The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1897-04-29

civil war, none perhaps has so varied
and romantic an experience as General
10 Shelby. Greater Generals than he
were in the conflict, more distinguish
ed commanders have passed into his
tory, but taking him by and large, as
a typical American soldier-a free
lance among the lighter and more dash
ing exemplaries Of the art Of war-he
stood with Sheridan, Jeb Stuart, Ros-
Ser, Custer and the other dare-devils,
who rode to win, in clouds of dust n
amid the clatter of sabers. That he did
not know how or when to surrender is
not so much to his discredit as a sol
der, as his subsequent action in run
ming off to Mexico and offering his
sword to a foreign adventurer reflected
upon his American citizenship. But
then his wounds were sore; his years
were few; his ambition boundless, and
his matured good sense had yet to
come. When in 1867, after his expert
ence with Macmillan, he crept back
to Fayette County, Missouri, and saw
some beauty yet in the stars and
stripes, his vision took a wider scope,
and in spite of himself he had to admit
that there was no land like the land Of
his birth.
General Shelby's experience in Mex
leo, at about the close of Maximilian's
regime, sounds like a romance. Major
John N. Edwards, who some years ago
-,oo 4lo Dorryc1J Of Shn1hu'c 40 ranrs
dwelt at length upon his experience
with the ill-starred Austrian. It is
worth reproducing here. Major Ed
wards said:
cat the close of the war, when Kirby
Smith, in command Of the department,
was anxious to surrender, General
Shelby was an advocate Of further re-
sistance. French support, medicines,
ammunition and French gold were
coming by way Of Mexico, and upon
these be based hope. His protest was
unavailing, and the surrender was
made at Shreveport and the army dis
banded. Before the surrender was
made the army became dissatisfied
with General Smith, and General Shell
by was commissioned to ask him to
withdraw as direct commander of the
army. which he did in favor of General
Buckner. At the surrender of the army
Smith surrendered to Buckner, and
Buckner surrendered to the United
States.
SHELBY then gathered about him 600
va rHbo,, ,,o,o I;,o,,r;,- , for tho
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. Shelby's march through Texas
is remarkable in many respects. Tex
as was a vast arsenal of arms and am
munition at this time. and his troops
were well supplied. Some returning and
disbanded soldiers at times attempt
ed to levy contributions upon the
surrounding country, but Shelby's
stern orders arrested them in the act,
and his swift punishment of depreda-
tons left a shield over the neighbor-
hood. that needed only it's shadow to
insure safety.
when the first Mexican station was
reached General Shelby sold his can
non, and his men took a vote the same
night to decide which of the contending
parties in Mexico they should join.
Shelby was decidedly in favor of join
ing Juarez. who led the revolution. we'll
arguing with his usual sagacity and
foresight that the United States would
allow a foreign power to gain a
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 States Of
Nueva Leone and COahuila, but the OF
| fer was declined, as his men had join
ed the imperial forces.
Historians say hat had General
Shelby accepted this position he would
in all probability nave been Joined by
thousands of C~onfederates whose for
tunes were to be made, and with that
| force he would have been able to save
| Macmillan or might have become a
| power in MeXico's affairs.
However that may be, General Shell
| by and his men had many a bloody and
fierce encounter with the brigands that
infested Mexico before they reached
the City of Mexico. One Of these was
| the rescue and liberation of Inez Walk
| er, a beautiful American who had been
| educated in California. She was seen
| years before by Rodriguez, a million
| aire Spaniard, who took a fancy to her
and abducted her. In the encounter
| he was killed, and the American wom-
an received the protection 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 General Shelby,
when interviewing Maximilian's repre-
sentative, predicted the situation that
afterward befell that luckless Emper-