Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-65: its Causes, Incidents, and Results: Intended to exhibit especially its moral and political phases with the drift and progress of American opinion respecting human slavery from 1776 to the close of the War for the Union. Volume II.

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I. Texas and New Mexico.

• Twiggs's treason
-- Texas State Convention passes ordinance of Secession -- surrender of the regulars -- their loyalty and sufferings -- New Mexico repeals act legalizing Slavery -- Canby in command -- prepares to hold New Mexico -- Sibley brigade -- Fort Craig -- Sibley declines to attack -- battle of Valverde -- heroism and death of McRae -- fight at Apache Pass -- Rebels occupy Santa Fe -- they abandon New Mexico.

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The frontiers of Texas, Mexican and savage, were guarded, prior to the outbreak of Secession, by a line of forts or military posts stretching from Brownsville, opposite Matamoras, to the Red River. These forts were located at average distances of one hundred miles, and were severally held by detachments of from 50 to 150 of the regular army. San Antonio, 150 miles inland from Indianola, on Matagorda Bay, was the headquarters of the department, whence the most remote post--Fort Bliss, on the usual route thence to New Mexico--was distant 675 miles. The whole number of regulars distributed throughout Texas was 2,612, comprising nearly half the effective force of our little army.

When, soon after Mr. Lincoln's election, but months prior to his inauguration, Gen. David E. Twiggs was dispatched by Secretary Floyd from New Orleans to San Antonio, and assigned to the command of the department, it was doubtless understood between them that his business in Texas was to betray this entire force, or so much of it as possible, into the hands of the yet undeveloped traitors with whom Floyd was secretly in league. Twiggs's age and infirmities had for some time excused him from active service, until this ungracious duty — if duty it can be called — was imposed upon and readily accepted by him. Within 90 days after his arrival¹ at Indianola, he had surrendered² the entire force at and near San Antonio, with all their arms, munitions, and supplies, to three persons acting as “Commissioners on behalf of the Committee of Public Safety,” secretly appointed³ by the Convention which had just before assumed to take Texas out of the Union.⁴ The