crease the size of his command in order to conduct a campaign against the Indians and to give more effective protection to the southwestern frontier; he also wanted to confer with the administration on the policy to be pursued toward the Federalists, who had sent letters to San Antonio, including one to Karnes, soliciting assistance and whose emissaries were already appearing at that frontier city.[54]  A company of eighty volunteers raised at Galveston for Karnes' command reached Houston during the week of September 11.[55]  On September 2 Karnes' regiment consisted of three companies commanded respectively by Captain J. P. Ownsby, Captain Bartlett Sims, and Captain M. B. Lewis. D. J. Woodlief served as lieutenant colonel, and Matthew P. Woodhouse was first lieutenant of Captain Ownsby's Company.[56]

As soon as Canales' proclamation calling for volunteers came to Lamar's attention, Adjutant General Hugh McLeod was instructed to contact José Ramos, alcalde of Laredo, by letter for information concerning the Mexican filibustering expedition being organized on the Texas frontier and the number of troops. Wrote McLeod,

President Lamar especially desires to know if there are any considerable number of Texans in the expedition, the names of the leaders, both of Mexicans and Americans. I am not sure that I understand what it proposes to accomplish. The President regards such an expedition, at this time, unfortunate for Texas, as it will tend to further excite envy and hatred among the Mexicans who have recently given assurance of a better understanding of our people and our government.[57]

From San Antonio Canales went to Austin with five men to solicit the aid of the Texas government, leaving the rest of his men at the old Río Grande crossing of the Medina under the command of Francisco Vidaurri, and Juan Lom, who had about two hundred men supplemented by a number of armed colonials (Texans) under Colonel