[3292) [RUSK lo LAMAR)
Head Quarters La Bahia Slh June 1836
Dear Sir
The Communilions and intelligence this day received from Velasco has been a subject matter of aslonishmenl to me and has produced great excitement in the Army 1 allude to the fact that Santa Anna is lo be immediately lo Vera Cruz- My march to this point has been under rnuch embarrassment from the fact that so far as 1 am cognizant of the facts not one effort has hecn made by the Govt to encrcasc my force I however marched on without Bread Coffee Sugar Cloths & frequently without Sall or Beef the Mexican Army arc now beyond the Neueccs they marched out of the Country over five Thousand strong one Thousand of them from Bejar passed hy here three days ago and encamped two miles & a half from here while we were in the occupation of the Fort- l have determined not to occupy either this place or San Antonio but Lo take my stand for the present on the Guadalupe Are you going to send Santa Anna away!!! Is il deemed proper to damn the Country lo Sacrifice all we have gained to hold ourselves up to the world in the attitude of supplicating a prisoner for his tender mercies- We have some evidence of them here the Skeletons we have buried will be a lasting monument to show how far the Tyrant will respect his word and Sacred Treaties l ask you lo abstain from this act for Lhe Sake of yourselves and your Country let the News once reach this Army that he is liberated and an infurriatcd Mass will break the slight bonds which now bind them together--1 say these things not because l have an unkind feeling for one man in that Cabinet nor because 1 desire to enter into Controversy with any one but because I feel it 1uy duty the Cabinet are unappraised of the feelings here I have been requested by a field officer of cool and dcliheratc reflection lo head the Cavalry of the Army and march forthwith to Velasco Lo see that Santa Anna was not released I have had the misfortune to differ with other Departments in relation to the policy which ought to-lie pursued I have taken a course which my conscience has approved & which ( think time will show was best for this Country I will in a few days render lo Lhe Government an account of my
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