San Luis Advocate (San Luis, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 13, Ed. 1, Wednesday, November 25, 1840 Page: 1 of 4
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SAM L( IK t)V rC: T E .
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B
T. ROBINSON & Co.
SAN LUIS. WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 25 l840.
VOL. I. NO. 13.
JO
I
SAN LUIS ADVOCATE.
PRINTED AND rUBLUUKD EVERV TUESDAY
BY S. J. DURXETT .
Oil The Comer or Market and Liberty Streets.
TEK.MS: Scbscriptiok Five Dollars a 3-ear" paya-
ble in advance or Seven Dollars at the expiration of
the year.
1$o paper will be discontinued (except at ihc-discrctiou
of the Editor) until all arrearages have been paid.
Frenchman who in Spain and the Briton and
American who in Canada had faced each other
in combat now stood side by side in the fellow-
ship of danger. The difficulty of commanding
sue!' a force may easily be imagined. The
national animosities of men recently hostile
the ttirbulant spirit of the Americans the punc-
tilious jealousy of the European officers and
the wavering and unconfiding character of the
Mexicans were liable to come into fatal colli-
Advektisemevts will be inserted at the rajc of SI 00
per square far the first insertion and 50 cents for each
M.tr lliirvifrpr Ion linN nr ! onnciiltitintr n
square. The number of insertions required mtist be ' sion. For this fierce and motly array to be
marked on tne margin 01 ine manuscript or t ney win i contmed (Il-0 n)l ditllcuHlcs and to be inspired
be inserted nil forbid ana charged accordingly. . '
wnn oevotod tideiuy oy one wno was 10 most
of them of alien race required no ordinary ta-
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with the cisu.or good reference in town.
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in advance. V
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original!
FortbcSan Luis Advocate.
JIIXA .1X1) HIS TIIISEK IIUND11KD.
Of that three hundred jive but three
To make a new thcrmopyla:. Byron.
(Continued frcn .Vo. 12 )
On the 24th of May Mina commenced his
march for the inteiior with the expiditionarv
part of his force which after the desertion of
Perry numbered but 303 men. Of these about
two hundred weio foreigners and the rest na-
tive recruits. The latter who were mostly in-
corporated in the cavelry afterwards showed
that they had fully imbibed the spirit of their
companions.
Some account of the organization of this di-
minutive ..rmy would here Uo proper; and a
review of itc mate. ials and appearance mi3ii
gratifiy a natural curiosity.
The inf.intry compiised three companies.
As there were in the division more officers
than could yet be placed in command Mina had
formed most of the extra number into a com-
pany callej ''The Guard of Honor of the
Mexican Congress. '' to serve as privates till
he could transfer them to new corps which he
expected to raise. The General was the nom-
inal Captain oT this company though it was us-
ually under the immediate command of Colonel
Young as its first Lieutenant ; Lieutenant Col.
Bradburn being she second. The officers wlm
ctfmposoa the lfncbore "ilie'drcss and devices
of their rank and the arms of infantry soldiers.
Col. Young who also in general commanded
the whole of the foot was an American officer
of experience and as much admired for his
knowledge of duties and attention thereto as
for his intripidity. The individuals of this se-
lect body were nearly all Americans who had
been well schooled either in the United States'
service or at the Academy of Wct Point. They
were mostly young and all chivalrous " sock-
ing the bubble reputation in the cannon's mouth.'
The remainder of the Galvezton recruits who
had not followed Perry formed another com-
pany styled "The Regiment of the Union.''
The men who were clad in British uniforms of
the line were mostly roving Americans of the
Wi-.-t; and were as robust hardy and daring
as the finest of that class. This company de-
signed as its name imports to be the neuclus of
a regiment wis commanded by MajorSterling.
He was a Scotch officer distinguished for the
sturdy courage and methodical application to
duty which characterize his nation.
