The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 5, July 1901 - April, 1902 Page: 87
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Reminiscences of Sion R. Bostick. 87
rod, and spoil the child." As he did not want to spoil the wild
frontier boys, he never spared the rod; but he made us toe a mark,
behave ourselves, and learn our lessons.
My school days soon ended. In 1835 the colonists began to be
alarmed at the violations of their rights as colonists. As regards
the causes, I was too young to understand them. The Mexicans
came down to Gonzales about two hundred1 strong to take a small
cannon that had been left there. There were about one hundred
Texans there, and we resisted. After a volley or two, in which a
few were wounded, but none killed,8 the Mexicans went back to San
Antonio, and they did not preserve good order in that retreat.
The rumors of war swept over the country, and the volunteers
came in until several hundred had got together. I became a
soldier, and joined Captain Splann's company. Stephen F. Austin
was in command4 of the troops that had gathered there, and Colonel
Travis was with them.
The forces were divided." The advance guard, or first detach-
ment, had been attacked by soldiers from the Alamo at Concepcion,
and the Mexicans had been defeated when the force to which I
belonged joined the first detachment.
'Authorities vary greatly as to the number of the Mexican troops (cav-
alry). The estimates run from twenty-five by Linn (Reminiscences, 107)
to three hundred by "An Old Soldier" (Texas Almanac for 1861, 61).
The weight of evidence is to the effect that there were not more than two
hundred, and probably much less.
'Probably a few more.
'David B. Malcomb says, in a letter written from Gonzales a few days
after the battle: "It is believed that one or two Mexicans were wounded
or killed by the advance guard at the first onset, and a very considerable
number killed and wounded by the discharge of the cannon (Foote's Texas
and the Texans, II 101). "An Old Soldier" says the Mexicans took their
killed and wounded with them (Texas Almanac for 1861, 62), while Brown
(History of Texas, I 350) says they left four dead on the field. The
Texans lost not a man.
'Stephen F. Austin arrived at Gonzales about noon, October 11, and
was elected commander-in-chief the same afternoon (Comp. Hist., I 540).
"October 27.
"October 28.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 5, July 1901 - April, 1902, periodical, 1902; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101021/m1/93/?rotate=270: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.