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Dispatch from brevet Lieutenant P. U——-d. upon mustering in.

Received by wireless from Austin in the Restored Republic. As a frequent problem, photographs transmitted by wireless aether are of unacceptable quality. I present them here as sent, at the request of the Lt., I offer my apologies to anyone with tender sensibilities and scruples about the rough nature of soldier life in advance.          — Glaubrius Valeska

26 February: I took the Atlantic
Express, once again missing a chance to land at any of the platforms
in the Atlantic Necklace, to New York where I changed airships at the
immense General Grant Aerodrome, the second time in my modest
exploration of this dark world and wide to admire the vista of acres
of sun glinting towers and overpopulated platforms elevated a hundred
feet above the ground. My conveyance was already there, and since I
was the last to board and a delay to the transport, I did not have
time to visit the famous markets on the ground below. I boarded a
United States military zeppelin leased to the Restored Republic by
the Union and flew to the City State of New Orleans. We followed the
coastline since the Confederacy does not allow US vessels to overfly
their land, the only exception being a negotiated traverse through
the northern part of the Seminole Free State, as it has come to be
known since the United States sold its claims on Florida to Spain;
the Union controls the Louisiana Territory west of the Mississippi
River, so my contingent was able to cross the Father of the Waters in
a semi-rigid aerostat as uncomfortable as a cheap saddle, in no
small part because it was crowded with two full companies, and
ferried to Galveston. Our Troops bound for Fort Worth took steam
boats upriver to the City State of Vicksburg where, I was told by a
warrant officer, they would travel by rail to their destination.

[img_assist|nid=2134|title=On the ocean walk|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=640|height=335]

 

From
Galveston my company traveled in yet another, very ragged, Texian
gasbag to Austin for mustering into militia service. I took the
opportunity for some self-portraits in significant places, and will
continue to make these attempts, but the weather and lack of
civilization there makes transport and development of the heliotype
plates, the only I can afford, difficult.

[img_assist|nid=2135|title=At the Capitol|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=640|height=197]

 

We arrived in Austin at Camp Mabry in the late evening and slept in two story billets, on rope matresses and haybags, that night. Our mustering in took place at the State Capitol. We formed
for swearing the Oath of Allegiance to the Restored Republic of
Texas then waited until the entire regiment was activated then
marched all the way around the campus to Pass in Review before the President in his booth on Congress Avenue
before listening to his short address and historical overview of our
storied Nation, and then it was a short march to the train station.
My battalion boarded the only westbound train and set out for Fort
Peligroso.

[img_assist|nid=2136|title=Lone Star Republic|desc=|link=popup|align=center|width=640|height=501]

(the recent Lt. obtained a likeness of this map from the University of Texas – G.V.)

I will be able to send the next dispatch only by mail to Austin; and it will go only when the overworked aether operator gets to it.

Y’r Ob’d’nt S’r’v’nt;

P

 

 

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