The other company of foot denominated the
First Regiment did not equal ihe others n ap
pearance being partly made up of Americans
and other foreigners and partly of Mexican
recruits; and was uniformed like the U. States
lents for command. As Arredondo was within
a few leagues when the march commenced and
by a rapid movement might intercept the divis-
ion the General observed due caution to evade
the enemy and made rapid marches by obscure
routs. lie wished if possible to avoid an ac-
tion till strengthened by a junction with the in-
surgeants : speed and circumspection were;
therefore of the utmost importance.
His men being all mounted he was able to
proceed with celerity; and a few days after leav
ing his first encampment he succeeded in cap-
turing a drove of horses which had been intend-
ed to mount a detachment of the enemy for
pursuit This placed him beyond the reach of
Arredondo. The devious rout which he pursu-
ed in the beginning left it doubtful whether he
designeil penetrating to the interior or moving
on Tampico or A'.tamira: and a body of the
enemy stationed at or near the latter place
was retained there we suppose till his determi
nation could be ascertained. In a few duvs the
captured horses were lost during a night march;
and as many of those brought from Soto la
Marina gave out or strayed the infantry ere
soon left on foot. Their first marches were
through a broad strip of fiat country on the
coast called the Tierra Calicute. It was co-
vered with low thickets loo naked and dwaif
ish to produce shade while they added to the
closeness of the atmosphere; and the tract as
its name imports was excessively sultry and
now consumed with draught. The arduous
"""ches which the division had to make along
no doubt aware. The skirmishers opened their
fire from the thicket and the enemy on feeling
it fell into confusion and did not await the first
volley of the main body. Their first line fell
back on the second and the whole fled; while
the assailants nt double quick time followed
them through the pass. Mina's horses were
mostly too jaded for an aclivc pursuit; and he
ordered the cavelry to move on only at the same
pace as the infantry ; while he selected for an
advance twenty-two of his best mounted and
best riding hussars and pushed on at their head
after the fugitives. This little party were all
Mexicans except two or three Americans. As
they approached the town a part of the enemy
made a show of rallying; on which Mina
charged them and they again fled and were
pursued by him at full gallop quite through the
town.
On entering a suburb beyond he found a bo-
dy of seventy of the enemy's best lancers form-
ed to cover the retraat of the rest. Seeing them
about to charge in turn the General oraered i conflict
his hussars to unsling their carbines. As the
hostile troop came on nt full career they were
greeted with a volley followed up by an attack
with sabres. Eight or ten of them were shot
or cut down; and the rest fled again pursued
by the victors.
In the mean time Mina's main' body was ad-
vancing at their utmost speed. The soldiers
were delighted at witnessing his gallantry tho'
many of the officers censured his temerity. It
was perhaps excusable as this was the first
time his men had seen him engaged; and lie
probably deemed an example of daring and
promptitude necessary to give them confidence
in their leader.
As they entered the town their. speed was
quickened by the firing in the suburb from
which they knew the General was engaged ;
but on their an ival at the spot the sight of the
enemy's dead assured them of the result.
Here the divis'on halted under a long hand
some aibour which had just been raised for
another -purpose; and in a few moments the
General returned from the pursuit. Heinform-
ed his officers of the complete rout of the cne-
n n n .1 1 1. y l -i i - T '
-.. -.mine ucneraiissueuoracrs to PPr rf disappeared among the thickets
.. .iwiiuii. xi nita a Ji uujiiiuiu luaiui u in ui
na's tactics that he never allowed himself to b
attacked when he could. make an or
This was the first discharge made by thc.line;
which immediately resumed its former front.
I lUllUIlll) . Mnn rolTnl
f . - . uu mi; mull iviuini'-"'
of attacking; and he prefered moving on an . .; was bplng ma(c the
unprepared encmyto standing prepared against - . . fnnt . nf!rincPt thotizh held some-
WI'U.IWI. ...... u
him. Retreat was impossible; and he knew
that if he took a defensive position nt the build-
ings of the Hacienda he would be invented and
crushed. He therefore resolved to march out
and attack the enemy in the hope of being able
to defeat their cavelry before their infantry
should come up.
