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al length exposed to your Excellency, in my despatches of 14th and 31st last May; and it is much the more grievous, inasmuch as perhaps the arrangements of his Excellency, the presidenl pro Lem., may have been dictated in consequence of inexact informa- tion concerning the importance of localities, subsistence, and preservation of the troops; but I am animated, nevertheless, excelJenl sir, by the hope that his ExceUency, the president pro tern., may have changed his opinion, after having seen my communications referred to, if perchance they have had the good fortune to be believed: but even were it not so, it is absolutely out of my power to vary my direction from Lhe places to which 1 advised your Excellency I was advancing, in my last communica• tion referred to, as was also the ability to preserve for a longer time, the line which I am now commanded to sustain; the motives which compelled me to the retrograde movement, instead of having disappeared, have gone on increasing, on account of more days having transpired, and of the season having advanced; I now find myself in full movement, general Juan Jose Andrade having joined me with the garrison which was in Bexar, after having completely destroyed the insignificant enclosure of the Alamo, and every thing that possessed any thing like defence in thal settlement; nothing, in consequence, remains for me then to answer the charges that the supreme government may think proper to make against me. I will add, nevertheless, your Excellency, in fulfilment of my duty, and for the satisfaction of the supreme government, that by no means could the enemy, and much less any man who thinks, confound the movement made by the army which I had the honor to command, with a flight. They commenced and continued it, surrounded by obstacles almost insuperable, and embarrassed by an immense quantity of artillery and baggage, having remained between rivers not fordable, on their flanks, rear-guard and front, and buried in the mud during eleven days, in an extension of country or more than two leagues. They afterwards passed three very large rivers, without any previous preparations, and in sight of the enemy; made their marches wilh all the convenience thal could be exacted; remained fifteen days in Goliad, and ten on the river Nueces; did not lose the most trifling arlicle of this disproportioned artillery and baggage; did not abandon a single one of their sick or wounded; and only commenced their retreat
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