186
WRITINGS OF 5Ai}1: HOUSTON, 1855'
in the right hand pass? All in favor say aye, and those opposed say no." And so with the left. The Convention then broke up and dispersed, and the President and Cabinet pushed on to Har- risburg, as a place of greater safety. Brave fellows on paper! They had pledged their lives, their fortunes, and sacred honor to secure the independence of the country, yet out of the fifty six members, only seven ever entered the army. The dispersion of the Convention and flight of the President and Cabinet, had a disastrous effect upon the army, and many of the soldiers deserted. The alarm continued, and the President and Cabinet, except Tom Rusk, fled to Galveston to escape cap- ture by the Mexican army. Yes, if the President was taken, the country would be lost! The President and Cabinet held a vessel, the Flash,-! believe, was it not, Col. Morgan? (to which the Colonel replied ·in the affirmative). Yes, the Flash, Col. M. knows these things,-in requisition, in case of an attack, that they might Flash out of the country. While at Galveston, some of the spies came running in, and reported a large Mexican force landed upon the Island, and in march to attack the little force collected on the Island, which produced a perfect consternation; and there was a perfect rush for the Flash; and I am creditably informed, and I believe it, that the President, in his alarm and anxiety to get on board the Flash, actually shoved a lady, who was attempting to get on board, back, and told her to stand out of the way; that if the President was taken the country was lost! An important personage that, the President ad interim! Well my friends, what do you think was the Mexican force that was marching upon the fort at Galveston? Why I am told it was a large flock of these large Sand Hill Cranes, so common in our prairies. After this Crane battle was fought, and quiet restored, the President and Commander-in-Chief, wrote a letter containing an order, to the General in command of the army, not to engage the enemy or fight a battle until he reached Galveston. _This letter was dated April 26th, six days after the battle of San Jacinto, that saved the country and made us a nation. He said while he lay encamped on the western bank of the Brasos, he became fully satisfied in his own mind, that Santa Anna had crossed the Brasos below. The steamer Yellow Stone was lying at Groce's, taking in cotton. He impressed her to ferry the army across the Brasos.
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