The division was formed and in a brief ad-
dress he made known his intentions and en-
what in check by Mina's skirmishers The
latter were now withdrawn to his left flank;
and his main body thus uncovered stood firm
tinder the advancing fire of the enemy till wihin
sixty yards when a second discharge of ball and
buck-shot strewed the ground with their dead.
As the smoke of the volley arose the Spanish
in the afternoon but pickets of troops' retrain '
ed on the field for several hours after removing 0
the woun led burying tho dead and destroying -such
arms and spoils as could not be remoc.-.
The General continued attending to" these du
tics till late in the night. Asmany as possible
of the enemy's wounded were' removed as well
as all those of the division ; and such surgical
aid was given to all as the time would alIow. .
In the night Mina called a council of war. ?
The divsion had suffered so severely that
another victory at such cost might befatal;S
and the enemy though defeated it was thought
might from their numbers still prove formtda-
tlns dusty -llti burning tract were accompanied my and pointed to a wounded sargcant of hus-
with extreme hat doi.ip. The troops had gencr- sars as :hc only loss incurred in the action.
ally but one meal a day which often consisted
only of beef ; and they frequently sulfcred from
want of water.
On ascending to the table lands an agreeable
change took place. There was less scarcity
The enemy had fled too soon and too fust to
suffer much loss.
The news of the burning of the vessels at the
bar of theSantander had just before been re
ceived at this place; and had been magnified
infantry broken and flying were disappearing
-.r i ih;.t.-.tc A hmli- nf their horse. ' blc. should ihev rally. It was therefore resolv-
quired of the men if they were willing to follow ( wh-ch raijst before rallied on the rig! t of their ed to disencumber th: division by burning-all
!.:m to the attack. Worn as they were with foot) nm Kld begn t0 prcss upon tlic skirmish- the extra bag-age. and to march early in the
tod and fasting their stern acclamations assur- jn lik( manner Xct to flight. morning. Before leaving the place the victors
ed him how well he mhht depend on their in- "lina tl0W nuvancC(i a little past the ground had the painful task of didiiir-as they suppos-
irepuuiy; and the quet smile of satisfaction j1St 0CCUp-cd y t1(. Spanish line a position ed an eternal adieu to several of their woand-
wluch lightened hi features showed the seren-1 vhich woud je dvantagcols ngainst their ed. who were too badly hurt to be removed.
lly with which I.. inp9r..l f .1 lc-l"W" i.... s..:.. r :..r . . -:i5 !.lm-n. .ml i Tim Gpner.il Irfl vcilh therr. a letter -KMrpssprf
As a body of the enenn rim mg the . .....: u.ere oraere.! to use plen- to the Royalist commander into whose hands.
action mielit e.-.Mly move on the Hacienda and J y ...f..i-t'r--lot in addition to the cartridge. ; they might fall appealing to his humanity and
capture the stoics unless well protected a -phen-Juruidgo were made up with a ball and ' requesting for them the same kindness which
rear guard was detailed for that service under hrec-bu6k-shot ; and each soldier carried also ' he had shown (o the enemy's wounded. It f
Col. Nobna. consiMing of a part of the cavelry a suppjyof the hitter lnose in his pocket. I pleasing to record as in this case a rare cx-
and of the fir.-t regiment. Some few recruits had H The Royalist" cnvelry were .til! hovering' ception to the course of cruelty usually pursued
been received on the toad probnbly equal in J about his rear and flanks not venturing to I by the Royalists. Mina's wonnded were soon
charge but occasionally lancing the wounded a'ter removed to San Luis Potosi by the Coni-
he had left behind ; and some of those unfnrtu- mardante at that place and were kindly treated
nate men who were yet able to sit up continued particularly by the inhabitants.
jto load and file in spite of weakness and ago-! "When the division had marched a few mi!
