332
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1836
of Te:i:as, 555. Yoakum, Histo1·y of Texas, II, 74. Dixon and Kemp, Heroes of San Jacinto, 73-75. 3 Benjamin C. Wallace was a member of the Lafayette Battalion, and, at the battle of Coleto, was the second in command. Fannin sent him, Captain J. M. Chadwick, and Francis Dusanque, the interpreter, to parley with Urrea, for the purpose of making a capitulation. But Urrea refused to treat with any except the commanding officer, so Fannin accompanied by Wallace and Chadwick went to the conference with Urrea; and it was these three officers who signed a surrender at discretion. See Urrea, Diario, 58; also, S011thwcsteni Historical Quarterly, XXIII, 280-281. 4 Wyatt Hanks was a member of the Executive Council of the Provisional Government of Texas (November 1, 1835-March 2, 1836), and for a while served as chairman of the Military Committee of that body.
To GOVERNOR HENRY SMITH 1 Headquarters, Washington, January 6, 1836
Sir: I have the honor to enclose to your excellency the report of Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Neill~, of the artillery; and most respectfully request that you will render to the cause of Texas and humanity the justice of bestowing upon it your serious at- tention, and referring it to the general council of the provisional government, in secret session. These, I may be permitted to hope, you will attend in person, that all the essential functionaries of the government may deliberate, and adopt some course that will redeem our country from a state of deplorable anarchy. Manly and bold decision alone can save us from ruin. I only require orders, and they shall be obeyed. If the government now yields to the unholy dictation of speculators and marauders upon human rights, it were better that we had yielded to the despotism of a single man, whose ambition might have been satisfied by out unconditional submission to his authority, and a pronouncement, for which we were asked, in favor of his power 3 • In the present instance, the people of Texas have not even been consulted. The brave men who have been wounded in the battles of Texas\ and the sick from exposure in her cause, without blan- kets or supplies, are left neglected in her hospitals; while the needful stores and supplies are diverted from them, without au- thority and by self-created officers, who do not acknowledge the only government known to Texas and the world 0 • ·Within thirty hours I shall set out for the army, and repair there with all possible despatch. I pray that a confidential ex- press may meet me at Goliad; and, if I shall have left, that it may pursue me wherever I may be.
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