Two dil\:; before the \lcxica11 Armv arri,'l'd al N1·w .. . Wa~hi111,!lon Our President Burnell gave me two separate orders to remove a11d scctm~ as much of his properly al Oakland as l pos:-ibly could-in pursua11cc of this duty I employed Nathan Finny lo assist me-the morning the Mexicans arrived I secured a boat load of articles mostly l3ooks & papers. I imecliatcly slarlecl a L<'am for more articles as I found the properly was plunderd fast. \Vhc11 ll<'ar lh<' head of Goose Creek Wm. Scoll rode lo me and said that llw ~lcxica11s had hoisted the Blad, flag al Lynches and were crossing the River I immcclialely turned homeward and saw p<~oplc l'lyi11g with the utmost Speed teams & waggons were alia11do1wd on the Praric-and [lorn I that every pass over the f<'rriC's were choaked a strong south wind precluded the possibility of leavi11g by waler. in family council il was concluded that the best & only chance was lo remain where we were-in about 2 hours it was reported thal a hody of Cavalry supposed to be J 000 men had crossed the prarie & before night not a person except My Family & ~Ir. Pages who came lo my house was lo be seen. I spent the next day in riding up & down lo discover if possible some safe me-ans of intclgence but saw no one, and remained under the full impression that the Mexicans hat.l gone lo Anhuac. on lhc 2nd day near night Scolls old Negro came tu me and said Turner was sent out by Santa Anna lo inform lhe people that they were perfectly safe if thry would stay at home. He stated thal Mr. Routh was at home and would confirm the statement and urged me strongly to go and see him. We had a debale in the family on the subject and all were of the opinion that I ought to do so. I could see no impropriety in doing so copped up as I then was. with the females of 3 family dependent on me for protection. I accordingly went lo Rouths, without sc<'ing any one-but found Al. Monte with a few soldiers Lhcrc. I-le lr<~atcd me civally and said that he wished me to go lo the point. & sec Santa Anna but myself, family & all I claimed as My properly should be safe from all violence. St. Anna reitereted the same & requested me to ccmmun:calc this :nforrnalion to my neighbors-he informed me he should cross the Ferry in the morning and must keep my boat. but I should have it as soon as they had crossed over, lo demur was useless. he gave me a peroguc to go home in. this is all the communication I have had with them-and this prompted by the apparent necessity of the cas1'.. I had no due lo lhc movme11ls of Gen. 11 ouslon. all we could hear was that lw wa~ rt'lrealing lo the
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