for by this government, lo be ready to take the field al a moment's warning. The plan which I would respectfully suggest is this. That a law be passed, authorizing the executive to accept-the services of, or raise, at least a Brigade of volunteers, lo be composed of two Regiments of from five to Eight hundred men each, to be subject while in service to the orders of a Brigadier General, who should be subordinate to the Commander in chief of the regular army. That the field officers of the volunteers Brigade should be appointed by the governor & council & the company officers elected by the companies respectively. That there should be three Battallions of Infantry & one of cavaJry. That the Battallion of cavalry, should be composed of four companies of 40 rank & file & twelve officers or three companies of 60 rank & file each & the necessary number of officers. That the cavaJry should be commanded by a Lt. Col. who should be subject alone to the orders of the commander in chief for the time being. Here allow me to remark that I have been a little surprised that the convention should have over looked the establishment of a cavalry corps, for I consider that such a Battallion as I have indicated, is indispensible lo the service of Texas during the present struggle. Do you wish to get information of the movements of a distant enemy? It must be done by cavalry-Do you wish to escort expresses? Guard Baggage while on the road? Charge a defeated & retreating enemy? cut off supplies of the enemy? Harrass an invading army by hanging upon his rear, or forming ambuscades in his front? Do you wish to carry the war into the enemies country as has been indicated? Do you wish to take him by surprise, or perform, any other movement requiring celerity & promptness? All these things must be done by cavalry-and cavaJry alone. In a word, all the brilliant military exploits, which have ever been performed in time & which we read of in the history of nations, have been accomplished by celerity of movement, & promptness of action. You must have well organized cavaJry, before your armies will ever move quickly-That the arms of the cavalry should be broadswords, pistols & double barrelled shot guns or yaegers. That the infantry should be armed as other infantry in the service, except flanking companies-Perhaps the volunteer infantry would be more effective armed with rifles or yaegers-That the volunteer Brigade should be mustered for twelve months unless the war should sooner be brought to a close and should be subject to
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