FE}lso-NAL lVIENibffis

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ILHR YEAR 1834 

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SAN :ANTONI 

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PRINTED .AT Tml !.EDGER BOOK .AND JO~" 0"F1fOE. 

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PREFACE~ 

~--~..ei~"91.........-:w--



A native of tlie City of San Antonio ~J Bexar, I embraced 
the ca.u ·e of Texas at the report of the first cannon 

which foretold her liberty ; filled an honorable situation m 
the ranks of the conquerors of;+Jan Jacinto, and 'wRs a 
'mE'mber ;f the legislative body' f the Republic. · J IJ.ow 
fiI1d myself, in the very fond, which in other times bestow~d 
on me r-uch bright and repeated evidences of trust and 
e~· ~em, exposed to the attacks brscribblers and personal 
enemies, who, to serve political 7mrposes, ·and engender 

n·ife, faisify histt.~ricul facts, with: ;vliich they are but im


p. ·rfoctl acquainted. I owe it to myself, my children and 
friar:ds, to answer·them with a short, but true exposition 
of .uy act.s, from the f>eginning of my public career, to the 
time of the return of General Woli from the Rio Grande., 
. with 
/ 
th0 Mexican forces, which : was then 
::)enri_pg. 

ple iawctuous, as th~ whirlwinu, when arQused by the hyp


ocritical clamors of clesigi;iing' men, but just, ii.up.m·tfal and 

composed, wheneYc · men and facts are submitted to their 

judgment. · ' 

I have been the object of the hatred and pussl.onate 

attacks df some few disorgtmisers, who, for a time, ruled1 

as masters, over the poor and oppressed population of San 

Anto12io. Harpy-like, ready to pounce on every thirig that 

attracted tba notice of their rapacious avarice, l was an 

obstacle to the execution of their vile designs. T I 1 there


fore, leagued together to exasperate and ruin me; "pread 

again t me malignant' calumnies, and made· use of 0diou8 


I address myself to the Am~ricanpeop1e; to thntpeo

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machinations to sully my honor, ~nd t~n·nish my well tarn~d 
teputation. 

A victim to the wickedness of a few men, 'fhose imposture 
was favored by their origin, and recent domina .. on 
over the country; a foreigner in my native land ; could I 
be expected stoically to endure their outrages and insults 't 
Crushed by sorrow, convinced that my death alune would 
satisfy my enemies, J sought for a shelter amongst those 
against whom I had louf!ht; I separated from my country, 
p rents, family, relatives and friends, and what was more, 
from the institutions, on behalf of which I had drawn my 
sword, with an earnest wish to see Texas free and hap9y. 

In that involuntary exile, my only ambition wa to tle' 
vote my time, far from the tumult of: wart to the support of 
my family, who shared in my sad condition. 

Fate, however, had not exhausted its cup f bitterue$s. 
Thrown into a prison, in a foreign country, I bad no alt.ernative 
left, but, to linger.in a loathsome confinement, or to accept 
militar service, Ononehand, my wife and children, reduced 

t.o beg ary1 and separated from me; on t e other hand, to 
ti,-rn my arms against my own country. The alternative 
was sad, the struggle of feelings violent ; at last the father 
triumphed over the citizen; I seized a sword that galled 
my hand. (Who mcngst my readers will not understand 
my situatien ?) I served Mexico; I served b~r loyally and 
faithfully; I was compelled to figh~ my own countrymen1 
. ·but I was never guilty of the barbarous and unworthy 
deeds ofwhich ram accused by my enemies. 

Ere the tomb closes over me and my cotemporaries1 I 
wish to lay open to publicity this stormy period of my life i 
, I do it for friends as well as for my enemies, I challenge 
the latter to contest· with facts, the statements I am about 

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to make, and I leave the decision unheaitatingly to the wit· 
neaees of the events. 


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) 

MElVIOIRS, &c. 

In October 1834, I was Political Chief' of the Department 
of Bejar. Dissatisfied with the reactionary designs 
of General Santa 1\nna, who was at that time President of 
the Republic of Mexico, and endeavored to overthrow the 
Federal ystem, I 'issued a citcular, in wh1ch '1 urged 
every Municipality in Tex.as to appoint delegates to a convention 
that was to meet at San Antonio, for the purpose of 
taking into consideration the impending dange , and for 
devising the means to avert them. ~. 

All the .Municipalities appoi.1ted their delegates, but 
the conveution never met, t.be General Government having 
ordered Col Jo;:;e Maria M endo:za to march with his forces 
from Matamoras to San Antonio, and prevent the meeting 
of the delegates. The proofs of the above facts exist in tho 
archives of the County of Bejar. 

In April 1835, the Governor of Coah\lila and Texas 
called for assistance from the various Departments, to resist 
the aggressions of Santa Anna against tbat State. I volunteered 
my services, and received from the Political Chief, 
Don Angel Navarro, the com nand of a party of National 
Guards, sent from San Antonio to Monclova. In our encounters 
witJi the troops of Santa Anna, I was efficiently 
a~sisted by Col B. R. Milam and Maj. John R. Allen. On 



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HIT withclrawal from Monclov-a, dis~1.1ste<l with the weak_ 
uess of the Executive, who had givcndup the struggle, we 
pledged om"!5 · lves to use all our influence to rouse Texas 
against the tyrannical government of Santa Anna. 

\Ve returned to San Antonio in the beginuing of Jl 1e. 
The Military Comrnamler, Col. Dom'ngo..Ugartchea, considering 
me opposed to the exi!':tiog government, ordered 
two officers to watch se.cretly .my. motions. This, however, 
did not prevent me frorn working diligently to prepare 
for the intended m vemeut'. 

