San Antonio de Bexar: A Guide and History Page: 29
vi, 166 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 27 cm.View a full description of this book.
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NOTES ON MILITARY AFFAIRS.
The following is a list of military commandants from the first occupation of
San Antonio by the National troops :
Col. Harney, 1845-6; General Worth, to 1849-he dying here of cholera ;
General Harney; General Percival Smith, Headquarters at Corpus Christi;
Albert Sydney Johnson, Headquarters, Vance House, San Antonio, to 1857.
General Twiggs* succeeded, but being unjustly court-martialed on a trivial
charge, Robert E. Lee took command, entering the town February 21st, 1860. He
had previously been with Jos. E. Johnston, Colonel commanding at Concho, Lee
being Lieutenant Colonel at the time. He remained only a few months, and
General Twiggs was again in command at the outbreak of the war; from him and
Col. Reeves, the public property was acquired by a committee of citizens consist-
ing of S. A. Maverick, P. N. Luckett and T. J. Devine. The same gentlemen
served to restore what they could at tlye close of the War in 1865.
After the War, the Headquarters were removed to the French Building on
Main Plaza, and afterwards to Austin.
General Reynolds, commanding 1869 to January, 1872.
General Augur, commanding January, 1872, to March, 1875, troops removed.
General Ord, commanding April, 1875, to December, 1880, Headquarters
returned to San Antonio November, 1875.
General Augur, (2nd term) commanding January, 1881, to October, 1883.
General Mackenzie, commanding November, 1883, to December, 1883.
General Stanley, commanding May, 1884, to date.
Lieut. Col. Robt. E. Lee boarded at the Hostelry (kept by Mrs. Phillips,
where the St. Leonard now stands). General Twiggs lived near the Mission
Garden.
There was some excitement in the city during the transfer of the property,
and mustering of Volunteers and some talk of resistance, but everything
was arranged withont blood-shed. Without reflecting on General Twiggs it is
undoubtedly a fact that his sympathies, at least, were with the citizens.
Taking up the history of the Headquarters proper, we find that in 1857 the
Headquarters were at the Vance House; they remained there all through the
war, being then under the Stars and Bars. In 1865, the Federal Headquarters
were established in the "French Building" until they were removed to Austin in
1869, the troops following in August and September, 1873.
The Headquarters returned to San Antonio in November of 1875, and in
1878 were established in a building erected for the purpose, by the Maverick
family, on Houston street -(now the Maverick Hotel); and during the same
month, the Quartermaster's Depot on the Hill was completed, the reservation
having been acquired as noted in the foregoing article, beginning with the first
*There is an amusing anecdote connected with the court-martialing of General Twiggs which has
the advantage of being authentic. He had been ordered by the Secretary of War, to publish an order reflecting
upon himself. Discipline prevailed, but to save his amour pf ofre, the General appended a statement of his own,
in order, as he says, that " the antidote may go with the poison," the order was thus issued, despite the calmer
suggestions of his Adjutant-General, Col. Withers. Twiggs was court-martialed, escaped with a reprimand and
returned to the command of the Department.29
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Corner, William. San Antonio de Bexar: A Guide and History, book, 1890; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth143549/m1/69/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting University of Texas Health Science Center Libraries.