GALVESTON
WEEKLY NEWS
1865
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1865, p. 1, c. 5
The Soldiers' Home in Houston was opened yesterday, and we were present
by invitation of the lady superintendents at a most splendid lunch given to the
Provost Guards of this city, numbering some 75 or 100 soldiers.
The ladies had prepared the tables with the greatest abundance of the
very best our market affords, and it must have afforded gratification to every
one to see the ladies thus supplying the wants of those who have so long been
performing guard duty for our city. But
still more gratifying will it be to every true patriot to find that, hereafter,
no soldier will be permitted to pass through our city without receiving the
hospitality of our citizens, dispensed by the ladies of Houston.
The Houston Hall is a large and commodious brick building, capable of
accommodating several hundred soldiers at the same time, and is by far the most
suitable building in the city for a Soldiers' Home.
We understand that the organization is now complete, all the necessary
officers having been appointed. Mrs.
Col. James Relly [?] has been elected by the ladies President of the
Association.
We look upon the establishment of Soldiers' Homes as a most important
step in the right direction. Nothing
can have a better effect upon the soldiers than an assurance that they are
appreciated by those at home, and especially by the ladies, as their only
protection against a brutal and barbarous enemy and to whom, alone, they can
look for deliverance in this terrible struggle for life, liberty, and even
existence. We have too long
neglected to take the proper means to make the soldiers realize that we feel
indebted to them for our present safety, and that to relieve his wants is the
least we can do for the inestimable services he is rendering to his country.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1865, p. 1, c. 6
Letter
from Santiago.
Waco, Dec. 23d, 1864.
Ed. News:--To use the well known expression of a little boy to the hero
of San Jacinto—"I have been set back."
A few days ago I dined with two of my countrywomen, both fair and
beautiful to look upon, whose husbands were absent.
Somehow, or somehow else, the all important subject of the war came up in
conversation. Now, I having been up
in Virginia with the old 1st, have many times felt as if the
Confederacy rested upon any individual shoulders—as if the salvation of the
country depended upon doing my duty, and have fact to face denounced those who
refuse to defend their country, as poor, pitiful scoundrels, who ought to be
hung.
One of the ladies remarked that her husband had been anxious to go to the
front several times, but that she had dissuaded him from it, because she loved
him, and was afraid he might get killed!
As quick as though I replied that the ladies of the South were generally
more patriotic than the gentlemen, and had by their devotion saved the country,
but that if all the ladies influenced their husbands as she had hers, we would
soon have no army, and the Confederacy would be wiped out.
I was in earnest, and suppose my face, which is not like that of Adonis,
showed my heartfelt emotions—not the watching smiles of persuasion. Whereupon this husband-loving lady very coolly inquired of me
why I was not in the field? Now,
I must confess that my dimensions were not increased by this question, for the
post of danger is the post of honor—where
"The battle wreck lies thickest,
And death's brief pang is quickest"
but I mumbled out something about volunteering at the first of the war, Virginia and Arkansas, Quartermaster's Department, cotton,
wool, hides, and God knows what! I
felt humble. Uriah Heap, in his
humility, might rather have been compared to Bonaparte at the battle of the
Pyramids, than I to that humble individual.
I was just in the act of sounding a retreat, when something turned up for
me, as well as for Mr. Macawber. I
had hardly made my reply when the other lady arose, and with that graceful
dignity peculiar to our Southern
matrons, addressed my vanquisher as follows:
"Madam! You do well to
love your husband and your country should be dearer to you than father, mother,
children, all! That virtue which
inspires one to devote his life for the good of his country, has ever been
considered sublime and godlike. Your
husband may die at home any day; to die upon the field of glory for his country
will be sweet and decorous. Would
you detain a soldier from the field and thereby weaken our force and aid our
enemies? Will you aid Andy Johnson,
Jack Hamilton, Parson Brownlow, and other shameless wretches, who have deserted
their country in the hour of danger and gone over to the Abolitionists, when the
gallant survivors of Stonewall Jackson, Sidney Johnston, Bartow, Bee, Pettigrew,
Stuart, Green, Scurry, Randal and Gregg, struggling nobly against immense odds,
cry for help? Can it be possible
for you or any true woman or honest man, in the Confederacy, not to distinguish
the path of duty and honor from that of disgrace and infamy?
Not only does Europe erect statues in honor of our gallant dead, but even
our wicked enemies respect their memory!
Even among the Yankees, humanity respects magnanimity and virtue, but
contemns vice and immorality, therefore they call Lincoln the Ape, Butler
the Beast, and Grant the Butcher, but our own illustrious dead,
they call HEROES! Madam, sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give
my heart and hand to the cause of my people.
It is a just and holy cause.—Were my husband to shirk from the service,
much as I love him, I would quit him without regret, for I can be a brave
man's widow, a coward's wife never! so help me God!
Should he come home on crutches, or with an empty sleeve dangling by his
side, as witnesses of his bravery and courage in battle, it will be a labor of
love to minister to his wants and hear him fight over all his battles again at
the fireside—how the brave Texas boys charged the breastworks at Gaines' Mill
and Malvern Heights—how their first line charged right through the whole
Yankee army at 2d Manassas, and then how heroically they contended for victory
at Sharpsburg. Oh!
it will be such a treat to hear him tell about his dangers and perils and
hairbreadth escapes, and to know that my husband never failed his country
in the hour of need, but was one of its bravest defenders!"
After uttering these patriotic sentiments, this noble woman turned her
awe-inspiring eyes upon me, and was silent, but looked as if she desired
me to say something. I said slowly
and deliberately, "Madam, I would not survive the liberties of my country! If I do, may God blot from the book of eternal life the name
of
Santiago.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1865, p. 1, c. 6
Capt.
