Southern telegraph., 1836-07-26

TOM 0I SCUM Adfulluaf 10 llu uAsiA ~ 80
tain statements contained in an insldious
paragraph which has been going ne
rounds.n for some time, unc0niradicieqs
The sentiments expressed by Gen. Hamil-
ton. ca this occasions ara alike huuurahie 60
himself, and. complimentary % the Texan
general. What mischief il may have done
already, and may vet do, 10 The minds q
many, ere the disclaimer Of lhe general can
reach them, cannot be calculated; bot the
Old adaae, that g a story never loses by tra-
yelling,h IS verified in this instance, 10 'an
incredibly short space Of time, as appears
/ by the following extract from the Phlladel7r
pkia Sat. Ere Post, Of jane Is, to which,
however, the editor Of thar paper does NOT
appear to attach much credit asss
"But for Gen. Houston's anaceouniable
retrea:," says letter writer in the y, \.
Courier and Enquirer" first from the
tiuadaionpe, then from the Colorado, then
from the Brassos, nothing would have been
destoved The position he occupied on
the Colorado was one where he could have
/ maintained himself and kept the enemy .
hack, 200 men to 1000; and when on the
Bmssos, he could have prevented them
from crossing, or destroyed the whole OF z
them, as easily as they were beaten on the
DIST. But he retreated, and Kept retreatlng,
and report says, but for the determination
of his army to retreat no further, ne would
d have kept on to the Sabine. Had he moved
one mile further towards the Trinity, from
Harrisburg, through the upper route, whole
companies were determined on DESERVING
, him, so that, in measure he, it is beheFed,l
was compelled to fight, Gen. Ills highly
censurod, ,harshly spoken cf, and almost ae.'
nounced--hy some, even as colrdrd. An
seem to unite in opinion that there was no
necessity for his retreating from the Colo.
RADIO, and much less for his retreat from the
Brassos. lie has not retrieved his credit az
] all by the late victory, although he behaved
bravcly, was wounded through the ankle,
and had horse killed under him. The at
tack was well-directed; but the route and
Z pursuit were conducted by the Secretary at
$ War, who was on the field, and who, on
r Gen. Houston's ordering halt, when the
. enemy began their retreat, ordered the purT
: suit, leading in a measure himsslfs1 Hous-
= ton says he ordered halt for the purpose Of
forming and protecting their camp, which
he conceived in danger fromthe enemy's
I reinforcements expected, fbut which had1r-
n rived previous to the battie) under General
Cos. Gen. II. further says that he was
: iuslifable in retreating from the Colorado
and Brassos--that, although it was reported
L he had from 1900 to 1000 men, yet his
n whole effective force never exceeded 500
: men at those places-when the enemy was
reported to have 1000 men,"
: In addition to the above, ii appears, from
the remarks of the editor of the 5. b. Post,
, J that it was reported in the cities on the sea-
board that Houston hdd been superseded, by
l Hamilton! IN. ,a.t 3 5a
d Now it will be recOllected, by all who
!, have perused the public journals, Tor the
i, last two or three months, that Gen. Houston,
, in the first place, retreated before the rhoIe
. force of the Mexicans, amounting to be-
tween four and five thousand men, (at least
so say the most authentic accounts) while
p his own number, as it nOW appears, did not
amount to more than 800 men, at most
though, at the time, it was reported to be
l. greater. This very retreat, which the "let-
d ter writer" condemns in such unmeasured
# terms, evinced the highest degree Of judg-
e ment and military skill; because, in all
. probability, Santa Anna would never have
g detached himself from the main body, with
a only 100 men, if that movement OF Hous-
e TOMS had not been made. The tyrant, fear
: ing that his victims Qor such he seems to
= have considered the Texans) might escape
y him, determined to pursue and crush them
ID at a blow, not doubling that bis superior
Ie numbers and discipline would insure an
J. easy triumph. Houston saw his advantage,
and determined to chastise the presumption
of his enemy BY an immediate attack, which
+ not only fouted Santa Annals detachment,
le (nearly double the number of the Trxans)
o. but decided the fate of the whole Mexican
If army! Had he acted Otherwise, is it likely
that victory would have been the result2
y Let candor and common sense answer.
Had he remained in his strong position on
the Colorado, defending hiAself with his
Is hundreds against the thousands Of the enemy,
e. he might, perhaps, have done as much for
n his own fame, as dauntless soldier, but
not so much for Texas. Any credit for
generdlship, in that case, would have been
out Of the question.
Yet, after all this-can you believe il,
" reader ?-Gen. SAMUEL HoUsToN, the hero
!. Of San Jdciato, is called d COWARD! 4i
sob shame, where is thy. blush!' a-A
10 The consistency Of this delectable "lsttor
u Ewriter,ois no less remarkable than bis Iibt-
= raLity He admits that Houston acted
q ''bfavely,'' was wounded in the action, and
n had horse killed under him--but still he
is was a "coDdrd! d!n--"he had not retrieved
IA his Feputation,'' &C. o monstrous! Have
r,s6t IA 4 II 49,,