at the same time exciting, by false representations here, the sympathies of the people in favor of the Texans, with a view of inducing the authorities of the United States to lend their aid in raising in this city a force composed of interested persons, who should move to the Texan frontier under the call of General Gaines, and afterwardSy under false pretensions, uctually march into Texas^ and take part in the war now waging between the Texans and the Government of Mexico ; and all this at the expeyise of the United States, and con- sequently with the implied sanction of the Government.''^ This letter affords an amusing instance of the simplicity of the commanding General, who supposed he was giving information to the Government when detailing the natu- ral and intended consequences of its own measures. The General did not know what is proved by official docu- ments, that the device of placing an army on the frontiers of Texas originated with the Cabinet, and not with Gaines.
The troops, in obedience to orders from .Washington, marched into Texas, and took a position at Nacogdoches.
Immediately, Houston, the Texan President, issued his proclamationrpretending that the Indians were about to attack Nacogdoches, and calling on the militia " to sus- tain the United States troops at this place," and to rejoort themselves to the United States Commander. The object of the proclamation was two-fold, first, to impress both Texans and Mexicans with the military aid to be granted the former by the United States,—and secondly, to array, as soon as possible, the Texan militia under the Ameri- can General.
An American officer at Nacogdoches, indignant at the perfidious conduct of the Government, thus gave vent to his indignation in a letter published at the time in the Army and Navy Chronicle. Speaking of the object of taking their present position, he remarked, " It fs to cre- ate the impression in Texas and Mexico, that the Government of the United States takes a part in the controversy.