he was bound to execute? No! and his reply to the alcalde was so ridiculous we forbear to name it. It was urged upon those in his confidence that still a brilliant opportunity was left him of doing a signal service; that his force was sufficient to occupy the river with the boats, while another portion could go down the river by land, and by thus acting in concert, occupying either or both sides at pleasure, the whole valley must necessarily submit; and with such choice of positions, his force would be more than equal to any enemy on the river. But no; home was the [66] word! and after giving his personal friends items of his intention, thereby allowing them opportunity of collecting mules, horses, mares, and colts, which they profited by, "home! march!" was the order. To secure a ready acquiescence on the part of the men to this order, General Somerville had, the night previous, ordered the fleet of boats to be sunk; but others, to whom the order had been given, knowing that his object was to destroy all means of operating against the enemy, and thereby force a compliance to his "home orders," moved the boats some miles below, and the general absolutely believed that the boats had been sunk until just before he started, when he was told that not one half of the men would follow him any longer; that he, and all who chose so to do, might go home, while the remainder would stay and fight the enemy. The general started home with two hundred and odd men, including his extensive staff, numerous enough for a field-marshal of France, while he left behind him three hundred and four men to do the fighting.12

The march he had now to accomplish to Bexar was far more difficult than the one which had occupied him seventeen days to Laredo, in which he had used more than three hundred beeves; and though there were an immense number of beeves, sheep, and goats in the immediate neighbourhood of the camp, yet this difficult march was undertaken, as I have been informed, without his collecting any, trusting to the precarious chances of killing [67] a wild cow or such game as good fortune might throw in his way. The consequence was, his whole command came near starving, many reaching home on foot, having to leave their horses broken down and bogged, the general's among the rest.13

Upon General Somerville's arrival at home, he made an official communication to the war department of his doings upon the Rio Grande, which he closed by saying that, "having been eleven days upon the Rio Grande, he thought it imprudent to remain longer, as the enemy might concentrate." All the circumstances of this disgraceful flight home, and without rations, proved that in this declaration he was sincere.14

We have many instances in the history of war of generals flying from their men during the rage of battle, when blood and death is calculated to terrify and unnerve; and we have instances of men running off and leaving their generals in the field; but this is the first instance of which we have any recollection of a general going home when in the immediate neighbourhood of the enemy, and