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out EDWARDS order of confiscation and deportation.
But the people had all fled - the country and gone over the Sabine river into the United
States (except A. HORTON and Edward TEAL) before the expiration of the time given them, fearing
as they did being robbed plundered and perhaps murdered.
PRATER and his followers did not have long to wait by the roadside, for about 10 o'clock
the Fredonians began to arrive in squads of from ten to twenty, and as fast as they arrived
they were arrested and disarmed, and by noon they were all prisoners. PRATER and his men then
started for Nacogdoches to arrest EDWARDS and the few men he had with him there, but before
reaching that place learned that EDWARDS had.in some way heard of the disconifiture of his ban-
dits, and had fled the country intending to cross the Sabine river at Dick HALEY's ferry, where
Logansport now stands. And thus without the firing a gun or the killing of a man ended what is
known in Texas History as the Fredonian war. The name of every white man who thus came forward
at this crucial time in the affairs of East Texas should be perpetuated in her history, and I
give them below: they were: Colonel Stephen PRATER and his two sons Stephen PRATER Jr, and
Freeman PRATER, Ross BRIDGERS, James BRIDGERS Sr, James BRIDGERS Jr, Peter GALLOWAY, John
McGINNIS and Alexander HORTON.
The self expatriated citizens soon learned of the fate of the Fredonians and the flight of
EDWARDS, and lost no time in returning to their homes, doubtless crestfallen in the knowledge
of the fact that nine white men, one a neighbor boy, and a few Indians had protected their pro-
perty, from which they had precipitately fled, and captured their enemies.
The acts of EDWARDS caused the Mexican government, then under the rule of BUSTAMENT, to
station a strong force at Nacogdoches under Colonel PIEDRAS. This large force of half civilized
Mexicans quartered among them
page 30. gave great offense to the citizens as they as they oftimes were overbearing and in-
sulting. This state of affairs did not last.long. In 1832 a revolution broke out in Mexico
headed by SANTA ANNA against BUSTIMENTE, who was then president, and who having ignored the
Constitution of 1824, was governing with absolute power.
SANTA ANNA espoused the cause of the people, declared for the Constitution of 1824, and
thus a full fledged revolution was precipitated. Colonel PIEDRAS naturally sided with the govern-
ment, and the colonists, who were from the United States and who loved law and order, and des-
pised everything that savored of oppression, just as naturally took sides with SANTA ANNA, and
not knowing what moment PIEDRAS would turn loose his myrmidons upon them, and perhaps still
feeling a tinge of shame over their shameful flight and abondonment of their homes but a few years
previous, determined on their course and acted promptly.
The settlers rose en masse and electing James W BULLOCH to lead them,took up the march for
Nacogdoches. Reaching the hill overlooking the town and about one mile east of Nacogdoches, they
found the Mexican army,
page 31. several hundred strong and commanded by Colonel PIEDRAS, drawn up in line of battle
awaiting them, and the battle at once began. The Americans though far less in numbers were fron-
tiersmen, accustomed to the use of the old Kentucky rifle, and their cool, calculating and un-
erring aim soon demoralized the Mexicans and sent them scurrying in full retreat back to town.
The Americans followed keeping up a desultory fight until they reached the outskirts of the
town, where a house to house fight continued until darkness put an end to the days proceedings.
When day dawned the Americans found that PIEDRAS had evacuated and was in full retreat. BULLOCH
and his men took up the pursuit with all possible dispatch, and being less encumbered overtook
him at the Angelina river, where after a short skirmish PIEDRAS surrendered with his entire army
several hundred strong. The Mexicans were disarmed and sent under a small guard to San Antonio,
and turned over to the Mexican general commanding at the place under SANTA ANNA.
Perhaps the American colonists little dreamed that
page 32. the assistance they were then rendering SANTA ANNA would be requited by acts of tyran-
ny and oppression, and in four short years they would have to face him at the Alamo, Goliad and
San Jacinto.
(Here follow letters of T. S. McFARLAND and Sam HOUSTON - copied in another place)
page 34. After the fight at Nacogdoches in which the Mexican forces were defeated and finally
captured on the Angelina River, Alexander HORTON then a young man twenty one years old returned
to his mother's home and again took upon himself the cares of the little
page 35. farm and such other duties as might be incumbent upon him in guarding the welfare of
his younger brothers and sisters.
In 1833 the town of San Augustine was laid off by William McFARLAND* and being a good
locality and the first town after crossing from Louisiana settled up rapidly and with very many
* undesirable citizens. Texas being at that time a part of Mexico and no extradition laws exist-
ing between the governments, and disreputable person, thief, murderer, or what not, who succeeded
in getting over the Sabine river into Texas, was safe.*
*Thomas S. McFARLAND
*The conditions described here antedated the establishment of the town, and prevailed in the
lands along the Sabine river in Shelby and Sabine counties then a District of Aies. HORTON was
Sheriff from 1830 to 1834, and did his best work before the town was built. G. L. C.
The Quarterly - March 1981
293