“Those in charge of the archives, not having sufficient force, left them, and returned to their homes, reporting that Capt. Joseph Daniels, attached to the Gen'l Land Office, had been shot at several times, but had escaped, leaving his family in Austin. What injury he sustained is unknown. The malcontents also declared to those employed in bringing away the archives, that on their return to Austin, they would put the Com. of the Gen'l Land Office, Col. Thomas Wm. Ward, to death; and further declared that if the Pres't had been taken and given up to them, they would freely have surrendered the archives. They are represented to have been in a state of intoxication.” — Republic President Sam Houston, in a written explanation to Congress about what happened during the Archives War.