The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963 Page: 472

Southwestern Historical Quarterly

making in all about one-third of their available force, with their
cannon, baggage, tents and one thousand stand of arms.
CHAPTER VII127
CONTENTS-The Americans relapse into a state of indolence-
arrival of Gen Toledo-Bernardo incensed-organization of Mexican
infantry-Arrendondo marched upon San Antonio-The Americans
march out to meet the enemy-attack on the advance guard-Man-
chaca threatens to abandon the Americans-Toledo orders the Amer-
icans to advance-hardships of the Mexicans.
The Americans might have cut up their whole army, but they felt
grateful to Providence for the victory and were not disposed to pursue
so brave and magnanimous a foe. They returned to town with their
killed and wounded; leaving the spoil and wounded spaniards to the
supervision and care of the Mexicans; and a number of them died
for the want of proper care and medical aid. The warm season having
fairly set in, the Americans became indolent neglecting their accus-
tomed military exercises,'28 having nothing to amuse them but an
occasional game of cards or a Spanish fandango, having no news or
intercourse with the United States, except by an occasional straggler,
that would venture out to see the world's wonder-a handful of men
lording it over a province of Spain.
They were aroused from their inaction about the middle of July
by the arrival of Gen. Toledo,129 with his aid Capt Bullard's3 who
'27This installment appears in the San Antonio Tri-Weekly Alamo Express, Feb-
ruary g19, 1861.
128Bullard says that after the taking of San Antonio there was a relaxation of
discipline and the appearance of a spirit of insubordination among the Americans.
Volunteers began to absent themselves, no adequate preparations were made to repel
any new attack, and the defeat of Elisondo only served to increase the over-con-
fidence. In a letter to Shaler, Bullard says, "The generals whole time is employed
in lolling on his sofa and catching flies. He does not know the number of his
forces nor in fact any part of the business. In the last battle he kept himself in the
rear and his wife had a large guard far in the rear with the mules and other
Lumber." Bullard to Shaler, included with Shaler to Monroe, July 14, 1813,
Shaler Papers.
xe9Jos6 Alvarez de Toledo y Dubois, born in Havana, Cuba, was the son of a
minor royalist official. He served as a midshipman in the Spanish navy and as
aide-de-camp to General Blake of the British army during the retreat of Sir John
Moore to Corufia. He took a seat in the Spanish Cortes as a member for the
Spanish part of Santo Domingo but was detected in correspondence with the
government of that island in which he advocated independence for Spanish
America. He had to flee the country with the aid of the American consul, arriving
in Philadelphia in 1812. He carried a letter from the liberal members of the
Cortes authorizing him to take command of any forces in revolt against Spanish
rule and to draw on Cadiz for any necessary funds. In Washington he met Gutier-
rez who described Toledo as "a man of great talents, passionately devoted to the

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