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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
maned myself my resolution was fixed, half an hour had not passed, eer, I reported myself to the Gen. and, said I would bear the com- munication, or despatch ju t spoken of, to Philisola at head quarters of the mexican army, my youthful ambition, Philanthropry, and pa- triotic enthu iasm prompted me to an act that I knew, no one else had dared to do, and if promptly exicuted would crown, my covetious brow, with laurels, if not so to the world, the tacit consciousneRS of having done, the good act, would carry a sufficient recompense along with it, in after day , even, .to the grave, The Gen. here equivocated, spoke of his personal friendship, for me, and the probability of my detention, and the officieal relation, which I stood to himself & the army, all being barriers, scarcely authorised my ab ence I responded, thy will be done, but my declaration of preference i made he stood silent foi· a moment then replyed promptly, sir yon hall go, since tis your wish, but remember, its no imperative order of mine, at the same, time, turning & walking to his marquee, for the purpose of pre- paring the nece ary, despatche , I returned the official avocations of my office, the balance of the day wa extremely dull & monotinou . MORNIN'G. This morning's, sun, ummoned me, to the performance of that duty, o formidable to all, and so contradictory. to the con tant expo tula- tions & protestations of my nearest & best friend -thi ,only, added, fewell, to the new, born, veal [sic] of my enthusiastic patritoism, too deeply rooted for the shallow importunities of others, to swerve one jot or tittle from my inflexible course, the Gen. soon, apperad, in per- son, with paper in hand, which were necessary for my personal ·afety, and the eye of Gen Fillosola, Gen Ru k, myself & escort , mounted our horses, I bid adiew to. my associates & in a few minutes wa out of sight of camp, The Gen rode witli me a few miles, for the purpo e of giving me nece ary instructicns, he then, left me, to the per- formance of my duty & to, the mercy of god, I bad but one companion at that, time, Thoma Y. Beaufort a deci ive, daring, youth of Georgin invincible, in war, inflexible in opinion when right, and immutable, in pretended, friendship. I was ordered to halt, with Col. Sherman's detachment at which time & place, I was to elect, as many men, a I conceived to be necessary. I then bid adieu to all, with donbtinr, an- tici patious, whether I should fall a Mart r to the Iighty cau c of liberty, or l'etnrn with triumphant laurels, to revert to in after nrres, or a a pa ·sport for me when accusation fraught with· stemlous pn- triotism, should be alleged, whether Justice bade it, or the orig-in & dictactes of a vindictive angry accu or I arivcd at hend quarter of Col ghcrmans detachment on the Colorado inspired with feelings of the most sanguinary nnt11rc; here I di mi ed 11 young mnn from my party who had previously vohmtcrrcd hi crvice he knew too mnch of the Iexican character and ha<l too many mcxicnn per onnl acquain- tances in Filissola Camp for me to place that confidence in him which is due to one in his capacity conscqncntly he wa discharged I then selected apt Karnc. ever obseqniou. to th(I call of hi' countrrs good, and ever ready to go where glory nwnte. him, we spent the balance of the day in discusing the policy of our l\licion, us it wn · all mo ·t impo ibc for us to procccdc owing to the cxccsivc inclemency: ·of the
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