precarious dependence, to calculate on volunteers, to garrison our military posts. Ninetenths of them, have been accustomed to active, productive, and stimulating pursuits and they droop, or despond, at the thought of garrison-duty. To make their service both cheerful and useful they ought to be actively employed, either in sight of the enemy, or on his trail. As long as we can furnish this kind of employment to our volunteers, feed and clothe them well, no kind of force whatever, can either excell, or compete with, those of Texas. They are brave, intrepid, persevering, and enthusiastic. And their innate attachment to liberty, liberal institutions, and above all, to those emphatically, and unequivocally independent; in the creation, or the administation of which, they are called on to act, and feel competent lo do so.; is the best guarantee, ever yet devised by the wit of man, to ensure warm, unavering, and unchangeable fidelity, to the common cause. In c;nnexion with this subject, I cannot forbear to crave the attention of the Council, whilst I briefly present for consideration, the present condition of the volunteers composing this command. To remind your Honorable Body of the circumstances under which, and in obedience to which, they entered the service of this country; would be a waste of time, and might imply an unbecoming reflection on the zealous regard of their Rulers, to the events, and the actors of the day. Suffice it, therefore, that, few, and perhaps none now composing the force occupy8ing this post, either anticipated a service so long and so unexpectedly protracted, or entered it in a state of proper preparation, lo remain as long as they have. Aware of this, steps were taken early in November, to supply some of the necessaries, required by the season, thereby to reconcile them, if practicable, to the irksome, and indeed, the laborious nature of the service, prescribed by the pressure of events, and to aid the daily importunities of their officers, to prevail on a sufficient number to hold on, till the fall, a capitulation of Bexar, to protect the public property, and repel if required any small detachment of the enemy that might otherwise have regained possession. This object has now been realised-and seeing their companions in arms, retiring to the h~unt~, and the repose of private )ife, a very sensible anxiety prevails, w1_th nea~ly all ~ere, to re-visit their families-at the same time, declarmg their readmess to return to the service, on the first approach of an enemy.
344
Powered by FlippingBook