The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963 Page: 247

Notes and Documents

247

the said Mexican.@5 Making all possible haste, they arrived at La
Bahia on the 7th of November," about io o'clock at night, and
found a garrison of about two hundred men, who surrendered on
the first summons, and who, with an equal number of citizens, joined
the Americans."@ They manifested great zeal for the Republican
cause, vowing an eternal hatred to the whole Guachepen race."6
The Americans found neither cannon nor a military chest in the
fort, see Yoakum,7 but they found a good supply of ammunition for
small arms and an ample supply of corn in the neighborhood, which
they collected and stored in the fort. They also took charge of a
month's supply of beeves and a large caballada58 of horses and mules
belonging to the Guatchepens, who had abandoned the place on
their arrival. About ten days after they entered the fort, Salcedo
arrived with a large force and his three cannon,9 forming his army
church, one building a hundred feet long for quarters, and a guard house. When
the Republicans arrived, they built "parietines" (walls), across the ends of the
streets. [Henry Adams Bullard], Book Review, North American Review, XLII, 235;
Bethel Coopwood, "Notes on the History of La Bahia del Espiritu Santo,"
Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, II, 167; Magee to Shaler, copy
included with Shaler to Monroe, November 29, 1812, Shaler Papers; Castafieda,
Catholic Heritage, II, 185-188, III, 177-180.
53This man was a spy or a scout who, when caught, told all he knew. Information
derived from John Villars, in Gulick and others, Lamar Papers, VI, 146.
54Gutierrez verifies this date though Hall gives it as the first or second of the
month and Menchaca says it was November 26, 1812. Gutierrez to Shaler, November
25, 1812, copy included with Shaler to Monroe, December 25, 1812, Shaler Papers;
[c. 1850o? W. D. C.?] Hall. The Mexican War of Independence in Texas, 1812-1813,
in Gulick and others, Lamar Papers, IV, Pt. 1, 278; "Revolution in Texas in 1812,"
from notes furnished by Colonel W. D. C. Hall, Texas Almanac, z86z (Galveston,
1860), 71; Antonio Menchaca, Memoirs (San Antonio, 1937), 14.
"5Yoakum gives the garrison as 16o men and Villars says there were no soldiers.
This is probably accounted for by the difference between soldiers of the regular
army and the militia. Henderson Yoakum, History of Texas (2 vols.; New York,
1855), I, 163; Information derived from John Villars, in Gulick and others, Lamar
Papers, VI, 146.
56"Gachupin"-historically a newcomer in the land, a greenhorn-usually used
in a context such as that which elicited Owen Wister's renowned line, "When you
call me that smile." Diccionario de Mejicanismos (Mejico, 1959), 541.
57Yoakum says they found an abundance of military stores, the Spanish military
chest, and sixteen pieces of cannon of all calibers. Yoakum, History of Texas, I, 163.
as"Caballada"-a stud of horses, particularly the herd of the army. Diccionario
de Mejicanismos, 161.
s5There is considerable variance in reports of the command structure and
diposition of the Spanish army. Villars says that Salcedo camped on the Bexar
road; Simon Herrera, in the mission; and Domingues, on the south side. Hall says
the eastern division was under Colonel Ignacio Perez, the western under Harara
(Herrera) and the northwestern, in the mission, under Colonel Montura. Yoakum
says that the Spaniards arrived three days after the Americans, and Davenport says
six. Information derived from John Villars, in Gulick and others, Lamar
Papers, VI, 147; Hall, The Mexican War of Independence in Texas, 1812-1813, ibid.,
IV, Pt. 1, 278; Yoakum, History of Texas, I, 163; Davenport to Shaler, included with
Shaler to Monroe, December 25, 1812, Shaler Papers.