Odlum.
On the 2d of November last, we published a communication highly
complementary to Capt. F. H. Odlum for the brilliant achievement of his company
at Sabine Pass on the 8th of Sept., 1863, wherein two of the enemy's
steamers and about 400 prisoners were captured by only 42 men!
On publishing this communication, we were reminded that it apparently
contradicted the generally received account that Lt. Dowling was in command of
the company at that time, and that Capt. Odlum was then absent on other duties,
and supposing that to have been actually the case, we remarked, editorially,
that Capt. Odlum was not present in that glorious action.
From the following order, it would, however, appear beyond all doubt that
Capt. Odlum was present and in command of the post, notwithstanding the reports
to the contrary, to which we had given credit.
Hd. Q'rs, Eastern Sub-District of Texas,
Houston, Texas, Sept. 13th, 1863.
General Orders, No. 39.A.
The Commanding Officer of this Sub-District congratulates the garrison at
Sabine Pass, and its commanding officer, Capt. F. H. Odlum, for the signal
victory achieved by them on the 8th inst., over the enemies of free
Government. The fearful odds
brought by the enemy against your works, add a double laurel to your
achievements, which will be so gratefully received by the country and your
brethren in arms. The heroic
resolution, the steadfastness of purpose and action, the manly fortitude in
braving the guns of the invaders; but, above all, the love of country which so
honorably stimulated you in the attack and capture of their two gunboats, and
disabling a third, must challenge, for a parallel, the martial performances of
the age, and the admiration of every patriot of the land.
To control the impetuosity of a garrison under the circumstances, and the
reservation of your fire until the enemy approached in short range of your guns,
are of those judicious and skillful acts rarely found in a volunteer corps, and
which contributed so largely to this most important capture.
To Lieut. R. W. Dowling, and Lieut. W. H. Smith, of the Engineer Corps,
(and other meritorious officers, whose name have not been officially
communicated to me,) who participated in that thrilling engagement, and who were
so conspicuous everywhere by their gallant bearing and activity, deserve, as
they will receive, the thanks of the army and the country. Monuments will be given to our defenders, and graves to our
invaders.
P. N. Luckett,
Acting Brig. Gen. Commanding Eastern Sub-Dist. of Texas.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1865, p. 1, c. 6
The following articles are from the San Antonio Herald:
Indian Depredations.—We learn that the Indians have just paid a visit
to Kerr and Kendall counties, killing two ladies on the Llano as they came down.
They succeeded in getting off with a large number of horses.
The people of these two counties are too weak to pursue them.
The two ladies killed were Mrs. Joy and her daughter, who were on
horseback riding through the neighborhood.
The Indians are said to be uncommonly bold, riding through the country in
day time.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1865, p. 1, c. 5
We understand that the authorities of Matamoros have ordered a large
surplus of the frail daughters of Eve residing in that city, to seek lodgings
elsewhere. Whether they will be
entered at the Custom House as a necessary, or be smuggled into the Confederacy
as a luxury, or go to the Yankee lines, whence they came, we cannot answer. It is understood that Mister Price and the ring tailed
Bosting Peeler are negotiating with the Matamoros officials for the new theater,
in this connection—Brownsvile Ranchero.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1864, p. 2, c. 1
Among the passengers in Thursday's stage was a man dressed in female
attire, on his way to San Antonio. Whether
he was a deserter or a Yankee spie [sic], could not be ascertained.
He was travelling in company with a woman who told several tales
respecting their movements, but nothing satisfactory was elicited.
The Commander of the Post had both arrested and sent to Houston.—Ibid.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1864, p. 2, c. 2
A Soldiers' Home has been established at Jasper, Texas, and our old
friend Dr. Syman White has charge of the same.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1864, p. 2, c. 3
We are glad to learn from Rev. Mr. Castleton that the Houston Hall
(Schrimpf's Hotel) has been secured for a Soldiers' Home in this city.
It will be under the supervision of the ladies of the State Central
Committee of this city, and Mr. A. Sessums will act as treasurer and commissary,
and to him all moneys and materials for the use of the house must be sent.
We believe the organization is now such as to insure permanency and great
benefits to our soldiers passing through this city.
It is suggested that the friends of the soldiers—farmers, planters and
others in the country—may send such supplies as they feel disposed to donate
to the support of this Home to direct to Mr. Sessums by Express as
otherwise losses are most certain to occur.
We have very little doubt that the proprietors of the Express will be
willing to make the charges very moderate, for the purpose of aiding all they
can to sustain an institution so indispensable to our soldiers, in returning
from and going to the army.
We are requested to state that the same Ladies' Central Committee act in
behalf of such Homes in the country as need assistance, and for this purpose Mr.
A. J. Burke is their Treasurer and to him should be sent all such articles or
such sums of money as are intended for the aid of Homes in the country needing
support. The treasuries for the Home in this city and Homes in the
country are kept distinct, so as to avoid all confusion and trouble in the
application of the means to the purpose intended.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1865, p. 2, c. 3
We find the following excellent suggestion in the Dallas Herald.
If our subscribers, after reading our paper, would send it to some
friends in the army, as recommended, they would render a valuable service, at no
expense to themselves or any body else:
"The blockade having closed all our ports, paper can be procured
only at enormous prices, and consequently newspapers, so potent in forming and
directing aright public opinion, are often out of the reach of the people and
private soldier. A recent visit to our army now encamped at Camden, Arkansas,
has convinced me that if there were more newspapers circulated in the army, it
would add more to the contentment and satisfaction of the soldiers than any one
thing that their friends at home could do for them. It would enable them to spend their leisure hours profitably,
give them the local news at home, and keep them from time to time, properly
informed as the progress and objects of the war in which they are engaged.
