Mexico, but they considered forty-eight hours in a closely-packed stage
a greater hardship than any of their military experiences.
We passed many cotton-fields and beautiful Indian corn, but much of the
latter had been damaged by the hail.
I was told that one-third of the land formerly devoted to cotton is
still sown with that article, the remainder being corn, &c.[13]
We also passed through some very pretty country, full of fine post-oak
and cotton trees, and we met many Mexican cotton-teams--some of the
waggons with fourteen oxen or twelve mules, which were being cruelly
ill-treated by their drivers.
We crossed several rivers with steep and difficult banks, and dined at a
farmhouse at 2.30 P.M.
I have already discovered that, directly the bell rings, it is necessary
to rush at one's food and bolt it as quickly as possible, without any
ceremony or delay, otherwise it all disappears, so rapacious and so
voracious are the natives at their meals whilst travelling. Dinner, on
such occasions, in no case lasts more than seven minutes.
We reached Columbus at 6 P.M., and got rid of half our passengers
there. These Texan towns generally consist of one large plaça, with a
well-built courthouse on one side and a hotel opposite, the other two
sides being filled up with wooden stores. All their budding prosperity
has been completely checked by the war; but every one anticipates a
great immigration into Texas after the peace.
We crossed the Colorado river, and reached Alleyton, our destination, at
7 P.M.
This little wooden village has sprung into existence during the last
three years, owing to its being the present terminus to the railroad. It
was crammed full of travellers and cotton speculators; but, as an
especial favour, the fat German and I were given a bed _between us_. I
threw myself on the bed with my clothes on (_bien entendu_), and was
fast asleep in five minutes. In the same room there were three other
beds, each with two occupants.
The distance from San Antonio to Alleyton is 140 miles--time, forty-six
hours.
[13] It is only in Texas that so much cotton is still grown.
* * * * *
_30th April_ (Thursday).--I have to-day acquired my first experience of
Texan railroads.
In this country, where every white man is as good as another (by
theory), and every white female is by courtesy a lady, there is only one
class. The train from Alleyton consisted of two long cars, each holding
about fifty persons. Their interior is like the aisle of a church,
twelve seats on either side, each for two persons. The seats are
comfortably stuffed, and seemed luxurious after the stage.
Before starting, the engine gives two preliminary snorts, which, with a
yell from the official of "_all aboard_," warn the passengers to hold
on; for they are closely followed by a tremendous jerk, which sets the
cars in motion.
Every passenger is allowed to use his own discretion about breaking his
arm, neck, or leg, without interference by the railway officials.
People are continually jumping on and off whilst the train is in motion,
and larking from one car to the other. There is no sort of fence or
other obstacle to prevent "humans" or cattle from getting on the line.
We left Alleyton at 8 A.M., and got a miserable meal at Richmond at
12.30. At this little town I was introduced to a seedy-looking man, in
rusty black clothes and a broken-down "stove-pipe" hat. This was Judge
Stockdale, who will probably be the next governor of Texas. He is an
agreeable man, and his conversation is far superior to his clothing. The
rival candidate is General Chambers (I think), who has become very
popular by the following sentence in his manifesto:--"I am of opinion
that married soldiers should be given the opportunity of embracing their
families at least once a-year, their places in the ranks being taken by
unmarried men. The population must not be allowed to suffer."
Richmond is on the Brazos river, which is crossed in a peculiar manner.
A steep inclined plane leads to a low, rickety, trestle bridge, and a
similar inclined plane is cut in the opposite bank. The engine cracks on
all steam, and gets sufficient impetus in going down the first incline
to shoot across the bridge and up the second incline. But even in Texas
this method of crossing a river is considered rather unsafe.
After crossing the river in this manner, the rail traverses some very
fertile land, part of which forms the estate of the late Colonel Terry.
There are more than two hundred negroes on the plantation. Some of the
fields were planted with cotton and Indian corn mixed, three rows of the
former between two of the latter. I saw also fields with cotton and
sugar mixed.
We changed carriages at Harrisburg, and I completed my journey to
Houston on a cotton truck.
The country near Houston is very pretty, and is studded with white
wooden villas, which are raised off the ground on blocks like haystacks.
I reached Houston at 4.30 P.M., and drove to the Fannin House hotel.
