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

whole country, those men were prodigal of promises, and professing to be authorised to speak in the name of the Texian Government made assurances of ultimate remuneration which they knew at the time were false, and which time proved to be so. But of this hereafter. The public were informed at the time, of our extraordinary delay at New Orleans. It was generally attributed to the neglect of the Texian agent at that place. There was a deeper cause. The battle of San Jacinto had been fought and the President and Cabinet believing that the war was al .an end, thought there would be no use for more volunteers and if we coul.d be delayed beyond the first of July, we should lose the benefit of the provisions of the Decree in Council; that being the time for the operation of the act to expire. The President and Council actually issued a Proclamation prohibiting the coming in of additional volunteers. In the mean time, however, a rumor was circulated that the Mexicans were about to make another effort to regain the country, and were coming into Texas with 15,000 men, and we were then permitted to embark,-Captain Postlethwaite proceed- ing in advance with about one hundred troops on the 2d day of July; Colonel Wilson remaining with the residue, expecting to follow in a few days, but was in the manner before related, detained ten days. Colonel W. got off on the 12th or July, and arrived at Galveston after a passage of seven days. Captain P. had madehis passage in four days. Captain P. being thus several days in advance of Colonel W., and having nothing to occupy him, concluded to visit Velasco, the Seat of Government, for the purpose or making a personal examination of the country and to ascertain if possible, its civil condition. On his arrival at Velasco, he was introduced to President Burnet by a friend and presented a letter of introduction-which was opened, glanced at and thrown by without comment; Captain P. not being asked to sit, or treated with common civility. Captain P. left President Burnet and returned to his hotel, where he had several distinct propositions made to him by officers in the Texian service, to join them with the men under his command, avowing their object to be, lo scour the country and take every thing valuable which they could find, until they had paid themselves, and then to return to the United Stales, as they said they did not expect the Texian Government lo pay them a cent for the service they had rendered or the expenses they has incurred!! Captain P. was then informed that the

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