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ground on which we are encamped is a ploughed field, and is not so good for walking as the shell bank of Corpus Christi, but we have abundance of wood at hand, and a fine river of running water at our feet.
The country immediately on the banks of the river is beautiful, and fully equal in fertility to the banks of the Mississippi; but the one hundred and seventy miles between Corpus Christi and this point was the most miserable desert, without wood or water, that I ever saw described, and perfectly unfit for the habitation of man, except on the banks of a few little streams we crossed.
As you may well imagine, we are in a good deal of excitement here, and thousands of rumors of the most exaggerated and improbable nature are constantly flying through the camp, some originating with the Mexicans themselves, who send people over here to tell us all sorts of stories of what they are going to do, magnifying their force, and power; others, again, are set afloat by wags in the camp to hoax their friends and see how a story will increase by being transmitted from one to the other.
The mischief is that all these reports get into the newspapers, through letter-writers and others, and unless you are on your guard and prepare your people they will be in a constant state of alarm.
Therefore do not believe anything.
As long as I can handle a pen I shall write you, and write you the truth, to the best of my belief and judgment; and if anything happens to me I shall make arrangements for you to hear of it immediately.
Do not therefore mistake silence for a misfortune.
camp opposite Matamoras, April 13, 1846.
I wrote you a few lines on the 9th instant.
Since then nothing has occurred to interrupt the state of peaceable non-intercourse which existed up to that moment between the Mexicans and ourselves.
Yesterday, however, a communication was received by General Taylor from General Ampudia, who arrived at Matamoras the day before with an accession of force and took the command of the Mexican Army.
General Ampudia states in his letter that he is instructed by his Government to summon General Taylor to retire with his forces beyond the river Nueces (that is to say go back one hundred and seventy miles, from whence we came), and that if he failed to commence the movement within twenty-four hours, war would be the inevitable result.
Of course General Taylor replied he had no discretion in the matter.
He was ordered here by his Government, in a peaceable manner, and here he should remain, let the 