The object of this article is to appeal to your readers to remail all
their newspapers so soon as they read them, to some soldier in the service.
Did they but know with what eagerness newspapers are sought for in the
army, they would put themselves to some trouble to forward all they could.
Will you call the attention of your readers to this subject, and will
other editors do the same."
Coin in a Corner.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1865, p. 2, c. 4
We notice an interesting statement relative to the condition of the
Soldiers' Home in Anderson, made in the Telegraph by the following ladies having
direction of that institution, namely:
Mrs. D. Nelms, President,
Mrs. A. Cawthorn,
}
Mrs. C. Kerr,
}
Mrs. Moore,
} Directresses.
Mrs. Barnes,
}
Miss Womick,
}
It appears from the account given that the Home in Anderson was opened on
the 1st of August last, and has since furnished over 1,200 meals to
soldiers and 768 feeds to their horses. The
number wanting accommodation is increasing, owing to the many furloughs now
being granted. Sick soldiers are
attended to by the physician of the Post, and by the Matron, Mrs. Hendricks.
Mrs. Hendricks receives one dollar, Confederate money, for every meal
cooked, and the money to pay for her valuable services is made up by voluntary
subscription and paid out by the Treasurer, Mr. Lawhorn.
The provisions, &c., are obtained by contribution from planters.
It appears that Mrs. Hendricks furnishes her own house for the Soldiers'
Home, and has hitherto furnished bedding, but the Directresses say that more
bedding is needed for this cold weather, and they appeal to the young ladies of
Grimes to send in comforts and such other articles of bedding as they can
furnish, which will be taken care of and returned to the owners.
We are glad to see that so much good is being done by the Home in
Anderson.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1864, p. 2, c. 7
Soldiers'
Homes.
We learn from the Re. Mr. Castleton that the following Homes are now
organized and in successful operations:
Beaumont
Jefferson county.
San Antonio
Bexar county.
Austin
Travis county.
New Braunfels
Comal county.
Corsicana
Navarro county.
Hillsboro'
Hill county.
Palestine
Anderson county.
Butler
Freestone county.
Fairfield
"
Cotton Gin
"
Springfield
Limestone county
Mansfield
Louisiana
Minden
Louisiana
Homer
Louisiana
Independence
Maj. Blanton's Hotel
Wash'n Co.
Waxahachie
Maj. Roger's Hotel
Ellis Co.
Ash Creek
Mr. Ward's
Hill Co.
Bastrop
Mr. Nicholson's Hotel
Bastrop Co.
Paris
[Name not known]
Lamar Co.
Beaumont
Col. Fletcher's
Jeff'son Co.
Houston
Houston Hall
Harris Co.
Hempstead
Defunct, but reorganizing
Navasota
Defunct
Millican
Defunct
Anderson
Mrs. Hendricks
Grimes Co.
Huntsville
Col. Polk's Hotel
Walker Co.
Crockett
Defunct
Rusk
Cherokee Co.
Henderson
Col. Davenport's
Rusk Co.
Marshall
_______ Hotel
Harrison
Shreveport
Louisiana
Dallas
Dallas Co.
Goliad
Goliad Co.
Mr. Castleton informs us that he believes there are as many as sixty
Homes in Texas, but that he cannot be positive as to the complete organization
of any but the above.
We omit from the above list several Homes that have been discontinued,
but which it is hoped will soon be reorganized.
Efforts are now being made to reorganize the Home in this city.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 4, 1865, p. 2, c. 6
Houston, Dec. 29th, 1864.
Editor News:--Much has been said and felt upon the subject of education
in our State during this war. Most
deplorable results must ensue unless something be done, which can be done even
in these troublesome times. During
my recent journey, I found some families employing private teachers and inviting
their neighbors' children to share the privilege with their own.
I found also elegant and accomplished ladies, refugees, accustomed to all
the refinements, and, I must add, all the indolence of genteel life, gladly,
cheerfully devoting their talents and energies to the sublime work of educating
those who are the hope of our country, and will soon be its bulwark or its
destroyers. With what admiration
did I gaze upon the noble spectacle! Their
brothers and lovers were winning our liberties on the battlefield and they,
gentle and lovely, were in the equally brave and patriotic work of preparing the
next age to enjoy them. Noble
women, said I, how will future ages bless you!
Now is the time for educated woman to lay out her whole talent for her
country by training its sons and daughters.
Will not Texas ladies enter this work?
Will not Texas planters enlist educated ladies and disabled soldiers,
whose education will admit of it, in the work of educating their own and their
neighbors' children? Let them think
of four, five, or eight years lost to education.
It is a black belt across the historic period, which will shade the next
half century. Perhaps a country may
never make amends nor recover from its evil effects. Can elegance and refinement contrive a more noble and
age-lasting monument of honor for themselves or a more durable blessing to their
beloved land? Will you, Mr. Editor,
give your thoughts upon this subject? We
look to you and your confreres to guide public enterprise.
Respectfully,
Thos. Castleton.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 11, 1865, p. 1, c. 2
Gardening in Texas for January.—(From Affleck's Almanac.)
Continue to sow Peas, Lettuce, Radishes, Parsnips, and Asparagus.
Sow Beets, Carrots, Salsafy, Turnips, Sweet herbs, &c.
