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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
vance of his companions when he was fired upon. The indians though greatly outnumbering the det8.C'hment, retreated without making any further attack. My command has lost a considerable number of horses from a disease prevailing among them. This loss has been rather severely felt in consequence of the men not having drawn any pay since their enlist- ment, they have, therefore, not been able to remount themselves in the efficient manner required by the nature of the service. While on this subject I would beg leave to mention that I have made several unsuc- cessful attempts to get my command paid without troubling you with the matter. I find however that I shall not be able to succeed with- out an order from you. I would therefore respectfully solicit your at- tention to our wants in this respect. Both men and officers are equally in need of their pay. A considerable portion of the command is constantly employed in scouring the country visiting the neighboring ranches and keeping a constant and vigilant watch for the approach of the indians. With regard to the condition of the frontier north of this - I feel convinced that a small force will be absolutely necessisary to be stationed near Presidio, or to visit that neighborhood frequently. My own command is too small to allow a sufficient force to visit the towns above here and at the same time to protect this place. Had I the authority to encrease my command to 300 men, I could not only pro- tect the frontier from San Fernando to Mier, but could keep in sub- jection and Subordination to our authority a large portion of Country, embracing a great number of towns, haciendas and ranches which is now relapsing to the mexican domination, becoming the asylum of bandits and marauders, and affording considerable resources to the mexican Government. The above amount of men could, I think, with- out difficulty be enlisted from Texas and elsewhere, to serve during the war. That a force must be kept here during the war admits of course of no question. The term of enlistment of my own command is allready half expired, and their place must be soon fill'd by some meanf! or other. Should the plan which I have above suggested be thought ex- pedient I would respectfully ask to be permitted to set about it imme- diately; with a temporary leave of absence for that purpose I could soon consumate it. I am anxious for, and think I may justly claim to be, more actively employed. I should reitterate my request to join the army with my command, but for the fact of their term of serv[ice] expiring so soon. Should it however be deemed inexpedient to encrease the force on this portion of the border in the manner suggested, and thereby giv- ing me a more extended sphere of activity and usefelness I would in that event request, as I did in a former despatch, a short leave of ab- sence to attend to my private affairs. For a limited period, I believe the affairs of the command could be well conducted by the first Lieutenant.
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