79
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1854
before I have done, I will give you additional extracts, and then give you a peep into the character and actions of this individual. I am determined to do it, Mr. President, for the reason that I wish to leave no business unsettled; and I think it is the duty of every man, when he finds grave and accumulated charges and calumnies upon him, to meet them, refute them, and expose the author and calumniator to public execration. It is the right of every indi- vidual, and I will exercise it. The extracts which I propose to read are not very long, but they are very significant. They are from Green's Texian Journal. Mr. President, subsequent to the time when General Sommer- ville crossed the Rio Grande and took Guerrera, he returned, in conformity with his orders, and marched his troops back again to Texas. In the march back to Texas, a combination was formed between this General Green and a Mr. Fisher, who had some repu- tation as a soldier, and was entitled to it, because he had faced an enemy-a thing Green had never done. If Green ever faced an enemy, it is a part of history not yet written. In his book he talks of the gallantry of others, and impliedly shadows forth his own; but it is very uncertain, and I do not believe a word of it. After the troops recrossed the the Rio Grande into Texas, and were marching east, Green and Fisher seduced two hundred and sixty-one gallant men to return to Mexico, take the flag of Texas, organize themselves without authority, and march upon Mexico, and filibuster, rob, steal, pilfer, as they had done at Loredo. This was the design of the chieftain, at least. Well, sir, they crossed the river into Mexico, and made requisi- tions upon the alcalde, as generals commanding. In the mean time one party of the command had descended the Rio Grande by land, and another had passed down by the aid of boats, constituting this General Green, as he says, a commodore. That was his cog- nomen; and the other was "general of the land forces." They crossed, went into Mexico at Mier, entered into negotiations with the alcalde, demanded supplies, shoes, money, and everything they wished, for the support of their so-called Texian army. I believe it was the army of the division of the center, or I do not know what division it was; but there was some pompous designation at any rate. They demanded all sorts of supplies from the alcaldies and the leading authorities. Those authorities ' however, by a little artifice, managed with them until they had a force sufficient to seize and imprison them; and in doing so they killed ten gallant men. Ten Texians, who had done good duty upon the breasts of Mexicans before, were sacrificed by this man.
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