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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1852
366
importunity .ceased, and though I deplored the relations of the gentlemen, I never again approached the subject to either. From the time of this occurence until after the time of the meeting of the Consultation at Washington in the fall of 1835 I had not the pleasure to meet or to correspond with either Col Austin or Mr Wharton. When most of the members of the Consultation met at Washington they conferred together, and agreed to repair to San Felipe and hold their session there. Previous to our removal an express reached me from Col Austin, requesting me to call on the Red Landers to join him as he was advancing from Gonzales to Bexar. Previous to this the troops which had assembled at Gonzales to repel the Mexicans had chosen Col Austin their General. I complied with the request of General Austin, and sent an express to Nacogdoches, and throughout the Eastern portion of Texas. As an evidence that it gave me pleasure to sustain Gen. Austin, I gave to the Express, the only and last five dollars which I had to bear his expenses east. Soon after our arrival at San Felipe, an Express arrived there from Gen Austin requesting the members of the Consultation, to join the army and unite with him, in an attack upon Bexar. A committee was left at San Felipe, and many of the members repaired to the Army. I was one who went to the Army and in a few minutes after our reporting to Genl Austin, an alarm was given, that a detachment of the Texans had been attacked by a Mexican force superior in numbers. Genl Austin sent for me and requested me to take command of Capt Halls Company, I think it was, and repair directly to the scene of action. I obeyed the order and after advancing a short space, we met the detachment returning, the alarm having turned out unfounded. After this I proposed to drill the troops for the General, but not to have any command. I drilled one day, and I could see that fears were entertained that I would be in the way of some persons in position about the General, and the drilling ceased. There was no dissatisfaction with Genl Austin, on the contrary, he wished me to continue my efforts to discipline the troops. Subsequently whilst with the army, Genl Austin stated to me, that his attention had not been called to Military subjects, and that he was satisfied, he could render more service to the country, in other situations, than at the Head of the army, and urged me to take the command. This I declined and assigned as a reason that he had been elected by the troops, when they first assembled at Gonzales, and that all who had subsequently joined the army, had done so in the
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