We bad agreed that tJ e movemeut should begin in the 

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center of Texas, but, 11ot hearing from that quarter, I de· 
termined to send an agent to Brazoria, Juau A. Zan1brnrio, 
with directiolls to swnd tlie disposition of the people. On 
the return of the agent, we were <.1p ·ized thnt tliere ,,·as a 
great dea1 of talk about a revolution, in puplie mt•N1H"'1' but 
thut the moment for an armed movemet1L 'Vt.. s ·till remote. 
Our agent was sent to Victoria, and he there lle<l a meeting 
of 1he citizens, but the Military Comman<ler of Goliad 

. sent :wn a detachment of troops to prevent the assembly 
and arr~t the promoters. 

We were di;spairing of a succei:.:sfnl i:s:suC!, when the 
Military Commander of •rexas, informed f the revolutionary 
feelings which were spreading over the cnlonies, determined 
upon removing from the town of Gonzales a piece 

: of artilleq, lent to Lhat Corporation by the Political Chief 

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Saucedo. This was at the time a delicate undertaking. A 
lieutenant "\vas detailed to carry it into execution, with 
orders to use force if necessary. On the same day that 
the military detacbment started for Gonzales, I went to the 

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lower ranchos on the San Antonio River i at Salvador 
Flores T heHl a meeting of the neighbors, and induced several 
to take up arms, well satisfied that the beginning of the 
revolution was close at hand. The officer sent to Gonzales 



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met some resii:::\tancc at the "Petra,n and thought it pru-· 

<lent to b ·· ~ahasty retreat. Col. Ugartchea ~was making 

µreparatiow to proceed 1n person towards Gonzales, wilh 

G res pee tub I~ fr •ce, wpen he received or<lers from Geti. 

Cos to await his arrh<al. t 

A few day. after the entry o, Gen. Cos jnto San Anto


nio, Majo1· Collinsworth, surprising the garrison of Goliadt 

wok go,ss.ession of thut place. So soon as I was informed 

of that circumstance, I marched :vith my com puny to rein


force the Major, but, at the (( Conquista " croi:;siug on the: 

Safi .Antonio River, I vas overtaken by an exprP:::s from 

Ge 1eral Steplten F Austin, who informed me that he was 

marching on San Antonio, and requested rne to joiu him, 
.in order lo attack G. neral Cos. I retraced my steps, after 
,having1·equested Captain Manuel Flores. to go nd meet 
General Austin and inform him ,of my readiues~ to comply 
with his wishes, and that I would take with me ull the · 
men I could possibly enli.st on my route. 

On the 13th of October, I met Austin on tliei ·alado, at 

the crossing of the Gonzales road, and joined my forces 

with his sniait .army. Upon this occasionJ had the hon.or 

to beeomei acquainted with General Sam Houston, who 

accompanied Austin. .On the same day we had ·a slight 

encounter with the forces under Cos, who retired into San 

Antonio. Austin, as Commander-in-Chlef of the army, . 

gave me the appointm.ent of Captain. 

· I was commanded to accompany Col. Bowie to the 
Mission ofSan Jose, with my company, with orders to approach 
the city as nearly as possible, following the banks 
of the river. We an-ived, on t)le even.ing of the 21st of 
·November, at the Mis,sion of Concep.cion, and noticing that 
we hnd been observed by the s.couts of Gen. Cos, passed 
_the ·night. in makiµg preparations to re.si~t. an attack wliich 
we considered imminent. We were not deceived i on the 



into connideration our perilous situati0f11 it WM re.o}ye,d 
by a majority of the council, that I should leave .the fort, 
and proceed with a communication to Colonel Fannin, requ 
,sti~ him to come to our assistance. }·left tl:ie Alamo · 
(JO the night of the counci! ; on the following-day I metr at 
.he Ranch of San Bartolo, on the Cibolo, Captain D~:;ac, 

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who, by orders of Fannin, had forage(J on my .ranch, carrying 
off a great number ofbee....-es, corn, &c..De.sac foformed 
me that Fannin could not delay more thal'} two days his 
arrival at the Cibolo, on his way to render assistance to 
the defenders of the Alamo. I the -;fore determined to 
wait for him. I sent Fannin, by expre.ss, the communfo~tion 
from Travis, informing him at tlte same time of the · 
critical position of the defenders of the Alamo. ~anni~ 
answered me, through Lieutenant Finley, that he had advanc˘
cl a. far as "Rancho Nuevo/' but, being informed 
of the movements of General Urrea,, he had coun~ermarch-· 
ed to Goliad, to defend that place i adding, that he eould 
not re~poncl to Trav·is' call, their respective command bai,
ng sep~rate, and 4epending upon General Houston, then at 
Gonzales, with whom he advised me to communicate. I 
lost no time in repairing to Gonzales, aµd 'reported myself 
to the General, infonning-him of the purpo of my miasion. 
He commanded me to wait at Gonzales for further orders. 
General Houston ordered Captain Salvador :Vlores wltli 25 
men of my company to the lower ranchos on the San ..a.n· 
tonio river, to protect the inhabitants from the.depredations 
of the Indians. 

Afterwards, I was ordered to take pos8ession, witli the 
balance of my company, of the "Perra,1'.distant about four 
miles on the road to _San Antonio, witp instructions to report 
every eveni_ng at head~quarters. Thus my cqmpany waa 
forming the vanguard oft e Texan army, on the road to San 
Antonio. ' I . 