Plant Beans, early Corn, and Okra; Irish Potatoes Horse radish,
Artichokes and Asparagus. Plant out
Cauliflower and more early Cabbage—Large white Broccoli should now begin to
head.—Frost, such as are here felt, will not injure Peas till in bloom.
If not done last month, sow in hot-bed, seeds of Peppers, Tomatoes, Egg
plants, Melons and Cucumbers.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 11, 1865, p. 1, c. 4-5
Ed. News.—During the holidays it seems to me proper that we should for
a time forget our dangers and our troubles, hold a truce with care and set
despondency at defiance. The bow
must at times be unbent and the tension of the mind relaxed, or their spring and
elasticity are destroyed. With the
view of affording your readers some entertainment, I enclose the following
sketch, which, at least, has the merit of being of home production—neither
copied from the Yankees nor yet imitated from the English, and further, that in
the main incident related, it is substantially true.
With this preface, I introduce
Roper's
Pearch—A Reminiscence of 38.
Before there was a mile of railroad in Tennessee; and when country roads
throughout the Western District were left pretty much as nature made them,
except here and there, a bit of corduroy across a swamp—when buggies were a
novelty and ambulances unknown, the few spring vehicles in use being almost
exclusively the old fashioned heavy C-spring family carriage, devoted to the
conveyance of ladies to and from church and to occasions of state and
ceremony—when, in short, the universal manner of traveling was on horseback.
At this time the Bench and the Bar were not exceptions, but rode the
circuit with a full train of suitors and followers, each man as well mounted as
his means allowed, with his stock of movables snugly packed in his saddle-bags,
which receptacle was not only expected to contain the lawyer's wardrobe and
library, but the frequently not less necessary requirements for success, a pack
of cards and a pair of derringers. The
profession, at this time, if it had its dangers and hardships, had also its
recompenses. There were no scores
left unsettled, no long hidden hatreds or growing enmities corroding the heart
and souring the temper—no lurking malice waiting in ambush for its murderous
opportunity. No sooner was a
gentleman aggrieved than he sought his remedy in the court of honor, and a quick
solution of difficulties, apparently insurmountable, was had at the muzzle of
the pistol, and all this, too, with a tithe of the bloodshed that has resulted
on similar occasions, under the blue light laws for the suppression of dueling.
Besides a readiness in the use of his pistol, the lawyer was expected to
be par excellence, a good fellow, to tell a good story, sing a good song,
turn an epigram or throw off a repartee, and to give and take a stinging jest,
so that there was but wit enough about it to cover its pungency skin deep. He that failed in these great essentials, in wit and good
humor, or had any foolish squeamishness about the burning of gunpowder, was
incontinently banished to Coventry, or made the butt and jest of the rest of the
party.
Into a party, such as described, his evil genius had contrived there
should fall a young man, just admitted to the practice and now on his first
circuit. P. Leonidas Strong had
been sent by his parents—worthy people living in Haywood county—to be
educated cheap in Ohio—he had taken a diploma at Steubenville, famous for
linsey woolseys, pork sausages and low priced graduates.
Leonidas had also attended law lectures at Cincinnati, and after an
absence long enough to efface the impressions of his childhood, the teachings of
home and the genial, liberal spirit of a Southerner, he returned to Tennessee a
covert abolitionist and a cunning niggard, with a thorough contempt for his
parents, his country and especially for his present associates, and with the
most unbounded admiration for, and devotion to, P. Leonidas Strong and no one
else.
The older members of the bar, in consideration of his youth and
inexperience, bore with him for a while, but after a thorough trial, it was
found that he would neither drink, treat nor fight, he could neither give a joke
nor take one; that he was ignorant, cunning and presuming; that the instincts of
a gentleman had been totally obliterated by Yankee training, and that, in short,
there was nothing in him but assurance and self-conceit.
Such "nem con," being the verdict of the bar, the
sentence immediately issued that the aforesaid Strong should be summarily
demolished, abated and squashed, and that Mr. Paul Dougherty should be duly
empowered to carry into execution the said decree on the first suitable
occasion.
Now, this Mr. Paul Dougherty was a good looking, black-eyed Irishman, for
Paul, though born in Maury county, Tennessee, was as thoroughly Irish as if he
had drawn his natal breath in Kilkenny. Paul
was the wit, par excellence, of the Western District; his fun and
audacity kept the court-house in a roar, and nothing but his invincible good
humor and his well established reputation for honor and courage prevented his
being involved in very serious difficulties.
But as matters stood, Paul could say and do a thousand things with
impunity, which would subject a less gifted man to the severest penalties. Now, it fell out that at Huntingdon Court, Mr. Strong and Mr.
Dougherty were employed as opposing counsel in some petty case—a right of way,
or a trespass, or some such matter—it was Strong's first case, and he spent
the previous night in preparation; he had been a shining light at "The
Society of the Sons of Freedom and Natural Rights Association of
Steubenville," but he had never addressed a court and jury, and he
determined that his first effort should be characterized by the most astounding
results; that the Judge should be overwhelmed and the Jury electrified, as
indeed it did result, but not at all in the manner desired by the
unfortunate Strong. It so happened
that the night being warm, and the windows open, as Strong walked to and fro in
his room composing his discourse, that he gave his neighbors the benefit of a
rehearsal, and Dougherty, among others, heard a great part of it, and quite
sufficient for his purposes. In the
morning, Strong marched to court, armed with innumerable authorities, copious
notes and an armful of books. Dougherty
went simply provided with—what do you imagine good reader" a big crooked
sweet potato. Strong's case was
called, and amid a crowded court—for it was whispered about that Dougherty was
prepared for mischief—Strong rose and addressed the Court, but we shall only
attempt a faint outline of his grandiloquence; he passed in review Natural law,
the Mosaic law, the Roman civil law; descending to more modern times he touched
in passing the Magna Charta, and King John and the barons bold were before us;
thence, by an easy gradation, we were brought to confront the mighty Bacon, and
here the orator paused to invoke the shade of that god-like jurist, desiring him
to stand aghast at the wrong about to be perpetrated on his innocent client.