I
number.to the men who had been lot bv differ
ent casii.ililies ind the division had still about
the same numeiical strength as when it left the
Santaudcr. The forces drawn out for the field
comprised the truard of honor and regiment of
the Union whii.li were to form the line under
Col. Young: a part of the first regiment some
armed -vi vtiuts and a few mnrkMiien detailed
from the line who composed two pal ties of
skirmishers under Capt. Rorkand Lieut. Wolf
and a part of the cavelry under M.ijor Count
Manro. a Sicilian; ntinibeiing in nil 173 men.
The odds with which they had to contend
cwi
ny. Though the Spanish musketry had been the General learned that the enemy had b
badly directed firing niost'y too high yet its bo totally discomfitted that no no fears need be
continual discharge and the frequent carbine ' entertained of their rallying: on whichhchalt-
ishots from skirmisliing parties of their envehw ' ed at a large Hacienda called La lledionda.
had already fearfully thinned the ranks of Mina.
His line in its present position had the fence
;of a field on its light and the drv shallow bed
where good quarters and stippli.;:; were to b
had.
They were received with great apparent cor
of stream on its left. The latter here served ttiality by the Curate of the place who assum-
as a road for another approaching column of cd that Bcmblauce. only to make himself ac-
were frightful. Armian's infantry consist- tithe enemy to' pass some thickets whh;'- were ! quainted with the strength of the divison ami
of water and provisions: the air became more j into ''the annihilation of the rabble led by the
elastic; and the heat though still great was traitor Javier Mina" The loyal inhabitants
not of the oppressive kind felt in the Tierra i had hcen about celebrating this triumph and an
Calicute; while the view of a rolling country
with mountain ridges and peaks in the distance
iiad an enlivening effect oTTthe spiritS.nrterbe-
ing wearied by the monotony of the lower
conntry.
The routs which Mina had chosen avoided
populous districts ; and the division passed but
one or two small towns and only a few Hacien
ed of the regiment of Bstromaduria and a part
of that called La America the former number
ing -ISO. and the latter 200 men. They were
European regular troops who had seen ser- i
vice probably in both hemispheres. His eavel-1
ry weie two native regiments that of Sierra
Gorda. 300 men and that of Rio Verde SUO '
strong. The former were of the class called '
close in front of the line leaving but little gi'-'e notice of it to the nearest Royal military
room for them to form as they expected theyi authority which he did as soon as possible
should emerge into the more open ground. j ''"''is was the first occasion since the division
The clang of their music was now heard; and 'et ''1C coast on which the troops fell them-
in a few moments the bayonets of n fonnida- selves free from the certainty of almost immc-
bh. mass appeared above theshrubs that skirted ! diate fatigue or the probability of almost imme-
thc hollow. It was the regimentnf Estrcinan- diate combat ; and they were in humor to in-
duria that approached 100 strong and perhaps ' dulgc in a few hours relaxation. It happened
permanent militia who were the most of the . strengthened by fugitives from La America. ' l-5at !1 a building where one of the companies
time in active service; and with respect to pay The crisis of the conflict was at hand; and I W'JS quartered there hung the stuffed skin of
discipline and training were on the looting ol i 'Mina gave orders to fire and charge. Theen-'an ox- "e nide Iiad been stripped nearly
arbor prepared for the festive occasion m.u-
received the supposed vanquished in the char-tiv column of Mina
acter of victors.
