First Claslzes witlz tlze United States
senger. Until he had received instructions to the contrary, the Spanish forces east of the Sabine would remain in their present positions. 109 But two days previously, on September 27, "While Burr sat at a banquet in Nashville and the crowd lustily cheered the toast of Jackson, 'millions for defence; not one cent for tribute'; while the American army burned with eagerness to try their metal on the foe, and Jefferson listened tremulously for the announcement of the rupture, Herrera, exercising his own discretion, ordered a retreat-and the Spanish flag had waved for the last time over Bayou Pierre! The crisis was past." 110 Wilkinson's orders were to assert the authority of the United States unequivocally as far as the Sabine River and, although the decision of Herrera to withdraw voluntarily made Wilkinson's march unnecessary, he informed the Government on October 4 of his determination to carry out his orders. At the same time he answered Cordero in a conciliatory tone that he would dispatch his troops to the Sabine as ordered, but that he hoped the governor would interpret the move as "signifying the pretensions of the United States to the east bank of the river, and not as an act of hostility against the Spanish troops." He explained that the honor of the United States demanded the move. In the meantime, Herrera had, true to his word, removed immediately all Spanish outposts east of the river, and on September 30 crossed to the west side. But in all justice, be it said that Cordero did not approve of Herrera's action and that the momentous decision separated the two old friends for a while. It was, therefore, not entirely idle talk when the governor replied to Wilkinson that, much to his regret, he would have to oppose with force the advance of American troops beyond the Arroyo Hondo, because he was committed by the orders of his superior "to oppose myself to the aggressions of the United States and to preserve entire . . . the dominions of my sovereign." Cordero was at this time still in Nacogdoches.m The Neutral Ground Agreement. Wilkinson strangely remained in Natchitoches for almost a month before he proceeded to put into execution his loudly proclaimed march to the Sabine. But he was not exactly idle during this month, for he kept more than busy preparing the ultimate betrayal of his friend and fellow conspirator, Aaron Burr. That the Spaniards saw through his
189 Cordero to Wilkinson, September 29, 1806. / bid., II, 175. 110 McCaleb, Tlie Aaron Burr Conspiracy, I 34. lllMcCaleb, op. cit., 137-138.
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