113
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
I take a deep interest in th<l' success of your views and regret my inability to contribute to their accomplishment.- General Ripley is sick and absent from the city. Captain Austin will e,xplain to you fully why Mr 1\loore has been unable-to send the number of muskets which you expected. In enclose you some of the News-papers. 'I'hey contain, howe,ver, but little news. Remember me with respect and esteem to Mrs Long, Genl. Trespalacios, l\fajor l\Iilam, Dr. Edgar, Mr. Hewitt and all my acquaintances, and beEeve me to remain forever your sincere friend. (Signed) Isaac T. Preston." Soon after the foregoing letter was received at Bolivar Point, Genl. Trespalacios and l\lajor l\Iilam embarked in a vessel called "Tex_as" commanded by Captain Roach, for Vera Cruz, for the pur- pose of ascertaining the true condition of the country, and of con- ferri.::1g with the patriot authorities of the Interior upon the, affairs of Texas; and while they are prosecuting their journey by sea and /\by land, we will continue the history [of] our real hero whose mis- t~rtunes are about to commence. Similar reasons to those which had induced the departure of Tres- . pe ~cios, r~ndered it nece~sary also _that General_ Long shoul? visit San\i\ntomo. The Revolution was evidently drawmg very rapidly to a clo·~e; and it was important that amicable relations should be established between the citizens of that place, and the Americans at Bolivar Point, in as much as they were now all co-labourers in the same cause. Duty to the nation at large, as well as his obligations to those whom he had introduced into the country, required him to do this. 'I11e town·s of La Bahia and Sanantonio had declared for Independence. The priests and the people had been in favor of it from the beginning of the contest; but had been held in subjection by the military power. ·when it became obvious that the Royal authority was about to fall - that the King's party could sustain themselves no longer- the Governor of Bexar, and Ignacio Perez, the military commandant, abandoned the cause which they had so long maintained, and gave in their adhesion to the Insurgents. The Garrison at La Bahia did the same. These changes, however, were not communicated to General Long. On the contrary, it appeared to be the policy of these new converts to the patriot cause, to keep, our hero in ignorance of the true state of affairs in that quarter; and for this purpose the inhabitants of those towns were prohibited all intercourse with the Americans at Bolivar Point. No visiting was permitted. Nevertheless, it was known to General Long that the Royal authorities, both civil and military, in Bexar and La Bahia, had declared for Independence. He had many reasons to believe that such was the case, though not officially informed of the fact.- With a view, therefore, of meeting the authorities of those places, and consulting with them upon the future policy and prospects of Texas, he detailed about sixty men from the garrison and set sail on the 19th of September 1821, for the Bay of Copano.- He. expected to be absent about three weeks. The delicate situation of his amiable wife rendered the separation extremly painful to her. On the eve of his deparj;ure he embraced her affectionately and besought her to be of good che.er; for he would return in a brief space and all thim 8-Library,
Powered by FlippingBook