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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1860
531
The Executive will continue to do every thing in his power to give protection to the frontier people. The Legislature, as you are aware, did comparatively noth- ing for the frontier defence. The frontier people nevertheless must be protected. Sam Houston. 1 Executive Reco,-cls, 1859-1861, p. 102, Texas State Library. Allison Nelson (March 17, 1823-October 7, 1862) was born in Fulton County, Georgia. From 1849-1853, he was a member of the Georgia Leg- islature. During the Mexican War, he commanded a company of Georgia volunteers. He came to Texas in March, 1856, and settled in Bosque County. He participated in various Indian campaigns and commanded the left wing of Ford's forces in the "Fight with the Comanches," in Indian Territory, May 12, 1858. In August, 1859, he was elected to the Texas Legislature from the Bosque district. When secession of Texas from the Union was declared, he obtained authority to raise a regiment, and imme- diately organized and mustered into service one of the first Texas regi- ments. He rose rapidly in the service and was made a brigadier general as a recognition of his gallant services. He was taken sick in a camp near Austin, Arkansas, on September 27, 1862, and died there on October 7. He was buried at Little Rock, Arkansas. He left a widow and three chil- dren. See Lewis Publishing Company, Biographical Histo·1·y of McLennan, F(tlls, .. . Counties, 497-948; Evans' Confederate Military History, XI (O. M. Roberts, editor), 249-250.
To SAMUEL A. BLAIR 1 Executive Department, Austin, March 20, 1860.
Major S. A. Blair My Dear Sir, Your letter has remained on hand unanswered much longer than I could have wished, but I assure you it has been unavoidable, on account of an overwhelming press of business. When I heard of the death of our mutual friend Major R. S. Neighbors, I urged upon the Department your· claims, not less on your own account than for the sake of your honored uncles. Our frontiers are at this time in a truly alarming condition, depredations are being daily committed by the Indians and what I most regret is that the impression is prevalent with most of the frontier counties that it is the Reserve Indians who are doing the killing and stealing. I wish you to inform me if your Indians are all now nt the Reservation and whether it were possible for them to be absent without your knowledge and also whether any of them hiwe
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