Evacuation of Texas : translation of the Representation addressed to the supreme government / by Vicente Filisola, in defence of his honor, and explanation of his operations as commander-in-chief of the army against Texas. Page: 51 of 72
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4-S
nourishment from which they have sqbsisted, and could have
subsisted a few days more.
At Guadalupe Victoria I was assured in a positive manner,
and by a person worthy of c.edit, that a north American brig
which was coming from New Orleans to Matamoros, laden with
provisions for the army, had been captured by a Texian vessel;
and that in New Orleans they had lost the suit against the captain,
who had been apprehended, for which reason, the house
that sent provisions, refused to send more in future. This made
me fear that I would not receive any by sea for a long time; and
as to receiving them by land, besides there not being a great
quantity mi the departments of the republic from whence they
could come to me, the distance being enormous, and the means
of transportation so difficult, that the army would have perished
before receiving them. As the army is composed rather of squads
of battalions, than of these properly so called, the number of
chiefs, officers, so it is that the mules for carrying and
pulling, which are with the army, are in prodigious quantities;
this circumstance renders it almost immoveable, and very little
fit for the operation of war; heavy for the offensive, and very
dangerous or exposed for the defensive, as it has to take care of
more than two thousand beasts for carrying and hauling,. without
reckoning the horses of the mounted soldiers, generals, chiefs
and officers, which, as there is nothing for them to eat but grass,
have every day to go to a greater distance, and increases the
care; because the wild Indians and the people of Bexar are
constantly schelning to rob what they can, and do it with so
much sagacity and dexterity, that it is difficult to avoid it; my
horses and baggage mules have already shared this fate, as well
as others of several chiefs and officers.
Bexar is forty leagues distant from Goliad, and in case of
being attacked, at least six days march would be necessary to
send aid to it, as it is not easy to obtain news in good time through
immense deserts, where a road may be intercepted by any small
party; and besides, during the rainy season, the roads from the
left border of the Bravo, as far as the Sabine, are impracticables
not only for the operations of war, but also for mercantileapeculations;
and the rivers become immense lakes, impossible to
be crossed. So then, your Excellency, mine was a most embarrassing
situation: I found that it would be impossible either to
return to the offensive, or to remain on the defensive: first, for
want of provisions, and other assistance for preservation, and
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Filísola, Vicente. Evacuation of Texas : translation of the Representation addressed to the supreme government / by Vicente Filisola, in defence of his honor, and explanation of his operations as commander-in-chief of the army against Texas., book, 1837; Columbia, [Tex.]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6110/m1/51/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .