204
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1860
To JoHN B. FL0YD 1 Executive Department, Austin, Texas, November 28, 1860. Hon. John B. Floyd, Secretary of War Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy of a letter just received from · Hon. N. W. Battle/ Judge; and one from F. L. Denison,s District Attorney of the 19th Judicial District, showing the deplorable condition of a portion of the frontier of Texas. Texas, by the failure on the part of Congress to provide for Minute Rangers for her defence, and the failure of the President to call them into the field, has been compelled to maintain at a heavy expense, a force of six companies besides a large number of minute companies in the various counties. The Executive, in view of the embarrassed condition of the Treasury and.the heavy expense of maintaining these troops in the field, disbanded them and called into the service, one company of sixty men under Captain Lawrence S. Ross;' an efficient officer, believing that it would afford better protection for the present than the former troops did; but almost immediately following the disbanding of the six companies, the Indians commenced depredating and now they are reported in the settlements in greater numbers than at any previous time during the past year. The emergency will require additional troops, and the Executive has already taken steps to put them in the field. The helpless con- dition of our settlements will not justify further delay. In addition to the ravages of our Northern frontier, authentic reports have reached this Department that the San Antonio and El Paso mail was attacked by the Indians on the last trip to San Antonio. Disappointed in his expectations of rece1vmg aid from the Federal Government, the Executive of Texas has endeavored to discharge his duty to the people of Texas, by defending the fron- tier as far as the limited means in his control would permit. The State is now burthened with a debt on this account, and is paying interest on it at the rate of ten per cent per annum. The Execu- tive has determined, in consideration of these facts, to appeal once more to the Federal Government for aid and to ask that a force of Texas Rangers, sufficient for the emergency be called into the service of the United States. I am not yet without hope that the War Department with the sanction of the President, will at least authorize a Battalion of
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