, 1842-04-09
NUMBER 2s.l

of the Governor and the inhabitants.
This the Texans would not do
The Mexican officer undertook to
take care of the few remaining hor-
ses of the Texans, and supply the
men with food in order to allay oil
apprehensions Of any hostile pur
pose. His next step was to Cross
the Gallinas with his mer with the
favowed object of camping the two
forces together as further proof Of
friendship. This he did, but IS he
drew near the Texan camp the dis.
position of his lines left little doubt
of his belliggerent intentions. The
Texans were Immediately got under
arms. About this time also another
party crossed the river, and forming
a junction with the first banished W.
cry lingering doubt of the objects Of
the Mexicans, and an engagement
was on the w of taking place when
Capt. Lewis and the nephew and
confidential secretary of the Govern
or made their appearance.
When Lewis and the Governors
nephew came up, a parley was had
betweent them and the Texans, the
troops upon both sides maintaing
their buttle array. Cabt.:Lowis rep
resented the Governor as willing to
receive the Texans on condition that
they would lay down their arms in
conformity with 4 law of Mexico,
which.made it necessary for an ARM
ed force entering the province to
give up their weapons before reach
ing San Miguel. He represented
himself and the nephew and secreta.
ry of the Governor as empowered to
stipulate for the surrender o. the inn
plements Of war, and to negotiate for
the safe conduct of the troops to the
frontier after they had complied with
this stiplation. The Governor had
empowered them to bind the authori.
ties to label the property of each in
dividual, supply food for their march
home, and return to every man his
property. These representations
we're confirmed by the nephew and
secretary Of Governor; Armijo, a
well as by Mexican officers, q number
of whom had joined in the parley.
The Commissioners hesitating 10
confde in these representations, Capt.
Lewis informedhm that the Governor
with a well appointed troop OF 5000
men, was within 12 hours march aud
if the Texans gained the battle, they
would soon be engaged with a more
formidable foe. The Commissioners
not yet satisfied, Capt. Lewis Plsged
his honor,to the truth of all these state
ments, swearing upon his Masonic
faith, (both being Masons) to every
word of it.
Such being the circumstances of
the division, without food, iaded and
worn out by fatiguing marches, in
front Of a force of some six hundred
men and expecting the arrival OF
5000 more, and being especially or
dered by the Texan government to
avoid hostilities if the people were
opposed to them, and not apprised
of the capture of the gentlemen dis
patched to Santa Fe, and not sus.
pecting Lewis to be a traitor, the
Texans laid down their arms upon
the terms Of surrender proposed
Food was then furnished the troops,
and they were treated with some lem
iry until the next day, when the
arrived with about 1900
men, a force sufficient TO take him Sc
cure in his barbrity; we were seized
and bound six and eight together,
with hair ropes and thongs Of raw
hide, and put in a filthy sheep-folds
surrounded by a large armed guard.
The Mexican officers then excited
the Poems to the highest degree Of
phrenzy, by the accounts they gave
Of the Texans, and we were prevcn-
ted from being slaughtered by being:
huddled togeter in a small yard en-