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On the 6th of .March1 

enemy had crossed the river at F9rt B.end, an·d was marching 
.towards ilarrisb\lrg. Our qrmY. began at qnce to cross 
the l'iver, on boa"'d the, steame1v Yellow Stone, and when 
me whole "lorce had ct.ossed, togk up the march, with t,he 
intention ofharassin~ the enem ~is. rea1·-guard. · 

The army was taking its noon l'est, near Buffalo Bayou, 


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"\vhen ·two soldiers of my ct1tnpany, -wfio hu<l gone oUt1o 

'wate1? horse , reported tba fbey fl.ad seen hree Mexfoans 
riding at full speed over the pr?irie. WitHout !:lelay, I ad~ 
Yisetl the Getierai) who immediately sent Captains K'arnea 
-an11 ---1q pur,isnit, These .officers returned r?hortfy, 
b1 inging as prisoners -a captain, a citizen, and an express 
bearer. or despatcpes from .Mex:ico to' th~ enemy. 

'\Ve "\'tere apprised by the priso ers thut Santa,Anna 
was at Hanisburg with 8W men; a 'd a -perusal of 'their 
papers made t s,acquainted with the fact ·that Cos was to 
bring _him reinforcements. .To prevenl the concentration 
of forces, General Sam HoustQn gave the order i9 re~ume 
the mardi. The army, artillery,. and train, ccrossed .over 
Buffalo Bayou on rafts1 duri"ng which operation~ General 
Rusk, then Secretary of War, oid ,not spare his persona 
labor. · It wa~ datk when the ol'ossing was effected. In 
.the course of the night we passed throug·h Hariisburg, the. 
ruins of which were still smoking, having been set on fire 
by the enemy. We continued our march all nigl t. At 
daybreak aman was taken .prisoner, who, 011 discovering 
ns, had attempted to escape. .He was a prihter ~elonging 
to San Felipe, and informed us that the enemy were at a· 

. distance of about 8 miles-, on the way back to Harrisburg. 
Our scouts came in soon with the information that the 
enemy were countennarching towards Buffalo Bayou. 

Conscious of .the starving condition of the troops, who 
had not eate'[l for twenty-four hours, General Housten resolved 
on camping, in a small mott, contiguous to the San 
Jacinto River. 

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· • We were beginning t9 cook our rneal, when the eneiny 
showe.d ·themselves close to us. We rushe<l to arms, 
and fo1·med in line of battle. Ori their nearer approaen we 
were ordered to lay down on the gl'ound, thus concealing 
-Ourselves in .the grass. -A height1 adjacent to our poshioil1 



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wa. soon occupied ~by the e1rnmy, .upon which, the Oenerul 
ordered the band to strike up "Will you come to the 
bower.", The enemy answered with its artillery, and we 
joined the chorus with~ brisk musketry. We were 1mon 
charged by askirmishing party on foot, detached from t11e 
right wiug pf the enemy; they were quickly driven back by 
a party of ou cavalry, supported by the artillery. The 
enemy kept up their fire until they had selected a camping 
gr-0~~d1 distant abqut 400 steps from ours, nnd protP.ctr-d 
by two motts. Both armies ceased firing ; we resumed the 
1.:ooking-ofour m":al, composed of meat only, hut bad the 
good fortune to capture a boat loaded with provisions, 
which affor.ded some seasoning to a repast tb~t otherwise 
would ha-ye been rather scanty. · 


On -the same evening General Lamar ;yent out wit11 
a party of Cavalry, to draw the enemy into a fight; the 
r.esult was a slight ~kirrmsh, ending in the wounding oftwo 
or three on each side. 

On the morning of the 21st of April, General Houston, 

·for.the ~rpose of cutting off t~e communication of General 
Cos' forces v.tHb those of Santa Anna, ordered deaf Smith 
to burn the bridge over the ~iver, but, on reaching it, he saw 
tl)at he had come too late, the enemy's reinforc ments had 
already crossed. Rowever, the bridge wa~ destroyed, and 
Smith retumP;d to our camp at the very moment when Cos 
qnitcd,with Santa Anna. 

At noon, General Rusk came to partake of dinner in 
my te~t. When he had done eating, he asked me if the 
Mexicans were not in the habit of taking a siesta at that 
hour. I answ~red in the affirmative, adding, moreover( 
tbat in such cases they kept under arms their main and advanced 
guards, with a line ofsentinels. General Rusk observed 
that he thought so; however, the moment seemed to 
him favorable to attack the enemy) and he further said: 

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Two· days after the capture of Santa Anna, and fcmr 
Clays after the batt1e1 Captain Karnes and myself ;o,-ere detailed 
,;·itb our companies to observe tbe retreat of the remains 
of tbe Mexienn army. "\\ e oYertook their rear-guard 

:at the '1 Contrubando 1' marsli, where some of their wagons 
liad broken do"\ ·11. As soon as the escort saw us tlrey took 
to flight, JeaYing the whole property in om possessic1n. 

"Gen. Amp11diu sent me a commuriicntion requesting 
1me t'O attend to the sick and wonncle l whom he had left 
'behind. 

We crosse<l the Colorado at the heels of tl1e enemy., 
ancl after proceeding a short di tauce, :c rnet General 
WclJ1 who was bearer of a safe conduct. "\Ye can1pt•d every 
night on the ground abandoned each m0rning by the 

.enemy1 unti1 we reached Victoria, which had been alrendy 
evacuated by them. Shortly.afterwards Colonel Sherman 
arrived, 1n command of the vanguard of our army, and subsequently 
Ge i0ral Ru..:k, then Commam1er-in-Chief, :who 
<estabfo~bed his headquarters in that town. 

Oo the 30th of i foy, I recei1 ·ed from the General-inChief 
my promotion t0 the ra!tk: of Lieutenant-Colonel of 
the Texan army, and was orJt:red to take possession of 
San Antonio. I left Victoria on the 1st of June, and, on 
·the Cabeza creek, met Genera1 Andrade, who was retreatfog 
toward ·.-atamm as. 

