Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-12-18
LINCOLN AND TEXAS.
ASTRlKING PIECE OF SECRET WAR
HISTORY
by A. A. Hayes.
[Original and Copyrighted.]


which | am about to narrate.
The State of Texas fell early into the
hands of the Confederates; a convention
having passed an ordinance of SECESSION
February 1, 1861, and General Twiggs
having surrendered his whole command
and all the posts, war supplies, etc, on
the 18th of the same month. Compare
lively little fighting, however, took place
within its limits. AS the war progressed,
great deal of dissatisfaction and discon
tent arose: and while these feelings
lacked decided outward manifestations,
they grew deeper and deeper While
there wer9 hardly any active hOstilities to
feed the war fervor and develop the. spirit
of self sacrifice, the iron rule OF war times
was felt in all its vigor. Generals with
their stats, military governors and pro
vost marshals abounded Martial law
was rigidy enforced Houses crops, cattle
and provisions were taken at will for the
benefit of the Confederacy The roads
were unsafe; for marauders, dcserters,
robbers, "road agents" and desperadoes
of all kinds found golden opportunities.
The sufferingS of the people were great.
Trade was at a standstill,-as well it
might be. The whole coast from Sabine
Pass to Point Isabel, was blockaded by
the United States Navy; and to export
cotton in any quantity (some 100000 bales
went to market in this way its owners
must pay enormous charges for its trans
portatiOn by teams across the state, by
dangerous roads and over desert plains to
the Rio Grand. When on Mexican soil, 1t
must be taken to Bagdad ut the mouth of
the river, and then shipped. Moreover,
when the Confederate authorities found
out the value of this trade they laid such
grievous and varying taxes thereon, that,
or more than one occasion, the unhappy
owners of cotton learning, after all the
burden and danger of transportation were
passed of an import which meant ruin,
actually committed suicide. supplies of
all sorts from outside were scanty and
enormously expensive and the drain upon
the population to fill the Confederate
armies was incessant. \ most amusing
and gratifying incident occurred in this
connection. We are in the habit of think
ing that all nominal Union men IN the
North, and especially i'll the great city of
New York were really loyal. On the con
trary MatamoraS was at one time filled
with "drummers' from New York firms
(the members of which were swearing by
the 'old flag" and subscribing to the
Union Defence Committed eager to sell
not only ordinary merchandise, but also
munitions of war to the enemy. They pro
onJ thov fnI,nd tL,fr ornnunt ono nicrbt
Confederate General gave ball in
then, Ha,.i tI theie f,ithfnl southern
svmnnthisars On tTevos soil he took them
NJ tboir ,,.o,1 ond cnnCc,intod tho lot
Thnra ,rere Ttninn man In Tho St,te and
not a few of them, but graphic pens have
told Of the Reign of Terror under which
fnIG9 f,,rmi.bad - IIo"Jv rhantar in the
IL 81 tho Won. I,,t tIot hpd No smell
ntToct ~ in Lrin,r;,,,r tln Cnnfa1arnta ~.
thoritins INTO iiErn,t7,tn in thn stale ms did
fnr inSi,,"co ~ tr-!,io Nv f,. Ic"s wdnIv
ifnoyyn T,'n I"VaI 1nvnns laws ana
Wnnt%nn,r,.w NV nS'na We're rasnertivelv
CnimWei f ~ lyr.t xnS -nionr Cayni
~ al r,,tii,, oi,,,,,in,,IIj,,r :, ao,,o1,onr 81
tie same re@iment Henrint that their
,,,i,,oS ,,,o,.a ~, Itnvicnn eni1 thov hotb
laft Taw nr,enns oirt 1~r,c@eIad NV son tn
Ragdod and thnnco sn,nn distance INTO the
rnTntrI, nnviu fonnd his lvifa hut
Nont,rSS, "a rot Gmi hio IN +hoi
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con,e thnv Ind,,eI for tha Mont in The
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IIoIrI,J uho+ MIMI ~ ConfaJarata forco
a',5 D,', ,l % -, fi, ,,od ChiIt,
G'ndat nv n,ia nf GnN pnaN nrasSad tIa
r,,In, ottnci,nJ NO homse ava LiJnannnd
tba two Irniou otficnrS A. they warn
on,,,-;,'o, +IIa,, ,,,,,'' Niontc,nr,o,,- yov;Iad
gu ~ illS ,lc.,i "n"s n'r tiI.'
nNI y la lf NE-stIs " hare
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nv. peen nou,lu ~ W. ~ l,n hond
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VINO leiiitilit.t III NY tomn WIZ ,uiitaolS
formed IN me ana coimPei,ea 10 witness
tne cerlllNng, O"P,",iI 1,5innt
sons procla,ileu nealueIta t+o asatnsT , n,s
ilurueIer; an'' dUl SentS "noer ' ne T p
tne pIlhclpt'iS "'ieo hoU o'o9' 'ho 'io
UI Wil H oc 1900 ~, ,,,,,d,+io,, ,,,,,io,,
vi OI'1oei ~ a2To @ 49, rN .loi
Heheral Danh9 Suf'eu liIi,i NV Etie"i9
lor the nlou'h VI Wy NV oiaiuc' "a