drinks with merry speeches."[3]  At this time, there were probably fifteen hundred to two thousand persons, mostly men, living in Houston "in the most dissimilar manner. The President, the whole personnel of the government, many lawyers who found ample means of support in those new regions, a large number of gamblers, tradesmen, artisans, former soldiers, adventurers, curious travelers from the United States, about a hundred Mexican prisoners who made suitable servants," and a considerable number of Indians who came to trade. "Crimes, the desire for adventure, unfortunate circumstances of all sorts, love of freedom, and the fair prospect of gain had formed this quaint gathering," wrote a foreign observer in 1839. "It was everyone's wish to be somebody in the general company, and therefore everyone threw the veil of oblivion over past deeds. Everyone stood on his own merit."[4]  Houston at the time had only a few cabins, numerous tents, and many camps of recently arrived immigrants.

It was under these conditions that, upon the arrival of Anaya and other Federalist leaders in Houston, a series of public meetings was held from September 21 to September 23, 1839, in favor of the Federalist cause. In a public meeting of September 21 the policy of the Texas government in respect to the Federalist cause was criticized. It was said that the administration refused to cooperate with the federal forces in the hope that England and the United States would take up the Texas question and seek to effect a compromise between Texas and the Central party in Mexico, "who are in fact usurpers of the rights of their people . . . and who may be overturned by their enemies ere the compromise could be taken advantage of and leave us then to treat with those who are now rejected by us."[5]  It was proposed that individuals who wished to aid the Federalists should be permitted to do so. The meeting then adjourned until the next day, when the discussion about aiding the revolutionists continued. At this time the meeting was addressed by Juan Nepomuceno Margain. Resolutions were adopted for appointing a committee to receive volunteers and donations. Those who volunteered their assistance in recruiting included the following: Andrew Neill, John Weston, J. C. Deartrioe, Ephriam M. Haines, Edward C. Woodruff, J. W. Hays, J. D. Watkins, John B. Couteany, Daniel Stanby, Henry Blood, John Chenoweth, and