Agreeath. ti., .•'i,. mm-ructions, I sent to that GPneral 
·a communication, informing him that my orders were to 
<take possession of San Antonio.· His answer was th~t the 
place was occupied by Captain Castaneda, who was in$
tructed to surrender it to the first Tex.an officer w·ho should 

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.come to demand 1t. 
I tool possession of San Antonio on the 4th of June; 
•f.>D the 10th, Colonel Smith came to occupy it with the 
l'l"egiment of Mi.JT!sissipp· Mounted Volunteers; on tbe 2-Ith 
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T received orders to fall back with .my command. to head 

quarters at Victoria, iuformntion haviflg been received that 

the Mexican armx was matchina from Mt\tamoras lO 

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Texas. · 

When we wei·e convinced of the falseness o( that report, 
I applied to the GeueriH for leave t go to N acogrioche.s 
on a visit to inv family, then m thut towu on their return· 

• I 
from the Sabine, whel'e· they had sol g-l1t a refuge from the 
Mexican army. My applicatirm WB1:> fawrably receivea;. 
and lf,,tl\'C-·of absence for twenty-t\VO dayi; g-ranted to me. -· 

l found all the members of my farnily ::;ick with feyer, 
and the disease did not spare me but cornpell{~J me to ex-· 
r.eed the tei;m of my leave. General Ifo stem, who vns 
then at Nacogdoches; getting c.:urf'd ,]f bf' woun<.ls he received 
ai; Si.tu Jacinto, gave me a certificate statiug-the· 
causes of my delay in returning to my pc5t. I left Nacog-· 
doches on the 20th of Aug-ust1 ancl on my passage through· 
Columbus I received, from the Secretary of War, orders to. 
report myself to the President for instn:ctions. . 

I arriveµ at Velasco on the 10th of September~ on the 
next day th'3· President ha1fdetl to me my comrniss.ion of 
Lieutenant-Colonel, appointing me to the command of the 
City of San Antoni~, with order~ to proceed to my destin~ation 
without delay. 

( arrived at bead-quarters, at Lavaea, on the 15th or· 
the same month, and reported to General Rusk1 who ordered 
me to begin recruiting my regiment in that town. 

On the 11th of October I left head-quarters, with my· 
regiment dismounted, -and wid1 instructions· to procure: 
horses in San Antonio, where I arrived on the 17th. 

1837. Jn March, being in command of San Antonig, 
I received orders from General Felix Houston to ·destroy 
that city and .transfer us inhabitants to the east bank of tlie 
Brazos. At the same time, Lieutenant-Colonel Switzer oi 



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for everul years. He forced him to leave San Antonio et 

" once, and he had consequently t6 walk the thirty-three 
miles which separated him from his rancho, where my 
family were living. Such was the hurry with which he 
was compelled to depart, that he was obliged to leave 
his family, wh.o remained exposed to our fire during the · 
whole siege. 

When we received intelligence from our 1pies o.o the 
Rio Gran<le, that Santa Anna was preparing to invade 
!J:'cxas, my father, with bis, my own; and several othel' 
families, removed toward the centre of the counu-y. 


My funiily took with them above three thousand head 
of she'ep. 1'i ey bad reached Gonzales when Santa .Anna 
took possession of San Antonio, and as soon as some ot~el' 
families joiued tb:em, they proceeded towards the Colorado, 
via Qolumbus. On their arrival at San Felipe de Austin, 
the citizen:-s of that place, terror struck at the sight of the 
hurried flight of such a number of families, endeavored to 
take the advance. The confusfon and delay caus-ed on the 
road by that immense straggling column of fugitives were 
such, that when my family were beginning to cross the 
Colo1·p.do with their cattle, the enemy was at their heels. 
General Ramirez y Lesma <lid not fail to take hold of that 
rich booty, andthe shepherds only escaped byswimmingover 
, the river. · The loss to three of the families was very severe, 
nay, irretrievable. They did not stop on their flight, until 
they reached the town of San Augustine, east of N acogdoches. 
When the families received the welcome tidings 
of the victory of San Jacinto, they ·went to Nacogdoches. 
There, all Lhe members of my famHy, without excepting a 
single person, were attacked by fever. Thus, prostrated on 
·"'heir couches, deprived of all resources, they had to 
struggle in the midst of their sufferings, to assist one an<
11' er. Want of money compelled them to part, little hy 

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I will also point out the orig-in ofanothet• enmity which, 
on several occasions, endangered my life. In those evil 

·days, San Antonio was swarming with t\Uveoturers from 
every quarter of the globe. Many a uoble heart. grasped 
the sword in the deSence of the liberty ofTexas, cheerfully 
pouring out their blood for ou,r cause, and to them everlast· 
ing public gratitude is due; but there were also many 
bad men, fugitive~ from their country, who found in this land 
an open field for their criminal designs. 

