Hoping Lhal we may all of us have the happiness lo return to our homes and live in peace suitable to our inclinations
Yours Truly John J. Linn
Honl. William 1-1. Jack Secretary of State
[3961) [RUSK to HOUSTON]
Head Quarters Colelo 11th August 1836
Dear Gen!
Yours of the 9th Instant has just been received being the first I have received from you since your return lo the Country. I am much pleased that you approve the intended movement of the army against the enemy and that you have concluded to use your influence to receive the cooperation of the vessels for the purposing of ennabling us to effect. We are at War with Mexico and have ample proof that it wiU not do to place confidence in any promise of the enemy and one thing may be set clown as certain that the friends of Mexico must be humbled before we can expect peace. We have been plunged into War before, we had taken the first step to prepare for it and we have made no preparations since all the favorable tides in our affairs have been neglected yea worse than neglected and I see no prospect of better hopes for the future we have now a larger army together than we can reasonably expect soon again lo have we have no provisions to maintain that army, and they will discover if not actively employed our enemy is now weak and distracted by Revolution without supplies and not entirely recovered from their late defeat and the question seems lo me a plain one whether we shall wait and see our Army disolve and them collect in heavy force before we begin the fight or whether we shall begin while we are strong and they weak. You speak of slander and abusemy Dear Sir you have not felt it. [illegible] with some others while I have been sleeping upon the untended fields pinched by hunger and worn down by fatigue reflecting upon the unprotected and suffering condition of a wife and three children the [illegible] Lord of a
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