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PAPERS OF MIRABEAU Boo 'APA.RTE LAMAR
endurance of them, constitutes one of the peculiar glories of the mili- tary profession- The Sehr. Pennsylvania came into this Port this afternoon from ew Orleans I have been so thronged with company since her arrival th~t I have not fully ascertained what She brings-She has some 20 volunteers and some provisions- A Cargo of provisions will soon ar- rive at Iatagorda from New Orleans and another at Galveston- And there may very soon be expected from 4 @ 500 volunteers from Kentucky- 200 of them had arrived in N Orleans and would be despatched in a day of two after the Pennsylvania Saild- . I have some time since determined to recall all the prisoners from private bands and have only deferred it on account of a want of decision in regard to the disposition to be made of the prisoners generally- The Soldiers have been and still are very profitably employed on Galveston but I have thought of Sending all the Officers to Liberty, on the Trinity river, where they could be supported as cheaply and guarded as safely as at any other point.- But I have not yet been fully persuaded that the enemy were really on their march aga'inst us, and I do not think it probable they will venture to cross the extensive arid prairies on this Side the rio Grande at this dry season of the year- Still I have been willing to act and have acted as though tliey were actually in motion- and it is possible they may be- . The opinion of Capt Roman as to the appointment of the Comman- der in Chief is of little importance and I am very confident it is .,.founded in error- Genl Rusk I am sure did not want the command, and if he did, he could not have had it, as I believe every member of the government was sensible that he bad not the necessary quali- fic;ations-- J. o action of the government has yet been had in re 0 ard to Genl Houston but I presume his infirmities will detain him Some time at Nacogdoches-- I drafted a letter to him some days ago but it has not yet received the entire Sanction of the Cabinet-- The Volunteers will be sent on to you as fast as they arrive- I would impress upon you very earnestly the necessity of placing these new comers, Some of whom are from a cold climate, in as healthy a position as can be conveniently had- otherwise disease will make more havoc than the sword- in haste Your obt sv David G Burnet [rubric) P. S. I some time Since wrote to Brigr Genl Rusk ~equesting him to inform me of the number, rank &c of the prisoners that had been given up in pursuance of the ill fated treaty with the President Santa Anna for I have always intended, and do intend so far as in my power to preserve inviolate the faith pledged in ·that treaty- To that letter I have received no answer- probably an answer is forth-
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