The Army in Texas During Reconstruction, 1865-1870. William Lee Richter Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1970 The Army in Texas During Reconstruction, 1865-1870. William Lee Richter Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Richter, William Lee, "The Army in Texas During Reconstruction, 1865-1870." (1970). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 1881. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/1881 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 71-6601 RICHTER, William lee, 1942- THE ARMY IN TEM S DURING RECONSTRUCTION, 1865-1870. The Louisiana State UniA/ersity and Agricultural and Mechanical ColILege, Ph.D., 1970 History, general University Microfi.]in.s, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan 0 1971 W ILJjIAM l e e RICHTER ALL EIGHTS RESERVED THIS DISSERTATION HAS BE IN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE ARMY IN TEXAS DURING RECONSTRUCTION, 1865-1870 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by_ William L. Richter B.A., Arizona State University, 1964 M.A., Arizona State University, 1965 August, 1970 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In any work of this size, the author finds himself indebted to a great many people. Professor T. Harry Williams admirably guided my research and writing, giving much needed advice and criticism. Profes sor Burl Noggle rates a special word of thanks for his interest in my career and studies, as do Professors Charles B. Dew of the University of Missouri and James E. Sefton of Sa \ Fernando Valley State College. The members of my graduate committee. Professors John L. Loos, Robert Holtman, J. Preston Moore, James Bolner, and James G. Zeidman, all con tributed much time, knowledge, and understanding to my education. I would like to thank the directors and staffs of the following institutions for assisting me with my research: the National Archives; the Manuscripts Division of the Library of Congress; the Barker His torical Center, the Archives, the Newspaper Collection, and the Library of the University of Texas; the Archives of the Texas State Library and Austin Public Library; the Department of Archives and Manuscripts and the Interlibrary Loan Desk of the Louisiana State University Library. My research was made possible by a grant from the Warrick Memorial Fund of Louisiana State University. I am grateful to three professors at Arizona State University, Paul Hubbard, Otis E Young, and Ron Smith, for opening up the fascinat ing world of history to me. Most of all, I am indebted to my wife Lynne. Her love and assistance made everything possible. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS............................. iii LIST OF T A B L E S .............................................. V LIST OF M A P S ................................................ vi ABSTRACT .................................................... vii EXPLANATION OF FOOTNOTES .................................... ix Chapter I. NEVER WHIPPED IN S P I R I T ............................. 1 II. A BREACH OF F A I T H .................................. 29 III. THE LAST ACT OF THE REBELLION ....................... 57 IV. SUBMISSION BUT NOT ACCEPTANCE ....................... 79 V. NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY AN ELECTION .............. 99 VI. "WE MUST RUBB OUT AND BEGIN A N E W " .................. 122 VII. INDUSTRIOUSLY M A N I P U L A T E D ........................... 144 VIII. "OUTSIDE THE DUTY OF MY PROFESSION" ................. 167 IX. UNDENIABLE T R U T H S .................................. 187 X. LACKING WATER AND GOOD SOCIETY ...................... 212 XI. EQUAL JUSTICE FOR A L L .............................. 237 XII. SPREAD-EAGLE ECCENTRICITIES ......................... 253 XIII. A MATTER OF PRIORITIES............................... 274 XIV. BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF TRUTH AND R I G H T ................. 305 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................. 321 VITA ...................................... 345 IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Troops Mus-teireaL Ont in. Texas, 1865-1867 - 50 2. Commanding Offi_cers and Governors of T e x a s ............ 109 3. Reoccupation oE Texas Forts ............................ 293 4. Numbers of Tiroops Staicioned in T e x a s ................. - 294 V Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF MAPS Map • Page 1. Proportions of Slaves ................................. 2 2. Vote on Secession....................... 2 3. Proportions of Germans ..................... 2 4. Civil Wan Invasions................................... 17 5. Rio Grande V a l l e y ..................................... 58 5 Pre-CiviL War Frontier .................................. 275 7. Civil Wan Frontier ...................................... 278 8. Reconstruction Frontier .................................. 291 VI Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Recent historians assert that the role of the Army during Recon struction has been exaggerated and that its influence was minimal because there were few troops located in the South. Other scholars claim that influence is not a function of numbers and that the Army's power in Reconstruction was substantial. In Texas, the truth of the latter contention is ably demonstrated by the Army's influence in state politics. Contrary to the usual picture, General Philip H . Sheridan actually proved to be an impediment to Republican goals because he refused to remove and appoint local officials on the basis of party alone. Generals Charles Griffin and Joseph J. Reynolds, however, built the Republican party because they did make partisan appointments to office. President Andrew Johnson tried to stem Rey nolds' power by appointing General Winfield S. Hancock, a Democrat, as his superior. But Hancock resigned when General U. S. Grant curtailed his authority in behalf of the Republicans. Johnson then replaced Reynolds with General E. R. S. Canby whose measured rule helped produce a new state constitution and end lawlessness. Upon Grant's election as President in 1868, Reynolds returned to Texas where he was instrumental in assuring the dominance of the Radicals when the Republican party split into rival factions in 1868-1869. In general, Reynolds' political meddling notwithstanding, the Army conducted itself well in Texas. It handled the race question vii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. with relative conservatism, defended the frontier, suppressed outlaws, held reasonably fair trials, curtailed the spread of contagious dis eases, and administered even minor governmental affairs on the county and municipal levels. Yet Texans hated the Army and Reconstruction and often openly expressed their dislike. They murdered individual soldiers, attacked larger troop units, plundered wagons, and initiated harassing legal actions in state courts. When the positive and negative aspects of military rmle are combined, Texans opposed military rule for one basic reason— they believed it was a denial of the basic right of self-govemment. Texas had a long history of fighting real or supposed tyrannies: it revolted against Mexico to gain self-rule, its antebellum politics were largely controlled by states rights Democrats, and its governors and legis latures vigorously opposed Confederate military rule during the Civil War. Texans believed that Military Reconstruction was merely one more form of tyranny to be overcome before they could enjoy their full rights under the democratic process. Vlll Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. EXPLANATION OF FOOTNOTES The National Archives, Washington, D.C,. , has a large collection of primary documents concerning the Army's role in Texas Reconstruction. Record Group 94 contains the monthly manuscript returns showing the number of troops for each post located in Texas (these are cited as "Manuscript Returns"). The same record group holds bound volumes of printed orders issued by the various headquarters in Texas (Military Division of the Southwest, Department of the Gulf, District of Texas, Fifth Military District), and the Civil Affairs offices of these com mands. These orders are cited as "GO" (General Orders) or "SO" (Special Orders) followed by the order's number, the date, the words "Printed Orders," and the headquarters issuing the order (£•£•> GO 6, April 8, 1857, Printed Orders, Fifth Military District). Orders issued by the Civil Affairs offices will be cited as in the following: GO 5, April 8, 1857, Civil Affairs, District of Texas. The Civil Affairs orders