True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-11-07
Texas Rangers Bloody Battle in Mexico Victory
of the Texans Details.

II may be remembered that some time
ago, body of mounted Texan Rangers.
under the command of Capt. Callahan,
were, with the appreciation of the Execu.-
tive, mustered in the western part Of the
State. The object contemplated by them
was to destloy the encampmeut of Lipan
Indians on the Mexicsn side of the Rio
Grande, and TO exterminale the warriors
of that tribe which had long infested their
Grontier-murlering their wives and chill.
dren, and depredating upon our property
and such MeXicans and negroes as would
he found allied with them.
Capt. Callahan; in an address TO the
people of Texas, dated Eagle Pass, the
4Ih inst, gives narrative oflhe campaign.
The Indian camp, he had learned, was
situated about 35 miles west of the river,
near the city of San Fernando, in the
State of Tamaulipas. Towards the ID
inst, about 3 o'clock in the afternoon,
and when within about ten miles of San
Fernando-the Indian camp lying the
other side Of the town-they deserted
three horsemen approaching them from
a mound of timber obout a mile to tho
northward.
AT first sEys Capt, Callahan (for we
now quote his own language these men
were now noticed, we supposing them to
be herdsmen-but on their approaching
within two hundred yards of Jus we dis
covered them to be Indian chieftians.
ready dressed and painted for battle, and
they were evidently striving to decoy us
from our position. ...
Forming my men into line along the
road, | waited for them TO begin the bat
tie, for by this time large numbers of
them had emerged from The timber, SEEM
lngly with the intention of attacking US;
they soon spread out in from. of us. and
TO our ght and left, to The amount of sew
eral hundred horsemen, and commenced
10 fire on us,-Aboul This time one of nv
men fired on chief about two hundred
yards distant, and broke leg of his horse.
Pelceiving that The enemy, composed of
both Indians and Mexicans; were irving
10 oulaank us, | ordered my men to
charge, which was executed in fine style.
and thirty ofthe enemy were slain.
while making our charge, the left
flank of the enemy, which extended for
nearly half a mile, came in on our rear
and opened on US Il very severe fire, dur
ing which four of our gallant men were
killed. The front and right flank on
which we charged, after gallant fire,
fled before us, leaving US in possession of
the position which it was our object and
determination TO gain.
'Then we discovered that our enemy
numbered some 6 or 700, and their foot
men were concealed in the timber, and
had not advanced in view on the prairie.
My men formed in strong position be-
meath the bank ola small creek, on which
the enemy had been encamped, and their
whole force ing up against us, we
continued the battle for about three honrs,
when they fled in the direction of San
Fernando, leaving as we heard this eve.
ming, some IS killed, and with The loss
of one hundred wounded.
This we learn from some Mexicans
who were engaged in the battle, and from
other sources since my report to his Ex-
ccllency. the Hon. L. M. Pease. The
same MeXicans have also informed me
that the actual number of our enemy was
seven hundred and fifty men.
'Af,er the retreat of the enemy, which
was about dark, We, supposing that they
would come on us again before day, with
large reinforccmenls, fell back to the Rio
Crande, where we would be safe from
any number of men and any quantity of
artillery they might bring against US.
Approaching The town of Piedras Me-
gras about sunrise, we took possession of
it. and now occupy position opposite
Eagle Pass, ON the west bank of The Rio
Grande.