(1941] [NEILL to GOVERNMENT]
Per Express San Antonio de Bexar, Thursday 6 A.M. January 28th. 1836
To the Provisional Government of Texas, San Felipe de Austin Gentlemen
A friend to the cause of Texas who arrove yesterday from ·the Presidio de Rio Grande, which place he left 9 days back has communicated to me the following intelligence of the enemies movements which I deem sufficient important to transmit by Express to the Provisional Government as derived from a source entitled to credit. . The commander in chief, General Ramirez y Sesma of the army of the centralists destined to operate against Texas, had assembled at Rio Grande, 1600 infantry and 400 cavalry of the Presidial companies, 80 waggons and 400 mules with supplies and baggage, including 3000 mules loads of flour, 300 fanegas of biscuit &c. &c. two mortars and 6 pieces of artillery supposed to be twelves and had sent to Dr Beales' colonv of dolores for two boats wherein to pass the infantry &c, for the'pu~pose of taking up their march into the colonies, w~ch in Ramirez y Sesma' language are to be Exterminated if they offer any resistance. A forced loan of one per cent had been imposed upon all property and hires made or horses, mules, oxen waggons corn &c in order to fit out the Expedition, even women had been compelled to grind the corn and prepare the bread for the invading army, and the country presented a scene of extortion and oppression, which when inflicted with double rigor upon ourselves. Extraordinary measures of severity were adopted towards those guilty od distortion of which some symptoms had been manifested, and on the day of my informants departure these were to be shot for that offence. The roads between this and the Rio Grande, which is fordable, are now good as the season there has been a dry one. As I expect the Enemy to be on the point of commencing their march, I intend sending out tomorrow a spy to reconoiter and on the arrival of Col. Travis and his men I shall also dispatch them to cut off their supplies, a policy I conceive to be at this juncture most expedient as by depriving the enemy's troops of their provisions & of the means of progressing they will become
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