entered into an agreement to evacuate their posts and surrender the public property, on the conditions and in accordance with the stipulations of the agreement entered into by General Twigs and the commissioners on behalf of the committee of public safety.

It is now know that some time previous to the commencement of the negotiations with General Twigs a large force was collecting some of the remote posts and seizing the public property. This force consisted of several hundred residents of the northern part of Texas, and several companies of troops which had previously been mustered into the service of the State. This gathering of so large a force appears to have been the spontaneous movement of the border population, with no other incentive than a desire of plunder. There is no doubt that these movements were known to and sanctioned by the convention, immediately after it assembled at Austin, on the 28th January, and it is now known that the persons calling themselves commissioners acted under instructions from that body. I would here remark that there is not a post in Texas which had the slightest defensive arrangement. They are generally camps or open cantonments, and not tenable against a large force. Such, I understand, was the condition of the posts above mentioned.

I also inclose copies of letters written by or addressed to Captain Johnson, Second Cavalry, which will show the course pursued by the State officers, and the difficulty of communicating with the different posts.*

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. A. WAITE,

Colonel, U. S. Army, Commanding Department.

Lieutenant Colonel L. THOMAS, Assistant Adjutant-General,

Headquarters of the Army, Washington, D. C.

[Inclosures.]

FORT CHADBOURNE, TEX., February 28, 1861.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a post order and certain communications which passed between Colonel W. C. Dalrymple, aide-de-camp to the governor, and colonel commanding Texas troops, and myself, which resulted un my yielding the post of Camp Cooper to the authorities of the State of Texas.

As in some particulars the terms aged upon have been modified by a subsequent agreement entered into between Colonel H. E. McCulloch, as commissioner of the State of Texas, and myself, in order to make these terms fully conform to that agreed upon between the commissioners of the State of Texas and General Twigs, commanding the department, I transmit the final terms of agreement only.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. D. CARPENTER,

Captain, First Infantry.

Major W. A. NICHOLS, Assistant Adjutant-General,

Department of Texas, San Antonio.

ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS CAMP COOPER, TEX.,

No. 12. February 16, 1861.

The commanding office has no disposition, were such a thing practicable, of keeping his command in ignorance of the common report that we are to be attacked, for the purpose of the pillage and plunder

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*See Morris' report, p.558; Smith's, p.559; and Johnson's, p.594.

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