Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 1.

[186] struck by private hands, commemorative of the event, of the exact size given in the engraving below. The words are not quite correctly quoted.

The disloyal politicians of Texas, a province purchased by the people of the United States at the cost of a war with Mexico (in which two hundred millions of dollars of treasure, and thousands of precious lives, were squandered), and by an after payment of ten millions of dollars more, followed the example of the conspirators of South

The Mint at New Orleans.

Carolina, and their coadjutors in crime in other Cotton-growing States. That province had been a State of the Union only little more than fifteen years, when these bold bad men set up the banner of revolt. Its Governor, the venerable Samuel Houston, the hero of its war for independence, in 1836, and the real founder of the State as a sovereign commonwealth, adhered to the Union. He had been elected by almost ten thousand majority,¹ but the Legislature was filled with disloyal men. By these and others, immediately after the election of Mr. Lincoln, he was urged to either call the Legislature to a special session, or else a State Convention. He knew how mischievous the action of the Legislature and of such a convention would be at that very critical time, and he

The Dix medal.

steadily refused. The great mass of the people of the State were with him in sentiment; and as late as at the middle of December, there was an enthusiastic Union demonstration at Austin, the capital of the Commonwealth. Several young men drove through the streets, with the Star-spangled banner floating over each carriage. They were greeted with loud cheers from the citizens; and on the 23d, an immense Union meeting was held there, when a pole, ninety feet in hight, was erected, and the National flag was thrown to the breeze from its top. The crowd was composed of men, women, and children, many of whom had come from afar to greet the old flag, and to hear the airs of “Hail Columbia” and “Yankee Doodle” played by the band of musicians and sung by patriotic young women. It was a bright and joyous day in Texas, and the hearts of the lovers of the Union were made glad.