Raynors HCA 2020-02
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/27/2020
General order No. 5, War Department, Washington, March 1, 1861, 1pp., 4-3/4" x 7", fine. In full, "By the direction of the President of the United States, it is ordered that Brigadier-General DAVID E. TWIGGS be and is hereby dismissed from the Army of the United States, for his treachery to the flag of his country, in having surrendered, on the 18th of February, 1861, on the demand of the authorities of Texas, the military posts and other property of the United States in his Department and under his charge." The GO is ink signed by "Julius Garesche" as Assistant Adjutant General. Garesche, a West Point Graduate, was KIA at Stone River. Twiggs had been cautious about joining the Confederacy. He had to find an excuse for surrendering his troops, consisting of two skeleton corps. It was readily found. Ben McCulloch, the famous Texan ranger, was not far off with 1,000 men. He approached San Antonio at 2 A.M. on Feb. 10. He had been joined by armed KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE near the town. With a considerable body of followers, he rushed into the town with yells and took possession. Twiggs pretending to be surprised, met McCulloch in the San Antonio Plaza, and there, at noon, Feb. 16, a negotiation for surrender (begun by the commissioners as early as the 7th) was consummated. He gave up to the Confederate authorities of Texas all the National forces in that State, about 2,500 in number, and with them all the stores and munitions of war, valued, at their cost, at $1,200,000. He surrendered all the forts in his department. By this act Twiggs deprived the government of the most effective portion of the regular army. When the government heard of it, an order was issued (March 1) for his dismissal " from the army of the United States for treachery to the flag of his country." Twiggs threatened, in a letter to the ex-President, to visit Buchanan in person, to call him to account for officially calling him a " traitor."
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