The Writings of Sam Houston, Volume VIII

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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1860

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and Salmon and muster their respective commands out of service; . there being minute detachments in each of the Counties, the Executive can see no longer a necessity for continuing them in the service. You will take charge of such rations and other property belong- ing to the State and connected with these two Commands and after furnishing to each man sufficient rations to carry him home, you will sell the remainder to public auction. You will be careful to take charge of all the arms in the hands of the men, belonging to the State and deposit them with the nearest Chief Justice, subject to the order of the Executive alone, taking his receipt for the same. You will take correct muster rolls of the state, number, and condition of the Commands at the time of mustering them out of the service. You will also keep a correct journal of the receipt of rations, Government property, arms, &c., showing how you have disposed of the same; duplicates of which you will forward by mail to this Department. You will thence proceed to Jack County, commencing your tour of inspection with that County and continue to inspect, examine and report upon the state and condition of the Minute Detach- ments in each of the Counties named on the annexed list. 2 · In making this inspection and in reporting upon the same, you are requested to ascertain, if possible, all matters connected with, and appertaining to the several detachments. Whether they have exercised activity and energy in the service, or remained idlers in camp; how they have conducted themselves as rangers, whether discipline and subordination have been maintained, and whether or not they have, in any instance, depredated upon the inhabitants, taking or destroying provisions, cattle, horses, and other articles for the use of the service, without authority and without properly accounting for the same. All of this and any other information you may be able to get possession of, you will enter at large upon your journal, and forward abstracts or duplicates to this Depart- ment. Should you find it necessary to take an escort with you, you will detail the same from some of the Detachments ; and should you deem it necessary to continue any Detachment for a longer time in the field, you will muster such Detachment or Detachments out of service, first instructing the Lieutenant thereof to hold· himself in readiness should occasion require, or the Chief Justice of the County deem it necessary to call the Detachment into the field again.

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