WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1842
519
have had for your personal safety and every liberty extended to you, except your personal release. You submitted propositions to me embracing the questions of the recognition of Texian independence and the termination of our struggle. I unequivocably refused the acceptance of any offer upon the subject of a treaty alleging, as a reason, that we had a constitutional government, and the subject would properly come before the cabinet of Texas, the members of which would be present in camp within a few days. You urged the further consideration of your proposition upon me declaring that you would rather enter into stipulations with a general of the army than with the civil authorities of the country. I positively de- clined taking any further action upon them; and they were referred to the cabinet, upon its arrival. Declining the consid- e1·ation of your proposals myself, I required you to issue orders forthwith, to the general next in command, to evacuate Texas with the troops composing the Mexican army and to fall back with •them to Monterey. Orders to this effect were issued by you to Gen. Filisola, and dispatched by an express which could not, however, overtake him until he had reached the Colorado, on his retreat, conducted in the greatest panic and confusion. Owing to his precipitate flight and your execution of my orders, the Mexicans were permitted to leave Texas without further moles- tation. In the meantime Gen. Adrian Woll, of the Mexican army, came into the encampment at San Jacinto, without my knowledge, and not upon "my word of honor," nor was I apprised of his presence until I learned that he, together with his aide, had been traversing our lines. So soon as I was advised of this fact, I ordered them to my presence, and had them instructed that such conduct would not be tolerated, and caused them to be placed under vigilance. This reason I deemed sufficient to detain Gen. Woll as a prisoner of war. His subsequent conduct to Captain Dimmit was such as to justify any unfavorable opinion which I had formed of his character. He had rendered himself so ob- noxious to the army that, from a desire for his personnl security, I did not permit his release until he could go in perfect safety. In no respect had the prisoners taken on that occasion reason of complaint. Their lives were all forfeited by the laws of war, conformably to the precedent which you had exhibited. Gen. Cos, who had surrendered in 1835, a prisoner of war at San Antonio, where two hundred and ninety-five Texians stormed and
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