July 22 1836 to Sep 23 1836 - PTR, Vol 8

commerce in that direction, which might be pul in jeopardy by a successful investment of the ~latamoras, I waived, for the present, any farther inquiry into the political condition of lhe country, and directed my attention lo the latter subject. During the absence of Major General Samuel Houston, the command of the army devolves upon Brigadier General Rusk, who is now in command, Brigadier General T. J. Green and Brevet Brigadier General Felix Huston are the principal field officers under General Rusk. The vessels lo be employed will consist of the Invincible, carrying eight port guns and one pivot nine pounder: the Brutus, of the same force; the Independence, carrying eight guns; and the Liberty, of three; the latter being now under repair. Within the last month, the emigrants have increased by several hundred, many having arrived in the schooners Flora, Passaic, and Julius Caesar, and the brig Good Hope; besides settlers over land by the Nacogdoches road. General Santa Anna is now al Orazimba, opposite Bolivia, on the Brazos river, and about forty-five miles above this place. He was removed there from Columbia about two weeks since, and is guarded by a company of troops under the command of Captain Patton. So far as an opinion can be formed, from the present indications of public sentiment, as lo what disposition will be made of that officer, it is probably he will be finally disposed of in some way by the next Congress of Texas: some of the candidates for Congress have pledged themselves, if elected, to advocate the trying him as a murderer. Colonels Almonte and Nunez, and Mr. Carro, the latter his private secretary, are with General Santa Anna. There are forty-eight Mexican officers, and near six hundred men prisoners, at and near Galveston, besides a few in this place. I examined in Quitano many of the arms taken al the battle of San Jacinto, and am not surprised that the Mexicans were defeated, as the muskets are of Spanish make, and appear to have been worthless many years ago. If the weapons lo be used by those in any future battle should be such as these, the predictions of the Texans that they will succeed in the same proportion as in their last victory, may be readily fulfilled, without any reproach upon the patriotism or bravery of their enemy.

230

~ .....J

Powered by