William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

This, however, did not deter the Governor from making another effort for the invasion of Texas. On the twenty-third day of March, he wrote to the President of the United States, recapitulating many of the arguments contained in the letter addressed to the Secretary of War. He said that many of the Massachusetts nine months regiments in the Department of the Gulf were induced to enter the service by an assurance given them in good faith, that they were to be led into Texas, allowed to redeem that section of the country, and then, without returning to their homes, be joined by their families and settle there. He had appointed Major Burt of his staff to go with the regiments and with General Hamilton, military Governor of Texas, to look after the interest of the troops in the expedition. To the great disappointment of officers and men, with the exception of a portion of the Forty-second Regiment, the regiments failed to reach Texas, and were then on duty in Louisiana. Major Burt, who had returned home, was personally acquainted with a large number of the officers and men from Massachusetts, and had reported to him, that, notwithstanding their disappointment, many of the regiments would re-enlist for three years for special service in Texas. He had the same information from other reliable sources; and he therefore requested that the President would cause an order to be issued in regard to the Massachusetts nine months regiments in the Department of the Gulf, which would embrace the following points: that the re-enlistments should be immediate; that the transportation home, to which they were entitled, should be commuted to them in money as an extra bounty; that they should go immediately to Texas under a proper commanding general.

The movement for the restoration of Texas had been considered by the Governor for nearly a year and a half; and in his judgment, and in that of other gentlemen who had considered the subject, it was of untold importance. He believed the expedition, by the good which it would do and the harm which it would prevent, would be of as much value as any expedition of five times its force to any other place. It would cripple the rebels, cut off their avenue of supplies, would flank the Rebellion, intercept the designs of foreign powers on Mexico, preserve Texas