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of the river. I still deem it my duty to look to the possibility of such an event, and to prepare for a forward movement, should circumstances require it.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Z. TAYLOR,

Brevet Brig. Gen. U. S. A., commanding.

The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army,

Washington, D. C.

HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION,

Corpus Christi, Texas, August 26, 1845.

SIR: I respectfully acknowledge the receipt of your communications of August 6 and 9-the former by the hands of Lieutenant Ringgold, who arrived here yesterday. A duplicate of the despatch of the 6th has also been received by mail, as well as general orders

Nos. 37 and 38.

In regard to employing volunteers from Texas, you will perceive that I have in part anticipated the wishes of the government in my letter of the 16th instant to President Jones, a copy of which was furnished you on the 19th. In that communication I looked only to the defence of the frontier against Indian aggressions, but I shall now communicate with President Jones, and ascertain the number of volunteers that can be called into service in case of an invasion by Mexico, and shall take the necessary steps to arm and employ that force should the safety of the country require it. I feel confident, however, that such necessity will not arise. The three companies of dragoons from Fort Washita will afford adequate protection to the country about Austin, and will, I doubt not, enable us ultimately to dispense even with the very small irregular force now in service in that quarter.

Judging from the best information I can obtain as to the future wants of the service on this frontier, looking more particularly to the possibility of an invasion of the soil of Texas by Mexican troops, I deem the force soon to be under my orders, viz: four batteries of field artillery, one regiment of cavalry, and five regiments of infantry, to be fully adequate to meet any crisis that may arise. The ordnance and ordnance stores already shipped are ample for all our purposes, unless indeed it should be necessary to invest Matamoras, in which case a battering train of heavier calibre would be required. A moderate supply of pontons and ponton wagons might greatly facilitate any active operations in this country, where it is next to impossible to bridge the streams, owing to the scarcity of timber.

I have received special orders Nos. 66 and 68, assigning officers of the engineers, topographical engineers, and ordnance to my command: two of those officers, Lieutenants Scarritt and Kingsbury, have already reported with promptness. Our greatest want has been, and still is, a strong and efficient corps of quartermas

ters. Captain Cross was necessarily sent with the dragoons, though under orders from his own department, which would have retained him at Fort Jesup. I do not consider him as properly belonging to my command, and shall relieve him from duty on the arrival of the dragoons. We shall then have four regiments in camp, without one quartermaster on duty with them. I am informed that Captain Myers and Ketchum have been ordered to join me, but it does not seem unreasonable to request that, in addition to a proper supply of captains, a field officer of rank and efficiency be despatched to assume direction of that important branch of the public service.

Five companies of the 7th infantry have arrived at St. Joseph's island, and will join me in a day or two. Graham's companies have also arrived, and we have reason to expect three companies from Pensacola in a few days. Two companies of volunteer artillerists, mustered into service by General Gaines, have reported to me very unexpectedly; and as I have made no application for this force, and do not deem it necessary, I am placed in a rather embarrassing situation. As they are now here, I think it best, on the whole, to retain them for a short period, perhaps until the arrival of our own artillery, when they can be handsomely discharged and sent home. I met the dragoons at San Patricio on the 24th, and was much pleased with their efficient condition. They have found ample supplies of forage and water, and the horses are in excellent flesh, most of them being now fit for any service. The regiment will probably join me here to-morrow.

I regret to learn that the most false and exaggerated rumors have prevailed in New Orleans in relation to reported disasters encountered by this command. These rumors are not only calculated to cause much pain and anxiety in the community, but also to entail a heavy and needless expense upon the government in procuring the muster of volunteers, &c. I beg you to understand that, even with the small force originally under my command, I have had too much confidence in my officers and men to feel any apprehension of serious disaster.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Z. TAYLOR,

Brev. Brig. Gen. U. S. A., commanding.

The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army,

Washington City.

HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION,
Corpus Christi, Texas, August 30, 1845.

SIR: I respectfully report the arrival at this point of seven companies of the 7th infantry under Major Brown, and two companies of volunteer artillery under Major Gally. Major Seawell's company, I am informed, was ordered back to Baton Rouge by General Gaines, and some small detachments of that regiment were also left at several posts. I have retained one company as a guard for the depot at St. Joseph's island.

The battalion of volunteer artillery has a fine battery of eight pieces-two twelves and six sixes, completely equipped in every respect. The officers are zealous, and the men seem to be quite well instructed in their duties. In case of need, I look for valuable service from this battalion.

I have just received a communication from President Jones, under date of the 23d instant, notifying me that he had taken preparatory steps towards organizing a volunteer force of 1,000 men to assist me if necessary. This matter will form the subject of a special communication to your office in a few days.

Apprehending that the erroneous impressions current in New Orleans in regard to our situation might induce General Gaines to order the muster of a battalion or brigade of infantry, I addressed a communication to his staff officer by the steamship Alabama, expressing my thanks for the reinforcement of the volunteer battalion of artillery, but with the hope that no more volunteers would be sent without a requisition from me. That communication will reach New Orleans to-night or to-morrow, in time, I trust, to stop the employment of any more volunteers.

