518 RINGGOLD BARRACKS 
all the government property, and appropriating the 
proceeds to the pay of the men, and to enabling the. 
officers to reach their homes. Such a course would 
have been adopted by most officers placed in my posi- 
tion; but I was willing to submit to inconveniences 
if the laboring men could be relieved. 
I determined, therefore, to divide the money in my 
possession among the officers, as far as it would go, to 
meet the expense of reaching their homes. It was 
enough for about one half. I then directed the quar- 
ter-master and commissary, Mr. George Thurber, to 
take the entire train of animals and wagons (including 
those used by Major Emory and his parties), together 
with all the public property, except the instruments, 
and proceed with the same to San Antonio. That 
place was a convenient point from which the survey 
could again be resumed whenever it would be the 
pleasure of Congress to order it; and it was a place 
where the animals could be kept at the least expense. 
Talso desired Mr. Thurber to reserve twelve of the 
best wagons, one hundred mules, and a portion of the | 
equipments and camp equipage, and to sell the re 
mainder at public auction, and apply the proceeds to 
the payment ofthe men. And I further directed him to 
make arrangements with some mercantile house in San 
Antonio to advance the sum necessary to pay off the 
laboring men and teamsters, as well as to enable the 
remaining officers to return to their homes, and to 
draw on me at Washington for the same.* The instru- 
* The train continued to Corpus Christi; after which Mr. Thur- 
ber proceeded to San Antonio, as directed. He there raised the 