Thence, through a host of great names, Chitty and Kent, Storey and
Mansfield, not forgetting those great authorities Blackstone and Littleton and
Coke, his—here the orator caught Dougherty's eye fixed upon him, and his arm
outstretched holding the potato pointed full upon him like a pistol.
"Littleton and Coke his"—stammered poor
Strong—"Littleton and Coke" he repeated—"Littleton and
Coke his"—his "common tater," said Dougherty, in
a loud whisper, shaking the potato at Strong.
This was too much for Strong; he sank on his seat uttering common-tator,
common-tator, utterly confounded and bewildered, while the whole court roared
with laughter. As soon as he could
be heard, Dougherty rose and deprecated the share he had in the flagrant breach
of decorum they had just witnessed—he had endeavored to give his young friend
a word for which he seemed to be at a loss, but with no idea of discomposing or
interrupting him. "How,
indeed, your Honor and gentlemen of the jury, could I imagine that a gentleman
whose mouth was rich with fat things, overflowing with the ambrosia of the gods,
redolent of the oleaginous juices of Bacon, should be suddenly choked dry on
common tators. As to the
gentleman's speech to which he was expected to reply, he really was at a loss
how to begin—it reminded him of what his friend Roper said of the fish,
"It was a pearch, please your Honor; when Roper first saw him he was
expiring under an aged sycamore—he romanced across the creek—reiterated—fetched
a flounce and—absquatulated."
This, with Paul's drollery of voice and manner, was too much for the
Court—an immediate adjournment for refreshments was ordered, during which
Strong disappeared, literally laughed out of the county.
It is believed he turned up on Western Texas, on a high prairie, where
there was little water and no fuel, and where the food of the people was bread
and beef, to the exclusion of Bacon and Common taters.
The village post at Jackson has immortalized ________.
"Roper's
Pearch"
Where flowed the
clear stream, in silence and shade,
Amongst the dark trees, in verdure arrayed,
Beneath a fast root, where a sycamore grew,
Now flashing with light, now lost to the view,
I discovered a fish, and stopped to admire—
'Twas Roper's big pearch, I saw him—expire.
Far down in the
stream, he all motionless lay,
Nor heeded the minnows that leaped in their play,
But a buzzard wheeled slowly, aloft in the sky,
And the water reflected his form from on high;
Aroused by the shadow, see the big pearch advance
And cross Forked-deer with a graceful—romance.
As brilliant his
color, as transient his stay,
As a light summer cloud, reflecting the ray
The sun last gives back, as he sinks in the west,
When the winds are all hushed, all nature at rest,
So glorious a creature this big pearch appeared,
As straight for the bank his bold course he steered,
I longed for a pole, a hook, line and bait,
When he turned short around and did reiterate.
As he merged from
the shadow and glanced into light,
He looked like a warrior, all seamed for the fight,
His scales polished silver, all burnished with gold,
But his other perfections, I must leave them untold,
For like one who is hurried, and fears he's belated,
He fetched him a flounce, and absquatulated.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 11, 1865, p. 1, c. 5
Soap—Soap—Government
Soap.
Bolivar Point, Jan. 8th, 1865.
Ed. News:--Knowing that it is not your habit to soft-soap government
officials, agents and contractors, and that you are always ready to expose
frauds on the government and the soldiery.
I would call your attention to one that is being perpetrated on both by
the contractor for supplying soap to this and other commands within the defences
of Galveston. Soap is a great
institution, without it the world would soon relapse into the unwashed barbarism
of early times; the social status; the intellectual and moral purity or every
nation, community and family, may be reckoned by the amount of its consumption.
Our present civilization to a great extent may be attributed to its
humanizing and elevating influence. It
has its evils too, particularly soft soap, and by its lavish expenditure
contracts are received by which the government is defrauded and the soldier
robbed of his rights. We have never
known a man who habitually wore a dirty shirt that was not proverbial for
cowardice. We fear its demoralizing
influence on the military. In the
article furnished by the contractor referred to so far as our experience and
tests extend, we have been unable to discover that it possesses any of the
qualities of soap. In appearance it
resembles a substance procured from boiling beef shanks.
With the necessary ingredients, sherry wine and loaf sugar, it might make
excellent jelly—without them it is perfectly worthless.
We presume the contractor is making quite a good thing out of his
contract. If he expects to come out
with clean hands we would advise him not to rely on his own soap.
We have tried it and the more we wash the fouler our hands become and in
the end it involves a considerable outlay of a better article to get rid of it.
We would suggest to the quartermaster, as an item of economy to the
government that he suspend the further issue of the article, until the sherry
and sugar can be procured. It can
then be issued as a ration of jelly in lieu of others he has been unable to
supply.
Sentinel.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 11, 1865, p. 1, c. 6
The following Anthem was furnished us a little too late to appear for
Christmas, and has been delayed longer than it should have been by an oversight:
Christmas
Anthem
Written for the Victoria Female Academy, by
St. Geo. S. Lee
Music by Professor Chas. Reisner.
Oh!
