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<title>Benjamin R. Milam to Francis W. Johnson, 07-05-1835</title>
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<persName>Benjamin R. Milam </persName>
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<publisher>Digital Stephen F. Austin Papers</publisher>
<date when="2011-02-25">02-25-2011</date>
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Francis W. Johnson
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<place>
<placeName type="origin">Punto Lampasos, Nuevo Leon</placeName>
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<place>
<placeName type="destination">Unknown</placeName>
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<bibl>
Eugene Barker, ed., <hi rend="italic">The Austin Papers</hi>, (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1927), 3 vols., Vol 3, pp. 82-83
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Eugene Barker's summaries and footnotes
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<date when="1835-07-05">07-05-1835</date>
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<p><add hand="#barker">Recounting political disturbances in Monclova.
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<p><placeName>Punto Lampasos</placeName>, <date when="1835-07-05">July 5, 1835</date>.</p>
<p>Dear <persName>Johnson</persName>,</p>
<p>I hope you spent the <date when="1835-07-04">4th July</date> pleasantly with your <persName>friends </persName>who feel
some reverence for the day. As to myself, I can not say I enjoyed it. I
got a bottle of vino muscale and drank to the <hi rend="italic">Federal Constitution in all
parts of <placeName>America</placeName>.</hi> I had no <persName>countrymen </persName>to join me or perhaps I should
have done better.</p>
<p>We left <placeName>Monclova </placeName>on the <date when="1835-05-29">29 of May</date>, and were taken <persName>prisoners </persName>on the <date when="1835-06-05">5th
of June</date>, at night, after we had encamped about <placeName>eight leagues northwest of
San Fernando</placeName>. The <persName>troops </persName>had been viewing our march for the last day,
and knew the only chance we had for water and placed themselves in a
situation to take possession of our horses as soon as it was dusk. In this
situation we were obliged to surrender to <persName>twenty five men</persName>—or <persName>savages </persName>as
we may more properly call them. <persName>Capt Galan</persName> and <persName>Liut: Roderiguiz
[Rodriguez]</persName> commanded the party. They will be long remembered by your
humble servant.</p>
<p>We were taken to <placeName>San Fernando</placeName> and kept in close <placeName>confinement </placeName>for one
week—not permitted to write or speak to any person except in the presence
of an <persName>officer</persName>, and then but in the Spanish language. From there we were
taken to <placeName>Rio Grande</placeName>, where we were treated something better by <persName>Capt
Barigan</persName> from <placeName>Rio Grande</placeName> to this place. At present we are under the
charge of <persName>Col: Altapa</persName>, who is a
<persName>gentleman </persName>and an <persName>officer</persName>, and gives every
indulgence we ask for. From here we expect to be sent to <placeName>Monterey </placeName>to
stand our trial, and I hope to be set at liberty. But all is uncertainty.
The whole of this part of the state has and will support the <persName>Central
Government</persName>. The <placeName>Interior </placeName>from the last information we have, has fallen
into the Central system, <persName>Santanna </persName>is <persName>Dictator</persName>—the Constitution is thrown
away and ridiculed by those who used to call themselves <persName>Federal
Republicans</persName>.</p>
<p>The plan for the dissolution and destruction is laid, and every
preparation is making for its execution. In the last ten days <persName>two hundred troops</persName>
have left <placeName>this quarter</placeName> for <placeName>San Antonio</placeName>; and from the test information I
can collect <persName>two thousand more</persName> will be on their march in a few weeks.
Their intention is to gain the friendship of the <persName>different tribes of Indians</persName>;<pb n="83"/>
and, if possible to get the <persName>slaves </persName>to revolt. These plans of barbarity and
injustice will make a wilderness of <placeName>Texas</placeName>, and beggars of its <persName>inhabitants</persName>,
if they do not unite and act with promptitude and decision. If the Federal
system is lost in <placeName>Texas</placeName>, what will be our situation? worse than that of
the most degraded <persName>slaves</persName>. The hopes of the <persName>Republican party</persName> here are all
on <placeName>Texas</placeName>. I trust they will not be deceived. The <persName>people of <placeName>Texas</placeName></persName> will
never submit to a <persName>Dictator</persName>.</p>
<p><persName>B R Milam</persName></p>
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