Niles' Weekly Register. (Baltimore, Md.), Vol. 14, No. 23, Ed. 1 Saturday, August 6, 1836 Page: 8 of 16
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984 NILES’ REGISTER—AUG. 6, 1836—MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES.
It consists of letters from captains Carnes and Tra, and maj.
Miller, who were arrested after having received passports from
gen. Filasola. The information is of the most important cha-
racter, it details the fact that Filasola was ordered to turn back
with his troops, about half way between Matamoras and San
Patrico. Urrea had been appointed commander-in-chief, and
had arrived in Matamoras, on his march to Texas, with 4,000
new troops. Four thousand more were to embark at Vera
Cruz in a few days.
Urrea took up the line of march from Matamoras for La Ba-
hia, about 4 daysago. They have all sworn to exterminate the
Texians, or never to return to Mexico. My force does not ex-
ceed three hundred and fifty men. I have ordered in the ca-
valry that were directed to join you, and have also ordered
major Ward with his command, to join me immediately.
You will immediately see the necessity of joining me with all
the force you can raise; you had best march by way of Casey’s,
on the Colorado, it would be well to detail all the cavalry you
can in advance, as they are the most important troops for im-
mediate service.
I have directed all supplies, &c. to Cox’s Point, on the op-
posite side of the La Bacca.
I have the honor to be, with greatest respect, your obedient
servant, (Signed) THOMAS J. RUSK.
Brigadier general commanding.
Issue proclamations and bring on all the volunteers you can
raise on the march, as there is not one moment to lose.
(Signed) T. J. RUSK.
—»• • 94-
MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES.
Extract of a letter from gen. Gaines to gen. Bradford, of the
Tennessee volunteers.
Head quarters, western department, Camp Sabine, June 28,1836.
My dear general: The chivalry of Mexico are flying to the
rescue of their president. A letter received by express from
gen. T. J. Rusk, dated “Head quarters, army of Texas, Guada-
loupe Victoria, 18th June, 1836,” informs me that the enemy
were then rapidly advancing towards his position from Mata-
moras—that their motto was, “extermination to the Sabine, or
death,” and that the motto of the Texas army was, “liberty or
death." These mottos taken in connexion with the bloody
scenes of the Alamo, Goliad and San Jacinto, indicate hard
fighting. But the above intelligence was preceded by an ac-
count of Indian hostilities on the Navisoto, 120 miles west of
Nacogdoches. These facts,added to others hitherto published,
of decided indications of hostilities on the part of the many
tribes of Indians near and upon the disputed territory, have
prompted me to request of your excellent governor Cannon, a
regiment of mounted gunmen to join me as speedily as possi-
ble, by companies, or in a body, as it may be deemed most con-
venient. I have also desired a similar corps from the governor
of Kentucky, another from the governor of Mississippi, and
another from gov. White of Louisiana. If you come, come
quickly; and say so to all my young friends near you. I am
resolved, in case the Mexicans or Texians employ the Indians
against the people of either side of the imaginary line, to inflict
oti the offenders summary and severe punishment.
E. P. GAINES.
Extract of a letter from the secretary of war to major general
Gaines, dated,
War department, July 11, 1836.
“I have received and submitted to the president your letter
of June 7th, together with the report made to you by captain
Dean.
I am apprehensive from the tenor of this report, as well as
from your observations, that the frontier has much to fear from
the hostilities of the Indian tribes living in Texas. On this
subject it is proper to call your attention to the instructions
previously issued to you, and to say to you that if the conduct
of the Indians in Texas threatens the frontier whose defence is
entrusted to you, and you consider it necessary, with a view to
its protection, to advance as far as Nacogdoches, you will do so
without hesitation. If the authorities of that country cannot
prevent bodies of savages from approaching our frontier in
arms, the necessary precautionary measures must be taken by
you. This is the view of the president.”
War department, May 11, 1836.
Sir: The president is very solicitous that you should act
cautiously in carrying into effect your instructions, and do
nothing which can compromit the neutral relations of the Unit-
ed States. Your great objects, as I have before stated, are to
defend our frontier and to fulfil the neutral obligations of the
government. If the Indians are not imployed immediately
upon the border, there will be no need of your advancing be-
yond the territory in the actual occupation of the United States,
unless armed parties should approach our frontier so near as
manifestly to show that they mean to violate our territory.
