[2110) [JAMESON to SMITH]
Bexar Febry ]6th J 836
To His Excellency Henry Smith Sir
I have been dilatory in communicating lo you the silualion as well as the plan of the Fortress whereby you mighl Know our exact stale of defence & security in case of a seige from the enemy unless through my commander Genl. Sam!. Houston-But will now send you a complete plan of the same showing its situation at the time it was surrendered to us. Also such improvements as we have made, (and such as was contemplated to strengthen it, all of which contemplated work is characterised by red ink) such improvements as we have made in erecting redoubts digging wells & mounting cannon is characterized thus * with red ink-all of which I send you for your information and that of your friends & the friends lo our cause and country-But after seeing the improbability & perhaps the impractibility and impolicy of keeping up a strong Garrison here, I now submit a further sugestion to you as well as the Commander in Chief which you will remark to me as you may both think most economical & efficient. The suggestion is, to square the Alamo and erect a large redoubt at each corner supported by Bastions & leave a ditch all around full of water. when squared in that way four cannon & fewer men would do more effective service than twenty pieces of artillery does or can do in the way they are now mounted. The mexicans have sho,vn imbecility and want of skill in this Fortress as they have done in all things else-I have seen many fortifications in the U.S. and find that all of the Interior ones are square and those of the Forts are generally circular- Taking into consideration the scarsi ly of Tools we have done well in mounting & remounting Guns and other necessary work-Jf I were ordered to construct a new & effective Fortress on an economical plan J would suggest a diamond with two acute & two obtuse angles-with few men & Guns with a sufficient entrenchment all around such a Fortress with projecting redouhts & Bastions would command all points-If you are not too much perplexed with other business I wish you lo write me officially on this suhjcct-1 beg leave to tender to you my high esteem for your
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