WRITI~CS . OF 5AM HOUSTON, 184-2
_In all things you will be governed by the laws of the Republic in relation to the Naval arm of defence. ·Sam -Houston 1 Executive Reco1·d Book, No. 40, p. 51. Texas State Library. 2 Captain John Clark. In the La1na1· Papers, III, 342, a letter from N. Amory, Washington, D.C., February 27, 1840, to President M. B. Lamar, speaks of John Clark thus: "Captain John Clark is an old friend .of mine with whom I passed several years in Venezuela, where Clark held, during the Revolution, several commands under Bolivar, of Columbian ships of war, and once or twice engaged successfully with the enemy. One ship that ·he commanded was a very beautifully equipped Frigate of 60 guns. I men- tion these details so that if he applies fo1· any position in the Texas navy his merits may be known." Then, again, in Lamar Papers, III, 406, Louis P. Cooke, Secretary of the Texas Navy, in writing to President Lamar, June 2, 1840, enclosed a commission for George Wheelwi·ight, and one for John Clark as naval officers of the Texas Republic; these commissions were to be forwarded to the appointees if the President gave his approval. Again, in The Qua1·- te1·ly, the Texas State Historical Association, XIII, 19, we find John Clark listed as the Commander of the Texas ship A1·cher in 1840-1841. Three ships of the Texas fleet did not go on the cruise of 1840-1841, the Archer, Captain John Clark, the Wharton, Captain George Wheelwright, and the Potoniac. It appears that these ships were not in perfect condition to sail with the squadron; moreover, they were needed to guard Galveston and other coast towns from possible attack by the Mexicans. 3 See Houston to John Wade, March 11, 1842.
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TO WILLIAM HENRY DAINGERFIELD,.
G::i..lveston, Texas, 12th Mar. 1842.
My dear Daingerfield 2 Ere this reaches you, I have no <loubt, but what you will have passed thro the most violent excitement. I cannot realize the fury and valor which inspire some of the great men of this island! I have been detained until now. Mrs. H. has been generally unwell, but I am happy to say that she is now on the mend and when 1 get to Houston, I trust she will again recover her health, and pass the summer there. As the fright of an invasion has driven everybody from Austin, I have ordered the records, or Archives to be removed to Houston. I am informed by rumor that they were on the way to Bastrop, or some point below. I do not require of you to come home post. If the invasion is serious why there are forces enough in the field now to beat them; and it will be done before you could arrive in Texas. I hope, my dear fellow, you will succeed to the perfection of
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