doubt hear of the capture made by Capl. Burton. I had senl him out simply on a scouting exrcdition when he ran foul of the ship. You have inclosed copies of the leltcrs and order which I transmitted to him upon the subject, he has nol yel TC turned from Copano. Sixty-four of our prisoners have been released amongst them four or five officers of different grades Lhey have nol all reached camp. Some of them are yet on their way from the Nueces and will probably reach camp in one or two clays. Genl. Gaines has opened a correspondence with the army copies of his letter and my answers you have inclosed, you will by that perceive we have a powerful neighbor with the will and po,wcr lo restrain the lndians who have emigrated from Lhe United Stales and I confidently anticipate favorable results from this commencement of a friendly intercourse. Lieut. Nate and and Lieut. Smith spent two days with us an'd have returned. I have sent on the communication which they were the bearers of to Genl. Filisola. I have adopted no settled system of action for the future as lam left by the Govt. in Egyptian darkness as to what forces, supplies, or munitions 1 may expect. My forces as l have informed the Government would be the case has been greatly reduced by the term of service of the men having expired and in less than two weeks I shall not have two htindred men. If the Government intends to break up the army I would be much obliged to them to announce the fact to me thal I may not be kept in suspense about it any longer. I must ask the indulgence of your Excellency while I make but very few suggestions. The people of Texas are engaged in a question which merits the attention of every lover of his country and every man Government and all who desire Lo be free She has but a handful of population sparsely settled over a large extent of lerritory, that population is without bread stuffs, and as you and I and all who have had much lo do with them can lcstify, not well schooled in a quiet submission to laws when they run counter Lo their notions. There is great difficulty in our contracting al any one point any considerable force of them upon a sudden emergency. We are at war with a nation who can bring lo bear upon us thirty thousand mercenary soldiers. They are vain, haughty, and boast of Lheir military prowess, they set up for a name and a distinction amongst the nations of the earth. They have had their pride much mortified
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