1576
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
abused and long oppressed fellow-citizens. I cannot here recapitu- .late the catalogue of wrongs, and the repeated violation of the rights and liberties of the Americans, who were enticed to the province under specious provinces [sic] of interest nnd friendship, secured by a p1·etended guaranty of their rights and liberties, Suffice it to say, that they have discovered too late the perfidy and treachery of this mis-caUed Re7ntblic, and are but too severely taught that they were invited to this country only to be plundered of their property. The flag was planted by 16 men only, who flew to arms at the moment, to protect their friends and fellow-citizens from the fangs of a brutal soldiery, then on their march to plunder nnd butcher every American here whose proud spirit would not brook oppression, or bend his knee to every petty tyrant of the land. Your friend was one of that number-one of that little band of Ame1·ican patriots, who, expecting to encounter upwards of a hun- dred men, recorded their names upon the flag, with a solemn vow to Heaven, a.nd to each other, to plant it in Nacogdoches on that day, or perish by it-But the cowardice of these minions of despotism gave us a bloodless triumph. They have since made several puny efforts to reduce us to submission, but in vain. On the 4th inst. they had the temerity to enter this town, with the view of assaulting our fort, with, as they supposed, an overwhelming force-being about four to one; but our little band, indignant at the sight of men.march- ing to prostrate the standard of liberty, and fearless of such an enemy, rushed from their strong hold into an open field, notwith- standing the enemy had taken possession of a pile of buildings and a line of fences: yet in 10 minutes they were routed and driven from the town with the loss of several killed and wounded. We lost not a man, and only one slightly wounded. In three days I expect to march and meet the Spanish troops, now on their march from San Antonio to this place. I think if they venture to meet us, you will hear a good account of us as we are resolved on liberty or death. I am now hon- ored with the chief command. I was appointed, in the first in- stance, one of the members of the council of state, but have been since as you see, transferred to the military department. We have con- cluded a treaty with the chiefs and representatives of twenty seven tribes of Indians; and if I am not deceived, we will, in six months make this perfidious government shake to its centre. The first Monday in February next is the day appointed, for a Conuress to meet at this place, to make a declaration of independence, and 0 to frame a constitution and government of our own. In the mean time we stand here as sentinels upon the watch-tower t? pr~- tect our lives and property, and the rights of our countrymen, m this foreign land. [B. ,v. EnwAnos.J
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