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made than those abselately necessary to place under cover his
existence, without detriment to the national honor.
He exacts that your Excellency endeavors, at all hazards,
to preserve the conquests of the army, and not to give cause to
the enemy to grow bold, on account of a retrogade movement,
which they may mistake for a flight. Consider, your Excellency,
how much it will cost to obtain possession again, of the
posts that are abandoned; and for this purpose, his Excellency,
the presidentpro tern. desires that your Excellency should concentrate
the forces in sustainable posts, and that no others than
those at a great distance should be abandoned, in which their
grrisons would be very much exposed. Whilst the force of the
army is most imposing, the existence of his Excellency, the
commander-in-chief, will be more secure, as being deprived of
Iis liberty, he cannot determine upon what is best, and most
suitable to the nation. To it, is your Excellency highly responsible,
and ought to consult no other principle but the public convenience,
nor act by other rules than those wisely laid down in
the general ordinance of the army.
The preservation of the advantageous positions of the army
is so much the more necessary, because, the government, operating
with the activity and energy which their duty exacts, is
occupied in organizing a division of four thousand men, which
wil embark at Vera Cruz, destined for Matamoros, in order to
reinforce the army, and place it in formidable action against the
enemy. I repeat to your Excellency, the order to make a formal
intimation to the enemy's general, concerning the liberty
and good treatment of the president general, and of the prisoners,
so that the national honor, and even that of your Excellency,
may appear in a favorable light.
The eyes of the nation are fixed on your Excellency, and
ar ewproi ised to make their honor respected, and this is not
don b presenting the army in an unfavorable manner, which
may eawien the pride of the enemy.
-Bear, in one direction, and the ports, in another, will be
the spord-ot' future operations, and whilst they can be preserved,
ougt to be preserved, under all the responsibility of your
Excellency, as general-in-chief, to whom I present my respects,
God and Liberty.-Mexico, May 19th, 1836.-Tornel.To
his Excellency, general Vicente Filisola, second in command
Otife army of operations.