Houston is a much better place than I expected. The main street can
boast of many well-built brick and iron houses. It was very full, as it
now contained all the refugees from the deserted town of Galveston.
After an extremely mild supper, I was introduced to Lieutenant Lee, a
wounded hero, who lost his leg at Shiloh; also to Colonel Pyron, a
distinguished officer, who commands the regiment named after him.
The fat German, Mr Lee, and myself, went to the theatre afterwards.
As a great favour, my British prejudices were respected, and I was
allowed a bed to myself; but the four other beds in the room had two
occupants each. A captain, whose acquaintance I had made in the cars,
slept in the next bed to me. Directly after we had got into bed a negro
came in, who, squatting down between our beds, began to clean our boots.
The Southerner pointed at the slave, and thus held forth:--"Well,
Kernel, I reckon you've got servants in your country, but not of that
colour. Now, sir, this is a real genu_i_ne African. He's as happy as the
day's long; and if he was on a sugar plantation he'd be dancing half the
night; but if you was to collect a thousand of them together, and fire
one bomb in amongst them, they'd all run like h----ll." The negro
grinned, and seemed quite flattered.
* * * * *
_1st May_ (Friday).--I called on General Scurry, and found him suffering
from severe ophthalmia. When I presented General Magruder's letter, he
insisted that I should come and live with him so long as I remained
here. He also telegraphed to Galveston for a steamer to take me there
and back.
We dined at 4 P.M.: the party consisted of Colonel and Judge Terrill (a
clever and agreeable man), Colonel Pyron, Captain Wharton,
Quartermaster-General, Major Watkins (a handsome fellow, and hero of the
Sabine Pass affair), and Colonel Cook, commanding the artillery at
Galveston (late of the U.S. navy, who enjoys the reputation of being a
zealous Methodist preacher and a daring officer). The latter told me he
could hardly understand how I could be an Englishman, as I pronounced my
h's all right. General Scurry himself is very amusing, and is an
admirable mimic. His numerous anecdotes of the war were very
interesting. In peace times he is a lawyer. He was a volunteer major in
the Mexican war, and distinguished himself very much in the late
campaigns in New Mexico and Arizona, and at the recapture of Galveston.
After dinner, the Queen's health was proposed; and the party expressed
the greatest admiration for Her Majesty, and respect for the British
Constitution. They all said that universal suffrage did not produce such
deplorable results in the South as in the North; because the population
in the South is so very scattered, and the whites being the superior
race, they form a sort of aristocracy.
They all wanted me to put off going to Galveston till Monday, in order
that some ladies might go; but I was inexorable, as it must now be my
object to cross the Mississippi without delay.
All these officers despised sabres, and considered double-barrelled
shot-guns and revolvers the best arms for cavalry.
* * * * *
_2d May_ (Saturday).--As the steamer had not arrived in the morning, I
left by railroad for Galveston. General Scurry insisted upon sending his
servant to wait upon me, in order that I might become acquainted with
"an aristocratic negro." "John" was a very smart fellow, and at first
sight nearly as white as myself.
In the cars I was introduced to General Samuel Houston, the founder of
Texan independence. He told me he was born in Virginia seventy years
ago, that he was United States senator at thirty, and governor of
Tennessee at thirty-six. He emigrated into Texas in 1832; headed the
revolt of Texas, and defeated the Mexicans at San Jacinto in 1836. He
then became President of the Republic of Texas, which he annexed to the
United States in 1845. As Governor of the State in 1860, he had opposed
the secession movement, and was _deposed_. Though evidently a remarkable
and clever man, he is extremely egotistical and vain, and much
disappointed at having to subside from his former grandeur. The town of
Houston is named after him. In appearance he is a tall, handsome old
man, much given to chewing tobacco, and blowing his nose with his
fingers.[14]
I was also introduced to another "character," Captain Chubb, who told me
he was a Yankee by birth, and served as coxswain to the United States
ship Java in 1827. He was afterwards imprisoned at Boston on suspicion
of being engaged in the slave trade; but he escaped. At the beginning of
this war he was captured by the Yankees, when he was in command of the
Confederate States steamer Royal Yacht, and taken to New York in chains,
where he was condemned to be hung as a pirate; but he was eventually
exchanged. I was afterwards told that the slave-trading escapade of
which he was accused consisted in his having hired a coloured crew at
Boston, and then coolly _selling_ them at Galveston.
