WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1858
187
A VINDICATION OF THE CONDUCT OF COLONEL JOHN FORBES AT THE BATTLE OF SAN JACINT0 1 Huntsville, October 25, 1858. To the Editors of the Civilian and the Gazette: Gentlemen :-I have heard of an "Almanac" publication of the campaign of San Jacinto, by the Editor of the Galveston News, but have not seen it. A few days since, a copy of the Weekly Telegraph, published at Houston, containing what purports to be an extract from the Texas Almanac for 1859, written by Dr. N. D. Labadie, was, by a friend, placed in my hands. Singular as the character of the narrative is, and utterly un- founded as it is, in truth, I would not notice it on any account (notwithstanding, at a more leisure time, if I am spared, I intend to give some attention to the parties who have assailed me, whereas their official positions, in times past, commended them to my notice,) were it not for that wanton and fearfully slanderous and libelous attack upon the reputation of Colonel John Forbes, a valiant and brave officer, Commissary General of the Army of Texas, and presenting a rehash of old exploded calumnies. Mr. Labadie, after the lapse of more than twenty-two years, becomes the minute narrator of trivial, as well as of important events, and enjoys the singular facility of making himself the hero, not only of the army, but of his own story! Colonel Forbes was an able officer who held an important sta- tion from the Commander-in-Chief, and, the object of a cabal which existed in the army, was to assail the Staff of the General, and thereby to destroy his influence. Colonel Forbes was marked by the mutineers as one of its victims. To carry out their cowardly designs, his enemies secretly circulated slanders, but no author could be found for them. So soon as Colonel Forbes was apprised of them, he addressed to the Commander-in-Chief a request that a Court of Inquiry might be called to investigate the slanders. A court was immediately ordered, of which Col. Sherman, one of the Cabal, was made President, and here follows the findings of the court: "After a strict, thorough, and full investigation of all the matters bearing upon the case, they find no evidence whatever in support of such charges, or any grounds for censure against him, in the action of the 21st inst! On the contrary, they find
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