The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume V

15!)

P.\PEns OF ?\[1.R.AuE;\u BuoNAPAHTE L.u.rArt

No. 604. GEORGE M. )lcDOWELL TO LAMAR OR PETER W. GRAYSON Newberry, Lycoming Count_y, Penna October Hth I8:37- To The H onorah-le ~r. B. L.UI.\H Vice President or Hon. P. W. GJ::\YSON Atty Genl. of the Republic of Texas GENTLE~\[EN/ I wish to take the liberty of arldres!-ing a letter of enquiry to you as members of the Cabinet of the Republic or Texas- I have been referred to _you for the information desired, by his' Honor Memucnn IIunt the ?llinister from 'l'cxns at ,vashington City- .I will therefore proceed to inform you that my brother William .1.llcDowe/l a 1·csident for several years past of Henderson County, Ten- nessc>e. Rut a native of J[iffiin County, Pennsylvania, who volenteered in the Army of Texas in nnd about the month of ~[arch (1836), His last letter to me was <lated at Nacogdoches, Texas, January 15th 1836. In forming us that he had "\'olentecrecl in the Army of Texas and would immediately proceed to the Scat of War, Since that time we have had 110 information from him- We have e\'ery reason to believe he has fallen in the scrvi<>e of that Country, in & nhout the time of the gen- end slaughter of the troops of the lamented Col. Fanning, at the hattle of Fort Jacinto or, .- lla1110 De Be:cer, If I am not in error respecting the names of the princ·ipal Cont~sts. It was however at some of the principal scenes of action- He left 'l'enncssrc in Company with his friend, Jolin Purdy Reynolds ( M . .D.) also a native of j\[ifllin County Pennsyh·ania, who we have learned was <:ertainly Killed at that place in general destruction of thc_y hran~ soldiers who went to fight the battles of that oppressed Countn-- ff yon can gi\'(• \JS any information re:;pecting his fate from the R<'eonls of that Country or any other way You will be considered by hi~ Father and nunwrous rC'latious at this place friends of humanity oi' friC'11cls to his alllictNl relations who hm·e hatl anxious feelings for his welrarc lmt l1ave great reasons to fear that he is to be with us. no more. Genl. .Felix Houston Com, iu Chief of the Texian Army, is I understand a 11n tfre of the same county of :i\1 ifllin- ('l'hcy Saicl Wm :McDowell is a Son of Col. John )lcDowell of Kishncoquillas Val- ley. I am thus minute so ns to render you all the intelligence respect- ing [h'li:, birth & Parentage in my power. If it would assist you in your enquiry He hcc')l1eathecl 1111 hi~ affects to me dz the residue of hi~ Comprn- sation for his :-crviccs as a soldier and nll his remaining effects if he was clestined to t'nll in battle. 'l'he \'Olentcrs &c. were paid in land for thc>ir sen-ices :;o much to each soldier to wit For ll married man one lcnguc & lnhour 4H21. A. B,v dC'c·ree " 6-IO A llu1111ly . , ,. :l~O A . fi,is I A.

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