Christmas is come, in Judea afar,
Our Savior was born, 'neath the bright eastern star,
Whilst far on the mountains, the shepherds rejoice,
And angels and men proclaim with glad voice,
Our Savior is come, our petitions are free,
Lord God of battles we have access to the;
Scatter thou red battle's cloud,
Still now war's tempest loud,
Cause this vile strife to cease,
Give us freedom, give us peace.
By danger
surrounded, in privation and woe,
Menaced and beset, by the insolent foe,
The world all shut out, our God is still near,
Still ready to rescue, still ready to hear,
Our Savior still reigns, our petitions are free,
Lord God of battles, we have access to thee.
Scatter thou red battle's cloud,
Still now war's tempest loud,
Cause this vile strife to cease,
Give us freedom, give us peace.
Far distant from
friends, who in the dread front,
In hardship and danger, encounter the brunt
Of death in the field, or a prison afar,
Oh, what can we do, to close this foul war,
Our Savior still reigns, our petitions are free,
Lord God of battles, we have access to the,
Scatter thou red battle's cloud,
Still now war's tempest loud,
Cause this vile strife to cease,
Give us freedom, give us peace.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 11, 1865, p. 1, c. 6
Soldiers'
Homes.
We learn from the Rev. Mr. Castleton that the following Homes are now
organized and in successful operation:
Beaumont
Jefferson county;
San Antonio
Bexar county;
Austin
Travis county;
New Braunfels
Comal county;
Corsicana
Navarro county;
Hillsboro'
Hill county;
Palestine
Anderson county;
Butler
Freestone county;
Fairfield
"
Cotton Gin
"
Springfield
Limestone county;
Mansfield
Louisiana;
Minden
Louisiana;
Homer
Louisiana;
Independence
Maj. Blanton's Hotel
Wash'n Co;
Waxahachie
Maj. Roger's Hotel
Ellis Co;
Ash Creek
Mr. Ward's
Hill Co;
Bastrop
Mr. Nicholson's Hotel
Bastrop Co;
Paris
[name not known]
Lamar Co;
Beaumont
Col. Fletcher's
Jeff'son Co;
Houston
Houston Hall
Harris Co;
Hempstead
Defunct, but reorganizing;
Navasota
Defunct;
Millican
Defunct;
Anderson
Mrs. Hendricks'
Grimes Co;
Huntsville
Col. Polk's Hotel
Walker Co;
Crockett
Defunct;
Rusk
Cherokee;
Henderson
Col. Davenport's
Rusk Co;
Marshall
_____ Hotel
Harrison;
Shreveport
Louisiana;
Dallas
Dallas Co;
Goliad
Goliad Co;
Jasper
Dr. L. White's
Jasper Co;
Richmond
Mr. Botwick's Hotel
Ft. Bend Co;
Clinton
Mr. Cottingham's Hotel
DeWitt Co;
Hallettsville
Lavaca Co;
Prairie Point
Colorado Co;
LaGrange
Fayette Co;
Winchester
"
Mr. Burns' Cross Roads
Burleson Co;
Caldwell
"
Cameron
Dr. Drury's Hotel
Milam Co;
Waco
McKeig's Hotel
McLennan.
Mr. Castleton informs us that he believes there are as many as sixty
Homes in Texas, but that he cannot be positive as to the complete organization
of any but the above.
We omit from the above list several Houses that have been discontinued,
but which it is hoped will soon be reorganized.
Efforts are now being made to reorganize the Home in this city.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 11, 1865, p. 2, c. 1
Penitentiary
Cloth Given to the Several Counties of the State.
From a circular just issued by the financial agent of the Penitentiary,
we find the State has been laid off into six districts, for convenience of
appropriating the quota of cloth to the respective counties, as follows:
1st District.—Chambers, Liberty, Jefferson, Orange, Hardin,
Newton, Jasper, Tyler, Polk, Trinity, Angelina, San
Augustine, Sabine, Houston, Anderson, Cherokee, Nacogdoches, Shelby,
Henderson.
2nd District.—Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Bosque,
Brown, Stephens, Burnett, Cameron, Clay, Comal, Comanche, El Paso, Erath,
Gillespie, Hamilton, Hildalgo, Jack, Kendall, Kerr, Lampasas, Live Oak, Llano,
Mason, Medina, Montague, McCulloch, McMullen, Nueces, Palo Pinto, Parker, San
Saba, Starr, Uvalde, Webb, Wise, Wilson, Young, Zapata
3rd District.—Limestone, McClellan, Falls, Milan, Robertson,
Madison, Leon, Brazos, Burleson,
Washington, Grimes, Walker, Montgomery, Harris, Austin, Galveston
4th District.—Smith Rusk, Panola, Harrison, Upshur, Wood,
Van Zandt, Marion, Davis, Titus, Hopkins, Bowie, Red River, Lamar
5th District.—Fayette, Lavaca, Colorado, Fort
Bend, Wharton, Jackson, Victoria, Calhoun, Matagorda, Brazoria, San
Patricio, Rufugio, Goliad, Bee, Karnes, DeWitt, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Caldwell,
Bastrop, Hays, Travis, Williamson, Bell, Coryell
6th District.—Fannin, Grayson, Cooke, Denton, Collin, Hunt,
Kaufman, Dallas, Tarrant, Johnson, Ellis, Navarro, Hill, Freestone
The agent says, "adopting, under advice of the Comptroller, as a
basis, the indigent lists heretofore furnished to the Comptroller's office by
the Chief Justices of the several counties, I have divided the State into six
districts, and will proceed to furnish said cloth as follows:
1st District, 20th February, 1865.
