43
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
the expenses of many of his men to return with him-Previous to the arrival of Col. Fannin, Col. Grant left with about 75 men for San Patricio, Maj. R. Morris his second in command-He took with him three pieces of artillery & a large quantity of ammunition-About the 5th of February Maj. Morris whom Grant had left in command at Sao Patricio whilst he was on an expedition after horses, sent an express to Col Fannin stating that he had received certain information that a force of Mexican troops amtg to 1500 were within a few hours march of him and requesting reinforcements-Col. F. ordered me to take my compy & Capt Burkes & make a forced march to his assis- tance-We did so-marching the distance of forty eight miles in one day-On our arrival we found that Morris had been misinformeil- Col Grant and party returned the same day-I neglected to state that Col F. W. Johnston had rejoined us at Refugio and united with Grant- The next day after our arrival Col. Grant, Morri8 & ,Johmton with the troops who had joined them in all not exceeding 75 left for the Rio Grande, leaving under my charge the Artillery, and a large quan- tity of Ammunition-They had left but a few hours, when a Mexican officer in full uniform came into town, with a passport and letters from Grant & Morris to me-The amt of Grants letter to me was that he had recd through this officer information from Vital [sic] Fernandez, Comdg Genl. of Tamaulipas who offered to unite with him (the moment he reached the Rio Grande), with 1800 men-Morrie letter stated that he no longer intended to serve the Govt. of Texas-- that he had received the appointment to the command of a Regiment in the Federal service of Mexico-I forwarded copies of these letters to Col Fannin, who ordereil me to fall back to Goliad, then his H<l quar- ters, bringing with me all the artillery, ammunition &c which I accord- ingly did, arriving there about the 12th of Feby-The second day after my arrival at Head quarters, Col. Fannin ordered me to the seat of Govt. with two Mexican prisoners, (the Padre Valdaes and hie nephew a Mexican officer)-! arrived in Washington on the evening of the fifth of March and left the next day with General Houston, who had been elected Commander in chief by the Convention, for Gonzales- He appointed me assistant Insp Genl.-We arrived at Gonzales on the afternoon of the 10th where rumors of the fall of the Alamo had just been recd.-The next day we proceeded to form the troops present into a regiment. General S. F. Austin who commanded the beseiging army before San Antonio having been appointed Commissioner to the United States, resigned the command in the latter part of November 1835, and was succeeded by General E. Burleson-Orders were frequently issued for an attack on the town of San Antonio and as often countermanded shortly after being issued, until the 3d of December when an order was issued from Head quarters for the troops to ·be in readiness for an attack on the town, which was to take place at day break-Our men were accordingly prepared for the attack-About twelve or one o'clo~k Maj. R. Morris (the officer of the night) came to my tent and stated that the Guard had observed a man go from our encampment to the Alamo and after hailing the Centinel on the walls was admitted-Mor- ris requested that I would go with him, to the tent of the command-
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