Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-10-08
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE
A ROMANTIC EXPERIENCE WITH MAX
MILAN OF MEXICO.


General 10 Shelby and His Band of PlucIty
Americans in Mexico-Shelby ForetoId
Maximilian's Defeat, but His Warning
Was Not Needed.
OF all the conspicuous figures of the
Civil War none perhaps had so varied
and romantic an experience as the late
Gen 10 Shelby. Greater Generals than
he were in the conflict, more distin-
guished commanders have passed into
history, but taking him by and large,
as a typical American soldier-a free
lance among the lighter and more
dashing exemplars of the art of war
he stood with Sheridan, Jeb Stuart,
Rosser, Custer and the other dare
devils who rode to win, in clouds of
dust and amid the clatter of sabers.
Gen. Shelby's experience in Mexico
at about the close of Macmillan S
regime, sounds like a romance. Shelby
gathered about him GOO men. They
were Missourians for the most part,
and were willing to follow their leader
to the utmost confines of the earth.
They determined to go into Mexico and
take part in the contest then waging
between Macmillan and Juarez. Shell
by's march through Texas is remark
able in many respects. Texas was
vast arsenal of arms and ammunition
at this time. and his troops were well
supplied. Some returning and dis
banded soldiers at times attempted to
levy contributions upon the surround
ing country, but Shelby's stern orders
arrested them in the act and his swift
punishment of depredations left a
shield over the neighborhood that
needed only its shadow to insure
safety
When the first Mexican station was
reached Gen. Shelby sold his cannon.
and his men took vote the same
night to decide which of the contend
ing parties in Mexico they should Join.
Shelby was decidedly in favor of Join
ing JuareZ. who led the revolution.
well arguing with his usual sagacity
and foresight that the United States
would never allow a foreign power to
gain fOOthOld on American soil. But
his men favored the imperial party.
and he allowed himself to be governed
by their wishes. They crossed the Rio
Grande at Eagle Pass and entered
Mexico. A few days later Shelby was
offered the command of the State OF
Nueva Leone and Coahula but the
offer was declined, as his men had
joined the imperial forces
Gen. Shelby and his men had many
bloody and fierce encounter with the
brlgands that infested Mexico before
they reached the City of Mexico. One
of these was the rescue and liberation
of lnez Walker, beautiful American
who had been educated in California.
She was sene years before by Rodri-
guez, a millionaire Spaniard. who took
fancy to her and abducted her. In
the encounter he was killed, and the
American woman received the protec-
ton of Shelby's men.
Shelby offered his services to the
Emperor, but they were refused. Max
imilian was not willing to trust the
Americans in his organized army. 1t
is a curious fact that Gen. Shelby,
when interviewing MaXimilian's rep
resentative, predicted the situation
that afterward befell that luckless EN-
peror.
1t was necessary that the men should
have little money and Bazane. the
French General, was applied to- He
gave each man $50 and then every
man went the way that best suited
him.
AT this time the famous emigration
scheme of MaXimilians Government
was decided upon and the celebrated
Carlotta colony formed Agents were
sent to every place in the South. Land
was set apart for actual American set
tiers, each to receive $40 acres. Shelby
advised his men to give up at once any
further idea of service in Maximilian's
| army. Many accepted his advice and
entered heartily into the duties of the
new life few joined the imperial
army in Sonora. Shelby, with head
quarters at CordoVa, became a large
freight contractor Among those in
the colony with him were Gen. Ster-
| ling Price, Gen. stephens. of Lees
staff, Gov Reynolds. eX-Gov. Allen. of
Louisiana; eX-GOv, Lyons, of Kentu ~
and Gen. McCausland, of Virginia. a.
| Gov lsham G.. Harris was also q ct
| tier. Frelghtlng soon proved unpr it
| able. and he went to Vera Cruz nd
was fitted out with a vessel and in
structed to sail for Havana, in II
! therance of the colonization scht nc
! He loaded his ship with agricut raj
! implements exported from Anne ca,
and returned to Mexico. But Maxi il
ian's forces were meeting with de ga,
on every hand, and 81 elby saw tnat
the end was near. At last Macmillan
sent for Shelby and asked him how
many Americans he could summon to
his assistance
Not a corporal's guard" said the
General. You are too late"
When Shelby arrived in Mexico the
treasury was empty. Macmillan had
Teen ruling for a year. The French
held everything worth holding. EXCEPT
ing that Mexican brigandage ruled and
grew. No effort o the French could
stop it. MaXimil ans Marshal. Ba-
zaine, ruled the m itary with a reign
of death. Suspected men were shot
everywhere, without the formality / d
trial. Macmillan was displeased. His
heart was with the MeXicans, and he
demonstrated with he Marshal. but tC
no purpose, and finally there was an
estrangement.