515
PAPEilS OF l\1IR.ADEAU BUONAPARTE W.MAR
same fate which ~~e lamented Travis did subsequently at the same place. We. had no prov1s1ons but such as was furnished us daily by the Army in reserve, and the last of our ammunition was rationed to the men the night before the surrender of the Enimy- And furthermore it is not improper to remark here, that Genl Burleson was the only individual in that Army. who had sufficient influence with the Volunt.eers to have kept it together. Had it not have been for the confidence his presence inspired, that Army would have disbanded itself & dispersed even after the attack was made, such was the Yiolent opposition to the measure-- After the surrender of San .Antonio, Col Ugartachea (with whom I had been acquainted several years previously) told me that during the en- gagement, Genl Cos called a council of War to whom he submitted a plan, to attack our camp with a force of cavalry & infantry & destroy it, this being accomplished, then to surround our troops who were in town & force them to surrender- This movement was accordingly attempted by the Enimy, he advanced upon our Encampment in two divisions, his cavalry on the West & his infantry on the East sille of the river, his approach being timely dis- covered, Genl Burleson was prepared to give him a warm reception by opening a brisk fire of grape & canister shot upon their advance, as soon as they came within good cannon shot distance. The Enimy being sur- prised to find our Camp strong & protected by a park of artillary, de- clined making the intended attack & suddenly drew off and retired with- in . his walls where he surrendered under capitulation the following morning I accompanied the Adjr & Inspr Genl in the attack upon San Antonio· an<l from the moment of gaining one .position & becoming fairly en- gaged with the Enimy, I was constantly employed day & night bearing· intelligence between the Acljr & lnspr Genl & Co1nr in chief necessary to keep up that concert of action between the different divisions of the Army contemplated under the plan of operations; Genl Burleson also visited the divisions in town frequently day & night & conferred ~er- sonally with the Adjr & Inspr Genl in relation to the movements gomg forward After the surrender of Genl Cos several companies of the .Mexican Army were disbanded after which he marched off with upwards of eleven hundred men-' Including regular troops & rancharoes; it was supposed that the force of the Enimy during the engagement, was not less than fifteen hundred men: BY reference to the report of Col John- son of this battle which was published in the Telegraph & Texas register of the 26th of December 1835 you will there see, that Gen! Burleson and the reserve under his comm~~d, for the important assistance ~1ffordcd by them, during those critical movements, were especially com~lm~ented You may therefore feel fully authorised to reply to the Vrn~1cator~ that at the stormino- of San Antonio Genl Burleson was at l11s p0st discharging his duty as Conn in Chi~f of t1rnt army in a heroic and officer like manner And I do really think that for the important service~.rendered _the Country by Genl Burleson on this interesting and cr1t.1cal occas10n,. Texas owes him a debt of gratitude which should ne,·er be forgotten Respectfully &C Brazoria August 3d/44 w~c T AUSTIN
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