Such a state of things is scarcely to be anticipated from either
of the contending parties in Texas. But it is otherwise with
the Indians. In the excitement of war they will not be restrain-
ed by boundary lines, but will seek scalps wherever they can
find them. The whole history of the employment of Indians
in the contest between civilized communities, proves this fact’
It was principally with a view therefore to this state of
things, that you were authorised to cross the line dividing the
country actually in the occupation of the United States, from
that heretofore in the possession of Mexico, if such a measure
he necessary for the defence of the frontier. But I must im-
press upon you the desire of the president that you do not ad-
vance unless circumstances distinctly show this step is ne-
cessary for the protection of the district of our country ad-
joining the scene of operations in Texas. And shall you find
it necessary to advance, you will not fail to communicate to
any armed parties in the country your orders and objects. But
you will, under no circumstances, co-operate with any of them
or suffer any of them to join you, nor interfere in any manner
with any military operations in Texas, except such as may be
necessary for self-defence.
Should' you pass beyond the above mentioned boundary line,
you will return as soon as the safety of the frontier will permit.
Very respectfully your most obedient servant,
LEWIS CASS.
Maj. gen. E. P. Gaines, Fort Jesup, Louisiana.
From the New Orleans Bee.
ORDERS.
Head quarters, July 12, 1836.
Major general Gaines, under the special authority of the pre-
sident of the United States, has required of the state of Louisi-
ana, ten companies of mounted gunmen, “volunteers if practi-
cable,” to serve for six months from the day they reach their
rendezvous, to be discharged at any time by the United States.
As no companies of mounted gunmen now exist in this state,
it is only by the voluntary formation of such companies, that
this requisition can be complied with.
Tiie citizens of the state subject to militia duty, are therefore
invited to enroll themselves in volunteer companies of that de-
scription, and to organize themselves in conformity with the
law. The following instructions, founded on the laws of the
United States and of this state, will govern them.
Each company will be composed of one captain, one first
lieutenant, one second lieutenant, one cornet, four sergeants,
four corporals, one saddler, one farrier, one trumpeter and sixty-
four privates—in all seventy-nine.
When the requisite number of each company is enrolled, an
election for commissioned officers will be held, under the direc-
tion of the colonel commanding the regiment where the elec-
tion is to take place, as provided in the twenty-second section
of the militia law of 1834.
The formation of the company, and the result of the election
will be reported to the adjutant general, at New Orleans, in or-
der that the officers may be commissioned.
If a company already organized, whether complete or not,
and having its officers already commissioned, should volunteer
their services, no new election will be necessary.
When each company is organized, the commandant thereof
will report to general Gaines, at Camp Sabine, beyond Natchi-
toches, or to such officer, and at such place, as general Gaines
may have designated; and will ask instructions where to apply
for arms, equipments, transportation and camp equipages, and
for such information as may be desirable relative to buy cloth-
ing and allowances. Information will be obtained from the
same quarter, as to when and by whom the troops are to be
mustered into the service of the United States.
If the companies should be organized into a regiment or bat-
talion, before tendering their services to the United States, then
the commander and other field officers chosen by themselves
under the state laws, will continue to command, as provided
by the act of congress of 23d of May, 1836, sec. 3. But if they
are not organized into a regiment or battalion before the tender
of services, then the commander-in-chief will either select the
commander of the quota, from among the officers of sufficient
rank who volunteer their services, or order it to be determined
by the officers of the proper grade in the state, or who volun-
tecr. The other field officers will be chosen by the officers of
the corps, among those of a proper grade who volunteer, under
the provisions of the 71st and 72d sections of the militia law of
1834.
The officers commanding the different corps in the state,
within whose command any volunteer companies may be form-
ed, in compliance with this requisition, will report to the adju-
tant general’s office, from time to time, the progress made in
organizing them, and the time of their departure for the place
of rendezvous. By order of the commander-in-chief,
PERSIFOR F. SMITH, adjut. and maj. gen,
GEN. GAINES TO GOV. CANNON OF TENNESSEE.
Head quarters, western department, camp Sabine, June 6, 1836.
Dear sir: I take much pleasure in tendering your excellency
my grateful acknowledgments for the prompt and efficient mea-
sures which you have taken to comply with my request of the
Sth of April, to furnish for the protection of this frontier, a
brigade of volunteers.
The perusal of your letter of the 28th April, with your pro-
clamation, together with the spirited address of your talented
and patriotic staff, could not but awake in my mind many
delightful recollections of the past 46 years of my life, in which
I have been a Tennesseean—counting from her infancy as a
territory, to her present greatness as a state—though not yet
half grown—during which time she has been unsurpassed by
any of her sisters, spirited and patriotic as they are, in her
promptitude and devotion to her own and the national defence—
recollections which will never cease to make my heart glad,
till it ceases to vibrate, that my lot was cast when a small boy
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Niles, Hezekiah, 1777-1839. Niles' Weekly Register. (Baltimore, Md.), Vol. 14, No. 23, Ed. 1 Saturday, August 6, 1836, periodical, August 6, 1836; Baltimore, Maryland. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1694176/m1/8/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .