WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1835-1836
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their equipments and ammuntion, one hundred rounds of cart- ridges, to the Head Quarters of the Army on the Colorado river - with the 12 inch mortar and a sufficient number of shells and equipment. Major Austin will purchase fifteen good horses for the use of the army which will be forwarded as hitherto ordered. Major Austin will obey this order with all possible dispatch and report to the Commander-in-Chief. Sam Houston, Commander-in-Chief of the Army. Geo. W. Hockley, Aid-de-Camp: I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the original order. Wm. T. Austin. 111 Houston's Private Executive Record Book," pp. 115-116, courtesy of Mr. Franklin Williams. The first paragraph of this document is printed in Writings of Sam Houston, I, 372-373. The following documents relative to Houston's Orders are also to be found in "Houston's Private Executive Record Book," pp. 116-117. Brazoria County, April 15, 1842. To His Excellency, Sam Houston, President of the Republic, &c. Sir, In compliance with your 1·equest, I herewith enclose to you a certified copy of your official order issued to me at Camp de Baca on the 14th of March, 1836; and also the copy of an oflicial order issued to me at Brazoria by Col. John A. Wharton on the 18th day of the same month: And [I] take this occasion to state that upon my arrival at Brazoria, I met Col. Wharton with the troops from Velasco, consisting of about one hundred and fifty men proceeding to the Army with all the ammunition which was at Velasco. Colonel Wharton informed me that he had anticipated your wishes, and that he had sent all the guns which were suitable for field use to Bell's landing, consisting of two six-pounders and one mortar, together with the requisite shot and shells, and having the necessary transportation already provided, that he would take them to the Army, and having the assistance of Colonel Forbes, my aid would not be necessary; and ordered me to proceed to Velasco and take charge of that Post, which I very reluctantly consented to do. For some cause, to me entirely unknown, Colonel Wharton did not take the artillery to the army. Had I been permitted to have executed your order, I could have reached the army at the Colorado river, with the artillery, within the lapse of twelve days from the date of said order, having procured transportation before I reached Brazoria. And I beg leave to state further that if by obeying the order of Col. Wharton my conduct was erroneous and un officer-like, it was done under the impression that I was subject to the orders of the Adjutant General in the absence of the Commander-in-Chief; and I certainly expected that
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