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: 55 of 72
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52
son having advanced; I now find myself.in full movement, ge,e
ral Juan Jose Andrade having joined me with the garrison which
was in Bexar, after having completely destroyed the insignificant
enclosure of the Alamo, and every thing that possessed any
thing like defence in that settlement; nothing, 4n cnsemquence,
remains for me then to, answer the charges tahet spreme
government may think proper to make against me.
I will add, nevertheless, your Excellency, in fulfilment of
my duty, and for the satisfaction of the supreme government,
that by no means could the enemy, and much less any man who
thinks, confound the movement.made by the artny which I had
the honor to command, with a flight. They commenced and
continued it, surrounded by obstacles almost insuperable, and
embarrassed by an immense quantity of artillery and baggage,
having remained between rivers not fordable, on their flanks,
rear-guard and front, and buried in the mud during eleven days,
in an extension of country of more than two leagues. They
afterwards passed three very large rivers, without any previous
preparations, and in sight of the enemy; made their marches
with all the convenience that could be exacted; remained fiftean
days in Goliad, and ten on the river Nueces; did not lose the
most trifling article of their disproportioned artillery and baggage;
did not abandon a single one of their sick or wounded;
and only commenced their retreat when no other aliment was
left but meat, without the enemy being able to oblige them
to do it.
The posts, which the absolute want of every kind of ieans
of subsistence and preservation, obliged them to abandon, ore
by nature so insignificant for stratagem or tactics, that shold
the enemy remain in them, they would afford us a certain and
easy victory in another campaign, because they really are not
sustainable as military posts.
Allow me, your Excellency, to do away with the error, in
believing that the presence of any force whatsoever, can in any
manner contribute to the safety of the life of his Excellency,
the man deserving of his country, and general-in-chief. Fqr
men who have committed to the flames every thing that was
most dear to them, in order to retire, and determined to abandon
the country, and all their property forever, the presence ofhostile
forces would be attended with no other result than the more
speedy abbreviation of the precious days of his Excellency, and
of the generals, chiefs and soldiers, in their hands, and whose
lives have only been spared by a cold calculation,. Ris Excel
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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/m1/55/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.