[rustbucket]

Ah, yes, the 4,000+ post deleted thread that ended in insults and inappropriate remarks. I left that thread for an hour or two. It was getting out of control. When I came back, it had been deleted. It was a shame because there was some useful history on the thread.

Twiggs was quite concerned about holding off until the official March 2 date of Texas secession. I gather he did not want to act before then, but the situation got beyond his control. The Texans apparently realized that Twiggs was about to be replaced with a strong Unionist. They forced the issue of the surrender of the forts, etc., by capturing Twiggs and his command before the Unionist could take charge. They may have felt they could negotiate a better deal with Twiggs than with his successor. Probably so.

You asked about Lee. As I mentioned, I don't think Lee approved of what Twiggs did, though I don't know what Lee would have done. Probably outsmart all his opponents.

Twiggs' home state, Georgia, had already seceded, of course, a month before all this happened. Twiggs requested that he be relieved of command on January 13. He didn't find out that he had been relieved of command until about February 15, the day before the Texas troops captured him.

I gather Twiggs was still technically in charge until his replacement showed up. His own report on the incident rationalizes that there would have been immediate conflict if he did not agree to the demands of the Commissioners. Maybe, maybe not.

[capitan_refugio]

"Ah, yes, the 4,000+ post deleted thread that ended in insults and inappropriate remarks. I left that thread for an hour or two. It was getting out of control. When I came back, it had been deleted. It was a shame because there was some useful history on the thread."

I was gone for a couple of days to drive my oldest daughter to college. But I was not surprised one bit!