The National tribune., 1881-12-17
THE TREASON OF TWIGGS.
AN Ex-REBEL TELLS THE SHAMEFUL
STORY.
Chas. l. Martin in Philadelphia Times.


Chas. L. Martin in Philadelphia Times.
Having never seen in print any account of the
capture of San Antonio, Texas, in 1861, and the
surrender of the United States troops then ia the
State which followed, and as this achievement is
by no means an unimportant chapter in the his
tory of the war between the States, presenta-
tion of the facts will doubt prove interesting.
The Secession Convention of the State of Texas
met In Austin, the capital, on the 2Sth of Janu-
ary, 1861, and among the first acts of that men,
orable body after perfecting its organization was
to take steps toward capturing the Federal troops
In the Department of Texas and securing the
army stores of which there were large quantities
at different points, but principally at San Antonio
headquarters for the department and the depot
for supplies Sam Houston, the father of Texas,
was then Governor of the State, and as he was
opposed to the secession movement, he would not
countenance the convention nor cooperate with
it In any measure it proposed. The consequence
that the convention assumed all responsibility
and took the management Of affairs into its own
hands.
To carry into effect its plan of capture and
seizure of the Government property, Colonel John
S. Ford and the renowned Ben McCulloch were
commissioned and authorized to raise troops and
march on San Antonio and Brownsville. Colonel
Ford had done service for the State in Indian
campaigns, had commanded the State troops in
the Cortina war on the Rio Grande a few years
before, and was well fitted for the duty assigned
him. Ben McCulloch, when but a boy, had won
honor in the field against the Mexcans in the
-of+h +ha of hod
desperate battles with Indians on the frontier,
and had achieved distinction as Major of the
Texan Rangers in the Mexican war. In fact, the
people naturally looked to him as leader of
their forces in this emergency. Guadaloupe
county was the home Of McCull0ch, and it was
there and in the adjoining counties of Gonzales
and Caldwell that he sought for the men to aid
him in his expedition against San Antonio. In
three days time he had at Seguin, the capital of
GuadalOupe county, six hundred men, and he
could have had five times the number had he so
desired. His command was principally mounted,
though one company Of infantry, a company of
knights of the Golden Circle" accompanied him
from Seguin. OF this company the writer was
second lieutenant, and with it went to San Anto-
MO, participating in the capture, and witnessing
what transpired This was the first taste of the
war the Texans had.
On the 14th of February the volunteers began
to arrive in Seguin, where McCuIloch had his
headquarters. On the morning of the 18th the
line of march was taken for San Antonio, the
cavalry mounted in all styles, from the gentle
paced plow mule to the fiery charger, and the in
fantry company comfortably seated in wagons
generously provided by the farmers living near
We had thrty-fve miles of prairie and wooded
lands to traverse before reaching destination,
and, full of hope and determination, the little
band of unframed soldiers filed through the
streets of Seguin amid the cheers of the men who
remained behind and under the gaze of the noble
women, the mothers wives, and sisters, who bid
us God speed while they wept and prayed. At
irving at the SaladO creek five miles from San
Antonio late in the afternoon, halt was ordered
and the command went into camp. Gordon of
sentinels was thrown around the camp and vi
dettes posted on all sides to guard against sur
prise in the Federal troops in town should
see proper to attack us. Supper was cooked and
after hearty meal slumber soon settled down
upon the weary volunteers, all except those on
guard. About sundown McCulloch and one OF
two other officers went into the city where they
conferred with captain jack wilcox, command
ing volunteer company in San Antonio Dur
ing this conference the plan Of the work before
US was mapped out and agreed upon, and Nc
CullOch and his officers returned to camp. At
one o'clock in the morning the command was
aroused from sleep and quietly formed into line
From each company detail was made sufficient
for detachment of one hundred men, which de-
tachment was marched forthwith on foot into
the city, where they reinforced Captain Wllcox's
company, and under his command were stationed
at different points in small squads, each under
commissioned officer
The points selected for posting these details
were well and skillfully taken, the most of them
being on the tops of houses overlooking the bar
racks where the Federal troops were quartered
and few IN the vicinity of the ordnance, quar-
termaster and commissary buildings and all so
close together that they could cooperate with
each other, If necessary. The orders to these de-
tails were to keep quiet and as much concealed
from view as possible behind the parapet walls of
the buildings on which they were stationed If