The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920 Page: 133
319 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Somervell Expedition to the Rio Grande, 1842
rather a suspicious position, having been marked out for us by
Mexicans. The ground on which we stood was an inclined plain
or gentle slope, perfectly barren and destitute of timber either
for firewood or protection in case of attack,-only a few random
bushes growing here and there. The Salado, a small river, flowed
immediately in front of us, and on its bank the articles demanded
of the Mexicans had been deposited. Beyond this stream and not
more than two hundred yards from where we stood, and imme-
diately in front of us, lay a range of hills, from which we could
have been swept by artillery in every direction, without any pos-
sibility of our replying as the river was not fordable. Indeed,
the whole position appeared so suspicious that the General declined
occupying it and moved us some three hundred yards farther up
the river, where we were somewhat protected by a rising knoll
and numerous ravines and gullies in the ground. It had rained
incessantly all the evening, and it had been dark for some time
before we reached this ground. We here encamped and bivouac
was most dreary. We had no chance to stretch our tents and lay
upon the wet, cold ground with the rain falling upon us in torrents.
The next morning [December 16] the rain still continued, and
the General concluded to march us back to the river where we
had crossed it. The articles delivered to us, having in the mean-
time been distributed. They were found to be but a shabby com-
pliance with the requisition, consisting mostly of old, worn out
things (many of the men were nearly destitute of clothing, there-
fore these articles had been demanded) and the one hundred
horses required had not been brought in. We proceeded from this
place back to the river, and immediately commenced recrossing,
and by the night of the next day [December 17], the whole army,
save Hays' company and ours had been transported to the opposite
shore. The morning after this [December 18], as our companies
came down to cross, we were hailed by Adjutant General Hemphill,
who bore an order from General Somervell for our companies to
move upon Guerrero, and in lieu of the one hundred horses they
had promised to furnish, to demand five thousand dollars to be at
once paid down. In default of their producing this sum, the Gen-
eral stated, in his communication to the Alcalde, that he should
hold himself in readiness to march on the place with five hundred
men. In compliance with this order, we immediately moved to-133
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920, periodical, 1920; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101075/m1/139/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.