The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905 Page: 155
xiii, 358 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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De Witt's Colony.
by Rev. W. P. Smith, a Methodist preacher from Rutersville.1
They then marched up the river, and at about four o'clock In the
morning formed for action. The mounted men were placed in
front of the cannon; on either side was a detachment of footmen
accompanied by flankers on the right and left. A small guard
brought up the rear. In this order they marched silently to the
place they intended to occupy. Just as they reached it the Texan
advance guard was fired upon by the Mexican pickets, and one
man was slightly wounded. The Mexicans at once formed. The
two columns of Texan footmen deployed into line with the horse-
men on the extreme right and the cannon in the center. A dense
fog made it difficult for either side to move with advantage, and
the Texans therefore kept their places until daylight. The Mex-
icans occupied a commanding position on a slight eminence. As
soon as it was light enough, the Texans advanced into the open
prairie until within three hundred and fifty yards of the Mexi-
cans, and opened fire. The Mexicans retreated, and then proposed
a parley.
By this time the fog had lifted, and Colonel Moore and Lieu-
tenant Castafieda advanced to meet each other in full view of the
opposing forces. Castafieda asked why the Mexicans had been
attacked. Colonel Moore replied that they had demanded a can-
non that the colonists had been given for their own defense and
that of the constitution, and had threatened to use force in case it
was refused; that Castafieda was acting under orders from Santa
Annta, an enemy of the constitution and laws of the country; and
that the Texans were determined to fight for this constitution.
Castafieda replied that he and two-thirds of the Mexicans were
republicans, and that he was still an officer of the Federal govern-
ment, which, however, had undergone considerable change; that,
since the majority of the states had decided upon the change,
Texas, too, must submit to it; that it was not his intention to fight
the Anglo-Americans; that his instructions were simply to demand
the cannon, and, if it were refused, to await further orders. Col-
onel Moore then asked that he either surrender with all his troops,
or join the Texans-in which event he would be allowed to retain
his rank, pay, and emoluments,-or fight immediately. Casta-
fieda replied that he must obey orders. Thus the interview ended.
The Texans again opened fire, and the Mexicans almost imme-
diately threw aside all unnecessary incumbrances, and turned and
fled. The people who were anxiously awaiting in Gonzales the
result of the skirmish told afterwards that in the early morning
1 THE QUARTERLY, II 316.155
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905, periodical, 1905; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101033/m1/157/?rotate=270: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.