The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1861-07-13
ynou rHE ~ ?. LAux RAN0E1s."
CAxr Woop. Texas, juno 10, 1861.

ap,; iutcn,i, 4 90 have written yon again
sooncr and c,tsner, hn. my time was ="
occupied, and So many annnfnhcr- 10
encounter while there, that was unable
IN do Ans Or camp waa sifnatcd
miles west ui san Antonio. on The Leon,
IN a fine location for water, timber shanc,
ANA grazing hut the hsst two wcchs
was rendered very disagr,cablc IN con
kequcncc Of the heavy, continuous rams
tbs mud and wet were almost ntolcrahle,
and many long faces and considcraoie
discomfort was occrsioncd thereby. II
was rather a roJgh breaking IN ct on.
inexperienced company 70 camp me, ana
more severe than many OF them HAD par
gained for | had some fears that when
IL came to the scratch a number Wuulu
withdraw aud return home but when
we were called upon to be mustered INTO
the Confederate States service. the g5ld
OF May, all, with but one exception, came
up like men, aud from every maniicsfa'
ton thus far have shown determine
tion and willingness to DO their duty
Previous to being mustered INTO service,
| had excused several some were denl-
raus to return; others fearing their
horses would he unable to stand The
campaign, aud having ten more THAN 'he
rcanlsite number. it suited all around.
We. however, were finally received win
one hundred and three including officers
/ We struck camp on the Leon, on the
9Th ultimo. and took up thc line OF march
for this Post, which we reached on the
| 9Th. with but little of moment occurring
on the way. Our route lay through an
elevated rolling prairie country, inter
spcrsed at convenient intervals win me,
clear running streams of water with a
/ great scarcity Of timber, and the lands oil
hnt little value, except Tor grazing put-
poses) only IN the valleys or canons,
and those have been rendered almost
/ yamelcss for several years past IN CON
sequence Of the prevailing droughls we
. struck the \ucccs river - miles y. w.
from uyaldc. and travelled up lis valley
nearly 30 miles, crossing 1t tour tunes,
with change Of beautiful mountain
scenery at every point. OF the beauties
and advantages OF Camp " ood, tins post,
which we are TO occupy, icel luade
- -, -, d,,t.d with Groves
>>,nd clumps Of live oak, pecan, aud cedar,
surrounded uu all sides, near and Ia thv
I',.,,.o ,ri,, nnnntnin ranges and
-, a la,dsr,ro un.seellcd. with the
,,r,. nmn;1 r,rid rmuiu1 waters of the
/ Nn.c,s ,r.iin,r bv with It's mountain
,orscn,s an lie rocky bed at our feet, SO
'.la,. ,i,,t , u.llln can he snen al the
don,b eff mora ,lantwenty feet, spring
- inmo,se volume. wi,hi,s cool teirosh.
r"gnrinc rnsjiuo f,r,h from the prai
.;s ,yi,ttn , tr,y hT,drrd yalds of our
,nor,ars. the valleys hills. and noun,
,,5n', ,ao,,inr. with ga,nc aud line streams
.IannI;nr, T.i,, AZ uf ALL the clear
'.,,nr .n7.;rs in abundance the boil.
lows in the trees aud crcviccs IN the
rocky cliffs tilted with wild honey an
Atmosphere as pure and free from mas
ma ns can be, all confined, renders II
the most lovely and desirable spot my
meandorings have even led me TO. And
to ada 10 the interest OF the place the
cunn j. locatrd IN the site OF an extcn'
size old Spanish Mission, supposed 10 BE-
Tire oldest onc East OF the kio ''fandc,
and perhaps one oi 'hc hrSs es'ah'isl'cd
"a this continent. rs au cNldrare \ lis
antiquity. iis walls wore parisY 81 stone,
which lave ~ c,umhlcd down I" lht
foundation. AMI mosquito trees Oh ihe
largest growth are now rinInHE "A 10,
rnu-. How the pioneers "i Catholicism
over ,f.f4,,r.tfnl it tlti, lDtut | cannot