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were at the seat of government, absent from duty, and that others had the habit of leaving at will the army or the special commands to which they had been assigned. "Such practices and conduct being at variance with all military rule and subordination," declared the President, "is forbidden. When in [the] future such cases occur it will be considered that either the officer has vacated his office, or that he is a deserter from his command ."[60] Congress provided by a law of November 21 a set of rules and articles for the government of the armies of Texas.[61] Soon after the permanent government under the Constitution of 1836 was installed, the administration, trying not to offend the United States, revoked the blockade of the port of Matamoros on November 1, and as further evidence of its desire for international goodwill issued on December 16, at Columbia, a proclamation recalling within forty days all privateers' commissions and letters of marque and reprisal then in force.[62] Again, however, there was strong talk in Mexico of a renewal of the Texas campaign. General Huston reported to the War Department that the Mexicans were making formidable preparations for an immediate invasion of Texas under the leadership of General Nicolás Bravo, who had replaced[63] Urrea as commander in chief of the Army of the North.[64] On October 15 President ad interim José Justo Corro 60. "General Orders, Executive Office, Columbia, Texas, October 24th, 1836," in Telegraph and Texas Register, Nov. 2, 1836. 61. "An Act, For Establishing Rules and Articles for the Government of the Armies of the Republic of Texas," approved November 21, 1836, by Sam Houston, in ibid., Dec. 9, 1836. 62. Telegraph and Texas Register, Dec. 27, 1836; Writings of Sam Houston, I, 508-509. 63. Nicolás Brabo [Bravo], El general en gefe del Ejército del Norte, á las tropas de su mando, Cuartel general en San Luis Potosí, Noviembre 9 de 1836, broadside; José Tornel y Mendivil, [Circular giving the organizational set up of the staff of the army which is to undertake the campaign against Texas. Dated and signed at the end:] Mexico 5 de Octubre de 1836; José J. de Herrera, [Letter of the Secretary of War, dated October 5, 1836, to Nicolás Bravo, General in Chief of the Army of the North, relating to the decree of the same date on the organization of the staff for the war in Texas. Dated and signed at end:] Mexico Octubre 11 de 1836. See also Thomas W. Streeter, Bibliography of Texas, III, 165-166. 64. Proclamation of Nicolás Bravo, General-in-Chief of the Army of the North, to the Forces under His Command, Camp in San Luis Potosí, Nov. 9, 1836, in Telegraph and Texas Register, Feb. 10, 1837. The proclamation begins: "Soldiers! You are destined to form an important part of the army that returns to Texas." |