At 1 P.M., we arrived at Virginia Point, a _tête-de-pont_ at the
extremity of the main land. Here Bates's battalion was encamped--called
also the "swamp angels," on account of the marshy nature of their
quarters, and of their predatory and irregular habits.
The railroad then traverses a shallow lagoon (called Galveston Bay) on a
trestle-bridge two miles long; this leads to another _tête-de-pont_ on
Galveston island, and in a few minutes the city is reached.
In the train I had received the following message by telegraph from
Colonel Debray, who commands at Galveston:--"Will Col. Fremantle sleep
to-night at the house of a blockaded rebel?" I answered:--"Delighted;"
and was received at the terminus by Captain Foster of the Staff, who
conducted me in an ambulance to headquarters, which were at the house of
the Roman Catholic bishop. I was received there by Colonel Debray and
two very gentlemanlike French priests.
We sat down to dinner at 2 P.M., but were soon interrupted by an
indignant drayman, who came to complain of a military outrage. It
appeared that immediately after I had left the cars a semi-drunken Texan
of Pyron's regiment had desired this drayman to stop, and upon the
latter declining to do so, the Texan fired five shots at him from his
"six-shooter," and the last shot killed the drayman's horse. Captain
Foster (who is a Louisianian, and very sarcastic about Texas) said that
the regiment would probably hang the soldier for being such a
_disgraceful bad shot_.
After dinner Colonel Debray took me into the observatory, which commands
a good view of the city, bay, and gulf.
Galveston is situated near the eastern end of an island thirty miles
long by three and a half wide. Its houses are well built; its streets
are long, straight, and shaded with trees; but the city was now
desolate, blockaded, and under military law. Most of the houses were
empty, and bore many marks of the ill-directed fire of the Federal ships
during the night of the 1st January last.
The whole of Galveston Bay is very shallow, except a narrow channel of
about a hundred yards immediately in front of the now deserted wharves.
The entrance to this channel is at the north-eastern extremity of the
island, and is defended by the new works which are now in progress
there. It is also blocked up with piles, torpedoes, and other obstacles.
The blockaders were plainly visible about four miles from land; they
consisted of three gunboats and an ugly paddle steamer, also two supply
vessels.
The wreck of the Confederate cotton steamer Neptune (destroyed in her
attack on the Harriet Lane), was close off one of the wharves. That of
the Westfield (blown up by the Yankee Commodore), was off Pelican
Island.
In the night of the 1st January, General Magruder suddenly entered
Galveston, placed his field-pieces along the line of wharves, and
unexpectedly opened fire in the dark upon the Yankee war vessels at a
range of about one hundred yards; but so heavy (though badly directed)
was the reply from the ships, that the field-pieces had to be withdrawn.
The attack by Colonel Cook upon a Massachusetts regiment fortified at
the end of a wharf, also failed, and the Confederates thought themselves
"badly whipped." But after daylight the fortunate surrender of the
Harriet Lane to the cotton boat Bayou City, and the extraordinary
conduct of Commodore Renshaw, converted a Confederate disaster into the
recapture of Galveston. General Magruder certainly deserves immense
credit for his boldness in attacking a heavily armed naval squadron with
a few field-pieces and two river steamers protected with cotton bales
and manned with Texan cavalry soldiers.
I rode with Colonel Debray to examine Forts Scurry, Magruder, Bankhead,
and Point. These works have been ingeniously designed by Colonel
Sulokowski (formerly in the Austrian army), and they were being very
well constructed by one hundred and fifty whites and six hundred blacks
under that officer's superintendence, the blacks being lent by the
neighbouring planters.
Although the blockaders can easily approach to within three miles of
the works, and although one shell will always "stampede" the negroes,
yet they have not thrown any for a long time.[15]
Colonel Debray is a broad-shouldered Frenchman, and is a very good
fellow. He told me that he emigrated to America in 1848; he raised a
company in 1861, in which he was only a private; he was next appointed
aide-de-camp to the Governor of Texas, with the rank of
brigadier-general; he then descended to a major of infantry, afterwards
rose to a lieutenant-colonel of cavalry, and is now colonel.
