Five Years in Texas Or, What you did not hear during the war from January 1861 to January 1866. A narrative of his travels, experiences, and observation

Soon after these several triumphs of Texas arms, a vessel was shipwrecked on the Gulf, and among the debris that washed upon the coast, a U. S. mail bag was picked up by the sol...

In the month of November, 1860, shortly after the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency of the United States, Hon. Martin P. Sweet came into the Circuit Clerk's Office o...

New Orleans stands on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, one hundred and ten miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and is called the "Crescent City," because of the sublime and...

In this closing chapter of our book, we have thought that a brief outline sketch of the topography, climate, soil, and productions of Texas might not be uninteresting to the rea...

Unlike the other Southern States, Texas was never invaded and devastated by the Union armies. Considered in the light of a necessary evil, as a terrible educator, or rough civil...

Sometimes old letters have the strangest things Recorded on the worn and sallow page: The writing, too, has neither head nor wings, But one would think that insects for an age H...

On the 12th day of January, 1861, we left Freeport, Illinois, with our family, for Galveston, Texas; making that port on the Gulf of Mexico the 23d of the same month, eleven day...

But at last the Doctor gave his spell-bound audience the benefit of a prize-ring illustration, which ran on this wise: He said "that the Southern champion had choice of ground,...

In July, 1864, being in trade at B----m, and having been for two years doing a commission, receiving, and forwarding business, besides buying and selling on his own account, the...

We were in Matamoras when Lee's surrender took place in Virginia. As soon as the news reached Texas the Confederate soldiers began to desert in squads--the desperado class--orga...

In the summer of 1863, we were coming up the Texas Central Railroad, from Houston to Hempstead, a distance of fifty miles. On reaching the latter place we had stepped from the c...

He told them they could secure without secession what they proposed to secure by it, and would certainly lose through it. He gave the greater force to his declarations by appeal...

But turn we now to other scenes than these, At least awhile, and take a cheerful look, As trav'ler looks from sand to greenleaf trees, And 'neath the shade where runs the babbli...

But to return to our voyage down the river. On nearing Memphis we were advised by the officers of the boat that we might expect a hailing shot from the batteries just above the...

Three years and more of war had now passed, and we had succeeded in flanking all movements to get us into the army. The conscript law had been in force a year or two, sweeping a...

It is worthy of note and may be remarked that one's tastes and appetites undergo great changes in passing from a high northern clime to a southern; so much so that to his own su...

The center of attraction to all political parties in the South was slavery; and no party could expect to exist with any respectable dimensions, or to possess any organic force i...

Before we left Austin Governor Hamilton sent out a strong detachment to the adjoining county on the north, and had arrested sixteen members of the vigilance committee, whose who...

The oath of office in Texas is the same it is in Illinois; and yet it seems to have little power to save the country from the curses of the dueling spirit. It would seem that th...

Sometime in June, 1864, the writer had an appointment for a two-days' meeting, fourteen miles away, at a place called U---- H----, Saturday and Sunday. On the morning of the six...

The next day after the retaking of Galveston, another sensation occurred, but of an entirely different character, showing other phases of human nature, and developing a differen...

It is probable that the finest social types in this country have heretofore been found in the South. That this is true, or could be under the dark shadows of an institution so o...

If there be anything that is heartrending, It is when called upon to yield our cheer To those whose joys have found a sudden ending, Indeed the task's a hopeless one--that's cle...

This was the solemn affirmation of the whole South. But on the question, What shall be done, what measures adopted, what course pursued, to make the most and the best out of the...

More about Texas--Plot against the Writer's Life--Pretext for the Attack--Prompt Action of Deputy Sheriff Hardin--Fear of Secret Assassination--Advised to Leave the Place--Went...

Lee's Surrender--Effect on Texas Soldiers--Trip to New Orleans--Family Ship North--Writer's Return to Texas--He Visits Brenham, Austin, San Antonio and New Braunfels--Rev. Josia...