The division halted at El Valle de Maiz the
following day; and some repose and relaxation
were allowed to the troops. A requisition of
some clothing was made ; and some attempts
at pillage were severe!- chastised. The Sac-
emy instead of expanding his front or con- i whole from the animal in a way well undcr-
densing his mass on the reaching the open ; st0d in that country the severed parts being
ground kept on in open marching order as if s0 well closed as. to-be water tight. The hide
he-ilisjiisea iiiu- peuy torcc opposed and inten-' was 'n in's manner converted into a sack which
that 1780 men were opposed to the diminu-;' lIpd t0 march round it. Mina's line at the same' ouid contain liquid? and this huge bag appear-
regular troops. The latter were of the ordina-1
ry militia of the country raw in service but
well armed and appointed. Arminan had also
two pieces of cannon. Thus it will be seen
das and ranchos f till it reached El Valle de j ristan of the place was also punished for nc
Maiz. This is a considerable town situated in
a fine agricultural district in the Intendency of
San Luis Potosi. When within a few leagues
of the place it being the 8lh of June Mina's
scouts reported that a considerable body of
glecting to bury the enemy's dead conformably
with Mina's orders
On the evening of the lOtb.the General called
a council of war and after staling his informa-
tion that a large body of the enemy were mov-
collision with this force; and the General re-
solved on attacking it. The notice of this dif-
fused a feeling of stern exhilcration through the
Riflemen. It was at different limes command-
ed by two or three of the Mexican officers who
had joined Mina in New Oilcans: the last and
most meritorious of whom was Col. Marqucz.
There was also with the division a small sec-
tion of ennoniers with one light mountain piece
under the command of some French officers of
aitillery; and a few engineers were also at-
tached to the cxpedtiion.
The cavelry. which consisted of a troop of
Hussars and one of Dragoons contained a
majority of Mexicans and waf commanded hy
Major Maylefcr He was a Swiss officer who
had served under Napoleon in Spain; and both
in character and appearance was the beau ideal
of a Bold Dragoon. The Hussars were in the
costume of the British cavelry of that denomi-
nation and were armed with light sabres pis-
tols and carbines. The dragoons were uni-
formed like those of the United States ; and
were armed with long sabres lances pistols
and carbines. The former were commanded
by Captain Erdozain and the latter by Captain
Gonitwo Spanish officers from Mina's province;
who like him were inspired with the impetuous
valor of the Navarrian Guerrillas.
The General's EtafF was numerous for the
size of the division as there were several Euro-
pean Anglo American and Mexican officers
who could not well be employed save in that
department or on occasional service.
This singular band like a minaturc repre-
sentation of Hannible's host was thus compos-
ed of diverse races mostly ignorant of each
others language and as opposite in habits and
traits as in complexion. Men who on other
. '$""' faM? had met indcadjy strife the Spaniard and
division.
During the marches the men had occasion-
ally murmercdat their hardships and enircated
to be brought speedily before the enemy that
the' might obtain repose or death. Still neith-
er did discipline slacken nor duty lag; for they
saw the commander ever active nnd vigilent
and ready to share their toils and privations.
Dissention had sometimes threatened to arise
fiom the causes before spoken of but was as
often repressed by tho tact and winning deport-
ment of Mina. From this time forward the oft
recurring excitement of combat bound the men
more firmly to each other and to their leader.
Before reaching El Valle de Maiz the divis-
ion had to march over a handsome plain encir-
cled by two ridges whose points approaching
each other in front left between them nn open-
ing of moderate width through which the road
to the town passed. In this gap which is call-
ed the pass of Los Lobos the enemy's force
consisting of about seven hundred cavelry
were drawn up in two lines their left flank rest-
ing on a thicket below the point of one ridge ;
and their right on the base of the other. They
were commanded by a Lieut. Col. VillasenorS
and though superior in numbers and all well
armed and equipped a majority of them were
raw levies from the Royalist militia.
Mina by a movement of his cavelry towards
the enemies right covered the advance of a par
ty of. sharp shooters selected from the infan
try and enabled them to enter the thicket. At
the same time a small detachment of his horse
approached the ridge on their rightandtheinfan-
try formed in a broad column of attack ad-
vanced in front at quick step. The broad front
of the column conspicuous by the red coats of
theUnion Regiment appeared imposing while
its lack of depth could not at first be well dis-
covered. There are two things for which raw
troops in action are especially partial. One is
to have their front well protected; the other to
have the rear unobstructed as it is a. quarter to
which they are prone to turn their steps when
the space between them and the enemy grows
narrow. Hence dispositions for attacking or
turning both their flanks even by inferior num
ber? arc apt to cause uneasiness as Mina was
Royalist cavelry was in front of the town to j ing on the place by the road of the division's
dispute his passage. It was impossible to avoid i approach requested the opinions of the board
as to whether it would be preferable to contin-
ue his forced marches or await the contest at
the late seen of action.
