The Texas Gulf Historical and Biographical Record, Volume 21, Number 1, November 1985 Page: 82
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82 THE TEXAS GULF HISTORICAL & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
Texas to keep the Indians in check, and to prevent their joining the Mex-
ican forces; and for the purpose of carrying his plans into complete effect,
he called upon the Governors of the adjacent States for a number of regiments
of mounted men. This was a wise and humane movement. The Indians in
the upper regions of Texas and on the frontiers of the United States are
numerous and warlike; and when engaged in war, they neither respect ter-
ritorial lines, nor the rules of civilized nations. They inhabit the country
from latitude thirty-four degrees north on Red River, to the Rio del Norte,
extending to the road that leads from St. Louis (Mo.) to Santa Fe; south
to the head waters of Trinity, Guadaloupe, Brazos and Colorado rivers of
Texas - a country in length six hundred miles, and breadth mostly prairie.
The different tribes are Camanches, Kyawas, Towash or Southern Pawnees,
Caddoes, Wacoes and Skiddies. They number about thirty-five thousand
in all, and can muster from seven to eight thousand restless warriors in this
great Western Prairie.
The reported movements of the Indians, however, proved to be greatly
exaggerated. Some small parties started for the theatre of the war, but were
induced by the prompt action and warning of Gen. Gaines, to return home
and be quiet. Being assured that the Indians would remain peaceable, Gen.
Gaines countermanded his call upon the States for mounted volunteers, and
marched his forces back to Fort Jessup and Natchitoches.
The affairs of Texas at this time wore a gloomy aspect. All the expedi-
tions into Mexico, beyond the limits of Texas, proved disastrous and un-
successful. The people of the Mexican States proved to be more united in
Centralism than was expected. The aid, which many so sanguinely anticipated
from that quarter, proved a mere illusion. It now became manifest that the
Texians, with such aid as they could obtain from the United States, must
fight her own battles single handed, against the combined forces of all the
Mexican provinces.
Gen. Houston, after remaining sometime at his encampment on the
Brazos river, retreated about thirty miles further, and crossed the San Jacinto.
Santa Anna, with one division of his army, crossed the Brazos fifteen miles
below San Felipe, and took the road to Harrisburg. The object of Gen.
Houston seems to have been to retire before the invading army, until it ar-
rived into the centre of the country, and then, give them battle. Although,
by this course, he left half of the State to the ravages of the enemy, yet
he deemed this step unavoidable. His force was too small to hazard all, upon
the issue of a battle, far away from reinforcements and supplies.
On the nineteenth of April, General Houston's scouts took a courier,
who gave information that the Mexican Army were near at hand, on the[Vol. XXI, No. I
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Texas Gulf Historical Society. The Texas Gulf Historical and Biographical Record, Volume 21, Number 1, November 1985, periodical, November 1985; Beaumont, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1433656/m1/84/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Gulf Historical Society.