We have no news from the Rio Grande. Idle stories are brought in from that quarter, but with the means of accurate information which we now possess, I do not deem it necessary to repeat them. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Z. TAYLOR,

Brev. Brig. Gen. U. S. A., commanding.

The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army,

Washington, D. C.

HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION,

Corpus Christi, Texas, September 6, 1845.

SIR: I have the honor to report that a confidential agent, despatched some days since to Matamoras, has returned, and reports that no extraordinary preparations are going forward there; that the garrison does not seem to have been increased, and that our consul is of opinion there will be no declaration of war. A decree had been issued prohibiting, under penalty of death, any communication, by writing, across the frontier-a precaution which has been adopted on former occasions, and caused, no doubt, by our presence here. Nothing definite can be learned in relation to the march of troops from the interior. A body of 3,000 men was reported in march to Matamoras, but the information is too vague to merit much confidence. The agent, who is intelligent, and upon whose statements a good deal of reliance may, I think, be safely placed, says that the mass of the people, with whom he mingled, is opposed to a war with us, and that if war be declared, the frontier departments of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon, will probably declare themselves independent of the central government and establish pacific relations with us.

This is the substance of the information brought from Mata

moras. Notwithstanding its character, I shall not relax my exertions to prepare for active operations and a state of war with Mexico. I must express the hope that no militia force will be ordered to join me without my requisition for it. I am entirely confident that none will be required.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Z. TAYLOR,

Brevet Brigadier General U. S. A., commanding.

The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army,

Washington, D. C.

HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION,

Corpus Christi, Texas, September 14, 1845.

SIR: I respectfully acknowledge the following communications from the Secretary of War-one of August 23, conveying the instructions of the department in relation to the employment of volunteers from the United States; one of August 26, enclosing copies of circulars to the governors of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi; and two of August 30, giving further instructions for my government, and enclosing copies of instructions to Commodore Connor, and of a letter of August 28 to Major General Gaines; also, your communications of August 26 and 30, enclosing a copy of the same letter to General Gaines, and desiring more frequent communications from my head-quarters.

I now regret that I suffered the interval between July 28 and August 15 to elapse without making any report to your office; but I was incessantly occupied, during that time, in examining the country, and afterwards in making an establishment at this point, and could not have reported anything important, of a positive nature, until my arrival here. Could I have imagined the possibility of such extravagant rumors as prevailed in New Orleans, and, above all, that they could gain credence in the public mind, when the same means of communication brought no report from me, I would certainly have apprized the department, by every opportunity, of our operations, unimportant as they might have seemed. No intelligence, worthy of credit, was received from the Rio Grande, until just before my report of August 15. Since that date I have kept the department advised, at short intervals, of our situation and the news from the frontier.

In view of the large reinforcements of regular troops ordered to join me, I cannot believe that it will become necessary, under any circumstances, to employ volunteers from the United States. In reply to my communication, of August 16, to President Jones, a copy of which was forwarded to your office, the President indicated a few companies of rangers, amounting in all to about 300 men, as proper to be mustered into the service for the protection of the frontier. I have accordingly given orders for the muster of one company at Austin and one at Bexar. A company at this place,

and one at Goliad, are designated by the President, and will be mustered when their enrolment is completed. Three small detachments, of 30 men each, are to be considered in service, but cannot, from their position, be conveniently mustered at present. It will be recollected that when I addressed the president of Texas on this subject, I could not anticipate the transfer of dragoons from Fort Washita; and although two of the companies indicated above might, perhaps, be dispensed with, I think it best, from motives of policy, to retain them for three months, the term for which all are to be mustered. You will see from my "special orders," No. 14, that I have directed two of the three companies from Red river to San Antonio, retaining one at Austin. With a company of mounted rangers at each place, the frontier will be secure from insult. The commander of the rangers at San Antonio, Major Hays, has reputation as a partisan, and to him I have specially intrusted the duty of keeping me advised of any movements on the Rio Grande in the neighborhood of Laredo, with strict injunctions, however, to molest no Mexican establishments on this side of the river. Should San Antonio be seriously menaced, it can be readily succored from this point. A route will be immediately opened hence to San Antonio. I would at once put a larger force in that town, but for the difficulty of supplying it.

An examination is now making by an officer of engineers of the country in our front, chiefly to select suitable sites for encampments, should it become necessary to winter in this neighborhood. The great scarcity of wood will render it necessary, in that case, to change our position. Reconnoissances will soon be made of the Nueces and the Laguna Madra, to ascertain their navigability, and the facility of establishing depots in the event of a forward movement to the Rio Grande.

We have no news of interest from the frontier. Arista, at the last accounts, was at Mier, but without any force; nor is there, as yet, any concentration of troops on the river. A report reached San Antonio, a few days since, that preparations were making to receive troops at Laredo. This I consider very doubtful; but if troops arrive there, I shall expect to receive early information of the fact from San Antonio.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Z. TAYLOR,

Brevet Brigadier General U. S. A., commanding.

The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army,

Washington, D. C.

HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION,
Corpus Christi, Texas, October 4, 1845.

SIR: I beg to leave suggest some considerations in relation to the present position of our force, and the dispositions which may become necessary for the more effectual prosecution of the objects for

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