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Show 270 JOUHNAL OF A VOYAGE docs by the n1en. lly her he has several children, onr now an officer in the service of his royal n1astcr. The two friends agree perfectly in one point, their hatred to tyranny of every I~ind; ar~d in a SL'Cl , t ·l· l' ·: mination never to sec that flourishing part or the N 'W \Vurlu, subject to any other European h)rd, exc~'pt bim \\ hom they think their honor and loyalty bound to de fen 1 ·ith their lives and lortunrs. But should Bouaparte S{'lZ-. on European Spain, l risque nothing in asserting, those tw(l gentlemen would be the first to throw off the yoke, draw their swords, and assert the independence of t 1)1 ir country. Before I close this subject, it 1nay not be improper tc., state, that we owe to governor IIerrara's prudence, that we arc not now engaged in a war with Spain. This will be explained by the following anecdote which he related in the presence of his friend Cordero, and which was confirmed by him. \Vhen the difficnltics cmnmenccd on the Sabine, the con1mandant general and the viceroy consulted each other, and they n1utually determined to maintain (what they deemed) the dominions of their mast r, invio~ late. The viceroy therefore ordered Ilerrara to join Cordero with 1300 men, and both the viceroy and gl'ncral Salcedo, ordered Cordero to cause our troops to bt.· at· tacked, should they pass the Rio Oude. Those orders were positively reiterated to fierrara, the actual commanding officer of the Spanish army on the frontiers, and gave rise to the tnany messages which he sent to general vVilkinson when he was advancing with our troops; but finding they were not attended to, he called a council of war on the question to attack or not; wh ·n it was given as their opinion, that they should immediately commence a predatory warfare, but avoid a general engagement .; _,et, notwithstanding. the orders of the viceroy, the com· THROuGH THE JNTEHIUH. PROVINCES, Sec. ~71 mandant gf'ncral, gover~or Cordero's and the opinion of his officers, he had tht firmness (or tetnerity) to enter into the agreement with general Wilkinson, which at present cxi~ts relative to our boundaries on that frontier. On hi ' return he \vas received with coolness by Cordero, and th~..:y both made their communication to their superiors. lJ ntil an answer was reccivec.l, saiJ. Ilerrara " I . ' ~' experienced the most unhappy period of n1y life, con. '' scious I had served my country faithfully, at the s::nne " time I had violated every principle of military duty." At length the answ r arrived, and what was it, but the thanks of the viceroy and the commandant general, for having pointedly disobeyed their orders, with assurances that they would represent his services in exalted t nns to the king. What could have produced this change of sentiment is to me unknown, but the letter was published to the army, and confidence again restored between the two chiefs and the troops. Our company consisted of lieutenant Jn. Echararria, who com1nandcd the escort. Captain Eugene Marchon, of New Orleans, and rather Jose Angel Cabaso, who was bound to the camp at or ncar the Trinity, with a suitable proportion of soldiers. vV e came on 1 (j miles to a place called the Bcson, where we hail ed until the tnulcs caine up. Marched again at four o' clod , and arrived at the river of Guadalupe at eight o'clock at night. Distance SO miles. 14tb June, Sunday.-When we left Saint Antonio, every thing appeared to be in a flourishmg and improving ~'>tate, owing to the examples and encouragement given to mdustry, politeness and civilization by their excellent governor Cordero and his colleague IIen·ara; also the larg<: body of troops maintained at that place in consequence of the difference existing between the United States and Spain. |