88
TEXAS STATE LIBHARY
Capt. Alley, who left here yesterday, I advised you fully of our actual situation, and can add but little at the present moment, that can aid or enlighten your deliberations. • I will, however, furnish a copy, (which you have enclosed,) of· the pledge, given by the company occupying this post, to the people of Victoria and Goliad. It is conceived that this guarantee extends also, to the inhabitants of the adjacent country; and particularly to those of the Mission below, whose physical force, amounting to 24 men, have attached tbemseh-es to this company, and are now with us. In this situation, the people there, have no other guarantee, no other reliance for the security of their property and their families against a detach- ment of the enemy, now on the Nueces, than the. known presence of a respectable force at this place. Indeed, they informed me to day, that, if we evacuate this post and take up the line of march for Bexar,. they must remove their families, with the least possible delay, beyond the La Vaca; and our most valuable friends here, informed me also, that they should be compelled in such case to leave all behind, and go with .us. They say that they have no security but in our presence, till Bexar capitulates or falls. Thus situated no alternative is presented. Both populations have every confidence in the good faith, prowess, and ability of the Amer- ican volunteers to cover and protect them- but they are greatly alarmed, nay, actually terrified, at the possibility of being abandoned to the unsparing fury of the military of :Mexico. By the express which brought your last, we learn that the troops from the east, amounting to nearly 400, are now far advanced on the· march, and· that they will probably have joined you before the arrival of this communication. Relying on the correctness of this information,. I cannot refrain from U;ndering my congratulations to you in par- ticular, on the bright prospect of speedily closing the campaign in · a manner, highly honourable to the reputation of onr countrymen. As to the cantonement on the Nueces, were we effectually covered against any movement of the enemy at Bexar in this direction, we might immediately reduce that post, and silence every murmur, occa- sioned by the fears of many for their safety against a marauding de- tachment from th~t quarter. And until this post is reduced, it is use-· less for us to look to the people here, or below on this river, for a mani- festation of the confidence either in us, or themselves, necessary to dissipate the alarm which now exists in every bosom. All, at present, is doubt and distrust; and so it will be, whilst one armed Mexican has the power to insult them. 20th inst. 5 in the morning. Infom1ation has been recd. since writing the above, that two of our men, dispatched with letters from Linn and others in Sn. Patricio, five days ago, nre prisoners, and in irons, in Le Pnnticlan; and that they arc compelled to work daily, in that garrison. Through the same source. we hare information also, that about 100 of the public cabe- llarcla · are now on the Aroyo Blanco, five miles above the road; and that Uoyo is ncth-e in furnishing supplies to the enemy_, I therefore clii:patched, nt 8 last _evening, my first Lieut. wi~h 20 men, and two of my Council, .J as. h.err nnd Irn Westover, to seize the horses, Moyo, arnl his associates, nntl bring them to the fort.
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