The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-02-21
Extension of Confederate
States p Tanned d by
General Shelby.
ARMY, THEN LAW, PLAN
Southern General Wanted to
Put Law Into the Border
Country by Force.


ml potcntialitics, in Wow of the sub
scpucut history OF mat country and
its relations to the United Sidtos,
than has been accorded 60 It by Tho
h historians n is q story OF one Of
the most daring 81 the soldiers OF
tho logt cause Gen. 10 o. Sholhy
and a. little army. mostly OF Mis-
sOuridnB. recruited from Jhe rom
nants ~ his old brigade after boo'F
surrender. which almost held In its
hands tho threads OF dcB'iny thnt
might have solved for AL time the
vcNatious Mexican problem.
F In the closing ycnr of the war
Shelby mad his veterans had fought
their way from Westpo TO thc RIO
Grandc. whore they found them
solves with abundance Of nmmuni-
ton and other equipments Of war.
but without q cause Across the
border IN Mexico anoi her civil war
was raging between Benito Juafc1.
the republican. aud Maximiiian, thc
impcrialisl Sholh conceived the
romantic project OF leading hts little
" ssouri army into Mexico, ~ sol
diCrs Of fortune, There 10 make 70
tho nucleus OF q greater army "a be
recruited from the dlabandcd Amor
team soldiers. which should become.
under his Leadership, the deciding
factor IN tho Mexican conflict Hts
vision waa TO be mo General Monk
of Mexico shelby himself favored
taking Sides with IunreZ. but his
officera moved bv tho French sym
pathy with the Confederate cause,
decided otherwise NaXimilian. in
fluenced by his military commander.
Ba2aine. rejected Shelbys proffor OF
aid I'm establishing his empire ana
his imperial dream, and with d his
life wont out nt Queretaro. The his
tory Of the expedition was written
hy Mai John ~ Edwards. one OF
Shelhy staff and one Of the most
brilliant iornalists OF the post bel
lum period. from whose romantic
recital OF this cpilogue OF 'he civil
war, the following extracts are
taken.
Before the terrible tragedy at thmt
Washington theater where "a presi-
dent fell dying In the midst OF his
army and his capital, Abraham
Lincoln had made an important row
citation. indirectly, to some Confcd-
crate chieftains. This came Through
Gen. Frank l.. Blair to Shelby and
ives TO this effect: The struggle
wii soon he over Overwhelmed
by the immense, resources of the
United states. the southern govern
ment Is on the eve of ,luer collapse.
There will be a million men disband-
ed who have been Injured sto the IL
cerse and the passions Of war, and
who may bc troublesome. N nothing
more. An open rond 'will be left
through Texas for all who wish to
enter Mexico. Tho Confedoratcs can
take with them portion of all the
arms and war munitions now hold
by them, and whom the daye of their
enlistment are over. such federal sol
dicrs as may desire shall also be
permitted 10 yoin the Confederatos
across the Rio Grasie, uniting after
ward In an effort to drive out the
French and re-establish Juarez and
the republic
Northern Troops Would Aid.
Such guarantees had shelby re-
ooivcd and while on the march from
Corsicana to Eagle Pass, 81 multi
tude OF messages overlook him from
the federal regiments and brigadcs
begging him TO await their arrival
~ period made dependent upon their
disbandmeut They wished above ali
things to take service with him and
to begin again a war upon imperial
ism after the war upon slavery.
on Sholbys arrival at Piedras Ne
Eras, the Mexican governor. Biesca,
exhibited HIS authority aa governor
of Coahuila, Tamaulipas and New
Leon, and offered Shelby the mill
tnry control of these three states,
retaining to himself only tho civil.
He required of him only one thing.
a full. free and energetic support OF
Benito Juarez. He suggested also
that shelby should remain several
mon this at piedras Nogras recruiting
his regiment up to n division. and
when he fclt himself sufficiently
strong 10 advance he should move
against Monterey, held by General
Jcanningros. OF the third French
zouaves. and some 1900 soldiers of
the foreign legion,
The picture, as painted by this
fervid Mexican, was a most attractive
one, and 10 man like Shelby, so
ambitious of military fame. and 80
filled with the romance and adven-
ture of his situation. II was doubly
50. Al least he was a devout liberal,
Having little respect FOR Mexican
promises or Mexican civilization, he
Vet knew uhat "A corps OF 10000
Americans could be easily recruited,
and that after he once got n foothold
in the country he could preserve II
for all time. His ideas were all OF
conquest If he dreamed at all, his
dreams were OF CorteZ. He saw the
golden gates OF sonora rolled back
a. his approach and his visions per-
AAps there wero glimpses OF those
wonderful, mines guarded even now
ius the pcrsians guarded the sacred
fire or their gods.
\ Eatcful Interview.
The destiny OF the expedition was
an this interview Looking back now
through the placid vista Of the
peaceful years there are few OF all
that rugged band who wuald sucak
out today as they did about the
council board on the morrow after
the American and the Mexican hat
shaken hands and gone their sepa
rate ways This council was Ions
and earnest and resolute. Men mad,
brief speeches, but they counted al
much as gold In the scales that ha,
the weighing Of the future, Shelb!
spoke thus to his followers Whcl
silence had fallen and the men wer
face TO face with the future;
IF you are all OF my mind, boy,
and will take your chances alon
with me, IL Is Juarez aud the repuh
lie from Chis oQ until We die her,
one by one, or win a kingdom, w
nave the nucleus OF a fine army
we have CANNON. muskets. ammun
ton, some good prospects Tor r'