San Antonio claimed then, as it claim· now, to be the 
first city ofTexas i it was also the receptacle·of the scuin 
of sqciety. My political and social situation. brought me 

_., 'into. continual contact with that class of people. At every 
hour of the day and night, my countl'ymen ran to me for 
protPctior1 against the assaults or exactions of th'Jse adventurers. 
Some times, by persuasion, I prevailed on them to 
de~~--t; some times, also, force had to be resorted to. How 
co~ld I have done otherwise? Were not the victims my 
own c.ountrymen, friends and associates? Could I leave 
them defenceless, exposed to the assaults offoreignerst who, 
on the pretext that they were Mexicans, treated t}lem 
worse than brutes. Sound reason and the dictates of 
humanity would.have precluded a different conduct on my 
part. 
In J840, General Canales, who was at the head of a 
movement in favor of the federation, in the States of Tamauhpas, 
Nueva Leon and Coahuila, after having beeQ 
routed by the Mexican forces, sought rttfuge in San Arrtouio. 
There he endeavored to raise compa'nies of volunteers, to 
renew the strug15le, and requested me to join him in the 
e'nterprise. I promised him my co-operation, provided I 
could procure the consent of General Lama!'., then President 
of the Republic. Canales p:r:ocereded to the Capitzj 
and Galveston, and succeeded in ratsing some companies, 


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with which he went to Mexico to carry out his desigT15. 
In the meantime1 I had an interview with the Pre::-idcot,. 
who not only anthorized me to raise volunteers, but, ordered 
that I $houlrl be supplied with arms from the nrmorie~ 
of Texas. General L~mm· yielded to my reqne:::t with evident 
satisfaclion, as he thought and declared that any 

movement against the tyr.annical government tlien existing 
in Mexico would be promotive of the independenc-e of 
Texas. 

I recruited my men au<l marched to Mexico, but on 
reaching the frontier, I heard that Canales wa~ in treaty 
with Arist,u, thus putting an end to the revolutionary-a-t~ 
tempt. One of the articles of the treaty, stated thaL Mexico 
should pay. for the services renc:lered by the voluntc rs-. 
At the reqt1est of the officers and men of~ my brigade, l 
wentlto Monterey to receive the money clue them. But 
on my arrival at Monterey1 Arista refused to pay me, alleging 
that he had to take advice in the city of Mexico. 

Fully aware that his only object wa3 to seek for a pre


text to reject our claims1 and withhold payment, I deter


mined to return to Texas. 

Immediately after my return, I went to the capital to 

report to the President the re.:ult of the expedition. 

In the same year, Don Rafael Uribe, of Guerrero, pass4 

ed through San Antonio1 on his way to the capital, as 

bearer of a secret communication from General Arista to 

the P1·esident of Texas. Senor Uribe l"equested me to ac


compmiy him. I attended at several interV'ie\l"S between 

tha:t gentleman and the President, and found out that Aris


ta's intention was to have nn understanding with the Exe


cutive of Texas, to the effect of pursuing the Indians, who 

committed depredations on both froatiers. 

In fiLting out my expedition to assist tfie Federalists, I 

eontracted some money obliŁ'1'llion!5 which it was nec(!ssary;



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to comflly with. Availing mys.elf of offers mnde by Seliot 
lfribe, I entered"' with him into a smuggling operation For 
this object, Messrs. Ogden and Howard gave we a , 
credit bf $3000, on a f!lOTtgage on part of my property. 

The President having appoiuted niie::;sr,:;. Van N es1 
and Morris to treat upon the subject of Uribe's mission ;. 
in their compauy, and that of Messrs. Blo, Davis, Murphy; 
Ogden, ond Chevollie, I proceeded on a trip to Mexico.. 
When Arista was nppri~d of om arrival at Guerrera, Ire· 
made a good deal of fuss to exculpate 11;p1$elf in the eyesof 
his g·overnment. He ordered his force:o-. to march frori 
Matamoras to San Fernando, and issued orders to theeffect 
that all the Americans at Guerrero sh iuld proceed to 
1\fonterey, but that I should remain at Guerrero. Cllevallie·, 
who was sick of the fever, had to re mair with me until 
the return of om· associates. 

:Arista having ordered us to ·leave the country·without 
delay, I was compelled to leave my goods on cousignmen~ 
to be disposed of. When I heard that they had been sold, 
I sent Chevallie with some m~n of San Antonio to the 
place appointed by my agent, to r~eive the proceeds of 
the sale, but the agent not having sho\ ' 11 himself, Chevallie 
returned to San Antonio empty handed. Shortly afterwards, 
an Ame1·ican, who came from Mexic.o, informed me 
that a certain CalVillo, who was orr the look out for smugglers, 
had seized upon my money. 

1842, After the reireat of the Mexict'\n ar.my under 

Santa Anna, until Vasquez' invasion in 18t12, the war be


tween Texas and Mexico censed to be carried on actively. 

Although open c01m11ercial intercourse did not e~ist, it wa~ 

carried on by smuggling, at which the Mexican authoritieP 

used to wink, provided it was not carried un too openly:. so 
.as to oblige them to notiQe it, or ~o extensively M to arJuse • 
their avarice. 

t 



· 
~ 
· 
~ 
In the b~iri!ling of thi; year, I waj elected :Mayor of 
Son Antonio. Tw.) yeai-s previOl ly a gmLsmith, named 
Goodma111 had taken possession 0-f certf-lin hrmses situated 
on the Militnry Plaza, which w~re the property of the 
city. He used to shoe the horses of the volunleers wh<J 

'passed through San Antonio, and thus accumnlated a debt 
against the Republic, for the payment of·which he applieu 
to the Preside11t to give him possession of the buildi1115s re~ 
fcncd to, which hnd alw ys been known as city. property. 

The board of Aldermf'n passed a re~olution to the 
effect, that GMclman should be compelled lo leave tbe 
premi e .. ; Goodrrwn re.~l:5ted, ulleginO' that the hau~es had 
been giV'en to hiJn by tlie Prc~ident, ill payro•'nt for P.Ublic 
services, The Il9nrd co11ld not, of cc..unsc, uclrn·iwledge 
in the President auy power to di!.'pose ot the city propel'ty, 
and con$equently directed me to corry the resolution into 
effecl My compliance with the instructions of the Board 
caused Goodt11an to become my most bitter and inve.ternte 
enemy ii~ the city. 

