louisiana, Florida, and Texas re-
named as q general thing, at the stations
designated in my previous reports. The mus
ter.out of the volunteer forces was continued,
and reduction and economy in the quarter
masters and commissary departments rigidly
enforced. Operations were commenced by the
quart rmasters' department on the frontier
posts in Texas early in the spring. aG or in the
Vicinity Of the following designated points-
Buffaio Springs, Belknap, Chadbourne Camp
Stockton, Fort Davis, boredo, BROWNSVILLE and
BreVet Major General George w. Getty, who
had succeeded Major General II. g. Wright in
command OF the district Oh Iexss, was, oy pro-
ct eded by Brevet Major. General s. Z. Hentzel-
man, and he by Breyet Major Genersi Charles On
succeeded by Brevet Major General Joseph A.
Mower, in command of the district OF Louisiana,
and Major General j. g. Foster by Colonel
Sprague in the district of Florida. Brevet Major
General ]. j. Reynolds also succeeded Brevet
subsdistricI of the Rio Grande.
Work was commenced on the posts above
named in the early spring, and vigorously pro.
secuted until the rigid quarantine established
against the anticipated spread of the yellow
the soldiers on the frontier under shelter until
late in the ensuing fall. No changes OF troops
occurred in the districts OF Louisiana and Flo
rida except such as were incidental to the pre-
servation of order and the execution of the
laws under the Civil Rights bill A few Indian
depredations occurred on the frontier of Texas,
arising principally from the adventurous char
acter OF the extreme frontier settlers. who,
pushing out towards the Indian territory,
thereby incurred the risk.of coming in contact
with hostile Indians; for there were no treaties
with the Indians as far as the Texan border was
concerned and the extreme line of frontier set-s
Elements was regarded as the dead line"
below which II an Indian came he was Killed
If overtaken, and above which white men
were treated in the same manner by the In
In consequence OF the struggles in the Re-
public of Mexico to drive out the invaders the
Rio GIande frontier gave me much anxiety
It was impossible to prevent the soldiers and
Union people upon the border from expressing
an open Sympathy with the Liberal cause;
therefore 1t was exceedingly difficult to main
Gain strict neutrality, and on one or two occa-
Bions violations occurred which were not par
Ucularly Objectionable to the Liberal party, and
were without difficulty reconclled.
had also some trouble In breaking up the
-"Cordoya settlement" which was a scheme on
the part of Rebel adventurers, who had founded
there the nucleus of an American Maximtlian
party in Mexico, to which they invited all dis
contented and unrepentant Rebels in the
Eouthern States, BY preventing the embarka-
tion of this cIais of malcontent emigrants at
New Orleans, the Cordova scheme proved
The condition of civil affairs in Louisiana,
Florida, and Texas from September 80, 1885, to
the year previous, and heretofore reported.
There was, however, some Improvement In the
tone of the public in reference TO the rightsand
priyii eges or freedmen but many outrages and
murd ers were committed In Loulslana and
TAXaS which
10 reach, and which were neglected by the
civil authorities and even in some instances
the perpetrators OF these outrages JUSTIFIED by
the form of a trial on the I'd day OF March,
1867, the act entitled "An act TO provide for the
more efficient government OF the Eeoei states"
the States of Louisiana and Texas were consti-
\ tuted the Fifth Military District a1d by diEec.
assigned to the said district In General Orders
No 10 dated Headausrters ot 4 tne ise7 Army, AdJu
command of the Fifth Military District on the
l9th day of March. 1857, found upon examin;
persons in their rights OF person ana property,
TO suppress insurrectlon, disorder, and vio-
lence, and to punish, or cause 10 be punished.
all disturbeTs of the public peace and
criminals"
these two States as loyal 10 the Government, 1
had small military force and the authority
nmination of the existing civil governments OF
those two States that nearly every civil func-
tionary, from the Governor down, mad been
Snldiers or aiders and abettors in the Rebellion,
and that in nearly all cases they had been
elected on Confederate grounds and solely for
Seryices rendered in their attempts to destroy
the General Government. In fact, many, II
not ali. had advertised when they were candi-
dates their services in this respeet as a merlto-
rious appeal for votes. found, also, That they
were substantially aliens. 1t is scarcely neces-
sary to state that, from this condition OF affairs
was either openly or secretly opposed to the
law and to myself, as the authority held respon'
naton for lis faithful execution It was din.
cnIt sitnation in which to be placed rendered
still more so by the apparently open sympathy
OF the President with the 1unctlonarles ABOVE
Alluded to. l make this remark, not as q
charge but simply as an explanation. To have
attem pted "tapTotect all persons In their rights
AZ person and property, TO suppress lnsurrec-
tion, disorder, and violence, and to puHlsh or
cause 10 be punished all disturbers of the public
neace and criminals" and reorganlze these
States against all this power ana lnnuence, In
accOrdance with the intentions or the trainers
Of the law, without exercising the right Of re-
Tloyal, vas simply absurd. -,,,.- = ,
N would have takeI years FOR military COM
missions to have tried thase cases OF violations
of the law alone that would have occurred In
exact registration o I the legal voters of the
States. There Was only one sensible course to
onraue and that was 10 remove every civil
officer who did not faithfully execute the law,
or who put any impediment In the way or lts
execution-and this course was adopted, In
nursupnce of the same decided TO use the au-
fhoTity vested in me as leniently as possible to
almost allow myself to be forced TO the wall 6y
open overt acts before action was takeni ana In
every order issued tn q cause Of removal was
anecifed. had no desire to oppress, and did
MOI oppress l only wished TO give security to
ali good citizens, and did so; and Insecurity to
All office holders who jailed 70 carry out the
law, or who put lmpeolmenS III inc way OF TO
nave been charged by the highest authority
IN the nation with being tyrannical and q par
tisan and am not AFRAID 10 say Mnth sucn
chsIgea are made against me, that feel IN my
hesrt thew are nm truthful. In all my dealings
Sg,th the neople OF Louisiana ana Texas was
gnverned by honor, justice, and truthi no polltl-
cslinfiueL ces or Interests were aiioW9o 70 0UI
snGistaStIon 10 all except those whom it dis,
fSanohised and set OF dishonest Polltloai
tTioksters whom had previously denoHneeu'
and VINO BOught 20 make use OF tns Jaw 70 W
obtain place and positions ana the WhO'esya@p"