The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901 Page: 330
366 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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330 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
to the retreating policy of the Commander-in-Chief, it was deter-
mined that the Secretary of War, Col. Thomas J. Rusk, should
repair to the army, and inaugurate a better and more effective sys-
tem of strategy. As this also is a controverted point, we subjoin a
note from Col. William T. Austin, one of the heroes of San An-
tonio:
To Messrs. Richardson, Editors, etc.
GENTLEMEN: * * * I beg to say, that when on a visit to the
official apartment of President Burnet, in Harrisburg, in the month
of April, 1836, he informed me that a meeting of his cabinet had
taken place, and had resulted in a determination to send Col.
Thomas J. Rusk (then Secretary of War), to the field with orders
to stop a further retreat of the army, and to bring the enemy to
battle. While conversing on this subject, the Secretary of the Navy,
Col. Potter, came in with the order to Col. Rusk, which he read to
the President in my presence. * * *
The order to Col. Rusk went on to ignore the propriety of our
army making a further retreat, * * *. Col. Rusk was there-
fore ordered to repair to the headquarters of the army, and to com-
pel it to take up a position before the enemy, and bring him to bat-
tle at the first favorable position possible. * * * The Presi-
dent * * * stated that Col. Rusk was then being sent to the
field with authority to take charge and command of the army, if
necessary to carry out the policy indicated in the order. * * *
(Signed) Yours, etc.,
WILLIAM T. AUSTIN.
Galveston, May 23d, 1859.
In accordance with the above mentioned order, Col. Rusk left:
Harrisburg about the first of April, and arrived at the army while
it lay among the foul and turbid lagoons of the Brazos bottom.
* * * President Burnet, hearing of no change in the move-
ments of the army, * * * addressed a note to Gen. Houston,
which we insert. * * *
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, HARRISBURG, April, 1836.
To Gen. Sam Houston.
SIR: The enemy are laughing you to scorn. You must fight
them. You must retreat no farther. The country expects you to
fight. The salvation of the country depends on your doing so.
DAVID G. BURNET.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901, periodical, 1901; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101018/m1/362/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.