personal memoirs-2-第23章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



With　regard　to　this　matter；　though；　he　said　it　would　be　necessary　for

me　to　act　with　great　circumspection；　since　the　Secretary　of　State；

Mr。　Seward；　was　much　opposed　to　the　use　of　our　troops　along　the

border　in　any　active　way　that　would　be　likely　to　involve　us　in　a　war

with　European　powers。



Under　the　circumstances；　my　disappointment　at　not　being　permitted　to

participate　in　the　review　had　to　be　submitted　to；　and　I　left

Washington　without　an　opportunity　of　seeing　again　in　a　body　the　men

who；　while　under　my　command；　had　gone　through　so　many　trials　and

unremittingly　pursued　and；　assailed　the　enemy；　from　the　beginning　of

the　campaign　of　1864　till　the　white　flag　came　into　their　hands　at

Appomattox　Court　House。



I　went　first　to　St。　　Louis；　and　there　took　the　steamboat　for　New

Orleans；　and　when　near　the　mouth　of　the　Red　River　received　word　from

General　Canby　that　Kirby　Smith　had　surrendered　under　terms　similar　to

those　accorded　Lee　and　Johnston。　　But　the　surrender　was　not　carried

out　in　good　faith；　particularly　by　the　Texas　troops；　though　this　I

did　not　learn　till　some　little　time　afterward　when　I　was　informed

that　they　had　marched　off　to　the　interior　of　the　State　in　several

organized　bodies；　carrying　with　them　their　camp　equipage；　arms；

ammunition；　and　even　some　artillery；　with　the　ultimate　purpose　of

going　to　Mexico。　　In　consequence　of　this；　and　also　because　of　the

desire　of　the　Government　to　make　a　strong　showing　of　force　in　Texas；

I　decided　to　traverse　the　State　with　two　columns　of　cavalry；

directing　one　to　San　Antonio　under　Merritt；　the　other　to　Houston

under　Custer。　　Both　commands　were　to　start　from　the　Red　River

Shreveport　and　Alexandriabeing　the　respective　initial　pointsand

in　organizing　the　columns；　to　the　mounted　force　already　on　the　Red

River　were　added　several　regiments　of　cavalry　from　the　east　bank　of

the；　Mississippi；　and　in　a　singular　way　one　of　these　fell　upon　the

trail　of　my　old　antagonist；　General　Early。　　While　crossing　the　river

somewhere　below　Vicksburg　some　of　the　men　noticed　a　suspicious

looking　party　being　ferried　over　in　a　rowboat；　behind　which　two

horses　were　swimming　in　tow。　　Chase　was　given；　and　the　horses；　being

abandoned　by　the　party；　fell　into　the　hands　of　our　troopers；　who；

however；　failed　to　capture　or　identify　the　people　in　the　boat。　　As

subsequently　ascertained；　the　men　were　companions　of　Early；　who　was

already　across　the　Mississippi；　hidden　in　the　woods；　on　his　way　with

two　or　three　of　these　followers　to　join　the　Confederates　in　Texas；

not　having　heard　of　Kirby　Smith's　surrender。　　A　week　or　two　later　I

received　a　letter　from　Early　describing　the　affair；　and　the　capture

of　the　horses；　for　which　he　claimed　pay；　on　the　ground　that　they　were

private　property；　because　he　had　taken　them　in　battle。　　The　letter

also　said　that　any　further　pursuit　of　Early　would　be　useless；　as　he

〃expected　to　be　on　the　deep　blue　sea〃　by　the　time　his　communication

reached　me。　　The　unfortunate　man　was　fleeing　from　imaginary　dangers；

however；　for　striking　his　trail　was　purely　accidental；　and　no　effort

whatever　was　being　made　to　arrest　him　personally。　　Had　this　been

especially　desired　it　might　have　been　accomplished　very　readily　just

after　Lee's　surrender；　for　it　was　an　open　secret　that　Early　was　then

not　far　away；　pretty　badly　disabled　with　rheumatism。



By　the　time　the　two　columns　were　ready　to　set　out　for　San　Antonio　and

Houston；　General　Frank　Herron；with　one　division　of　the　Thirteenth

Corps；　occupied　Galveston；　and　another　division　under　General　Fred

Steele　had　gone　to　Brazos　Santiago；　to　hold　Brownsville　and　the　line

of　the　Rio　Grande；　the　object　being　to　prevent；　as　far　as　possible；

the　escaping　Confederates　from　joining　Maximilian。　　With　this　purpose

in　view；　and　not　forgetting　Grant's　conviction　that　the　French

invasion　of　Mexico　was　linked　with　the　rebellion；　I　asked　for　an

increase　of　force　to　send　troops　into　Texas　in　fact；　to　concentrate

at　available　points　in　the　State　an　army　strong　enough　to　move

against　the　invaders　of　Mexico　if　occasion　demanded。　　The　Fourth　and

Twenty…fifth　army　corps　being　ordered　to　report　to　me；　accordingly；　I

sent　the　Fourth　Corps　to　Victoria　and　San　Antonio；　and　the　bulk　of

the　Twenty…fifth　to　Brownsville。　　Then　came　the　feeding　and　caring

for　all　these　troopsa　difficult　matterfor　those　at　Victoria　and

San　Antonio　had　to　be　provisioned　overland　from　Indianola　across　the

〃hog…wallow　prairie；〃　while　the　supplies　for　the　forces　at

Brownsville　and　along　the　Rio　Grande　must　come　by　way　of　Brazos

Santiago；　from　which　point　I　was　obliged　to　construct；　with　the　labor

of　the　men；　a　railroad　to　Clarksville；　a　distance　of　about　eighteen

miles。



The　latter　part　of　June　I　repaired　to　Brownsville　myself　to　impress

the　Imperialists；　as　much　as　possible；　with　the　idea　that　we　intended

hostilities；　and　took　along　my　chief　of　scoutsMajor　Youngand　four

of　his　most　trusty　men；　whom　I　had　had　sent　from　Washington。　　From

Brownsville　I　despatched　all　these　men　to　important　points　in

northern　Mexico；　to　glean　information　regarding　the　movements　of　the

Imperial　forces；　and　also　to　gather　intelligence　about　the　ex…

Confederates　who　had　crossed　the　Rio　Grande。　　On　information

furnished　by　these　scouts；　I　caused　General　Steele　to　make

demonstrations　all　along　the　lower　Rio　Grande；　and　at　the　same　time

demanded　the　return　of　certain　munitions　of　war　that　had　been　turned

over　by　ex…Confederates　to　the　Imperial　General　（Mejia）　commanding　at

Matamoras。　　These　demands；　backed　up　as　they　were　by　such　a

formidable　show　of　force　created　much　agitation　and　demoralization

among　the　Imperial　troops；　and　measures　looking　to　the　abandonment　of

northern　Mexico　were　forthwith　adopted　by　those　in　authoritya

policy　that　would　have　resulted　in　the　speedy　evacuation　of　the

entire　country　by　Maximilian；　had　not　our　Government　weakened；

contenting　itself　with　a　few　pieces　of　the　contraband　artillery

varnished　over　with　the　Imperial　apologies。　　A　golden　opportunity　was

lost；　for　we　had　ample　excuse　for　crossing　the　boundary；　but　Mr。

Seward　being；　as　I　have　already　stated；　unalterably　opposed　to　any

act　likely　to　involve　us　in　war；　insisted　on　his　course　of

negotiation　with　Napoleon。



As　the　summer　wore　away；　Maximilian；　under　Mr。　Seward's　policy；

gained　in　strength　till　finally　all　the　accessible　sections　of　Mexico

were　in　his　possession；　and　the　Republic　under　President　Juarez

almost　succumbed。　　Growing　impatient　at　this；　in　the　latter　part　of

September　I　decided　to　try　again　what　virtue　there　might　be　in　a

hostile　demonstration；　and　selected　the　upper　Rio　Grande　for　the

scene　of　my　attempt。　　Merritt's　cavalry　and　the　Fourth　Corps　still

being　at　San　Antonio；　I　went　to　that　place　and　reviewed　these　troops；

and　having　prepared　them　with　some　ostentation　for　a　campaign；　of

course　it　was　bruited　about　that　we　were　going　to　invade　Mexico。

Then；　escorted　by　a　regiment　of　horse　I　proceeded　hastily　to　Fort

Duncan；　on　the　Rio　Grande　just　opposite　the　Mexican　town　of　Piedras

Negras。　　Here　I　opened　communication　with　President　Juarez；　through

one　of　his　staff；　taking　care　not　to　do　this　in　the　dark；　and　the

news；　spreading　like　wildfire；　the　greatest　significance　was　ascribed

