1324
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
of the Express a. statement of the force at my disposal for an expedi- tion; and, also, to appoint a place where I could meet you, your in- tentions being to take the field with 250 men in the month of July. •• in consequence of this order, I sent, at 3 o'clock P. M. an express to the Cherokees to suspend their operations, alleging a hope of a treaty of peace between the Indians and the Colonists, in order to conceal the true motive; stating to them at the same time, that they must remain in readiness to march at the earliest notice, in case the peace could not be affected. I had already written my orders to the Captains of Militia, informing them that the contemplated expedi- tion was suspended in consequence of some hope of peace, which I did, to give a reason for the counterorder without exposing the true motive; but previous to these orders leaving my office, I re- ~eived, at 6. o'clock P. M. by express a note from Captain Sims of the Company of Militia of the Brazos, District of Bravo, near the road to Bexar, informing me that while he was executing my orders to explore a covered road to the Indian Villages, along the bottom of the river, to avoid being noticed on a march through prairie lnnds, he discovered, at about twenty five leagues above the road to ·.Hexar, trails of mounted Indians, and a party on foot, l~ading to the settlement. He returned at once to give information. I doubt not but a party left their villages to attack us, and our settlements are so scattered that it is difficult to determine upon what point they will fall first. I have already transmitted orders in every direction t.o send out spies. In consequence of this notice I have thought it highly important not to communicate your order to suspend any hostile movements against the Indians, because the Militia are now ready to march to the villages, and I think, that if we are so for- tunate as to discover the party that came to attack us, it would be advisable, after having routed them, to proceed by forced marches to their villages, and to fall on them before they had recoYered from the terror inseparable from defeat. I hope these circumstances will be considered a sufficient excuse for my not suspending hostile movements as you order me to do. • If the occurrences above alluded to do not compel me to m·arch to the Indian Villages, I shall defer the expedition agreeably to your orders in·which event, I think we ought to meet at the crossing of the ro;d to Bexar, on the 27 th of June, so !lS to attack: the villages by the 4th of July. Thus time would be afforded me to call on the Militia of Trinity and Nacogdoches, the Che~ok:ee and other fri~es fu that section of the country. In the meantime I shall take every step, my situation permits, to ascertain the movements of the In-. -d' ns etc The number of men in this Colony on whom I can de- ·p::d \s from 175 to 200; 100 men, I believe may be expected from
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