Our Catliolic Heritage in T ezas
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set up a provisional government. They elected Judge John Sibley gover- nor general of the supposedly liberated provinces. It was further agreed to grant a complete monopoly of trade to a company, which was to be organized by John C. Carr, John Nancarrow, and William Bullett-all members, be it noted, of the Association of the Friends of Mexican Eman- cipation.n Meanwhile Toledo in Nashville had been anxiously watching developments in Natchez and Natchitoches. \Vhen he hear.cl of the Natchez meeting and the departure of Robinson to organize a similar association in Natchitoches, he began arrangements to return to Louisiana. Toledo arrived early in March, and immediately began investigating the activities of Robinson and General Jean Humbert to ascertain to what extent French agents were involved in the new ex- pedition. After a few days he decided to go to Natchitoches, where he brought formal charges of French complicity against Robinson and re- quested the Association of Friends of .Mexican Emancipation to make an official investigation. Return of Toledo to Texas. The Friends appointed a committee to ascertain the facts. Robinson was vindicated of the charges on March 18, but Toledo still refused to have anything to do with him. He set up his own organization to welcome any who were willing to enlist for an invasion of Texas. Late that month Robinson crossed the Sabine into Texas with a small group of followers and met no opposition from American authorities. The Royali~ts, not having reoccupied Nacogdoches, had left the entire province east of San Antonio defenseless. 36 The Humbert plan. Toledo had good grounds for charging Robinson with collaboration with the French. While in Philadelphia in August, 1813, Robinson had invited General Jean Humbert, recently arrived in America, to join him and Toledo. Humbert was an experienced French officer who had seen service in Ireland and Santo Domingo. Onis, who came to the United States on the same ship, concluded that the French- man, whom he believed to be somewhat "loco," had been sent by Napoleon l 5 Details herein summarized are from a letter written by Toledo to Shaler on May 30, 1814, and an enclosure, a letter of Robinson to Colonel John Smith from the Republican Camp in Texas. Dy May, 1814, Robinson had a camp near Nacogdoches and Toledo had established a rival camp just west of the Sabine. Both letters found in Me:r:ico, Filibustering E:r:-peditions, State Department Records, N. A. W. (Micro- film in University of Texas.) "Toledo to Shaler, General Headquarters West of the Sabine River, May 30, I 814, Mnico, Filibustering E:r:pedilions, N. A. W.
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