the Guadalupe at Victoria and was hastening on lo reinforce Fclisola, and they had had about lime lo arrive there that night. This then accounted for the unusual excitement we had perceived among the Mexicans, Santa Anna having, without doubt arrived. General Houston now paraded his army, who were expecting to cross the river and engage in battle. Houston then addressed the army as nearly as J can remember in the following words. Fellow Soldiers-The only army in Texas is now present. Travis has faJlcn with his men at the Alamo. Fannin 's troops have been massacred at La Bahia! There are none who will come to my aid! The citizens of the east dare not, or will not come to aid us! There is here but a small force, yet it is the only army that Texas can offer. We might cross the river and attack the enemy! perhaps we might be victorious but again we might be overcome! If we are overpowered by Felisola's army which has, without doubt, been largely reinforced during the past night by the army under Santa Anna, we have no other army to retreat back upon! we cannot expect reinforcements! I have called for volunteers but almost in vain. There are but a few of us, and if we are beaten the fate of Texas is sealed! The salvation of the country depends upon the first battle had with the enemy. For this reason I intend to retreat, and I shall continue to retreat, till I find I can beat the Mexicans in battle, if I am obliged to go even to the hanks of the Sabine. After having closed his address he ordered an instant retreat to the Brazos river. AU the buildings were then set on fire, and we immediately took up our line of march for the Brazos. Many persons have greatly blamed General Houston for this, but, under the circumstances of the time, it was, in my opinion, the wisest movement he could have made. There were at this time about seventy-five families who had encampcd on the river awaiting the movements of the army, thinking if a battle were fought they would not be obliged to go any further. Among these families was my own; I now left the army and with the families set out on the retreat. The Texan army were intending to stop al the Brazos river, at Colonel Cross's, about twenty miles above San Felipe de Austin. The families crossed the river al San Felipe and encamped at the edge of the prairie, on the cast side of the Brazos. Here we remained until the Mexican army, which had left the Colorado on the same day that we did, came up. The l\lcxican force had crossed
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