The tel'm for the mortgage thnt Messrs. Ogden and 
Howm·d held oo tny property, had nm out. In order to 
rai~e money and comply with my engagements, I determined 
to go to Mexico for a drove of-sheep. But fenrful 
that this new trip would prove as fatal as the one already 
alluded to, I wrote to Geueral Vasquez, who was then in 

1 command of the Mexican frontier, l'equesting him to give 
'!le a pass. The' tenor of Vasquez' uu.., wer caused me to 
-apprehend that an expedition was preparing against 
Texas, for the following month of.March. 
I called. a session of the Board of Alderrr~en, (of which 
e Hon. S. A. Maverick was a member,) and laid before 
l 

the communication of General Vasquez, stating, that 
M~1·ding to rny construction of the letter we might soon 
expe~t the approach of the Mexicans. 



... 

!3 

.A fow day~ afterwanls, Don Jb.:c l\faria Go1·cia, o( 
Laredo, came to San Aniou.io; his re.port was so circum
·. stantial, as to preclude all possiule douots as to the neur 
approach of V usq uez I. Sari Antonio. 


Notice was imin1~ iutely sent to the Gu,·ernment ofthe 
impendiug danger. Iu the various meetiugs belt! tu devise 
meaus of defence, I expressed my candid upiuiun as to the 
imr,o.:.:sibility of defending-San Antonio. I observed, thut 
fo1: niysel{, I was going to the town of Segniu, and advised 
every one to do the rrnme. 

On leaving-the city, I pat:sed thrnush a st1·eet wher..e 
some men were making brea~t-works; I stated to them 
that [ was golng to my ranch, a11d theuce to f, guin, in case 
tho :\'foxicun forces should take pos:se~sion of San Antonio. 

From the 1'ueces river, Vasquez forwarded a proclamation 
by Arista1 to the inhnhitants of Texas. I i·eceived 
at my rnnch, a IJunJle of tboae proclamations, which I 
transmited at o:uce to the Corporation of San Antonio. 

As soon as Vasqnez entered the city, those ~ho had 
determined upon defonding the place, withdrew tn Seguiu. 
Among-st them were Dunn and Chevallie, who had succeeded 
in escaping from the bands of the Mexicans, into 
which they ha,d fallen while on n reconnoiteriug expedition 
on the Medina. 

The latter told me that Vasquez and his officel's stated 

hat 1 was in favor ofthe Mexicans; and Chevallie furtµer 
added, that, one day as he was talking with Vasqttez1 a 
1nan, named Sanchez, came within sight, whereupon the 
Genernl ob erved : "You see that rr:an ! . Well, Colonel 
Seg11in sent him to me, when he was at Rio Grande.· 
Seguin is with us.11 He then drew a letter from his pock~t, 
stating that it w~from me. Chevallie asked to be allowed 
to see it, as he knew my handwriting; but the General 
refused ahd cut short the interview. 



.. 


Ou my re.tum to Sau Antonio.,-iaeveral persons told me 

.that the Mexican officers had deei ed that I wns in th:-ir 
favor. This rnrnor, an<l some threats uttered against me 
by Goournan, left me but Little <Itubt that my enemies 
would try to r.uin me. 

Some or 1l1e citizei1s of -San An o.nio had taken up 
.arms iu fa-vol' of the enemy. Judg-e Hemphill advh•ed me 
tu have them nrrestetl and tTied, but as I started out with 
tlie party who went in purisuit of the Mexicans, could not 
follow hi:s atJvice. 

I-Joviog-ob~3r "ed that Vasquez gained g-round on us, 
re fell !Jo.ck ou· :tlle N ueees river. Wheu we came back 
to Sao Antonio, r.eports were wulely spr"n<li.ng about my 
prcteudecl treason. Ca:Ptain Manuel :Flores, Lieutenant. 
Ambro~io Rudrjguez, Matias Curbiel', and five or six 1Jther 
Mexic.uus, dismounted vti h me to fhid us. ilie origin o' the 
impo ,Lure. I We))t out with several frien<l..s, leaving Cui·bicr 
iQ my house. l hod reached the Main Plaza, when 
sever.al .p~1:sons .came ru11;.1irig ~o inform me, that soh1e 
Americaus wer~ murdering Curbier. We ran back to the · 
hov.se, whcl'e w.e found poor Cu ·bier covered with blood. 
On being asked who Msaulted hiin, lie an~wered, thnt the 
g·1.msmith Goodman , ju company with several Americans, 
had $truck hh11 :with a rifle. A few minutes afterwards, 
Gcwdman re.turned to my house, with about thirty volunteers, 
but; observing that we were prepared to meet ~hem, 
they tlicl not attempt to attack us. W~ went out of the 
house and then to :\fr. Guilbeau's, who offernd me his pr -
Lection. He went out into the ~treet, pistol in band, a u 
su~ceeded ill' diiipersing the mob, which bad formed in 
front of my house. .Mr. John Twohig offered me a. shelter 
for t11at night; on the next morning, I went un<ler disguise 
lo Mr. Van ~1ess' house; 'l'woh1g, who recogni~ed me in 
t~e street, w~lrned me to •:open my eye ·." I remained 


..... ... 

.. 


.. 



·one day at Mr. Van Ne s'; ne d day General Burleson ar· 
rived at San Antonio, ~mmanding a respectable force o( 
VQlunteers. I presented myself to him, asking for a Court 
of Inquiry; he answe1~d, that there were no grounds for 
such procr;edings. In the evening I went to the camp, 
aud1 joi11tly with Colonel Patton, received a commission to 
fot·age for provi:::iem; in the lower ranchos. I complied 
with this trust. 


