| Headquarters District of Texas, &c. |
| McNeel's Plantation, December 13, 1863 |
| |
| Colonel [S. H.] Darden, Victoria |
| |
| Colonel, |
| I am instructed by
Major-General Magruder to acknowledge the receipt of your
communication of the 10th and 11th, and in reply to say that you
will go on with the work of destroying the railroad {the
San Antonio & Mexican Gulf RR} and everything connected
with it, disregarding the "injunction" of the district
court in a manner which will be least offensive. He directs me to
say that his orders for the destruction will be carried out by you,
and everything will be completely and thoroughly destroyed. If it
becomes necessary to use force, you are directed to do so, as this
is a work which the imperative demands of a military necessity will
prevent the military from giving away to civil authorities. It is,
of course, much to be regretted that any collision or conflict of
this kind should arise, but the emergency demands an immediate
destruction of this railroad track, together with the coaches,
flats, &c. |
| The general directs me to
say that if the engine can be taken to pieces, and all or any of it,
or such parts as may be valuable, transported to Columbus, you will
not destroy these, but everything that is left must be destroyed.
Colonel Duff, with whom you will consult, may be able to furnish
transportation for parts of the engine to Columbus These valuable
parts will be taken to no other place than Columbus. The work of
destruction will go on with rapidity, and nothing will be allowed to
retard or delay it. |
| With regard to the buildings
at Lavaca and Indianola, I am instructed to say that you will not
destroy them if their destruction would involve that of the whole
town or of the houses occupied. |
| The wharves at these places
will be at once destroyed. The storehouses, it is thought, can be
destroyed without destroying the rest of the buildings; if not, they
will not be destroyed. The general is unwilling to leave the
families of soldiers houseless and homeless. |
| ***** |
| I am, colonel, very respectfully, your
obedient servant, |
| Edmund P. Turner |
| Assistant Adjutant-General |
|