to　my　action；　it　being　reported　most　positively　and　with　many

specific　details　that　I　was　only　awaiting　the　arrival　of　the　troops；

then　under　marching　orders　at　San　Antonio；　to　cross　the　Rio　Grande　in

behalf　of　the　Liberal　cause。



Ample　corroboration　of　the　reports　then　circulated　was　found　in　my

inquiries　regarding　the　quantity　of　forage　we　could　depend　upon

getting　in　Mexico；　our　arrangements　for　its　purchase；　and　my　sending

a　pontoon　train　to　Brownsville；　together　with　which　was　cited　the

renewed　activity　of　the　troops　along　the　lower　Rio　Grande。　　These

reports　and　demonstrations　resulted　in　alarming　the　Imperialists　so

much　that　they　withdrew　the　French　and　Austrian　soldiers　from

Matamoras；　and　practically　abandoned　the　whole　of　northern　Mexico　as

far　down　as　Monterey；　with　the　exception　of　Matamoras；　where　General

Mejia　continued　to　hang　on　with　a　garrison　of　renegade　Mexicans。



The　abandonment　of　so　much　territory　in　northern　Mexico　encouraged

General　Escobedo　and　other　Liberal　leaders　to　such　a　degree　that　they

collected　a　considerable　army　of　their　followers　at　Comargo；　Mier；

and　other　points。　　At　the　same　time　that　unknown　quantity；　Cortinas；

suspended　his　free…booting　for　the　nonce；　and　stoutly　harassing

Matamoras；　succeeded　in　keeping　its　Imperial　garrison　within　the

fortifications。　　Thus　countenanced　and　stimulated；　and　largely

supplied　with　arms　and　ammunition；　which　we　left　at　convenient　places

on　our　side　of　the　river　to　fall　into　their　hands；　the　Liberals；

under　General　Escobedoa　man　of　much　force　of　characterwere

enabied　in　northern　Mexico　to　place　the　affairs　of　the　Republic　on　a

substantial　basis。



But　in　the　midst　of　what　bade　fair　to　cause　a　final　withdrawal　of　the

foreigners；　we　were　again　checked　by　our　Government；　as　a　result　of

representations　of　the　French　Minister　at　Washington。　　In　October；　he

wrote　to　Mr。　Seward　that　the　United　States　troops　on　the　Rio　Grande

were　acting　〃in　exact　opposition　to　the　repeated　assurances　Your

Excellency　has　given　me　concerning　the　desire　of　the　Cabinet　at

Washington　to　preserve　the　most　strict　neutrality　in　the　events　now

taking　place　in　Mexico；〃　and　followed　this　statement　with　an　emphatic

protest　against　our　course。　　Without　any　investigation　whatever　by

our　State　Department；　this　letter　of　the　French　Minister　was

transmitted　to　me；　accompanied　by　directions　to　preserve　a　strict

neutrality；　so；　of　course；　we　were　again　debarred　from　anything　like

active　sympathy。



After　this；　it　required　the　patience　of　Job　to　abide　the　slow　and

poky　methods　of　our　State　Department；　and；　in　truth；　it　was　often

very　difficult　to　restrain　officers　and　men　from　crossing　the　Rio

Grande　with　hostile　purpose。　　Within　the　knowledge　of　my　troops；

there　had　gone　on　formerly　the　transfer　of　organized　bodies　of　ex…

Confederates　to　Mexico；　in　aid　of　the　Imperialists；　and　at　this

period　it　was　known　that　there　was　in　preparation　an　immigration

scheme　having　in　view　the　colonizing；　at　Cordova　and　one　or　two　other

places；　of　all　the　discontented　elements　of　the　defunct　Confederacy

Generals　Price；　Magruder；　Maury；　and　other　high　personages　being

promoters　of　the　enterprise；　which　Maximilian　took　to　readily。　　He

saw　in　it　the　possibilities　of　a　staunch　support　to　his　throne；　and

therefore　not　only　sanctioned　the　project；　but　encouraged　it　with

large　grants　of　land；　inspirited　the　promoters　with　titles　of

nobility；　and；　in　addition；　instituted　a　system　of　peonage；　expecting

that　the　silver　hook　thus　baited　would　be　largely　swallowed　by　the

Southern　people。



The　announcement　of　the　scheme　was　followed　by　the　appointment　of

commissioners　in　each　of