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THE AUSTIN PAPERS . . be ascertained, with two pieces of cannon, at sunrise this morning, attacked a detachment from the army, consisting of ninety men, under the command of colonel Bowie and captain Fanning, who were p~sted at this place; and after a warm engagement of three hours, were repulsed with the loss of one piece of cannon, (a six-pounder) and about thirty muskets, sixteen men left dead on the field, and, from the best accounts, nearly as many more were carried off. The number of wounded we can only conjecture, with the exception of Lwo that remained on the field. It is with great regret I have to say, that on our side we had one man, Richa~~ Andrew_~, of M.iJta,,, dangerously wounded-I fear .mortally. But-,ve have s·~tained no other loss, except a few horses. The main body of the army came up, in about thirty minutes after the enemy had retired. A more circumstantial account of this action, which has resulted so gloriously to the federal army, and more particularly to the individuals immediately engaged, will be given as soon as it can be made out. The overwhelming superiority of force, and the brilliancy of the yictory gained over them, speak for themselves in terms too expressive to require from me any further eulogy I have just learned that the cavalry of the enemy was commanded br, colonel Ugartechea, and the infantry by colonel Mariano Cos, brother of the general, Martin Perfecto. s. F. AUSTIN
M.A. BRYAN TO JAMES F. PERRY
2 miles from Bexar Oct 28 th We arrived here about the middle of the day. A party of 90 men under Bowie and Capt Fannin who were sent here yesterday to pick out a position for the army were attacked by 300 cavalry and 100 infantry with two pieces of artillery the attack was made about day brake, 16 mexicans were left dead on the ground and several wounded and dead were taken off by the cavalry. Capt. Richard Andrews from the Colorado was shot in the stom- ach It is supposed he will die one or two more were slightly wounded is all the injury we sustained. The main army did not arrive from the mis- sion de Espada where it was stationed untill about one hour after the battle. The contest lasted 4 hours, We took an excellent brass piece, a long 6 pounder which will be of service to us, they succeeded in getting away with the other pieces, We have upwards of 400 men and provision tolerable plenty 4 waggons have arrived with Supplies, We are now near the Mission Concepcion on the San Antonio River. We occupy the banks of the river, plenty of bushes and trees which saved the lives of many of our soldiers
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