Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/82

 decided that the fate of Texas should be settled in battle as soon as the enemy could be found, and Gen. Houston was informed not long after this conference, by Col. Hockley, that he had overheard an officer in command of a regiment, saying to the soldiers around him, with whom he supposed that he possessed great influence, "Boys, Houston don't intend to fight; follow me and you shall have enough of it." Houston said at once to Hockley, "I'll cure this mischief directly." The two Colonels were summoned into his presence. "Gentlemen," said he, " have you rations of beef in camp for three days? " " Yes, sir." " You will then see that each man is supplied with three days' cooked rations, and hold the camp in readiness to march. We will see if we can find Santa Anna; good-morning, gentlemen." Houston remarked, as he turned off with Hockley, "There is no excuse for sedition now if they wish to fight." Orders were immediately given to prepare for crossing Buffalo Bayou, so that the march upon the enemy might be commenced the next morning. But when morning came, no preparations had been made for the march. No attention had been paid to the orders of the commanding General,—no soldier had prepared his rations. No time was to be lost. Not taking his usual morning rest, the General in person issued his orders to the men, and soon the signs of preparation were evident throughout the camp. It was, however, nine o'clock before the column could be gotten under arms. Arriving at the bayou, two miles from the encampment, the boat was found to be nearly filled with water. Dismounting at once. Gen. Houston called for an axe, and went to hewing oars out of rails. Difficult and perilous as was the passage, yet Houston was resolved that it should be made that morning. The stream was about fifty yards wide, and more than twenty feet deep. An accident occurred, damaging the boat, while the pioneers, a small company, were going aboard. The General at once leaped aboard. His faithful horse, left pawing on the bank, plunged in after him, and swam to the opposite shore. A rope of horse-hair, called in Spanish cabriestos, was soon constructed with raw twigs, and fastened to both banks of the bayou, enabling the boat to make trips more rapidly, and keep it from floating down stream. With great rapidity the passage was now made. But the commander and his faithful and intelligent councillor. Gen. Rusk, Secretary of War, spent an hour of intense anxiety. On opposite banks they stood and watched the dangerous movement of their little army, in whose brave hearts were now gathered all the hopes of Texas. The enemy's column might appear in sight at any moment, and coming up while the deep stream divided the army of Texas, the hopes of Anglo-Saxon civilization would have been blasted on Texas soil for