In reviewing the situation in the State of Texas in 1860-61 it is interesting to follow the chain of events and how much different the military property and personal were handled in that state compared to the rest of the South. The U.S. forces at Fort Bliss, Fort Davis, Fort Clark and Fort Quitman and others, marched, following the Butterfield Mail route, to San Antonio, Texas, nearly 500 miles, to finally surrender to Van Dorn in San Antonio. Having just traveled the entire length of that road I have a whole new respect for those soldiers that had to serve on that road. Also, it seems General Scott basically turned over the forts and a good portion of public property to Texas without much demand from the state government, there were no "Fort Sumter's" here. Once the federal soldiers were removed, Confederate forces took over the same duties as the earlier owners, and the remote forts were manned with companies of artillery, infantry and cavalry to guard the all the boarders of Texas and supress the native tribes from attacking.

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"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,

Washington, February 15, 1861. (Received March 1.)
Col. C. A. WAITE,
First Infantry, Commanding Dept of Texas, San Antonio:

SIR: In the event of the secession of the State of Texas, the General-
in-Chief [General W. Scott] directs that you will, without unnecessary delay, put in march
for Fort Leavenworth the entire military force of your department..

Preliminary thereto, you will at once concentrate the troops in suffi-
cient bodies to protect their march out of the country at central points
on the proper lines of march. The following stations now occupied seem
to be the best adapted for the purpose:

1. Fort Stockton, on the overland mail route, where it is joined by the
stage route from San Antonio, for the posts of Camps Hudson and Lan-
caster, Forts Davis, Quitman, and Bliss—a rendezvous of ten companies
of infantry.
2. Fort Clark, for Fort McIntosh, iRinggold Barracks, and other posts
on or near the Lower Rio Grande—a rendezvous for some three com-
panies of cavalry and ten of infantry.

3. San Antonio, for the troops there in depot, and at Fort Inge—a
rendezvous, as at present known, of one company of cavalry and two of
infantry, but probably strengthened by additional companies from other
stations.

4. Camp Cooper, or Fort Belkuap, on the overland mail route, for the
troops at Forts Chadbourne and Mason, Camps Colorado and Ives—a
rendezvous for six companies of cavalry and three of infantry.

The lines of march from these centers would probably all be on Fort
Arbuckle, throngh Fort Belknap, and thence through the Indian coun-
try, and west of the State of Arkansas, to Fort Leavenworth. These
lines of march will, of course, not be regarded as fixed, but be varied by
you according as you may judge proper.

It is supposed that at each post there is a sufficiency of transportation
for the baggage and supplies of the troops, but all the transportation
within the department, iucluding the camels, must be put in requisition
to make the movement to bring out all the supplies and public property
if possible. You will readily see that the private baggage of officers
and men must be brought down to the lowest point. Whatever property
it may be necessary to leave in the State will be put in possession of
officers of the Quartermaster’s Department, to be shipped by water to
New York. So far as water transportation can with safety be made
available; you will prefer it for such public property as lies convenient
to the coast.
I have, &c.,
L. THOMAS. [Scott's adjutant]

P.S.—Timely measures will be taken here to meet the northern move-
ments of troops with supplies and forage, to be forwarded from the Mis-
souri River, in the direction of the Arkansas, say, to some point on or
near the Cherokee Country. The troops will probably be obliged to
take beef on the hoof with them for a considerable portion of the
march."

______________________
David Upton