235
Wn:TINCS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1861
Any_arrangements made with you by General Smith will be sanctioned and approved by me; and should you require any assistance to aid you in resisting the contemplated unauthorized attack on the public property, and to place the same in possession of the State authorities, you are authorized to call on the Mayor and Civil authorities of San Antonio for such assistance as you may deem necessary. I hope to hear from you, General, through my confidential agent, so soon as he can have the honor of a conference with you on matters embraced in the present epoch of our national affairs. Sam Houston. P. S. The Legislature will meet tomorrow. I will, as soon as possible, apprise you of its action. Houston. 1 Goven101·s' 1Wessages (Houston's, March 18, 1861), Texas State Library; The Southern Intelligencer, March 27, 1861; The Standcird, April 13 1861. David Emanuel .Twiggs (---, 1790-September 1, 1862) was born in Richmond County, Georgia. He was the son of a distinguished Revolution- ary officer, who later won the title of "Savior of Georgia." In 1812, David E. Twiggs volunteered and on March 8, of that same year he was appointed captain of the Eighth Infantry. Soon after this he was advanced to the rank of major in the United States regular army and went with Generals Jackson and Gaines against the Indians and Spaniards in Florida. He distinguished himself in the Black Hawk War, also in the controversy between the United States and South Carolina, in 1832. President Jack- son, with whom he was a favorite, ordered him to command the United States arsenal at Augusta, Georgia. There, he was promoted to the 2nd regiment of dragoons on June 8, 1836. This body of soldiers, under his training, came to be considered the best cavalry regiment in the United States Army; it was part of General Taylor's army of occupation in Mexico, and in his movements upon the Rio Grande. In this latter movement, Colonel Twiggs led the advance and captured Point Isabel. His gallantry at Palo Alto and at Resaca de la Palma promoted him to the rank of brevet Brigadier General, and at Monterey he became commander of a division and was given chief command of that place, until ordered to join General Scott at Vera Cruz. In fact, throughout the Mexican War, he was conspicuous for his gallantry and courage. After the Mexican War was over, he was given command of the De- partment of the West with headquarters at St. Louis until 1857, when he was sent to take charge of the Department of Texas with his headquar- ters at San Antonio. When the Civil War began in 1861, he was, next to General Scott, the senior officer of the United States Army, and after the death of General Scott, would have been in line of command, had he not resigned his commission to join the Confederacy upon the secession of his native State to which he was intensely devoted. He was promptly mnde
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