Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-03-26


The badness Of the gnnpowder used by the Mex
leans, was again Of great service 10 us. Many Of
their balls that fell far short Of u.s. we're col
ected and returned to them with powerful effect
We kept sharp look-ou for conveys and capiur-
ed no less than three--one Of horse, another
provisions, and twenty thousand dollars in money.
Aier an eight weeks SIEGE breach having
been made, the city surrendered, and month later
the fort followed the example. With a powerful
park Of artillery, we then advanced upon Goliad,
the strongest fortress in Texas which likewise cap
iiulated in about four weeks time. We were
masters Of the whole country, and the war was ap-
parently at an end
But the Mexicans were not the people to give up
their best province so easily They have too much
Of the old Spanish character about them--that
determined obstinacy which sustained the Span
iards during their prouacted struggle against the
Moors The honor Of their republic was COM
promised and that must be redeemed. Thunder
ing proclamations issued, denonncing the
Texans as rebels, who should be swept off the
face Of the earth and threatening the United States
for having aided US with money aud volunteers.-
Ten thousand OF the best troops in Mexico entered
Texas, and shortly TO be followed by ten
thousand more The President, General Santa
Anna, himself came TO take the command, attended
by numerous and brilliant staff.
The Texans laughed at the fanfarronades Of the
dons, and did not attach sufficient importance TO
these formidable preparations Their good opinion
OF themselves, aud contempt Of their foes, had been
increased an unreasonable degree by their recent
and rapid successes They forgotthat the troops
to which they had hitherto been opposed for
the most part militia, aud that those advance
ing against them Of far better description,
and had probably better powder. The call 10 arms
made by our president, Burne,, was dsregarded by
many, and we could only get together about two
thousand men Of whom nearly two thirds had to be
left to garrison the forts Of Goiad aud Alamo. In
the first named place we left seven hundred and
sixty men, under The command Of Tanning in the
| latter, something more than five hundred. With
the remaining seven or eight hundred, we took
the field
The Mexicans advanced so rapidly that they
| were upon US before we were aware of 1t, aud we
were compelled to retreat, leaving the garrsons of
the two forts TO their fate, and right melancholy
one ii proved to be-
One morning news was brought 10 Golad, that
namber Of country people, principally women aud
children, their way to the fort, closely
pursued By the Mexicans. Tanning, losing sight
Of prudence in his compassion for these poor people
/ Immediately ordered battalion Of FIVE hundred
men, under the command Of MAJOR Ward, to 60
and meet the fugitives and escort them in. The
major and several officers of the garrison doubted
as TO the proprieiy of this measure; but Tanning
full of sympathy for his unprotected countrywomen
insisted, and the battalion moved out They soon
came in sight of the lugtves, as they thought but
on drawing nearer, the latter turned out TO be
Mexican dragons, who sprung upon their horses
which were concealed in the neighboring islands oil
trees, and desperate fight began. The Mexicans
far superior in numbers, received every moment ac
cessions to their strength The Louis Potosi and
Santa Fe cavalry, fellows who seem born horse
back, were there. Our unfortunate countrymer
were hemmed in all sides. The fight lasted
two days. and only two men out Of the FIVE hundred
escaped with their lives.
Before the news Of this misfortune reached us
orders had been sent to Tanning TO evacuaie the
fort and Join us with six pieces Of artillery. Ht
received the order aud proceeded TO execute it
Blu; what might have been practicable for eigh
hundred and sixty men, was impossible for thre'
hundred and sixty. Nevertheless, Tanning begai
his march through the prairie. His little band wal
almost Immediately surrounded by the enemy
After gallant defence, which lasted twelve hours
they succeeded in reaching an island but scarcely
had they established themselves there, when theJ
found that their ammunition was expended, Their
was nothing left for them but to accept the term
offered by the Mexicans, who pledged themseye
that if they laid down their arms they should b.
permitted to return TO their homes. But the rife
were no sooner piled than the Texans found them
selves charged by their treacherous foes, who butch
cred them without mercy. Only an advanced pos
OF three men succeeded in escaping.
The FIVE hundred men whom we had len in Sal
Antonio de Bexar Jared no better. Not being
sufficiently numerous 10 hold out the town wei
the Alamo, they reireated into the latter. The
Mexican artillery soon laid part of the fort in
ruins, Still its defenders held out. Afer eigh
days fighting during which the loss Of the besieger
was tremendously severe, the Alamo was taken
and not single Texian left alive
We thus, by these two cruel blows, lost two
thirds of our army, aud little more than sever
hundred men remained to resist the numerous
legion of our victorious foe. The prospect be
fore us was well calculated TO daunt the stoutes
heart.
The Mexican General Santa Anna, moved hi
army forward in two divisions one stretching alonl
the coast towards Velasco, the other adyancn,
towards San Felipe de Austin He himself with
small force, marched in the centre AT Fort Bend
twenty miles below San Felipe, he crossed tn
Brazos, and shortly afterwards established himsel
with about 1900 men in an enirenched camp
Oar army under the command Of General Houston
was in front of Harrisburg, to which place tn
} Congress had retreated.
, 1t was on the night of the twentieth of April
and our whole dsposable force, some seven hundre
men, was byouacking in and about an island
; sycamores. II was cloudy stormy evening
: high wind was blowing, aud the branches cf th
! trees groaned aud creaked above our heads. Th
y weather harnonized well enough with our feelings
/ which were sad and responding when we though
of the desperate state Of our cause We 1.-THE o
} fcers) were sitting in circle round the gener
G and Alcalde, both Of whom appeared uneasy an
r anxious. More than once they got up, and wake
+ backwards and forwards, seemingly impatient, an
: as If they were waiting for or expecting SOM
II thing There was deep silence throughout Il
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