The treachery in Texas, the secession of Texas, and the arrest of the United States officers and soldiers serving in Texas. Read before the New-York Historical Society, June 25, 1861. By Major J. T. Sprague, U. S. A. Page: 34 of 36
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140
REBELLION RECORD, 1860-61.
140 REBELLION RECORD, 1860-61.~~~~~~~~~~
With the supervision over the entire country,
through the aid of Vigilance Committees and
mounted men, escape was impossible. There
was no alternative, but to leave the State under
the paroles given, and seek as soon as possible,
the protection of the Federal Government. On
the first of May, the officers left San Antonio
with their families for the coast, two hundred
and fifty miles distant, accompanied by an escort
of Confederate States troops.
Three grave questions have been asked by the
casual reader and observer, of the events following
the treachery of Brevet Major-Gen. Twiggs
in Texas.
The first is: Why did not Col. Waite, upon
taking command, destroy the capitulation entered
into by Gen. Twiggs, with the Texas Commissioners.
By a careful perusal of the details,
as given, the reason is obvious. His troops were
scattered along a frontier fourteen hundred miles
in extent, in small detachments, with which he
could not communicate. He was totally destitute
of subsistence, ammunition, and means of
transportation.
The second: What was the duty of General
Twiggs, when assuming in the month of December,
the command of the Department of Texas?
It was to have concentrated his entire command,
two thousand five hundred men, in the
vicinity of San Antonio, and protected the public
property, munitions of war and supplies, and
given support and confidence to the lovers of the
Union.
The third: Are the paroles given to the United
States officers on duty in Texas binding?
This question may well be answered by asking
another. Has the Government of the United
States confidence in the integrity and loyalty of
these officers, under these humiliating and trying
events? If so, will not the public demand a
faithful fulfilment? If violated, they may well
doubt their oaths of allegiance, for if by artifice,
fraud, or ingenious arguments, their honors may
be compromised, they can, under such a subterfuge,
desert their country's cause in the hour of
trial. They pledged their honors, though under
protest, but the necessity existed, and the paroles
were given.
In taking a cursory view of events within the
time referred to, we see the same sentiments and
passions animating the citizens of Texas, as had
distinguished the course of leading men in all
parts of the South. The dark wave of rebellion
had rolled with fearful rapidity towards this prosperous
State. From the time Gen. Twiggs had
entered upon his duties there, the current of rebellion
had been gaining strength from day to
day, requiring only preliminary measures, in the
way of conventions and the form of elections, to
perfect the object. Gov. Sam Houston refused
to convene the Legislature, as the first step towards
secession, declaring it was not the popular
voice of Texas. He was denounced in unmeasured
terms in political meetings convened in the
principal towns. These proceedings having no
effect upon his resolution, the citizens of countieswere desired-through self-constituted committees
-to open the polls for the election of members
to a State Convention, to be held in Galveston.
If five citizens united in the wish, the polls were
opened. The result was, the Convention held in
Galveston, on the first of February, 1861. The
act of secession was at once passed, and to be
submitted to the people on the twenty-third of
February; and if approved, to take effect on the
second of March. The people were called upon
to cast a vote clearly written out-for secession,i
against secession. The polls were guarded with
care, and the bold man who dared to vote in the
negative was marked, in the common parlance of
the day. The Convention re-convened on the
day appointed. The vote, as officially reported,
was as follows
one hundred and twenty-two
counties voted, thirty-four counties made no re
from the Cabinet at Washington, tendering to:
Gov. Houston the United States forces then in
camp at Indianola, en route out of Texas, under thei
Twiggs capitulation. This he declined, believing,
that the Union sentiment would be triumphanti
at the polls. Had these troops been retained, A;
rallying-point would have been given to thou,
sands, who were rushed into this calamity firom
the fear of violence and the destruction of theit
property. W.ithout the means of defence, dependent
upon personal indulstry for subsistence froti
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Sprague, John Titcomb. The treachery in Texas, the secession of Texas, and the arrest of the United States officers and soldiers serving in Texas. Read before the New-York Historical Society, June 25, 1861. By Major J. T. Sprague, U. S. A., book, 1862; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6102/m1/34/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.