“This army’s figuring too close,” blurted Sion. “We’ve hung ’round here so long that we’ve talked ourselves tired, and some of our best men have gone home.”
“It’s pretty tough on General Austin,” proposed Ernest. “He’s about sick over it――and he was sick anyway.”
“That’s so,” agreed they all. “First we were sore because he wouldn’t let us attack Bejar, and now we won’t attack it when he tells us to!”
“He’ll have to leave us, anyway, and go to the United States,” remarked Leo. “Expect he’d like to have finished this job first, though.”
This day a council of war was held, and was reported to have about decided that if Bejar did not surrender before winter set in, the army ought to be moved into winter quarters at Goliad, where there were provisions and shelter. The next day, which was the 24th, a general parade was ordered, at which General Austin made a farewell address. He said that he was required by the Texas government to leave at once, and visit the United States, to raise money for the Texan cause. But he requested that his going should make no difference in the plans against Bejar; he hoped that the army would stay right there, and press the siege hard, until General Cos either surrendered or else was so weakened that a short attack would end matters in a hurry.
He complained or scolded not by a word or gesture, did General Austin, and the troops showed their love for him by volleys of cheers.
When he had finished, Adjutant-General Johnson called for all those men who would pledge themselves to stay before Bejar until it was taken to step forward. Forward stepped, at once, more than half the army: Jim and Ernest, side by side, and Dick Carroll and almost all the Gonzales and Colorado men; the Brazos companies; and over in the First Division Sion, too (as Ernest wagered with himself), among the others.
Colonel Burleson was immediately elected commander to succeed General Austin. On the morning after the parade and the farewell address General Austin left for his home in San Felipe; thence to report to Governor Smith and proceed with the two other commissioners to the United States.
Everybody had confidence in General Burleson, and he had been unanimously elected. But now the army did not seem to know what they would like. Things were at sixes and sevens. Some of the men still wanted to storm Bejar; others wanted to wait; others wanted to go home until the regulars were organized. Even the volunteers from the United States were dissatisfied, and claimed that Texas had called them in under false pretences――they had been promised fighting and glory, and they were getting nothing of the kind.