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PAPERS oF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
No. 2496 1855 Oct. 6, D. G. BURNET [LYNCHBURG, TEXAS] TO M. B. . LAMAR, RICHMOND, [TEXASJ 04 lvfemoranda Oct. 6th. 1855 Ex Govr: James W. Robinson, says: "If it was not fear that made the Major General (Houston) tuck his tail and run from the Colorado, from half his own number; and from the Brasas; it was from a total want of military capacity-" "On 21st. April 1836 the Texas army had solemnly banded themselves together for the purpose of fighting the enemy that day: - if Gen. Houston would lead them, it would have been very well:- but if not, they were determined to put him over the Buffalo bayou and appoint another Commander and fighting the enemy.- So he did not make the battle, but the battle made him."- "l\Iy old army companion, Deaf Smith told Gen. H. in my presence that Vince's bridge ought to be burnt for the purpose of preventing any more re-inforcements reaching the enemy. Gen. H. said to me; 'that would be a good idea': After Gen. H. left us and while Deaf Smith was drinking a cup of coffee at my tent, he pointed out a col umn of smoke and told me the bridge was set on fire by his orders given to· Karnes, afterwards Col. Karnes. And he said it was done by his order, not for the purpose of preventing a re-inforcement of the enemy, but to prevent Houston from retreating and compelling him to fight"- Col. Amasa Turner says: "Soon after Cox was seen to join the main army, a council of war was called-Not having been a member can.not say what was decided upon only from hearsay-It was current in the army, that the Gen eral was not disposed to fight but to build a floating bridge across Buffalo bayou." Turner does not give the number of men at the Colorado- I have written to him for it- He has certified to the correctness of Cole man's pamphlet- Major W. J. E. Heard says: "Our numerical force was from fifteen to sixteen hundred men, the morning the army left the Colorado-" I have nothing positive in relation to the building of the bridge Ben F. Smith deposed to 'about 1360 men at the time of the retreat "On the morning we retreated from the Colorado, we had by the official report of the day, over 1500 effective men, I think about 1570. I assisted Col. John H. Wharton, the Adjutant General, in making up this report and know that this was his count of the number and that it was correct" You will perceive some apparent conflict between this and B. F. Smith's statement- We must avoid conflicting evidence, as far as possible without suppressing or garbling the truth- I doubt if Smith's deposition can now be had and for that reason, have thought it best from the Colorado-' Dr. Anson Jones says:
..A. L. S.
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