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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
"""Brazos and ten of Johnson's on the Navosoto. The balance of these c'ommands were hopelessly routed and scattered, with the loss. of eYerything, provisions, clothing and merchandise, together with great many mules and horses which they had collected. Perez, en- couraged by these successes resumed his march. He was desirous of reaching Nacogdoches before the return of General Long from Galveston. He had just obtained a knowledge of the General's visit to that Islanci, from the prisoners. Leaving his baggage train behind, with a strong guard, and placing himself at the head of three hundred of his men, besides the various scouting parties, he set forth with the highest expectations of victory. · "\Ye have no certain and reliable evidence of what General Long effected at Galveston. "\Ve only know that he established a military post at Bolivar Point with some new recruits who were waiting his arrival at the Island-that he issued a Commission to Lafitte as· privateer to cruise in the servise of the new Republic, and tha,t he· deprived Biglow of his military rank on account of his bad conduct;· although he was still permitted to retain his place as a member of the' Suprerne Council. Our hero's visit to the Island was not protracted.- His stay, indeed, was brief. And yet it was long enough for di:;;- aster. A mighty revolution, in the mean time, had taken place in his affairs. It was no less than the total destruction of his hopes. The reader will observe, by a comparison of dates, that the .de- parture of General Long for Galveston, was so nearly simultaneous with the first movements of the enemy at Sanantonio, as to preclude the pos,;ibility of his having any knowledge of them; so that while he was journying to the coast, the antagonistic army was silently advancing on the road to Nacogdoches. We have just marked the· progress of that army as far as the Brazos; where we left the elated' Commander, after his ac.hievements there, resuming his march with the highest hopes of speedy victory. By this time he has reached' the vicinity of his destination, and very soon will be :rejoicing in· the consummation of.his wishes.- The first intimation which General Long received of the enemys approach, Wfls at the Cochattee Village. He was told by this faithful' tribe of Indians, that an army of seven hundred men was rapidly advancing from Sanantonio. Here he also found in waiting for him, a letter from his wife, written very soon after his departure ap- prising him of the disorganized condition of the post at Nacogdoches. Cook had r~lapsed into his old habits of drunkeness, and the garrison had fallen mto uproar and confusion. Exasperated at these tidings- he mount-s his horse and pushes on for Nacogdoches. On his wav he- meets with his wife at a Mr Brown's on the Jeash Bayo. She·tells him that it is useless for him to proceed· that all was lost• the- . ' , garrison had fled and the families were evacuating the place as fast as possible. She hersetf, 'had lingered as dong she ithought it prudent or safe to do so. This information only made him more im- pat~ent to proceed. Leaving his lady to the care of Mr Brown, he· agam applies the rowels to his horse and dashes on., He arrived at Nacogdoches just _in time to aid the poorer classes whose safety had been over-looked m the general panic, in making their escape. 'fn
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