is greatly needed lo the Country and keep things straight. I hope your leg will be well enough and this will meet you on the way. I am Truly Your friend
Thomas J. Rusk Brig. Genl. Cong.
[3792] [RUSK to SOMERVELL)
Head Quarters Victoria July 25th 1836
To Hon. A. Sommerville Secy of War - Dear Sir:
l some day or two since wrote, but again take the liberly of writing you on the same subject. The present State of the Army We shall take up the Line of March tomorrow morning towards Copa_no trusting that supplies are alreddy on the way there. Our effectwe force does not much exceed One Thousand Men a Majority of them Citizens of the United States who have raJlied to our Standard. Those men whose term of Service had expired some weeks ago I was under the necessity of discharging Many of the Reinforceme_nts who have come in and men who have been in Service before and aU serve very reluctantly. The moments of Leisure we have are of the utmost importance to us. There are at least Three Thousand men in Texas who by the provisions of the Law of the Convention are liable to be in the Field, and have not been drafted. Confusion prevails all over the Country and what little Law or Authority we have is losing its force entirely. these difficulties will reach the United States Another but vigorous effort on our part will save us the public estimation and I do hope that immediate measures will be taken to draft the men in each Municipality and order them to the Field forthwith. Confidential men should be dispatched to every Municipality to see that drafts are regularly made and orders regularly issued. Then if men do not do their duty they will suffer the consequences this would give confidence to our opperations and would concentrate on our Frontiers an Army that would bid Defiance to the Enemy. Then we would be in a situation to terminate the War. Then would men join our standard with good feelings and then the reproach that the People of Texas are not defending their rights would be done away. Then would there be less time to quarell on the subject of politicks. l hope and trust that immediate measures will be taken on this subject and that supplies will be procured, and sent down to Copano - then the Horns of
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