Letters From The Past- Col. Fannin At Goliad

[joe817]

Letters from Fannin at Golidad:

"Lead Quarters Army Texas 5 oclock, P.M. 1st mch 1836 Capts Desauque & Chenworth Yours of 28th ult. was recd. this evening & I hasten to answer it, aggreeable to previous arrangements I marched the troops the evening you left & with much difficulty got two waggons & partly across the river one mile above not having provisions but for one day and having only sixty seven men & no provisions for them in the Garrison Two waggons stalled & another could not be got over in this situation they were encamped for the night expecting trains from below The messenger dispached whilst you were here not having returned, about this time an express arrived from Matagorda giving us intelligence of the arrival of more provisions stores clothing &c and shortly afterwards another came in from San Patricio giving us the unpleasant information that our countrymen under the command of Col. Johnson were attacked and inhumanely murdered mostly after surrendering except five who have arrived here (last night) (To wit) Col. Johnson Love Miller Fuler & Beck

In this situation not able to go forward and what was then understood & believed to be a division or its advance to the west coming against this post a council of war was unanamously demanded of me by the Volunteer officers and granted of course it was resolved to be inexpedient to attempt to go forward and that we should return and complete the Fortification and await our doom until relcived whipped or we conquer I have some quantity of Beef cattle and hope soon to have more, and Flour, clothing &c I immediately forwarded an express to Washington Demitts Landing &c. and one after any provisions that might be on the way to Bexar and inform them of our movements also the committee of safety of Gonzales-I will soon bring to bear this place-which I think can be defended some time by 200 men and am informed by persons from Victoria that Col. Wharton crossed the Guadaloupe on Saturday with 270 men and 9 carts with about 70 Barrels flour and proceded toward Bejar-If you can find him or communicate with Gonzales and know how many volunteers will form a junction & if informed speedily I will push out 200 and cooperate-we shall not be able to bring two pieces of cannon .

I think Wharton will try and go by Gonzales or if he saw my express and that was the day it passed Victoria, may endeavor to find me near where you are stationed I would advise you either to return here with the provisions or proceed to Gonzales and hold conferrence with the officers in command-I am in hourly expectation of either an attack or information of the near approach of the enemy I also hope to hear from St. Felipe & to learn that 1000 citizens are out-Mr. Royall informs me that our agents in N. O. gives information of large quantities of supplies being shipd for here by the Mexican Govt. and hence their desire to gain this place to keep up a chain of communication and cover the coast. It is equally important for us to retain it and cover our own scanty stock-Under all the circumstances I was unable to move and do trust no bad effects will follow I would risk life and all for our brave men in the Alamo, but circumstanced as I was and even now am I could not, do otherwise If you can communicate this to them and adopt the following cipher in your communications double the alphabet and uniformly an A. for Z. B. for Y. and X for C. &c & so vice versa inform all officers of this and should any despatches fall into their hands they will not be the gainers by it. Write me & forward by expresses in hast I am &c J. W. Fannin [addressed:] Capts. Desauque Chenoworth or other Volunteer Officers of Texas Cibolo or elsewhere
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The primary responsibility for aiding the Alamo fell to Major Robert M. Williamson, the commander of the Ranger Battalion authorized by the Consultation. On March 1, Williamson, who knew Travis, wrote an encouraging message, promising help:

" You cannot conceive my anxiety; today it has been four whole days that we have not the slightest news relative to your situation and we are therefore given over to a thousand conjectures regarding you. Sixty men have left this municipality, who in all probability are with you by this date. Colonel Fannin with 300 men and four pieces of artillery has been on the march toward BÈxar three days now.

Tonight we await some 300 reinforcements from Washington, Bastrop, Brazoria, and S. Felipe and no time will be lost in providing you assistance. . .

P. S. For God's sake hold out until we can assist you--I remit to you with Major Bonham communication from the interim government. Best wishes to all your people and tell them to hold on firmly by their "wills" until I go there. - Williamson. - Write us very soon "