WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 185i
460
obeyed, and Captain Turner's company remained on the field during the night. General Houston remained at the ravine until the return of Gen. Rusk, and they returned together over the field of battle to the Texas Camp, where, after ordering double sen- tinels and patrols, General Houston fell from his horse, exhausted from loss of blood. I will now make a last extract from Gen. Sherman's letter, and show willful perversion of facts. When speaking of the order to "halt," he says: "A short time previous to this, he received a wound in the ankle, and after the troops were sent to continue the battle, against his orders, he called for a detail of two com,- panies, under the pretense of a reserve. Capt. Turner's company of regulars was actually detailed, and very reluctantly left the still doubtful field, where every man was required, and marched to protect the wounded General in the rear." I am truly happy that he mentioned Captain Turner as the officer detailed to "protect the wounded General in the rear." As an evidence of the vindictiveness of Gen. Sherman's feelings, he italicizes "a detail of two companies." Now, General Houston was not near the Regulars in the battle, only when he led them up to meet the last column of the enemy, and again fell in with Capt. Turner at the ravine, from whence he was ordered back to guard the spoils. General Sherman has not said that he was a witness, nor does he say that he was present at the point where Captain Turner was detailed to return and guard the spoils. If he were there I certainly did not see him, but if I was not very much mistaken, I saw him cautiously advancing in that direction on our return; and the letter of Colonel Bennett, of which Gen- eral Sherman has had a copy, will explain the cause of his cau- tious delay, also the reason why he thought "it a still doubtful field," when all resistance had ceased before Captain Turner was ordered back to the battle field. To sum up the matter in controversy, as the gentlemen will have it, I had retreated from Gonzales to Colorado, from Colo- rado to Brazos, and intended to retreat to Trinity. But in 1w instance was a council of wa1· held to prevent these acts! Was it because the enemy was not in sight, or was it because the muti- neers were not desirous to divide the General's responsibility with him? And why was it, when in the face of the enemy on the day of the battle, they desired a council of war called? Was it not because they thought from indications, that the General in- tended to give battle to the enemy, and that they were then willing
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