The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910 Page: 287
341 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Reminiscences of the Texas Revolution.
287
On the following day the enemy appeared in force at the same
place, and orders were given by Colonel Fannin to bake bread suf-
ficient for several days, and carry dried beef sufficient for the same
length of time. The guns were taken down from the bastions, and
orders were also given to be ready to march before daylight in the
morning. From cause unknown to me, we did not evacuate the
fort until between 8 and 9 o'clock next morning. We marched
down the river and crossed at a ford below, which was effected
without difficulty. Our object in crossing at the lower instead of
the upper ford in front of the Old Mission, was to avoid, if pos-
sible, an action with the enemy (he outnumbering us at least six
to one), and to get into the interior of Texas and join Houston's
army. We continued our march until we crossed a creek called
Manawee [Manahuilla], distant from the crossing about three
miles. We traveled slowly, our cannon and baggage wagons being
drawn by oxen. A halt was called and we ate some breakfast.
After breakfast, the march was continued; nothing new trans-
piring until about half past twelve o'clock; the Mexican army was
then descried on our left and rear; their cavalry approached us
rapidly, seemingly with the intention of cutting us off from the
timber of the Colet creek; they fired a few shots at us, when Colo-
nel Fannin exclaimed (I was standing close by him at the time),
"that's the signal for battle; I won't retreat another foot." We
then unlimbered our pieces, being six in number, formed ourselves
into a hollow square, placing the baggage wagons, hospital wagon
and magazine in the centre; we remained in this position five or
ten minutes, when Colonel Fannin, seeing clearly the main object
of the enemy was to cut us off from the timber, ordered us to limber
up again and continue the march. We left the road, marching in
an oblique direction to the left toward the nearest timber; when
within as well as I can recollect, three-quarters or one mile of the
timber, the enemy's infantry overtook us and we were obliged to
halt. We formed as previously, our little force then not number-
ing more than 311 men, maintained an action from half past one
o'clock, P. i1., and fought until near dark, when the enemy re-
treated, leaving twenty-five of us killed and wounded. I had
been shot in the right leg at about halt past three in the afternoon.
Our real trouble commenced after the retreat of the enemy, and
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910, periodical, 1910; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101051/m1/313/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.