[3224] [FTLJSOLA to TORNELI
Army of operalions.-Excclle11t Sir:-Since my despatch Lo your Excellency, elated 14th insta11 t, st>ei11g that the town of Guadalupe Victoria is nothing more than ten or twelve wooden houses, scattered along the left bank of the river Guadalupe, which was, besides, a very bad military position, I determined to march lo the lown of Goliad, which being situated on the right bank of the San Antonio, unites, besides the advantages of being Len leagues nearer Bexar and the port of Copano, whence the army ought lo receive provisions. The town of Goliad is what was formerly called Bahia de) Espiritu Santo; it was reduced to an old quadrangular enclosure, ex lending one hundred and fifty paces on each side, con Laining in it a small church and the barracks of the frontier dragoons, who protected it: around it were from twenty-five lo thirty huts, some of stone and mud, and others of wood, and five small brick houses of one or two rooms each. The colonists whom general Urrea fought when they abandoned it, burnt all these dwellings, which were converted lo cinders, and the army in consequence had to live bivouacked. The troops have destroyed their clothing in seven month's continual marching, during which they have passed the night sleeping on the ground with their clothes on, daily employed in making fagots of all kinds, and wanting even soap to wash themselves, because those places do not furnish materials for constructing huts, nor fire-wood to cook with, having finished the remains of the huts that escaped the burning, which was made use of for them. The weather began Lo be extremely warm, and the dew thal fell at nigh l was equal to a shower of rain; these circumstances have completed the rotting of the garments of the soldiers, and have daily added to the number of sick in the army: there was no possibility of sheltering them under a roof, as th«~ dmrch was very small; we w«~re in want of physicians, medicines, proper aliments, linc~n for the beds, as llwse were only made of the rags of the dothes which remained to tlwm; in eonsequcn«:<~ the poor miserable fellows had lo mak<~ th«~ir beds on the ground, on whi1:h, their sufferings causing them lo keep in «'.onlinual agitation, formed sores on Llwir shoulders and hips. II is, your Exc«~llc~ncy, a
434
Powered by FlippingBook