[14321 [BAKER to COUNCIL]
To the General Council of Texas-
The verry critical condition in which the volunteer army now before San Antonio is placed induces me without offering any apology lo intrude myself myself upon your attention. From various sources concurring information has reached this place and also the camp at Bexar that Col Ugartechear was on his march with about 700 men lo reinforce gen Coss and when I left the army Ugarlechear was looked for every day. An express reached you night before lasl informing you that Col Milan with three hundred men had taken possession of one part of the Lown and by that same express you were called upon lo reinforce your fellow citizens as soon as possible. That neither you nor the country may be led into a dangerous mistake and induced to believe that San Antonio has falien I will explain lo you the true condition of things in order that you may be enabled lo acl understandingly The position now ocupied by our troops is certainly a very important one and one from which lhe enemy may be verry much annoyed bul it by no means gives to our party possession of the town-They ocupy thr~ _stone houses-distant from water and wood-and unlill theygain possession of other parts of the town one half of the army must necessarily be retained at its old encampment-in order to relieve them, supply them with provisions and cover their retreat should one become necessary-Between them and the church there are three strong stone buildings ocupied by Mexican troops who have to be dislodged before our party can advance further-even when these are taken other strong buildings independanl of the church which is strongly fortified still remain in possession of the Mexicans-and when all these·are taken they can still retreat to the Alamo. Thus you see that Bexar is not ycl taken-but I have no doubt if properly reinforced-that our Brave fellow cilizens who have gained so important an advantage will press forward and successfully the work they have commenced and before the ushering in of the new year-that Texas and Liberty will be shouted from the walls of San Antonio But if this reinforcement is nol senl if the army is not
140
Powered by FlippingBook