were led on by them to eventual destruction. Think- ing themselves secure when danger was near, they suf- fered themselves to be sm·priscd by the advance of the Southern :Mexican nrmy, and were cut to pieces, none surviving except Johnson and one or two of his men. Col. Fanning, when he arrived at Copano, obeyed the orders of the General, organized his corps, and at the approach of the Mexican army, retreated to the post at Goliad, and in an express to those he had left at the head of affairs, suggested the propriety of retreating toward the Colorado and Brazos rivers. But there was no competent authority then in being, to respond to his communications, nor was there after- ward, until the Conventions met in :i\Iarch, who, upon the resignation of Gen. H. re-elected him with the authority of commander over all the military forces of Texas. As the election of members to a second Convention approached, the Texians, seeing how little -reliance was to be placed on :Mexicans to aid them in their struggle, made it an electioneering question whether they should declare themselves absolutely and permanently inde- pendent of Mexico. Appearances were very much against it until about two weeks before the final issue; at which time letters were received from Gen. Austin, and our other agents in the United States, giving it
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