The Author, in justice to himself, will state that in preparing this book for publication, he has been sore pressed for time to bring it out with that degree of merit, literary and otherwise, that he would have it possess.
The Eulogium on Hon. Martin P. Sweet, which we offer as our prelude, is at once an act of friendship and pleasure, as well as of justice, to one of such brilliant mental endowments and genial qualities of heart, and we believe our readers will so regard it. Besides, while some may not fully appreciate the relevancy of the Eulogy to the residue of the book, yet, for himself, the Author sees and feels a species of mystical connection between Mr. S. and himself in all his travels and experiences in Texas and Mexico. And so much the more because of his earnest prophetic endeavor to dissuade him from going there.
With this brief preface, we submit this volume to the public eye, hoping to please and interest, promising that we will do better next time, if we ever publish another book.
CONTENTS.
| PAGE. | |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Hon. Martin P. Sweet—Interview with and Eulogium | [9]-[29] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Trip to Galveston—Memphis Gentleman | [30]-[40] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Social Types—Henry Clay—General Polk | [41]-[44] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Voyage Down the Mississippi—Poem on "Varieties' | |
| Theater." | [45]-[50] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| New Orleans—Description of—Ocean View of Galveston—The | |
| Island, How Formed—Commercial Importance of, etc. | [51]-[64] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Effect of Climate on Tastes, Appetites and | |
| Temper—The Enraged Clergyman—"Renegade | |
| Americans"—Morals and Religion—Reign of | |
| Terror—The Robbery | [65]-[70] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Texas Oath of Office—"Code of Honor"—Dueling | |
| Spirit—Judge Lynch and Horse Thieves—The | |
| Doctor of Divinity—Conscript Law—"Like | |
| People, Like Priest" | [71]-[75] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| The Doctor's Prize Ring Illustration—The Wealthy | |
| Planteress—The Doctor's Dueling Card—Colloquy | |
| with the Planteress—The Doctor and | |
| the Judge—He Challenges the Latter—Shooting | |
| on Sight—Masonic Reconciliation | [76]-[85] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Babel of Tongues—Sam Houston—He Comes to | |
| Galveston to make a Speech—A Committee Wait | |
| on Him—He Makes a Speech—His Appearance | |
| On the Balcony of Tremont Hotel | [86]-[91] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Houston's Speech—Col. Moore's Regiment—General | |
| Houston's Review of it—Williamson S. Oldham | |
| and Judge Campbell | [92]-[98] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Arguments on Secession in Outline | [99]-[101] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Texas Never Invaded—Feeling of the People—Galveston | |
| Retaken—General Sherman and Lt. | |
| Sherman—Solemn Scene Between Them—General | |
| Magruder and General Hebert | [102]-[113] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| The Federal Fleet—"Nicaragua Smith." | [114]-[117] |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| The Captured Letter—Mrs. E.'s exile—Her Companions—Lewis | |
| and Emma—Lieutenant H. | [118]-[154] |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| Lawlessness and Crime—Doctor O. and the Overseer—Doctor | |
| F. Assassinated—Capt. Carr and Mr. Smythe | [155]-[161] |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| The Two Days' Meeting—Power of Prejudice—The | |
| Feast at Our House—Brigadier General M. | |
| and Staff | [162]-[166] |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| The Conscript Law—How the Writer Beat It, and | |
| How at last It Beat Him—Trip to Mexico—Matamoras—General | |
| Mejia—The Situation—Rev. Dr. L. and the Writer—Petitioning | |
| Maximilian—Preaching in Varieties' Theater | [167]-[172] |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| 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 to San | |
| Antonio—Thence to Mexico—Lost in the Wilds | |
| of Western Texas—How We Got Out—The Two | |
| Mexican Rancheros—Gen. F. J. H.—Extradition | |
| of Don Manuel G. Rejon—Cortinas—The | |
| Writer's Family Flooded Out in San Antonio—They | |
| Come to Him in Matamoras | [173]-[182] |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| 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. Josiah | |
| Whipple—The Old Woman in Austin What | |
| Wouldn't Hear the Blue Coat Preach | [183]-[190] |
| CHAPTER XX. | |
| Governor Hamilton—The Thirty Neros—The Old | |
| German and His Wife—Fight with Indians—A | |
| Native Texan's Opinion of Germans | [191]-[195] |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| Texas—Topography, Climate and Products of | [196]-[210] |
| OLD LETTERS.—Poem. | |
| Canto I. | [213]-[222] |
| Canto II. | [223]-[225] |
| Canto III. | [226]-[231] |
FIVE YEARS IN TEXAS.