WRITINGS OF SAM HousToN, 1836
381
poison and fled. It was a poor compliment to me to suppose that I would not advise the Convention of any necessity which might arise for their removal. I sent word and advices, the first moment of leisure, to the Convention; and all was calm in my communica- tions to Mr. Collingsworth. I had to advise troops and persons of my falling back, and had to send one guard thirty miles for a poor blind widow ( and six children), whose husband~ was killed in the Alamo. The families are now all on this side of the Guadalupe. These things pained me infinitely, and, with the responsibility of my command, weighed upon me to an agonizing extent. This moment an express has arrived, and states that Fannin took up his retreat on Saturday last(19th), and, a few miles from La Bahia, he was attacked by the Mexican army and sur- rounded about an hour and a half before sundown. T'he battle continued into the night, and the result is not known. The ex- press states that Colonel Ward's command had not returned. I am at a loss to know how matters stand. I will try and make --- a good report for the future. The Matamoras policy, I hope, is now run out; and the evils growing out of the conduct of the council, ended. Changing this from a familiar to an official character, I must say that, if we are to meet an accession of force, which must be the case if Fannin is cut off, we must have the strength of the country. Arms and ammunition have just reached camp, and I hope what men we have will be well armed and supplied with fighting materials. Two spies have been taken to-day, and they report the force of the enemy in this quarter less than I had heard it. Let the Mexi- can force be what it may, if the country will turn out, we can beat them. The retreat of the government will have a bad effect .on the troops, and I am half-provoked at it myself. The Mexi- cans cannot fight us upon anything like fair terms. I will get any advantage I can if I fight. If what I have heard from Fannin be. true, I deplore it, and can only attribute the ill luck to his attempting to retreat in daylight in the face of a superior force. He is an ill-fated man. Do all you can. The troops are in fine spirits, but how this news will affect them I know not. Our spies have taken two of the enemy to-day, but I have not yet had time to examine them. I will in a few moments.
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