The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904 Page: 25

The Mejia Empedition.

officers and troop have resolved to sustain the government, the con-
stitution, and the laws to which they have pledged themselves, and
will not declare against them." This action greatly exasperated
the American settlers, and "the residents of the different districts
of Ayish, Taja,' Sabine, Bevil, and Nacogdoches" convened on the
next day, August 2, and adopted the appended articles:-
"Art. 1. That we pledge ourselves to our country and to each
other in the presence of Almighty God, with all the justifiable
means at our command, and under the banners of Santa Anna to
defend the constitution and the federal-republican principles and
the rights of the States-
"Art.' 2. We consider that Sefior Piedras ought to be required
to approve the cause of the worthy Santa Anna," and, should he
refuse, he shall be relieved of his command.
Art. 3 provided that in case Piedras should offer resistance, a
committee would demand that he turn over the troops to some
officer inclined toward Santa Anna, and, if he refused, he would
be forced to do so by means of arms.2
The colonel very naturally would not consider the above orders,
and hence it became essential to resort to arms. After a battle,
lasting some six hours, the "ministerial" forces were obliged to
retreat, which they did during the night of August 2 and in the
direction of the Angelina rivers
Some time on August 3, Piedras resigned the command of his
soldiers, and on August 4, there was a meeting of the officers of
the twelfth battalion at the Rancho de la Angelina where all sanc-
tioned the plan of Vera Cruz. They invited their former colonel
to join the republicans and regain his old position, and agreed to
a provision that in case he did not accede, he was to be arrested and
sent on to Mexico, a political prisoner.'
The Anglo-American forces at Nacogdoches, on August 6 ratified
the step taken at Angelina on the 4th, and on the 14th of the same
month, the ayuntamiento of Nacogdoches, after relating the series
of happenings which led up to the expulsion of Piedras, observed
1For Tenaha.-EDITOR QUARTERLY.
2Proceedings of ayuntamiento of Nacogdoches, Aug. 6, 1832. Nacogdoches
Archives, box 1, no. 14.
'Austin to Musquiz, Aug. 15, 1832. Nacogdoches Archives, box 1, no. 16.
'Proceedings of ayuntamiento of Nacogdoches, Aug. 6, 1832. Nacogdoches
Archives, box 1, no. 14.