I re~ained, hiding from rancho to rancho, for over fif.,.. 
t .on days. Every party of volunteers en route to San Antonio, 
declared, " they wanted to kiH Seguin.'' I could nd 
longer go from farm to farm, and determined t0 go to my 
'Own farm and raise fortifications, &c. 


Several of rny re la ti 'eR arid friends joined r.oe. Hardly 
a day elapHed without receiving notice that a party was 
preparing to aHock me; we were constantly kept under 
arms. · Several parties came in sight, but, probably seeing 
that we we.re prepared to receive them, refrained from attacking. 
On the 30th of April, a friend from San Antonio 
sent me word that Captain Scott, and his company, were 
<:oming down by the riv-er, burning the ranchos on their 
way. Tile inhabitants of the lower ranchos called on us 
for aid against Sc'itt. With those in my house, and others 
to the number of about 100, I started to lend thetn ·aid. I 
proceeded, observing the movements of Scott, from the 


· · junction ofthe Medina to Pajaritos. At that pince we-dispersed. 
and I returned to my wretched life. In those days 
I could no" go to San Antonio without peril of my life. _ / 
Matters being in this state, I saw that it was necessary 
to take some step w~ich would place me in security, 
and ·save my family from constant wretchedness. I had 
to leave Texas, abandon all, for which I had fought a{ld 
spent my fortune, to become a wanderer. The ingratj~ 
tude of those, who had assumed to themselves the right. of 

.J. 

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convjcting me·; their credulity in declaring me a ti-ai or,.Dll' 
mere rumors, when I had to ple; d in my favor the loyal 
patriotism with which I had always served Texas, wound· 
ed me deeply. 

But, before leaving my country? perhaps for ever, .J 
determined to consult with all those interested in my w.01· 
fare. I held a· family council. All were in favor of my 
removing for some time to the inte1~or of Texas. But, to 

·.accomplish this, there were some unavoidable obstacles. 
I could not take one st p, from my ranch towards the 
.B azos, withoui b ·ng ex osed to the 1ifle of the fir'-t per· 
son who might meet me, for, through the whole eountry, 
.credit had bee iven to the tumors against me. To emigrate 
with my family was impossil)l.e, a .I was a ruined 
man1 from the time of the invasion of Santa An~a aud our · 

· ·flight to Nacogdoches ; forthermor~, the country of the 
J3razos was unhealthier than that of Nacogdoches, and 
:what might we not expect to suffer from cbscase in a ney.r 
country, and without friends or means-. 

Seeing that all these plans were imprncticable, I re.
solved to seek a refuge amongst my enemies, bmviug all 
dangers. But before taking this step, I sent in my resignation 
to the Oorpqratlon of San Antonio, as Mayor of the 
city, stating to them, that, unable any longer to siJtfer .the 
pers"<cutions of &om~ ungrateful Americans, who strove to 
mur.der me,,I had determined to free my family and friends 

from their. continual misery on my accom~t, and go and 
live peaceably in Ąexico. That for these r sons I re-signed 
my o·ffice, with all my privileges and honors as a 
Te1r..an. 

I left Bexar ~ithout-any engagements towards Texas; 

m. services paid by persecutions, exiled and deprived or 
my prjvileges as a Texan citizen, I was in this country a 
einf; oll)i.o( the pale 0Lsociety1 and whep she could not 

1· 
.. 



'Protect the rights of her citizens, they•were privileged t@ 
seek protection elsewhere, I had been tried by a rabble, 
condemned without a hearing, and consequently was at 
liberty to pn>vide for my own safety. . 


I arrived at Laredo, and the Military Commander of 
that place put , e in prison, statiug, that he could not do 
othepvise~ until he had consultea with General Arista, 
whom he advised ofmy.arrest. Arista ordered that I should 
be-sent tG Monterey. I arrived in that city, and earnestly 
'pra){C~ t.:ie General to allow me to retire to Saltillo, where I 
had seve,·al relatives who could aid me. General Arista ans:
wer·ed, that, as had informed Santa Anna of my im'
Prisonmeut, he could uot c::>mply with my request. Santa 
Anna directed, that I should be seut to the City ofMexico, 
but Arista, feeling-for my unfortuna e position, interceded 
with him in my behalf, to have the order revoked. The 
'latter complied, -but on condition, that I should return tG 
Texas, with a company ofexplorers1 to attack its citizens, 


· .and, by spiiliug my blood, vindicate myseH. 

B~ orders of General Arista, I proceeded to Rio 
Graui.le, to join General Woll, who told me, that Santti 
Anna, by his request, had allowed me · lo go wi.th him, in 
his expedition to Texas, hut, I should receive no pommand 
until my services proved ifI were \.Vorthy. 


I started with the expedition of General Woll. In the 
vicinity of San Antonio, o~ the 10th of September, I received 
an order to take a company of Gavulry, and keep the 
outlets of the city. By this order tl e city was u:ockaded, 
and consequently it was djfficult for any person to e8cape. 
When. I returned from complying with this order, at dawn 
of day, the General determined to enter the. city with the 


,,..


Infantry and Artillery. I was sent to the vanguanl1 .witlf 
orders to take possession of the Military Squan~ at . 6'11 
hazards. 1 entered the Square without opposi~ion; and 




2S 



•hortly afterwards •the firing commenced on the Mafn 
Square. John Hernandez came out of Goodman's shop,. 
with a .message from him to the effect, that, if I would 
pardon him for what he had done ag·ainst me, he would 
~avehis place of concealment aud deliver himself up. I 
sent him word, that I had no rancor against him. He de
·livered himself up, and I placed bjm under the sp~eial 
charge of Captain Leal. Those who had made some show 
ofresistance in the Main Square sun·endered, and the wh4'le 
city was in the possession of General 1\roll. 
Next day, I was ordered, with 200 men, to take't:he 

Gonzales road , and go near that to ;v~ On the Cibolo I 

divided my forces, sending a portion up he creek, another 

down the creek, and wit.h the main body procetded 011 the 

Gonzales road. Next day, these parties joiued the nam 

body. Lieutenant Carvajal, who commanded one of the 

parties, reported, _that he had kilJedr in the Azufrosa, three 

Texans, who would not surrender. 

