The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963 Page: 98
641 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
strued as expressing a wish for a cruize against the enemy, if practicable,
the much desired means for accomplishing this were at length at my
disposal, and I found myself in a situation to carry out the wishes
of my Government (as expressed) to avoid the dernier resort which
was prescribed as necessary to be accomplished in the case of failure.
Under these circumstances I concluded an arrangement with the
Government of Yucatan, and received important assistance from my
individual friends, with the understanding, that I should proceed forth-
with to attack the Mexican Squadron.
In making these arrangements, I was accomplishing an object
which my Government thought not practicable, but which all their
orders and instructions tended to prove, was most ardently desired
by them.
Such was the situation of affairs when the Commissioners, appointed
under a secret act of Congress, reached New Orleans, with full powers
(according to a letter from the Department of War and Marine pre-
sented to me by them) to control my movements in any legal manner
that they might suggest. They first wished me to abandon the vessels
under my command to them in a foreign port-this was illegal, (as
they refused to show me the act of Congress requiring it) and I refused
to comply.
If, by possibility, I committed an act of insubordination in this,
it was afterwards annulled, by the very Commissioners, who gave the
order, for they agreed, when fully informed of the situation of affairs,
that it would be better for the vessels to proceed to Galveston under
my command. To consent to this was to misapply the funds which I
had pledged myself and my Government to use for a different purpose,
and was a bitter act of subordination; but I consented, rather than give
the slightest pretext for the charges which have since been dissem-
inated against me, and from being impressed with the belief that the
generous friends who had aided me in behalf of my country, would
exonerate from the crime of betraying their confidence, when aware
that I was ordered so to do by the authorities of that country.
Thus, cleared of all prior pretexts for impunging my conduct, so
far as orders and counter-orders were concerned, I sailed from New
Orleans, with the vessels under my command, accompanied by the
principal Commissioner, (Col. J. Morgan) from whom the last order
or recommendation emanated, and who represented his and my Gov-
ernment with full powers to control my movements in all matters not
conflicting with the laws of Texas and of nations. At the Balize infor-
mation was received, which satisfied Col. Morgan, that a crisis in the
affairs of the enemy and of Yucatan demanded a prompt descent
against the Mexican Squadron, which the loss of a single day might
render abortive-he accordingly proposed taking the Coast of
Yucatan on the way to Galveston, (as we heard that the enemy's
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963, periodical, 1963; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101196/m1/112/?rotate=270: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.