The Texas Almanac for 1873, and Emigrant's Guide to Texas Page: 75
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IFARLY HISTORY OF AINAfUAC. 'b
could make my escape, which I was determined to do at all hazards. Just at
this time, we saw a man coming down the road under whip and spur, and
galloping up to where we were, threw off his hat and cried out, " Americana
mucher, Americana mucher !" which produced great excitement and confu-
sion with the Colonel and his men. I remarked to the Colonel, "Have your
carts and drays brought and hurry off these carriages to the fort." In a few
moments the news was spread "the Americans are coming!" The women
and children were running from house to house, expecting a battle immme-
diately. I stepped over to Dr. Labadie's house and tied up about the bulk of
a shirt apiece for myself and the young men, in my handkerchief, and
returned, saying to the boys, "We don't know how long them scoundrel
Americans may keep us in the fort, so we had better put on a clean shirt, and
as the house is full of ladies we had better step into those bushes and change
our shirts while they are loading the carts." We fitted the actions to the
words and went for the bushes, though expecting the Colonel to forbid our
going, but he did not. As soon as we got into the bushes, instead of chang-
ing our shirts, we changed our base in double-quick and succeeded in getting
under the bluff of the bay, where we were safe from his cavalry, which was
all I dreaded; but they were soon after us, firing their escopetas, but we suc-
ceeeded in making a point of the timber above on the bay, where we were
safe, and following up the edge of the timber, near which the road ran, we
soon met Jack and his company coming down. We fell in with them and
returned, When we got back all the Mexicans had gone down to the fort,
which was at the lower end of the town. At the upper end of the town was
a row of cortels, or soldier's houses, but they had all gone to the fort and our
company took possession.
This was the 10th day of June. All was quiet through the day, but all
that night there was heavy pounding in the fort.
On Monday morning, Col. Wiley Martin, Frank Johnston, Warren D. C.
Hall, John Austin and three-legged Willie were holding a council and sent
for me to come to them, and said to me, "There has been some heavy work
going on in the fort last night and you are better acquainted with it than any
of us, and we want to know if you will select a few men you can rely upon
and slip up to the fort, under cover of the bluff, and make what discoveries
you can. Then, if you think proper, you can fire upon them and try to draw
them out, and we will meet you and give them a fight." I remarked to them
that I knew what the pounding meant, that they were trying to put their
gun-carriages together, but that they need not be afraid of them; that I
would take some men, however, and go and see what I could.
Now, the fort stood back some 12 or 15 paces from the top of the bluff and
in front of the gate was an inclined plane, dug down to the water's edge, and
between the foot of the bluff and the water was a flat 60 to 80 yards wide,
skirted by a thicket of cedars and rattan vines, which was very thick. So I
made a selection of ten men, some of whom I knew and others I thought not
very bashful, and started. When we got about half way down we halted
and I went up to the top of the bluff to look out. I saw that the cavalry was
mounted but not in motion, so I concluded to leave six of the boys there, so
that if we were discovered and an attempt made to cut us off they could cover
our retreat. After posting them on the bluff, the other five of us proceeded
on to the fort. After leaving them some 150 yards they began to hallo and
motion to us with their hands and, whilst looking back to learn what they
meant, we were fired on from the top of the bluff. Our men had discovered
the picket guard preparing to fire on us and were trying to notify us. One of
their balls cut me across the shoulder. I knew that we could run to the fort
as quick as they could and get a shot and dodge into the brush. So we did
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The Texas Almanac for 1873, and Emigrant's Guide to Texas, book, 1873~; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123778/m1/77/: accessed April 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.