Captain Foster is properly on Magruder's Staff, and is very good
company. His property at New Orleans had been destroyed by the Yankees.
In the evening we went to a dance given by Colonel Manly, which was
great fun. I danced an American cotillon with Mrs Manly; it was very
violent exercise, and not the least like anything I had seen before. A
gentleman stands by shouting out the different figures to be performed,
and every one obeys his orders with much gravity and energy. Colonel
Manly is a very gentlemanlike Carolinian; the ladies were pretty, and,
considering the blockade, they were very well dressed.
Six deserters from Banks's army arrived here to-day. Banks seems to be
advancing steadily, and overcoming the opposition offered by the handful
of Confederates in the Teche country.
Banks himself is much despised as a soldier, and is always called by the
Confederates Mr Commissary Banks, on account of the efficient manner in
which he performed the duties of that office for "Stonewall" Jackson in
Virginia. The officer who is supposed _really_ to command the advancing
Federals, is Weitzel; and he is acknowledged by all here to be an able
man, a good soldier, and well acquainted with the country in which he is
manoeuvring.
[14] He is reported to have died in August 1863.
[15] Such a stampede did occur when the blockaders threw two or three
shells. All the negroes ran, showing every sign of great dismay, and two
of them, in their terror, ran into the sea, and were unfortunately
drowned. It is now, however, too late for the ships to try this
experiment, as some heavy guns are in position. A description of the
different works is of course omitted here.
* * * * *
_3d May_ (Sunday).--I paid a long visit this morning to Mr Lynn the
British Consul, who told me that he had great difficulty in
communicating with the outer world, and had seen no British man-of-war
since the Immortalité.
At 1.30 I saw Pyron's regiment embark for Niblitt's Bluff to meet
Banks. This corps is now dismounted cavalry, and the procession was a
droll one. First came eight or ten instruments braying discordantly,
then an enormous Confederate flag, followed by about four hundred men
moving by fours--dressed in every variety of costume, and armed with
every variety of weapon; about sixty had Enfield rifles; the remainder
carried shot-guns (fowling-pieces), carbines, or long rifles of a
peculiar and antiquated manufacture. None had swords or bayonets--all
had six-shooters and bowie-knives. The men were a fine,
determined-looking lot; and I saw amongst them a short stout boy of
fourteen who had served through the Arizona campaign. I saw many of the
soldiers take off their hats to the French priests, who seemed much
respected in Galveston. This regiment is considered down here to be a
very good one, and its colonel is spoken of as one of the bravest
officers in the army. The regiment was to be harangued by Old Houston
before it embarked.[16]
In getting into the cars to return to Houston I was nearly forced to
step over the dead body of the horse shot by the soldier yesterday, and
which the authorities had not thought necessary to remove.
I got back to General Scurry's house at Houston at 4.30 P.M. The
general took me out for a drive in his ambulance, and I saw innumerable
negroes and negresses parading about the streets in the most
outrageously grand costumes--silks, satins, crinolines, hats with
feathers, lace mantles, &c., forming an absurd contrast to the simple
dresses of their mistresses. Many were driving about in their masters'
carriages, or riding on horses which are often lent to them on Sunday
afternoons; all seemed intensely happy and satisfied with themselves.
---- told me that old Sam Houston lived for several years amongst the
Cherokee Indians, who used to call him "the Raven" or the "Big Drunk."
He married an Indian squaw when he was with them.
Colonel Ives, aide-de-camp to the President, has just arrived from
Richmond, and he seems a very well-informed and agreeable man.
I have settled to take the route to Shrieveport to-morrow, as it seems
doubtful whether Alexandria will or will not fall.
[16] At the outbreak of the war it was found very difficult to raise
infantry in Texas, as no Texan walks a yard if he can help it. Many
mounted regiments were therefore organised, and afterwards dismounted.
* * * * *
_4th May_ (Monday).--General Scurry's servant "John" had been most
attentive since he had been told off to me. I made him a present of my
evening clothes, which gratified him immensely; and I shook hands with
him at parting, which seems to be quite the custom. The Southern
gentlemen are certainly able to treat their slaves with extraordinary
familiarity and kindness. John told me that the General would let him
buy his freedom whenever he chose. He is a barber by trade, and was
earning much money when he insisted on rejoining his master and going to
the wars.