As the position which Villasenor had occu-
pied was very advantageous and the troops
had need of farther repose -the majority of the
council were in favor of the latter measure.
The general however still considered it most
important to effect a junction with the insnr-
geants before risking another action ; and as
the reasons urged in favor of the other plan did
not seem to him sufficient he decided on march
ing the following day.
On the 10th he accordingly left the place for
the Baxio by the road to San Luis Potosi af
ter liberating a few prisoners whom he h.id
taken in the late action. He was obliged to
leave behind his wounded Hussar who was
found not to be in a condition for removal his
thigh having been pierced with a lance.
On the evening of the 1 1 th the Spanish Brig-
adier Arminan with a large" force of cavelry
and infantry entered El Valle de Maize. He
had been ordered to cut off Mina's march to
the interior and on ascertaining his adversa-
ry's course left his station at Altimira or thwv
about and moved rapidly to intercept him.
At this place he requited Mina's generous
liberation of his prisoners by ordering tho
wounded Hussar to be shot; and after giving a
day's rest to his troop's he also took the road
to San Luis Potosi by forced marches. On
the way he was reinforced by a large body of
cavelry.
There was now an arduos chase between the
two divisions ; but Arminan being better sup-
plied with horses gained rapidly upon Mina.
After fourdaifs long and faligucing marches
Mina's division arrived at Hacienda de los
Peotillas which is about twelve leagues from
the city of San Luis Potosi. Owing to the late
hour of their arrival and the flight of some of
the peasantrj'.thc troops who had fasted since
morning could not procure food that night. In
the morning while the rations were cooking
preparitorily for the march a cloud of dust was
seen moving up the plain ; and captains' Goni
and Erdozain with a picket of cavelry were
sent out to reconnoitre. They soon returned
and reported that the enemy's cavelry were
approaching in great force. It was now evi-
dent that the division was overtaken by Armi-
J time quarter-wheeled to the left so aa to faceted to be stuffed with a substance of tharxlass.
The buildings of the Hacienda are situated obliquely the left side of the column. Colonel j After the General had retired and the needful
on a rising ground which in the rear ascends Young before giving the word directed his ! dispositions for the night had been made some
to a hill and in front slopes down to a.- exten- mej' l0 "re 'ov among the legs of the march-j soldiers of an investigating turn of mind had
sive levl. This plain is covered mostly wi'h i"15r .nhtnnn; .v;hw -tnr .vas-mm- itilrrtrav-i:i f the- curiosity to ascertain what kind of liquid it
bushes and undergrowth from four to ten feet contact with the let of the line; when the vol-
high in some places foiming close thickets and j lev was poured. Half the column seemed to
in others leaving spaces nearly bare. It also
contained some cultivated fields enclosed in
strong brush and stake fences The road by
which Mina had arrived traversed this plain ;
and the enemy were approaching by thesanr1.
Their Rio Venie cavelry were now formed in
an open part of the plain about half a miiedis'
sink before it and those in its front who es
caped the discharge fell under the bayonet
The whole body fled in the utmost confusion
dropping their arms on j
most of the soldier
the spot.
A few moments after a body of the enemy's
dragoons who had entered the field made a
j was that so swelled the dropsical figure of the
ox; and it was found to be vit:o meacal.
The euriosty of this soldier soor. infected most
of the troop's of the divison. in a manner that
would he more excusal.'e after a victory than
before an actjon. Had Annin.in rallied tiieday
before and fallen upon .Mina that nishf. he mi'ht
hare retrieved hij disgrace. ""J
7h bz continued.
