The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-09

the people OF Texas for forces II he required
them The Intention was that Texas was to
have priority in any demand for troops In
letter from the War Department, OF August o.
l845, he was instructed to look to fexas Tor
such auxiliary force as he might require La
keeping with my promise not to read more ex-
tensively than was necessary, VIII not read
that letter, unless the reading be called Tor
but, before the receipt of that authority, cor
respondence had commenced with the President
of Texas in relation to the defence OF her settle
ments. The commanding general, writing from
his headquarters at Corpus Christi to the then
President of Texas, Arson Jones, says as fol-
lows: 7
HEADoUARTERs, CoRPUs CHRISTI
AUGUST l6, l845.
aYou have undoubtedly received intelligence
of the hostile steps taken by Mexico, and the
probable declaration of war against us by that
Power. Under these circumstances, do not
deem it prudent to detach any portion of my
force at present and it is the principal object
of this communication to recommend that any
volunteers or spies now i'm the service OF Texas
be continued in employment, should you con-
slider it necessary for the defence Of the frontier
If you concur in this view, will, at your in
stance, despatch an officer to muster into the
service of the United States any companies
which you may designate as necessary tor the
security of the frontier, to conform in numbers
and organization to the laws of the United
States Should such musters be made, will
recommend that the officers and men, while in
service, continue to receive the same rate OF
pay width they have drawn from the Texan
Government
"My presence, and that of my command, is
now imperatively required on this frontier.
When our relations with Mexico and the state
of the service in this quarter shall permit my
absence, will take great pleasure in proceeding
to the seat of government and comforting with
you personally in relation to the proper dsposi-
tons to be made for the permanent occupation
of the frontier"
This was done on his own responsibility, rs
appears by the following extract from letter
to the Adjutant General, at Washington, d. c.:
Headquarters, CoRPUs CHRISTI,
"AUGUsT, 26, l845.
:" In regard to employing volunteers from
Texas, you will perceive that have in part
anticipated the wishes of the Government in
my letter of the 10Th instant to President Jones,
a copy of which was furnished you on the 10Th.
In that communication / looked only to the
defence of the frontier against Indian aggres-
sions: but | shall now communicate with Pre-
teers that can be called into service in case of
an invasion by Mexico, and shall take the neces-
sary steps to arm and employ that force, should
the safety of the country require it."
In answer to this letter, the President of Tex
as, Arson Jones, informed him of 800 rangers
then in the service Of Texas These rangers
were mustered into the service under command
of General Taylor. One company of these
rangers was serving with him at his head-quar-
tiers at Corpus Christi, where he found them
when he arrived in that country. They were
under the command of Captain Bell, now, be-
lieve the Governor of Texas so that il he had
written any thing in that letter Of March 80,
1916, which expressed any opinion in relation
10 the troops of Texas, it was subsequent to
the time that they had been mustered in under
his command, and after portion of them had
served at his headquarters. 1t WIS not, then,
without any personal knowledge of them It
was not, then, when, as the senator assumes, he
was bound to form his opinion entirely from
their military history, and "the bright lustre of
their own lone star" The conclusion that their
rendered it improper that he should
rely on the people OF Texas for volunteers, was
fully justified by subsequent facts, which will
be presented. The senator from Texas, who
has seen service himself, knows as well as any
one that general standing with his command
almost in contact with an opposing army before
hostties had commenced, and when the hope
was still entertained that he might avoid COLI
sion-I say that, under such circumstances, he
knows as well as any one that militia are not
the most desirable force he knows as we'll as
any one why general, instead of volunteers,
should ask for regular recruits to strengthen his
command, when it was necessary to preserve the
strictest order in his own camp, when, to carry
out the policy of conciliation it was essential to
have troops who would implicitly obey orders,
both in sight and out of sight, and that he should
have troops whom, if necessary, he could detach,
in full assurance that if they fell in with any of
the inhabitants of the country, they would
neither wantonly offend nor maltreat them
These were considerations, which fully justified
him in asking for regular recruits rather than vol
unteers. These were considerations, however,
that he did not present.
Confined to the view which the senator from
Texas has presented in an extract-the fact that
the militia of Texas were too remote from the
border to be depended upon-there is nothing
10 have provoked an attack or to have warrant
ed even a complaint. That opinion was fully
verified by the delay which followed his call
upon Texas for troops when collision became
inevitable. When it was apparent to him that
the conflict must ensue, then as early as he be-
came convinced of that fact, april 26, 1860 he
wrote to the Governor of Texas and Louisiana,
and called upon each. of them to furnish him
with four regiments. Now, see what follows.
Did the Texans, as the senator says they would
have done, rally to his standard in a moment?
Did they come before the troops of Louisiana?
Upon the answer to this question rely for
decision as to the justice the injustice of the
conclusions to which the senator from Texas
has arrived This call was made upon the same
day both upon Texas and Louisiana-was an
swered by the arrival of part of the Louisiana
troops upon May Goth, and on May oath the
other detachment arrived. But the first notice
that find of the arrival of any Texan troops
was on June oath, one month after the arrival
of the Louisiana troops, and then as being
encamped at Point Isabel for the purposes OF
organization: 49, .~."
..a..| .e ea HEADQUARTERS,
Cry OF MATAMoRos, May "a, 1886.
" SIR: have to report the arrival this day OF
Gen. Smith, with the battalion Of the first infan-
try, the Washington regiment of the Louisiana