[3070 J [RUSK to LAMAR]
Head Quarters Army 15th May 1836
Dear Sir
I have heen waiting with great anxiety to hear from the Government and to receive some supplies by the Steam Boat but have not received either supplies or information from the Govern- ment As to Movements I Shall march upon Victoria unless the movements of the Enemy should change that intention there are no supplies on the Colorado the corn having been destroyed and the Cattle driven off to San Antonia Many of my men have become sick and near one hundred have deserted Many others have served out their time and demand as a matter of right their discharges the reinforcements that were on their way have been turned back by those who are returning covered with glory and amply satisfied so that my force on reaching Victoria will be very greatly reduced it is therefore important that Captain Turner and Captn Wood Cos be immediately sent on to Coxes Point and ordered to report to me at Victoria Gen Filisola although he continues to say he will obey Santa Anas orders still retains the negroes and is driving off the Cattle and refuses to release the prisoners I have dispatched four men to demand the prisoners and negroes from him- I enclose you a copy of a letter received from Col Sherman who is now beyond the Colorado and has been directed lo keep a look out upon the Enemy Some depredations have been committed by the Indians and in consequence I have been under the necessity sending a Company (whose term expires in ten days) to Bastrop to protect the Families moving back I send you a communication from the Commissary Gen! Col Forbes on the subject of supplies we must have supplies if we expect to keep an army together ~ow as to the general subject in which I conceive the Country deeply interested this retrogade March of the Enemy is taken upon two grounds first to save the lives of the Prisoners and secondJy fro!n an apprehension upon the part of the Mexicans that it is unwise to risk another Controversy at present with our forces of which they have an exagerated opinion they suppose we have al least four Thousand but all this information which I have been enabled to collect leaves no kind of doubt that the Mexicans that if they do not make a stand at Byar or La Bahia they will assuredly make a desperate effort to retrieve their National Character in a
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