Today in History:

794 Series I Volume XXXIV-III Serial 63 - Red River Campaign Part III

Page 794 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.


HEADQUARTERS FIRST SUB-DISTRICT OF TEXAS, Galveston, April 26, 1864.

Major General J. B. MAGRUDER,
Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: I sent up to-day two gentlemen, Major R. H. Dyer, assistant quartermaster, and Dr. Holland, C. S. Army, to confer with you and to communicate to me your orders and instructions upon an important business, which they will lay before you.

The morning of your return to Houston from this city we had a conversation at the Washington Hotel on divers matters connected with my command here. Among other things, I asked you if the order of Brigadier-General McCulloch (declaring the city of Galveston an intrenched camp, and the people living therein subject to the Rules and Articles of War, &c.) met with your approval, or was simply an order emanating from the commander here. You replied the order was indorsed by you, that the citizens of Galveston were here only by the sufferance of the military, and that the citizens were fully aware of the position they have occupied. After this conversation I had occasion to order the registry of all persons within the city of Galveston. In issuing this order for registry, the order of General McCulloch was reissued and the attention of the citizens called to it.

Last evening I saw, for the first time, in Flacke's Bulletin, resolutions passed by the mayor and council of the city of Galveston of the most inflammatory, mutinous, and insulting character. General, there are but two courses to pursue in this business; one to arrest the mayor and council and send them off the island, the other to recall the order and give up the city of Galveston and its defenses to mob law and rule. You can recall this order, I cannot. I desire your sanction and co-operation in the first and only measure, in my opinion, to be taken-that is, the arrest of the parties.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. M. HAWES,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS NORTHERN SUB-DISTRICT OF TEXAS, Bonham, April 26, 1864.

Captain E. P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have just returned from a flying trip to Gainesville, where I find things in better condition than I had reason to expect, yet considerable excitement and apprehension on the part of the citizens for fear of the Indians, a raid from Fort Gibson, combined with the disloyal element on our frontier, and a good many of them are moving off, which nothing can prevent at this time; but public confidence may be ultimately restored, and they in some instances induced to return. Several men have deserted from some of Colonel Bourland's companies, and a much larger number from some of the companies of the Frontier Regiment, all of whom are supposed to be gone to the enemy or are congregating for that purpose, and I now have a force in pursuit of them, but forage has been so scarce in the Frontier District and the service so heavy that the horses of the troops are thin, and I fear on very short, tender grass that they will


Page 794 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.