The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963 Page: 436
641 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
VI
After the burial of our five unfortunate comrades (in one grave,
each one simply wrapped in a blanket), the detailed men for that
service joined the main command, at a rivulet we camped at two
nights previously only higher up its course. The water was brackish,
but not far from it were little clusters of mesquite trees, to furnish
us firewood.
Here the officers held a consultation, and the general named the
camp "Resolution" for as we were lost, nearly out of beef cattle and
work oxen, it was resolved in this desperate condition to divide the
command, for our scouts could not find water or timber ahead of us;
and some of our men thus detailed were never heard of, being prob-
ably killed by Indians or famished. Therefore it was resolved to
send forward one hundred men, on horseback (of such poor horses
as the Indians did not succeed in stampeding from us), men who
willingly volunteered to run the risk to find the Mexican settle-
ment, at the peril of their lives and if successful to send us back a
report, if no report came within two weeks, the command would
scatter by single companies in order to better sustain ourselves by
game we, purchance might be able to get, even at the risk of being
killed by the Indians, rather than attempt to reach the settlement
in a large body, who being out of provisions might starve. Our situ-
ation was as forlorn as that of Robinson Crusoe wrecked on a
desolate island.
After the consultation of the officers some few oxen were killed and
kiln dried (that is kind of half cooked over a small fire), to give our
advance men a supply of food if they could not find game.
This being finished the advance, consisting of the commissioners
sent out by Texas (also Kendall), to make a treaty of commerce and
peace, most of the merchant traders and others, started off with the
blessing of all our men that they might be successful. Sad indeed was
the parting, we had but little hope of their success in finding the
settlements or in their obtaining succor and relief for us in the way
of provisions, or finding a way to bring our expedition to a successful
end. The name of "Camp Resolution" should have been called "A
Desperate Resolution."
Some may blame our officers for dividing the command, thereby
being less able to fight the Mexicans who later opposed us and
treacherously deceived us. But I hope the reader has understood ere
this, that being lost and our men and animals worn out for want
of sufficient food, and so often suffering for want of water, we
looked haggard and despairing. While I write these lines which are
not connected as they should be, nor as descriptive as they might be,
I had often to stop between sentences, for my heart was too full,
to think of the brave men we lost, trying to find a way forward436
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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/m1/470/?rotate=270: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.