67
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
the commander in chi2f, absent on his cherokee mition; remained be- yond the reach of orders, - the immigrant volunteers, unacquainted with the Geography or topography of the Country; - confusion and disaster ensued, the result of which, is allready known to the public His promised band of Cherokees, have never yet appeared on the battle- field, save in martial array against u,;. The first intimation of the existance of the commander in chief, was his appearance at Washing- ton in the march following, in the capacity of delegate to the conven tion returned as a member from the precinct. of Copano where he had spent one night with the army; a place to which he had never been before or since. Shortly after the meeting of the Convention infor- mation arrived from the frontier of the disasters which had happened to our brave countrymen which at once convulsed the whole countrJ with panic, whose parallyzing influences even extended to the Conven- tion itself That body was entirely disgusted with the conduct of the commander in chief; who instead of being at his post, appeared as an interloper, and claimed his seat as a member of that body. Serioue notions were entertained of his being superceded by another appoint- ment. There was no time however, for consultation and he was per- emptorily ordered by that body to the frontier, to take command of the troops then collecting from every part of the Country. His indian treaty had been concluded, and brought with him to the convention, and returned to the Governor of the provisional Government, then superceded by the Convention; - who among other things reported it to that bodv The members elect from the eflf:t had become informed of what ha·a. been done respecting the treaty and were prepared to jump on it rough shod. They denounced both the treaty and its orig- inator, in no measured terms Alledging that the fact was well known to him as well as all the old setlers of eastern Texas, that those indians had never acquired any title from the Mexican Government and were looked upon at best, as a renagade band of unwelcome intruders. They denounced it as one of the most base and deep-dyed frauds which had ever ·been attempted to be played off on the credulity of an unsuspect- ing and confiding people His whole conduct out and out, was de- nounced by that body in no measured terms. The commander in chief left the Convention with seeming reluctance. he wished to remain to defend his treaty whenever it should be brought on the tapis He how- ever, left and proceeded to Gonzales where the troops were concentrat- ing; where he remained until a sufficient life guard was collected, when he ordered a precipitate retreat, (after destroying the Town with itci property) to the Colorado, where he remained until his army increased to some fifteen or sixteen hundred men The citizen soldiers had fondly hoped that the Gaudaloupe would be made the line of defence. As they were now disappointed in this: they in their own minds, had de- termined not to fall back from the Colorado, and use all their energies to prevent the enemy from crossing that stream His army while at the Colorado, were receiving hourly accessions, as the people were roused and hurrying the best they could, to the rescue, and if possible prevent the advances of the enemy into the settlements Whilst re- maining at the Colorado a small division of the invading army made their appearance on the opposite bank of the river in view of our army: this division amount to about eight hundred men women and boys, all
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