Disaster in Rio Grande Valley 67 



the garrison of Fort Ringgold having been refused 

 us by Major La Motte. 



March l8th. Today Harrison died of cholera 

 after about twelve hours sickness, and I lost his 

 assistance, which had been most valuable, and for a 

 time that of Simson, who was well nigh crazy at 

 the death of his friend, and who was besides com- 

 pletely under the influence of cholera, having been 

 in the air of the malady nearly a week. The next 

 day he was up again, his strong constitution, 

 and still stronger mind, aiding his recovery, 

 and again I had his services, given with his 

 whole heart. 



Today we told White, the man we held prisoner, 

 that we were so enraged that we intended to hang 

 him that night, or have the money back. When 

 the sun was about an hour high, he said if we would 

 let him go, he would tell where he had hid the 

 money; we promised that if he recovered the 

 money he might get away. At dusk we went with 

 him to find it, but his accomplice had been ahead 

 of him; never shall I forget his tone of despair, 

 when on removing some brush and briars by a 

 large cactus he exclaimed, "My God, it's gone." 

 Accustomed to the summary way of judging and 

 executing delinquents in Texas, he thought our 

 next move would be to hang him. He swore by 

 his God, his Saviour, and all that men held sacred, 

 that that was where he had left the money, and 



