0:1r Catholic Heritage in Texas
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be caught. A few days later he advised Carr to act with all energy to prevent the numerous volunteers, said to be leaving Louisiana and Missis- sippi, from joining the Insurgents in Nacogdoches. 5 Captain Overton in command at Natchitoches .frankly admitted his astonishment at the belated action to check the filibusters. In a letter to Wilkinson he stated that "the business," as the affair was generally re- ferred to, had never been a secret, for every one knew of the plans for the expedition. Wilkinson with characteristic bad faith supplemented the instructions of the Governor as regards neutr:aJity with a statement which further rendered Claiborne's proclamation ineffectual. He advised Over- ton that persons coming from the Spanish provinces to Natchitoches for merchandise or supplies should be given protection. Strangely, he re- quested Overton to equip with horses and supplies the bearer of the in- structions so as to enable him to join the adventurers in Texas for the purpose of securing information on further developments. 6 An official complaint to Governor Claiborne registered by the Spanish consul in New Orleans brought no results. 7 Effective observance of neu- trality could hardly be expected, for not only Governor Claiborne but even President Madison appeared to favor the Gutierrez-Magee expedi- tion. Madison observed in a letter to Monroe in September, 1812, that the whole "Western Country" appeared to be stirred, and that it would be a pity for "so much laudable ardor and effort" to go without proper direction.• Gutierrez and Magee were now ready to move their headquarters from Nacogdoches to Trinidad de Salcedo. In the month since their triumphant entry into Nacogdoches they had readied their troops, gathered ample supplies, repaired the old equipment, and acquired all the new equipment needed. Volunteer mechanics and gunsmiths had used their time to best advantage. The enthusiasm of the victorious army, now numbering more than six hundred well-armed men, was high. On September 13, 1812, the "Republican Army of the North" marched out of Nacogdoches for Trinidad, where they planned to camp until October. This schedule of operations was to bring more propitious weather, give time for the 5 Proclamation of the Governor of Louisiana, New Orleans, August 11, 1812. Spanish translation in Nacogdoches Archives, vol. XVII, 37-38; Shaler to Monroe, September 5, 17, 1812, Staie Department Records, N. A. W. 6 Wilkinson to Overton, New Orleans, August 13, 1812, cited in Garrett, Green Flag Over Teras, 154-155. 7 Morphi to Claiborne, New Orleans, October 19, 1812, Operaciones de Guerra, Notas Di-plomaticas, III, 219-220, A. G. M. 'Julius W. Pratt, Expansionists of 1812, 249-251.
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