The uniform? mentioned were protaulyado-tel hv
chance ostein; the kinds which Mina could mo': read-
ily procure in DighinlanJ ihe United States.
t Ilicicr.dt is a Spanish word urho.se literal meaning
is an c-la'.e. "When appfied to a locality it dignatc
the place where the population of one of the ex-
his column moved upon the enemv's arrav of I which thev tied with great speed This was M f M"" T'-vlu '" ?a'awnn in
..... . i i . i ! -"Wco relocated lbehauainsmhnbitedbvthcni';-
cavelry with his skirmishers in rpen order a the last attempt at resistance the enemy made j 1-ticn usually cornpihethe lai.ee manMw.u0fh
lifle in front. When his advance had arrived Their scattering parties of cavelry followed the ! proprietor with granaric store houses and a chappcf
within an hundred and fiftv yards of the eneuiv. flight of the infantry; and the whole continued j a-a'sothe numeruas huts and hoaxes of the peasantry
there was seen in front of them a group of olii-1 in full rout for several miles when the infan-1 t??V- TLCC 'omu0I' ror'- '"saber "a
... ?. i i i i t i i- considerable vilbge; and on some of the larger do-
u y ui iuug.li u.iituu ; uui me caveiry uisperseu . ains cnl!?t in s;2e a . owc A Rjneho . M
to their homes. . gricultural or pa-toral .-e'.tieraent of the ceasantrr of
inn's cavelry which had been engaged was ; ne o: more fainilio-encrally ufa number arnl isfre-
nuch jaded for pursuit ; and the reinforce-; --cX? a bra"ch of Jome Hacienda. The arcrd asde-
tant the rest of ti.eir troops not having yet ' s''ow of leaping the fence to charge Mina's
come up. j light flank on which a part of his line wheeled
As Mina's troops left the Hacienda after a j and tave a fire which drove them back into
twenty-four hours fast they passed v. ith yearn-. 'he enclosure. ( 'apt. Knlozain who had just
ing appetite the mess fires where their untouch- come from the Hacienda with twelve Hussars
ed rations were cooking. Mina at the head of ' at the same time moved towards their rear on
cers one ol uiiom was distinsuistied bv tits
gaur'y dress. Capt. Beal. who was with the
advance and cairied a line rifle siie'led him i
out .nd fired the first shot of the action. At
Mil
too mi
the crack of the gun he fell. The group ofiment brought by Erdoz.iin was too small for
officers fell back to the array which evinced an the purpose. M.ijor Maylefer had brcn anx-
une.xpected degree of commotion. The officer
killed happened to be the commander of that
corps; and his early fall so dispirited the raw
troops that it required hut a few more shots
acriptivc of a locality usually ccrivcys ih-wca ofa
hamlet of several primative hahi' ""s. v'ilh some cnt-
:i rated fields and i1-ok!s of numerous herds adjoin-
from the skirmishers to complete their confu-
sion and drive th in back into the thickets. In-
stead of following them tip. .Vina made a late-
ral in-v-iiirMt m lit--- iigl" to taco a part of the
enemv's foot now coming up in that direction.
They deployed and opened fire upon him at
long --hot; and it was then that his first man
fell. Ashe .-islied to drawtliem fuither ahead
of their main body and more into the open
space where their number and dispositions
could be better seen he then retreated a short
distance covered by his skirmishers who brisk-
ly returned the enemy's fire from bush to hush.
It was now apparent that the pursuing inf.irltry
were ubout two hundred in number being that
of La America. Mina soon halted and deploy
ed; and his line faced the enemy still covered
by the skirmishers while his cavely formed a
rear guard. His men who had murmured at
each retreating step now obeyed with eager-
ness the order to advance ; and their approach
and the fire of the skirmishers soon brotight
the enemy to a halt. At this juncture a body
of the Sierra Gorda cavelry which had come
upon Mina's left made a furious charge on the
rear of that flank. -His line promptly wheeled
to the left on its centre till it presented a slant-
ing front to the assailants now within a few
rods and poured among them an oblique vol-
ley of ball and buck-shot. Upwards of twenty
fell at the fire; and as they fled their mounded
were seen reeling and dropping' froni their sad-
ions to reinforce Mina with the whole of the ins; ; '""ahited mostly by laborinz people of the
ieerve of horse; hut was forbidden lu- f-. -.'"Sfd or aboriginal extrc::on previously .mentioned in
....... ;f.r . :.hctc.-.t.
iNoooa. isut lor tins tin-". '""-"'"j 'UMl
have been nu.iriy annihilated.