4th District, 20th May, 1865
2nd
"
20th March, "
5th
"
20th June, "
3rd
"
20th April, "
6th
"
20th July, "
"I would respectfully call your attention [that of the various
county chief justices] to the duties imposed on the several county courts by
this act, in connexion with procuring these goods from the Penitentiary, and
particularly to the 4th section of said act, which makes it the duty
of "the county courts to procure promptly from the Financial Agent of the
Penitentiary the quantity and quality of cloth and thread to which they are
entitled, and to provide transportation for the same to their respective county
seats. This is the more important,
as the Penitentiary has but limited storage room for goods. Under
regulations heretofore adopted at this office, many of the counties made
application for cloth, and paid for it on delivery; while others failed to do
so, or to indicate in any way their desire for the cloth, and consequently
received none. An act approved
November 15th, 1864, requires the financial agent to set aside for
these counties the amount of cloth to which they would have been entitled had
they made application as did the others. The
price to be paid by these counties in C. S.
Treasury notes, new issue, is the same paid by the counties already
supplied—osnaburgs $2.80, cotton jeans $3 per yard.
State treasury warrants will be received in payment at their relative
value. This distribution will be
made out of the first cloth manufactured after the several counties are
furnished under the act first referred to in this circular.
Chief justices, however, if they wish their counties to receive the
benefit of this act, are required to give notice to this office to that effect,
within 90 days from the 15th November last.
I shall attempt to execute faithfully the provisions of the law on this
subject; but cannot forbear saying that in my opinion these goods should have
been furnished to the army. Our
destitute and suffering soldiery certainly have claims paramount to all
others."
We also gather from the circular that the factory will be in running trim
about the 15th inst., and of course the resurrection of Huntsville
will be a simultaneous event.—Item.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 18, 1865, p. 1, c. 4
A Picture of New Orleans.—A letter from New Orleans, published in the
Mobile News of the 3d, says:
The city is full to overflowing of Yankee women, Yankee shoddies,
speculators, etc.
You would not recognize the elegant promenaders of Canal street in the
vulgar, over-dressed, would be-genteel objects that now crowd it.
No good Confederate lady wears anything but black, or whatever she may
have, not conspicuous. We never
walk for sight-seeing or pleasure, except to pass the prisons and cheer the poor
"boys" with a nod and a smile. The
officers of Fort Morgan have all been sent North, to some prison; the privates
to Ship Island, guarded by negroes! Don't you think they will fight well when exchanged?
We heard part had been sent North, but I think all are at Ship Island.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, January 18, 1865, p. 2, c. 5
Bolivar Point, Jan. 10, 1865
Ed. News:--I never was considered much of a grumbler, and much less a
writer, which you will readily conclude when you have done with this
communication. I desire to make no flourish, nor create any sensation,
unless it be in the proper place.
You are aware, Mr. Editor, (at least you should be by this time), that
the troops at this place, as well as at others, are living on yellow corn meal
and beef, and nothing more—not a potato, a bean, or any other vegetable,
except the above named yellow corn meal, has ever found its way to this isolated
point, through any government channel whatever.
Bacon we have none—sugar we do not expect.
Why is it? Our men who come
from furlough tell us that at every tithe station, during the summer, there was
from ten to twenty-five thousand pounds of bacon.
What has become of it? I
will tell you what the soldiers think about it.
I may be censured for doing so, but better tell it now, that the fault
may be remedied, than wait its telling by a practical demonstration. Private soldiers come to the conclusion that the Clothing
Bureau, the Subsistence Department, the Pay Department—in fact, all other
Departments—have fallen into the hands of ruthless speculators, and they are
using all their powers of speculation to enrich themselves, thereby depriving
the soldier of every necessary of life, except just enough to keep soul and body
together, and that of the very coarsest kind. . . We wee our officers all have
new gray cloths [sic], and I suppose it is the case everywhere.
Our men are shivering away their lives night after night, with one pair
white cotton pants, shirt ditto, low quartered shoes, socks, none.
This is the sort of fair [sic] our regiment has to bear with now, as cold
and wet as it has been for some time past, and but a blanket so coarse and worn,
that a severe gush of wind would blow it to pieces, yet, a Brig. General not a
thousand miles from this Post, says "he never saw such a regimen—every
man must have a plank under him and one over him;"
God knows if such is the case, the regiment is not beholding to him or
the government for them for all the planks and boards used are picked up from
the beach. Again, he says he has a
black record against the regiment for making a requisition in the summer for
musquito [sic] bars, when the musquitoes were swarming as thick as bees around a
hive. It seems very unbecoming in a
man who has his quarters in good apartments and a musquito bar besides no doubt,
to make use of such language; it is not designed to enhance much love of the men
for their superiors when such language is used.. . . Soldier.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, February 1, 1865, p. 1, c. 5
We learn that a fight with a thieving band of about 24 Comanches took
place, on Saturday, the 7th inst., about 10 miles North West of
O'Neil's Station, in Montague county. A
party of State Troops 15 in number while on a scout, came upon the Indians while
they were eating dinner, and got within close rifle range before they were
discovered. A charge and volley was
made in which three Indians were killed and several wounded, the balance
scampering off as fast as their ponies would carry them.
Our men pursued them some 15 or 20 miles but were out run, and had to
give up the chase. The Indians left
all their plunder on the ground, which was taken; consisting of 7 or 8 head of
horses, a number of blankets, saddles, bridles, bows and arrows &c.,
amounting to about $4,500 in value. Only
one man was slightly wounded among our men, by an arrow shot through the thigh.
The Indians were all armed with bows and arrows, there being but one gun
among them. Mr. D. A.
