450
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1857
wouJ.d not be resvon.sible fo1· the consequences." Strange that Mr. Lamar cannot find one from all those around Gen Houston, not find one to certify for him,· and has to go to those who were three hundred yards distant! We shall see what he has made by invoking Gen. Rusk's name! General Rusk made a report of the battle to the Cabinet, and I am willing under all the circumstances to rely upon that report. I will not insert the paragraph, because I have never felt it neces- sary to invoke a name, or to get a certificate to sustain my soldier- ship: my actions may speak for me; and the Report, if it is ever published, will be satisfactory. I hope a t1·U,thful hi.story may appear if it should ever be written by Mr. Lamar! Mr. Sherman states that Gen Rusk wrote to him for a certifi- cate relative to the causes which led to my ordering the march to Harrisburg, but in this I fancy Mr. Sherman must be mistaken. It would be strange that I, who was responsible and so consid- ered to the last by the President, should have surrendered my right to any one. So soon as I was satisfied that the Mexican army had vacated San Felipe de Austin, I resolved to cross to the east side of the Brazos, feeling assured that Gen Santa Anna must have effected a crossing at some point below, and would advance on Harrisburg, to which place the seat of Government had been removed. With a hope to meet him, I ordered the troops at Washington to join me at Donahoe's as well as the troops opposite San Felipe and below there on the Brazos. At the same time, I sent orders to meet the troops expected from the east of the Trinity to form a junction with the army twenty- two miles in advance of Donahoe's, and on the direct route to Harrisburg. This disposition was made and I apprised the Sec- retary of War, then General Rusk, of the facts, and crossed the Brazos where we met two small pieces of artillery, and the only artillery which was ever used in the army. So soon as the army passed the Brazos, which required nearly three days, the line of march was taken to Donahoe's in the evening and there encamped. As I was unacquainted with the route, I had pro- cured a guide, (McDermot) and in furtherance of my designs, I crossed the road to the Trinity, at right angles on my march to Harrisburg. Col. Rusk had been made acquainted with my plans, as also Col. Hockley, who was my Inspector General. About the time the march was commenced for Harrisburg, the companies of Capt. Martin and Capt. Baker arrived, and a tem- porary halt was ordered that they might take position in the
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