' Their artillerv which was in the rear of the
column when it broke was abandoned and ta
il have heard many personal anccdu:es shotvin-: the
matchless intrepidity of .Mina's followers. Capt. Goni
with a Hanking picket of eitrht dragoons being cut off
rrom the main bjJy bv a large body of cavelry a:terap:-
ken as was all their baggage and ammunition j nl totrFm-cthroesh th.'in and was killed with all his
and a largo number of arms. The latter be- j acn except a Fiench trumpeter u-hn was taken. The
'ing too numerous to be carried off" was mostlv pmmandet of the hostile party a Lieut. Colonel pave
. i. mI r i!fcls trumpeter GoniV carbine and other arms which he
lit Out. 11 I t 111 1CII 'ii i- t i . mt
. jhad despoiled ro carry. Thft-e.zipeter watched hisop-
M mil's loss in killed and wounded was very portunity and when he saw the enemy's horse in confu-
severe amounting to near sixty. Among the jsion and their commander a few yards apart from his
former was Capt. Goni. of the dragoons; and mcn presented ihe carbine and compelled him topillop
the latter Lieut. Coi. Bradburn who was shot boforc him 01c l!iv'sl'on. a"d presented to Mina a
. . . . . . ... prisoner whom he had thus snatched almost from the
through the neck near the close of the conflict. enpmy.s ranks Major g. fn hc of
The enemy's loss amounted from three to live t;0n wasstruck down by a. spent ball which waspreven-
hundred the wounded being much the larger ted by a b'ltton frciri entering buti avc him so severe a
proportion. :
contusion that he at firs: ihought he was .shot throuirh.
The result of this action would be incredible AHer throwing nP a miantityof blood ihou;h Unab!to
were not its details and the numbers engaged Sco:ch his nearest ofnee'r "make that lone; loon o; a
known and acknowledged. The enemy's de-sergeant keep his men in line."
feat has by some been mainly attributed to Mina received a Mam intiniationof thiscntheiehL
the destructive effect of close firing with buck- jT here was in the Guaid of Honor an Irish youth fam.
shot : but it was much more owing to the strag- "arty known by the name of Pat who was an equally
gling manner in which their different corps'
came into action from which they were cut up
in detail; and to the careless mode in which
their main column of infantry came into con-
tact with a prepared enemy. Still each sepa-
rate body one would suppose was sufficently
strong at least to have sustained the action till
others could arrive or rally; and after allow-
ing for ever accidental advantage the victory
surpasses in brilliancy almost any which has
been achieved on thw continent.
The division rcti"-"--1 "-
;ood specimen of Irish bravery and drollery and was
icnce a general favorite. A few moments after the cn-
niy weie routed when congratulations were passing'
etwecn the General and hisotticcrs.the former said to
jc aforesaid wag well Pat what do you think of the
ctoryt "Glorious" said Pat "but by Jasnsif we
nn such another there will be none of us left to cele-
tate it."
II Vino mescal is a kind of spiriLscommoa in Mexico
tilled from thesap of the Maguey or American Alee.
VAninefdent ofihisisnotassomcrraysappose too i
itling to narrate since it shows how formiikWi- -
j-cademavJl-. r -"' space thin ..
rtn W ij 'utCWtr
auat 20 ISiQ vWI. a. HILT.
h
I '"Xxxr
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Durnett, S. J. San Luis Advocate (San Luis, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 13, Ed. 1, Wednesday, November 25, 1840, newspaper, November 25, 1840; San Luis, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth79939/m1/1/: accessed June 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.