Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/665

Rh with an Adjutant and fifteen dragoons, went on foot to that town, distant about one mile, entered it, and succeeded in capturing two Americans, who stated that Zavala and other members of the so-called Government of Texas had left the morning before for Galveston. A part of the infantry joined us on the following morning at daylight.

On the 16th we remained at Harrisburg, to await our broken-down stragglers, who kept dropping in until 2 or 3 o'clock.

On the opposite side of the bayou we found two or three houses well supplied with wearing apparel, mainly for women's use, fine furniture, an excellent piano, jars of preserves, chocolate, fruit, etc., all of which were appropriated for the benefit of His Excellency and his attendants. I and others obtained only what they could not use. After the houses had been sacked and burnt down, a party of Americans fired upon our men from the woods; it is wonderful that some of us, camped as we were along the bank of the bayou, were not killed. The Quartermaster-Sergeant of Matamoros was seriously wounded. This incident took place at 5 o'clock On the same day Colonel Almonte started from Harrisburg for New Washington with the cavalry.

On the 17th, at about 3 o'clock, His Excellency, after having instructed me to burn the town, started for New Washington with the troops. It was nearly dark when we had finished crossing the bayou. Then a courier from General Almonte arrived, upon which His Excellency ordered Colonel Iberri to start with his Adjutant, bearing dispatches to General Filisola on the Brazos. At 7 o'clock we resumed our march. Our piece of artillery bogged at every moment in some hole or ravine. As it was found impossible for the draught mules to cross a narrow bridge, rendered still more dangerous by darkness and rain, His Excellency instructed General Castrillon to head the bayou with the cannon, three leagues above, with an escort of only one company of infantry.

Shortly after 10 o'clock at night a violent storm set in; darkness caused us to wander from our course, in consequence of which His Excellency ordered a halt, requiring every man to stand in the ranks, without shelter from the rain.

On the morning of the 18th we moved on, our cannon being still far away. At noon we reached New Washington, where we found flour, soap, tobacco, and other articles, which were issued to the men. His Excellency instructed me to mount one of his horses, and, with a small party of dragoons, to gather beeves for the use of the troops. In a short time I drove in more than one hundred head of cattle, so abundant are they in that country.

General Castrillon came in, at 5 o'clock, with the cannon.

On the 19th His Excellency ordered Captain Barragan to start with a detachment of dragoons to reconnoitre Houston's movements. We halted at that place, all being quiet.

On the 20th, at about 8 o'clock, everything was ready for the march. We had burnt a fine warehouse on the wharf, and all the hpuses in the town, when Captain Barragan rushed in at full speed, reporting that Houston was close on our rear, and that his troops had captured some of our stragglers, and had disarmed and dispatched them.