Plummer Papers

To Grandmother From Francis

March 25th 1842
New Orleans

Dear Grandmother

I wrote to you the other day informing you of my arrival here and that I left Texas with the intention of bringing you all to Father but the same day that I arrived here the New York brought the news that Texas was invaded by 15000 Mexicans & that they had taken San Antonio & Goliad. I then determined to await until the next news to decide whether I should return immediately and join the army. On the arrival of the Neptune we got the news that the Mexican army of invasion consisted of 700 hundred men who having ???? San Antonio had plundered and evacuated it & were marching slowly towards the Rio Grande. I then determined to come on & see you at least if not to bring you to Texas, & had everything ready to start on ??? New Albany tomorrow, but last night there came a steam boat express from Galveston bring the news that there is an army of 2000 men seen 15 miles west of the Nueces on the lower road coming though Victoria also that there is an army of 12000 on the upper passing through San Antonio so that it seems that the 2000 men were retreating to the main army and now you see the necessity of my returning without seeing you. For we shall have some hard fighting very soon & every Texan should lend a hand.

I shall leave tomorrow on the Neptune and join Father as soon as possible, do not be uneasy about him as he had sufficient notice of things coming to get out of the way I suppose is now with the main army I shall try to get him to come and see you but I don't believe he will leave before the war is over and our independence acknowledged which may be some time.

Uncle will come and see you soon & bring you to some place that he can be with you and we can hear from you often he received a letter from Sophia the other day. I was very glad to hear that you are well. I send you some jewelry for sisters by the New Albany also some money as Uncle says he will be able to collect some today & he leaves tomorrow if not will send by mail. Father was in excellent health when I left him but very uneasy about you for it was a long time since we had heard either from Uncle or you we both wrote repeatedly but Uncle says he has never received letter from either of us I suppose you have never received one.

We have undergone every description hardship in Texas waiting for better times & had almost determined to leave the country for good but now there is a crisis at hand we either hold it as an independent nation or have to leave for my part I think there can be no doubt of the results against Mexicans all we want is ammunition & provisions & if some of your rich planters would shell out liberally I hope to be one who will plant our flag on the Rio Grande if no t a good deal further west before 1840 tell Pike Cocknell now is the time for him to show himself if he will only raise a company & I have no doubt but there are numbers of young men about Tuscumdria who are anxious for adventure let them but come to Texas I promise them just as much as they can hack Tell Pike not to desert us in the eleventh hour for he knows what we want & how to help us & not to forget the banks of old Caney tell sisters to improve their time as much as possible read write and keep a neat house or take care of Joe tell him I shall send him something that will please him & to be a good boy attend to his lessons if he wants ??? to love him. Tell sisters to see that he reads & spells ??? and not let him run wild. I shall write to sisters this evening or tomorrow morning if I am not busy in acquiring myself to start.

I am very sorry indeed that the confounded Mexicans did not delay there invasion until I could come to see you at least, but I will try and make them pay for it any how

God Bless you all
Your affectionate grandson
Francis W. Plummer

Contributed by Sylvi