I returned to San Antonio. A party of Texans ap


peared by the Garita road, and the tiroops were put under 

arms. The General took onehundred Infantry, the Caval


ry under Montero, and one piece of artillery, and pro<::eed


ed towards the Salado. The General ordered 100 Pl·esi.


diales to attack The Gommander of tl10Se forces sent 

w-0rd·that the enemy were in an.advanwgeous position and 

that he required reinforcements. The answer of the Gen· 

eral was, to send me with orders "to attack ali all hazards." 

I obeyed; on the first charge, I lost 3 killed and 8 wounded, 

on the second, 7 killed and 15 wounded; I was preparing 

for a third charge, when Colonel Carrasco came to relieve 

me from my Gommand. I returned to the side of the 

General, made my report, whereupon he order-ed the firing 

to cease . 

.A new attack was preparjng1 when the attention. of. 



the General was called to some troops on our rfar-guard_ 
'Fh13 aids reported them to be ene,nies, and near at hand. 
Colonel Momero was ordered, with his-cavalry, to attack 
them. He called on them1 to surrender to the Mexican 
Governmeiia,. they answered.with scoffing and bantering. 
Montero formed his dragoons, the Texans commenced firing, 
killmg two-soldiers; Montero dµ;mollflted ws troops, also b gan 
firin'g1 and sent for more ammunition. The General angrily 
sent him a message., asking, whether his dragoons bad 
nosabres'or lances. Before Montero receivedthis answer, 
he had charged, sabre iii. hand, ending the engagement in 
a few minutes ; o~ some ten or fifteen Texans survived. 
During this time, I remained by the side f General Woll, 
and was there when Montero made his -eport and brought 

i.n the· prisoners. 
At dusk, the troops received orders to return to San 
An.toni0. In. aecorclance with his orders, not to remain 
oyer a. month on this side of the Rio Grande, General WoU 
begun. his retreat by the road he came. i1 

The families, who left San Antonio, were put under 
my charge, and, con~equently, I was not in the affair ot 
''Arroyo-Hondo.~' 

REMARKS. 

I 

After the expedition of General Woll, I did not re·tum 
t-0 Texas till the treaty of Guadalupe H~daJgo, Dur


. ing my absence nothing appeared th~t could stamp l:ne as. 
a traitor. J.fy enemies had accomplished their object; they 
had killed me politically in Texas, and the less they spoke 
of me, the less risk they incurred of being exposed in the 
infamous means they had used to accomplish my ruin. 1 

As to my reputed treason with Vasquez, when we con--ider 
t~at Don Antonio· Navarro and I were the only Mexi




3Ci 
cnns of note, in Western Texas, :vho had taken a prominent 
3Ci 
cnns of note, in Western Texas, :vho had taken a prominent 
part in the \\'or, the intere:-;t the l\Iex'.can Gene ra.l had in 
causing us to be di!' trusted, w;lJ be sein. i\irr. Nu\rnrro 
was then a prisoner ; I alone rei.1aiued ; and if tbey were 
abl~' ~o make the Texans di, trn • me, they gai ~J t~ point. • 
This is pro\"Cd by tbe fact, that1 since J vithdrew from th , 
service, there was never ::;eel!~ 1 regir~1ent or l\foxieo-T · ns. 

The rumor, that I was a t ·nitor1 .wa" : ,iz~d with avi°d1ty 
by my enemies in San Ant nio. Som _i:.11vi d rny military 
po itrou, a held by a L1fr:.rican · others fo1tntl in me ~mob· 
stacle to tho accompli:hment of their villarnou~ plmis. The 
number of land suits wbich . till encun Y'rs tli donket of 
Bexai· cou1Jty, '\ ·ouhl. i11dic·at •the n. t l e of hese plaiis, 
and any one, wiJ.o has li~tened to the evi ie.r.icec lic'ted in 
-cases of this <lescriptiun, \\-ill readily di~coYer ti e base 

cans ad 'pted to...<lepri \'C rig 1tful owners their property. 

But, retw·nit1lrng·<1in to tlls chur~ !o" . ·c so1i, if I had 
sold myself tt' l\iexi~v, the bu1·n·aii1 0111<.f Lnv., been Hatur-· 
-ally with the Govcnurn.:nt; it would ave Lren th intf'l'e. t 
or' Mexico lo keep ~he 8ecr t, ant! uot . llow·. i11forior officers 
>to know it. Whili:;~ [enjoyed the confi<len1;e of tho Texans, 
I might have been useful in imparting secrets, &c., bt t as 
:soon as my fell0w-citizen .. distrnsted me, I was ub::>olutely 
useless. And is it not strange that the Mexican officers 
;Should have been so anxi9us to inform the Texaus of 'my 
,;.reason 7 General Vasquez merely took out a paper from 

• 
11.is pocket, and obser:ved to Che-va1lie that that was from 
1 e ; but when the latter de~ired to see the IetterJ VClsquez 
··efbsed to shew it to him. · 
But I take the expedition of Va quez to be my best 
-defence What did Vasquez ncoomp1islii11 that.expedition~ 
"The c )ming into and.going ont of Snn Antonio; without tak:
ing any ·11rther steps. Undoubtedly, if I ha<l been confeder:.
ated :wjth bim, I would haye tried to make his expedition