I left Houston by train for Navasoto at 10 A.M. A Captain Andrews
accompanied me thus far: he was going with a troop of cavalry to impress
one-fourth of the negroes on the plantations for the Government works at
Galveston, the planters having been backward in coming forward with
their darkies.
Arrived at Navasoto (70 miles) at 4 P.M., where I took a stage for
Shrieveport (250 miles). I started at 4.30 P.M., after having had a
little dispute with a man for a corner seat, and beating him.
It was the same sort of vehicle as the San Antonio one--eight people
inside. During the night there was a thunderstorm.
* * * * *
_5th May_ (Tuesday).--We breakfasted at Huntsville at 5.30 A.M. The
Federal officers captured in the Harriet Lane are confined in the
penitentiary there, and are not treated as prisoners of war. This seems
to be the system now with regard to officers since the enlistment of
negroes by the Northerners.
My fellow-travellers were mostly elderly planters or legislators, and
there was one judge from Louisiana. One of them produced a pair of boots
which had cost him $100; another showed me a common wideawake hat which
had cost him $40. In Houston, I myself saw an English regulation
infantry sword exposed for sale for $225 (£45).
As the military element did not predominate, my companions united in
speaking with horror of the depredations committed in this part of the
country by their own troops on a line of march.
We passed through a well-wooded country--pines and post oaks--the road
bad: crossed the river Trinity at 12 noon, and dined at the house of a
disreputable looking individual called a Campbellite minister, at 4.30
P.M. The food consisted almost invariably of bacon, corn bread, and
buttermilk: a meal costing a dollar.
Arrived at Crockett at 9.30 P.M., where we halted for a few hours. A
_filthy bed_ was given to the Louisianian Judge and myself. The Judge,
following my example, took to it boots and all, remarking, as he did so,
to the attendant negro, that "they were a d----d sight cleaner than the
bed."
Before reaching Crockett, we passed through the encampment of
Phillipps's regiment of Texas Rangers, and we underwent much chaff. They
were _en route_ to resist Banks.
* * * * *
_6th May_ (Wednesday).--We left all the passengers at Crockett except
the Louisianian Judge, a Government agent, and the ex-boatswain of the
Harriet Lane, which vessel had been manned by the Confederates after her
capture; but she had since been dismantled, and her crew was being
marched to Shrieveport to man the ironclad Missouri, which was being
built there.
The food we get on the road is sufficient, and good enough to support
life; it consists of pork or bacon, bread made with Indian corn, and a
peculiar mixture called Confederate coffee, made of rye, meal, Indian
corn or sweet potatoes. The loss of coffee afflicts the Confederates
even more than the loss of spirits; and they exercise their ingenuity in
devising substitutes, which are not generally very successful.
The same sort of country as yesterday, viz.--large forests of pines and
post-oaks, and occasional Indian-corn-fields, the trees having been
killed by cutting a circle near the roots.
At 3 P.M., we took in four more passengers. One of them was a Major
----, brother-in-law to ----, who hanged Mongomery at Brownsville. He
spoke of the exploit of his relative with some pride. He told me that
his three brothers had lost an arm apiece in the war.
We arrived at Rusk at 6.30 P.M., and spent a few hours there; but
notwithstanding the boasted splendour of the beds at the Cherokee Hotel,
and although by Major ----'s influence I got one to myself, yet I did
not consider its aspect sufficiently inviting to induce me to remove my
clothes.
* * * * *
_7th May_ (Thursday).--We started again at 1.30 A.M. in a smaller coach,
but luckily with reduced numbers, viz.--the Louisianian Judge (who is
also a legislator), a Mississippi planter, the boatswain, the Government
agent, and a Captain Williams, of the Texas Rangers.
Before the day broke we reached a bridge over a stream called Mud Creek,
which was in such a dilapidated condition that all hands had to get out
and cover over the biggest holes with planks.
The Government agent informed us that he still held a commission as
adjutant-general to ----. The latter, it appears, is a cross between a
guerilla and a horse thief, and, even by his adjutant-general's account,
he seems to be an equal adept at both professions. The accounts of his
forays in Arkansas were highly amusing, but rather strongly seasoned for
a legitimate soldier.