The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-05
General Rcynolds' Report Of Operations In
Texas.

General Rcynolds' Report Of Operations In
Texas.
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DIsrRIcr,l
STATE OF TEXAS. AUSTIN Nov. A. 1868.
ADJUTANT GENERAL UNITED STATES ARMY, washing
GENERAL-I have the honor to forward herewith
tabular statement OF expeditions scouts and report
OF movements Of the various regiments serving in
this district for the year ending September 3d. 1868.
Armed organizations, generally known as "Ku
Klux Klann exist, independently In concert With
other armed bands, In many parts Of Texas, but
most numerous, bold and aggressive east OF the
Trinity river The precise object Of these organiza.
state to be to disarn rob and In many murder
Union men and negroes and, as occasion may offer
murder United States officers and soldiers; also to
intimida.e every one who knows anything OF the
ganilati0n, but who viii not join It. The civil law
east OF the Trinity river Is almost dead letter. In
some counties the civil officers are all or portion o.
them, members OF the Khan. In other Counties
where the civil officers will not Join the Khan some
other armed band, they have been compelled 70
leave their countess examples are Van Zandt smith
and Marion counties The county seat Of the latter
In many counties where the county ofricers have
not been driven or their influence is scarcely fes
What political end II any. is aimed at by these bands
bodies the politica meetings .barbecues which have
been and being held In various parts OF the State
under the auspices Of the democratic clubs OF tho
different counties. The speakers encourage the at
tendance, and In several counties men have been in.
Dictated by name from the speakers stand as those
selected for murder. The men thus pointed out have
no course left them but to leave their homes be
murdered on the first convenient opportunity.
it Impossible to keep an accurate account OF them
Many of the murders OF these bands OF outlaws
transient persons In the state-the absence Of rail-
roads and telegraphs and great length OF time re-
CURED TO communicate between remote points facll
tating their devsh purposes These organizations
are evidently countennnced, or at least not discour
aged by the majority Of the white people OF the
counties where the bands are most numerous. They
cOu.d not otherwise exist.
! have given this matter close attention and am
satisfied that remedy 10 he effective must be gradn
ay applied and combined with the firm support OF
the army. until these outlaws are punished or dis
persed. They cannot be punished by the,civ courts
until some examples OF military commissions show
that men can be punished IN Texas for murder and
kindred crimes The perpetrators OF such crimes
have not heretofore, except In very rare instances
been punished In the state at all. Free speech
and free press, as the terms generally under
stood in other States, have never existed in Texas
In fact, the citizens OF otner states cannot appre
cate the state OF aars In Texas without actually
experiencing IT,. The official reports OF awiessness
and crime, so far from being exaggerated do not
which most OF the trade, travel and lawlcssness Of
Eastern Texas radiaes and Of this point or Its vicinity
mere should ne stationed regiment OF troops The
recent murder at Jefferson OF MIR. @. w. Smith,
o delegate TO the constitutional convention, has made
u sary to order more troops to that point This
movement weakens the frontier posts to such an
extent as 70 impair their efficiency for protection
against the Indians; but the bold, wholesale muir
derng In the interior OF the state al present
TO present more urgent demand for troops than
Indian depredatons The frontier posts should,
however, be reinforced If possible. as IL IA not Inn
probable that the Indians from the northwest after
having suffered defeat there viii make heavy Incur
Hions into Texas.
To restore measurable peace aud quiet 70 Texas
will require for long time, that troops be stationed
al many county seats until by their presence, and
aid II necessary the civil law can be placed IN the
hands Of reliable officers and executed. This win be-
the work OF years and will be fuzzy accomplished
only by an increase OF population.
am, General, very respectfully, your obedient
servant. ]. j. REYNOLDS