516
TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
Ko. 1174
1839 Apr. 5, S. PLU:Ml\IER TO [1\I. B. LAMAR, HOUSTON]
New Orleans-April 5th 1839.-
Dear General,
Your favor, through the Sect at War- tendering me a Captn. Commission has been •recd and I accept of course- any thing in the way of helpi11g the country of our adoption.- I shall s~t about studying Cavalry tactics forthwith- and I hope to be the first officer in service in appearance and skill.- The Company will con- sist of 64 men.- Give me a fancy uniform of Red and I can enlist first rate men- nothing like a dashing uniform.- and then when you visit the S. West to receive you with a splendid uniform-to say the least-it will be very gratifying.- Who are to be my Li[e]uts-and who the other Capta,ins.- There is a fine fellow here a Coln E. H. Kelly that is spoken of highly as a military man and anxious to join· the Texas Cavalry service.- Is there any room for him?- From what I have, heard and seen of him, he would be an acquisition.- ShO'l1ld he suit us, I learn, he has made application I should like to have him with us.- that would make two corrnpanies- all in Red, on certain occasions.-that would just take the 120 Ken- dal Rifles-you can't refuse me the Kendal Rifles.- I want. to give, the first trial of those guns and if they don't tell I am most confoundedly mistaken.- Coln Wells I suppose will command me.- Good officer to drill &c- But to plan a ba,ttle, I should think not · quite capacity enough.- But that is nothing- if any hard fighting to do- you have your eye ,Cill the present sect at War- he too is my man.- to tell you the honest truth no other man in Texas I would be ·willing to go into a large fight with~ His sound sense & good judgment I fully believe in.- He believeSi in orders, and knows what belongs to service- If you and Seer at ·war should think proper to give me and the other company, a dashing uniform I should be much obliged to you:- Have in regular service, of course, the standard uniform. But j·ust permit a dashing uniform for spe- cial occasions. &C.- Now for my :l\Iobile scrape- The Girl re- turned.- I was sweetly recd and most confoundedly bad used up- Not so bad but might have been worrse- not so good but what might have been better- just. got back yesterday-I think, I am most cer- tainly kicked- but you must say nothing about it.- So you see the commission came in good time ready for any forlorn hope, that may be ordered.- Gen 'l Dunlap is here, arranging his business for final leave, to '\Vashington.- He says that some of the kind friends of both of q1s - accused me of a design od: taking, or expecting, on your promising to give me, the Commissionership of the Million loan- Now you are aware that I said Oill my first arrival in Houston- that I wanted, nor would receive any office from you. - I wanted none without active service, and little pay, and the protection of my home, and the Country required - You thought that was required- I take such an office.- If fighting is to be done, I am ready.- The only thing in all the loan business that I knew, you knew.- I knew nothing more about Beal & the Bank arrangement t_han what I saw
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