Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-12-10
co~rrespcndsncc Of the New Orleans B~slletia.
TEXAS.
BaAxoara, (TExss) Oct. a, 1885,

I <s = 49, '''ft' -"
tary operations near Gonxsles-suppasin'
tlat 10 he the only point from whence "
might expect importmt news-ws are as
tonished ny receiring ialormstien OF III
capture of tho fort and lawn Of Golisd III
Bahia) by a party OF ~coionisis. Thesl
were volunteers from the transcendenti,
fertile banks OF The town Of MatAgords. I
place destined TO become an impartan
city. Nv.
Before this party entered the feld
most or tho volunteers were at Gonzsict
and learning that the harvest al honott
would be rcaped before they could arrive
,here-ihey struck of from la Baca with
the daring determination Of taking Goliad
by surprise.
Cnliad is situated on the southwest side
Of The San Antonio river, thirty leagues
below Bexsr. and 1t is fifteen leagues from
Copano. the landing place Of Arkansas
bay. and about the same distance from
the La Baca and cf Mstagorda bay. The
fort is upon The point Of Q very steep and
high hill formed &c rock, with a deep r
vine upon one side anil 4 low prairie ex
tends towards tho southwest.
The walls Of the fort are stone and lime
and bear in places The marks oithc storms
Of an hundred winters. bn, are eth proof
ssains, any thing less than the batterins
Of heavy artillery,
A long forced march brought the van
guard Of the coIonists to the San Antonio
river. fording below The town al eleven
o'clock on the night Of The 9th inst. Here
they halted for The main body and 70 make
arrangements for The attack. A very small
party was seat into the town. and brought
ont, with The utmost security, a worthy
citizen. friendly to the constitution OF
1924 And by his assistance guides. were
procured, perfectly acquainted with the
place.
The msiu body Of the coionisia misscd
their roa,i in the night, and before they
found ent their mistake, were al the up
per ford, Immediately opposite tho town,
They then struck across, for a short rut,
TO the position occupied by the vanguard
Their route led through q mnskeel thIcket.
The mnskcet is a tree o. the locust family,
full of thorns, add at q little distance re.
semlles tls common peach tree ~ rixs
and appearance. While the party were
freading their way through this thlcket,
the horse of one Of Them stated 10 alright
at an object hcnen,h a bush, The rider
checked lis hoise. ADD raid "win's there
! 4 voice answered IN Spanish. One 81 the
party supposed thai he recognized ~ The
vol: e an old acquaintance oil Ia Bss,ss -
and asked IL ii was such q one, mentioning
the name. "No,n WAS the reply, my
nanc is .Afiiam.n
Col Milan is a native Of Kentucky. Al
the commencement Of the Mexican war OF
Independence he engagcd ID the Cause,
and assisted 10 establishing the Iniepend
cncc Of tho couttry. When lturbidc as
sumed the purple. Milam's republican
principles placed him 10 fetters--dragged
him 10 the city OF Mexico, and confined
him in prison until the nsnrper was de.
throncd. When Santa Anna assumed the
Dictatorship. the republican, Milan, was
again thrust into the prison at Monte Key.
But his past services and snffeilngs wrought
upon the synspathies Of his hard hearted
%jailors They allowed him The laxury ola
bath. fic proited by the indulgence /; and
made arrangements with an old compntri
OF to place O fleet horse suitably equipped
upon the bank OF the stream at = time ap
pointed. The Colonel passed the sentinel
~ he went TO 90 into the water walked
quietly on mounted The horse and fled.
-Four hundred miles would place him in
safety. The noble horse did his duty /,
and bore the colonel clear Of sll pursuit.
TO the place where our party surprlzed
him. AT FIRST, he supposed himself IN the
power Of the enemy-but the English Ian
guage soon convinced him that he was 10
fIo xnslaf Al Ia. so.afra men =
lie had never heard that Texas WAS
making an effort TO save herself No wbis
per OF the kind had been allowed TO pass
10 his prison. When he learnt the object
Of the party, his heart was full. -he could
not speak for joy.
When the company arrived al the lower
ford they divided into four parties Of t,csirs
mon. each. One party remained as a
guard with the horses. The other three.
With a guide. marched by different routes
10 the assault.
Their axes hewed down the door where
the colonel, commanding the place. slept
and he was taken a prisoner from his
bed. A sentinel haiIed-and fired. A rifle
ball laid him dead upon the spot The
Mexican soldiers fred from iheir quarters
and the bsaze oil their guns served as tar-
gets for the ~celonst rif1emcn.
The garrison was called upon TO surren
der, and the call was translated BY a gen
tieman present who spoke the language
They asked for terms. The interpreter
now became the chief speaker. no.
answered be. +" they say they wiiI rnassa
ere every one OF you, unless you come out
Immediately. and surrender. Come out
come out quirk-I cannot keep them
backbone out If you wish TO save your
I%ives--I can keep them back no longer
"Ob, do, for Gods sake keep them back
answered the Mexicans, 10 their " Ian
guage, /" we will come out ana surrender,
acknowledgement they rushed out with
all. possible speed and laid down their arms
And thus was the fort Of Coliai taken
a fort, which with a garrison Of three nun