[3906) [RUSK to SOl\IERVELLJ
Head Quarters on the Coleto 7th August 1836
To Honorable A Somervell Secy of War
Our latest nP,WS from Mallamoras is up lo the 14th Instant and represents the Mexican Army then as reduced lo twenty two hundred men and considerably disorganized revolutions have also broken out in the interior which it is said will prevent for the present the concentration of new Troops al Mallamoras. Urrea has left and gone to Durango and Condello is in command I have seen one or two of their plans for a New Government in all they have inserted a clause in relation to the integrity of Territory the retaining of Texas & the conquest of this CountTy is the popular theme with all and in my opinion our Independence will not be acknowledged by Mexico until she feels the horror of the War We have now an army of fifteen hundred men which will increase in a few weeks all experience has shown that volunteers cannot be kept together without action employment if no advances are made on the enemy we must lie perfectly in action for some months the consequence will be that the Army will melt away to a small force and we shall have to meet a heavy force of the enemy with a small force on our part I am decidedly of the opinion that we with a large force had better attack the enemy while unprepared that wait for them to attack us with a large force when we are unprepared in order lo accomplish this as requested in my letter lo the Secretary of War of the 8th July it is important that all the means of transportation which can be had should be sent round to Copano with supplies and that the Armed Vessels would cooperate with us Our Infantry can not march by Land if we advance it would be imprudent to do so without the means of transporting at least a Thousand men by Water & when once Mattamoras is taken we must be sustained by the vessels of War I therefore request that all reinforcements supplies Steam Boats Vessels &c should be sent around immediately Lo Copano to which front the Army will advance as soon as we arc notified of the arrival of supplies we also need all the ammunition that can be sent and in order that the
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