the North.  Large flocks are seen flying over, but in very militia-like style.  They have not yet got drilled into a regular echellon form of march.

Conrad today introduced a series of resolutions, giving large land bounties to the volunteers.  (See the document itself.)  It will doubtless succeed in some shape, for the military interest has a great ascendancy in this body.  It is necessary to conciliate the military, and scarcely anything that they can ask will be refused.  They know the country will have to be defended by volunteers from the United States, and they therefore will bid high for them.[18]

Tuesday, March 15, 1836

This morning Lieuts. Teal and Snell, with between thirty and forty men, recruited at Nacogdoches, arrived on their march to the army.[19]  They were drawn up before the Convention house.  Collinsworth, as chairman of the Military Committee, addressed and welcomed them to the capital.  They were also addressed by Carson and Rusk, in warm and animated terms, and the celebrated  Norton, who, some years ago, gave rise to the term Nortonized, in connection with a post office appointment, addressed them in a bombastic style.  He is figuring here as a Texean patriot, but has not much consideration.[20]  Lieut. Teal was, by resolution of the Convention, appointed a Captain, and he and Snell both invited to a seat in the Convention.

In the afternoon, while the Convention was sitting, a Mr. Ainsworth, from Columbia, arrived and brought news that an express had arrived below, with the intelligence that an attack had been made on the Alamo, which was repulsed with great loss to the enemy.  The rumour was doubted, on account of the circuitous route by which it came.  All hoped it true, but many feared the worst.  In half an hour after an express was received from General Houston, bringing the sad intelligence of the fall of the Alamo, on the morning of the 6th.  His letters were dated on the 11th and 13th.  And a letter from John Seguin, at Gonzales, to Ruis and Navarro, brought the same account.  Still some did, or affected to, disbelieve it.  (For a detailed account, see letter to Blackford.)

The Convention adjourned until tomorrow at 9 o'clock, but met again after supper, spontaneously, and went earnestly to work on the Constitution.  A motion was made to organize a provisional government, which was laid over till tomorrow.

Wrote to W. M. B.

Wednesday, March 16, 1836

A Dr. Southerland arrived this morning from Gonzales, who puts the intelligence of the fall of the Alamo beyond a doubt.

The land question came up in Convention this morning, and created much