Say has shown us one of the Indian scalps, which was taken from one of
the dead Indians. Mr. Say
participated in the affair, and gives us the above information.—Dallas Herald.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, February 1, 1865, p. 1, c. 6
Fairfield, January 21st, 1865.
Ed. News:--I occasionally get a glimpse of your valuable paper, and
notice something concerning soldiers' homes.
I bet to inform the public, through your columns, that the County Court
of this (Freestone) County has succeeded in establishing the following soldiers'
homes, to wit:
Fairfield, by Judge D. H. Love; on the Palestine road, 6 miles, by Wm.
Blythe; on the Palestine road, 11 miles, by G. G. Cole; on the Palestine road,
14 miles, by W. M. McDaniel; on the Palestine road, at Burton, by H. Maning; on
the Palestine road, 17 miles, by Thomas P. Whitt; on the Palestine road, 21
miles, by Mrs. M. W. Struty; on the Pine Bluff road, 6 miles, by R. H. Gordon;
on the Pine Bluff road, 8 miles, by F. C. Olivers; on the Corsicana road, 6
miles, by J. B. Johnson; on the Corsicana road, 8 miles, by F. M. Bradley; on
the Tahuacana Hill, 6 miles, by N. L. Womack; on the Tahuacana road, 8 miles, by
Oliver Carter; on the Springfield road, 9 miles, by W. W. Groover; on the
Springfield road, 11 miles, by Sterling Sims; on the Springfield road, 12 miles,
by Joseph Lynn; on the Springfield road, at Cotton Gin, by J. J. Robinson; on
the Springfield road, at Cotton Gin, by James S. Wills; on the Springfield road,
15 miles, by Charles Stricklin; on the Houston road, 12 miles, by Andrew Batey;
on the Centreville road, 3 miles, by W. R. Dais; on the Centreville road, 8
miles, by J. H. Blain; on the Centreville road, 12 miles, by
R. F. Chandler; on the North-west road, 14 miles, by Thomas Lamb.
The keepers of these homes are required to register their houses as such
at the Clerk's office, keep proper registers, examine passes, papers, &c.,
of each visitor, present his register with his account quarterly to the County
Court for payment, which accounts are audited and paid by the County Treasurer.
No soldier is allowed to remain longer than one night at any one of these
homes unless sick or disabled. No
drunkenness or gambling is allowed.
I, of course, do not expect you to publish the one-half that I have
wrote—a mere notice is all that is desired.
I have not heard of any County having more than seventy-five soldiers'
homes, but believe each ought to have at least that number.
I am, most respectfully, your obd't serv't,
J. C. Yarbro, C. J.
GALVESTON WEEKLY
NEWS, February 1, 1865, p. 1, c. 6
Duff's Regiment, 33d Texas Cavalry,
Camp Gano, C. N., Jan. 15th, 1865.
Ed. News:--Citizens and non-combatants say that "what a soldier
don't know is not worth learning," but really I don't know what to write.
I arrived here from home on the 6th inst. and found "the
boys" generally well—the health of the regiment was never better, only
one case in the hospital—all is life and animation; everybody comfortable as
soldiers expect to be. The winter has been unusually mile for this climate, but rain
enough to keep up a good supply of mud, which makes it disagreeable.
I find on my return quite a change in many of the citizens round about.
They have become so sociable that parties are being quite
common—"very select," of course—only officers are expected, and
"eagle buttons" rule, but some of them do not prove very profitable.
I hear of several officers being minus stirrup-leathers, bridle-reins,
ropes, &c., and none Captain a hat, after making his bow a la militaire.
The beaver was stuffed into a crack, but there happened to be some one on
the outside who drew it through. Whether
the Captain rode home bareheaded or not, I do not know, but one of his boys said
there was a very neat bonnet in the Captain's cabin next day.
Yesterday, I visited "Camp Relief," about six miles distant.
This camp is composed of some fifteen or twenty families, refugees from
Missouri, forced to leave on account of the barbarity of the Lincoln rulers in
that State. Could the people of
Texas see the destitute condition of those poor women, their heroism, and hear
them relate the persecutions, trials and sufferings they have experienced, there
would be but few Union men and women in Texas, and all because their husbands
are in the Southern army, yet, they are cheerful and complain not; hope, bright
hope, buoys them up, and they talk and expect to go back to their once happy
homes, with as much certainty as though our independence was acknowledged.
"Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith the Lord." . . .
Private Haynes, of Co. E, was killed a few days ago in Boston, Bowie
county, by Ex-Governor Runnels and his brother Howel Runnels.
The circumstances were these: Gen.
Shelby, a few days before, had borrowed a lot of corn, and rode into Boston on
Sunday morning, where a n umber of gentlemen were talking, Haynes among the
number, and asked if they could tell him where he could buy or press some corn;
Gov. Runnels' name was mentioned, when it was remembered that he had already
furnished twelve hundred bushels; Haynes then remarked that he was a rich man,
press him a little harder; just then Gov. Runnels rode up, saying that he had
heard his name mentioned, and asked what about; when he was told how it had been
mentioned, he then commenced cursing and abused Haynes, applying the most
opprobrious epithets, and threatening to shoot. Here it stopped until evening, when the parties again met,
under the influence of whisky, and, after more vulgar abuse, pistols were drawn;
both of the Runnels firing at the same time—killing Haynes instantly.
Haynes had been in the service from the commencement of the war, was an
excellent soldier, and much esteemed by all of his company.
The two Runnels are undergoing an examination before Judge Gray.
There is a rumor in camp that we will move in a few days to the Trinity
river, and it is generally credited.