344
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1836
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as the "New Orleans Grays." Both these companies came to Texas soil to be organized. And they both arrived in San Antonio in time to partici- pate in the "Storming of Bexar," December 5-10, 1835. One of these com- panies came to Texas by water, arriving at Matagorda. There the com- pany was organized, Robert C. Morris being elected captain with William G. Cooke as second in command. The other company came to Texas by land, through San Augustine and Nacogdoches. At Nacogdoches it was mobilized and organized with Thomas Breece as captain. After the victory at San Antonio in December, 1835, both of these companies were more or less disorganized and the men scattered to various commands. Robert C. Morris and many of his men started with Johnson and Grant on the Matamoras expedition, leavin'g San Antonio on December 31, 1835. Morris himself was killed with Grant at Agua Dulce, March 2, 1836. Many of his men died with Fannin at Goliad. Breece's company was more scat- tered after the San Antonio victory. Some of his men went with Johnson and Grant, and died at Goliad; a few remained at San Antonio and died with Travis, March 6, 1836; while a few others were furloughed and escaped both those massacres. Thomas Breece himself was on furlough and escaped the fate of Morris. See John H. Brown, History of Texas, I, 404-405, also, 417-418. H. Yoakum, Hislo1·y of Texas, II, 23, 25, 84. 3 After the capture of Goliad on October 8, 1835, it was reinforced and defended, Captain Philip Dimmit being in command. On November 3, Dimmit sent Captain Ira Westover with thirty-six men to attack a Mexican force at Lipantitlan, a small place, near San Patricio, on the Nueces River. A Mexican force at this fort, consisting of twenty-one men, surrendered without a shot, but as the Texans were returning to Goliad, another com- pany of Mexicans, seventy strong, set upon them. After a severe battle, Westover and his company having Jost but one man, the Texans won the victory. Captain Westover was with Fannin at Goliad, and was killed in that massacre.
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. To HENRY SMITH 1 Municipality of Washington, January 30, 1836.
Sir: I have the honor to report to you that, in obedience to your order under the date of the 6th., I left Washington on the 8th, and reached Goliad on the night of the 14th. On the morn- ing of that day I met Captain Dimit, on his return home with hi3 command, who reported to me the fact that his caballacla of horses ( the most of them private property) had been pressed by Dr. G1iant, who styled himself acting commander-in-chief of the federal army, and that he had under his command about two hundred men. Captain Dimit had been relieved by Captain P. S. Wyatt, of the volunteers from Huntsville, Alabama. I was also informed by Major R. C. Morris that breadstuff was wanted in camp; and he suggested his wish to remove the volunteers farther west. By express, I had advised the stay of the troops at Goliad until I could reach that point.
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