WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1836
345
On my arrival at that point, I found them destitute of many supplies necessary to their comfort on a campaign. An express reached me from Lieutenant-Colonel Neill, of Bexar, of an ex- pected attack from the enemy in force. I immediately requested Colonel James Bowie to march with a detachment of volunteers to his relief. He met the request with his usual promptitude and manliness. This intelligence I forwarded to your excellency, for the action of government. With a hope that supplies had or would immediately reach the port of Copano, I ordered the troops, through Major R. C. Morris, to proceed to Refugio mission, where it was reported there would be an aburidance of beef- leaving Captain Wyatt and his command, for the present, in possession of Goliad, or until he could be relieved by a detachment of regu- lars under the command of Lieutenant Thornton, and some re- cruits that had been enlisted by Captain Ira Westover. On the arrival of the troops at Refugio, I ascertained that no breadstuffs could be obtained, nor was there any intelligence of supplies reaching Copano, agreeably to my expectations, and in accordance with my orders of the 30th of December and 6th of January inst. directing the landing and concentrating all the volunteers at Copano. I had also advised Colonel A. Huston\ the quarter- master-general, to forward the supplies he might obtain at New Orleans to the same point. Not meeting the command of Major Ward3, as I had hoped from the early advice I had sent him by Major George W. Poe, I determined to await his arrival and the command of Captain Wyatt. With a view to be in a state of readiness to march to the scene of active operations at the first moment that my force, and the supplies necessary, could reach me, I ordered Lieutenant Thornton with his command (total twenty-nine) to Goliad, to relieve Captain Wyatt; at the same time ordering the latter to join the volunteers at Refugio. I found much difficulty in prevailing on the regulars to march un- til they had received either money or clothing; and their situa- tion was truly destitute. Had I not succeeded, the station at Goliad must have been left without any defence, and abandoned to the enemy, whatever importance its occupation may be to the security of the frontier. Should Bexar remain a military post, Goliad must be maintained, or the former will be cut off from all supplies arriving by sea at the port of Copano. On the evening of the 20th, F. W. Johnson, Esq., arrived at Refugio, and it was understood that he was empowered, by the general council of Texas, to interfere in my command. On the
Powered by FlippingBook