7
P,,PF.RS OF l\IIR.\BE.,u BuoNAP,,RTE LAM,,R
and immediately, set out for Colonia on April 17, 1&11. i\fy superior officers al o left for l\Ionclova, and five days later had the mi fortune to be arrested and made prisoners with their entire divi ion by the ,traitor Elizondo. Before I reached Colonia I received this unhappy news and also lea·rned of the upri in"'s at various places in the prov• inces which ,vere being instigat~d by the ame European who had obtained favor from Senor Ximenes. Seeing myself ur-rounded hy o many danger , I had to preserve the greatest secrecy, and hiding my dispatche , I went to my hou~e in the town of Revilla ,,·here I was born. soon as I arrived I found the militia company of the afore - mentioned town ready to march to l\Ionclova under the commaud of Captain Bu tamte., a participator in the rebellion and capture (If the generals. Notwith tanding the great dan°er' _which threat- ened me, I tbougl1t it well to join said militia and march to Mon- clova, with the object which I had formed of eeing if I could persuade the troop a embled in Ionclova to chano-e their allegiance, " and by this means liberate the generals; but when I reached Mon- clova, I found that the generals had already been cnt to Chiguagua. Our enemie exercised tl1e greate t vigilance in order not to lo e time and in order to make themselves ecure at our expen e. I was in fonclova lfifteen day an'd formed a good party among those valiant troops, but not a sfficient one to make a decisive attack. Beina in imminent danger among so many enemie , I thought it well to return to my house and hide like the mi erable mole under the leave , expecting death if I was discovered, but life, if thinas took on a more favorable a pect. I continued this ilent life until the end of July of the same year when Captain Menchaca appeared. He was fleeing from the uppel' presidios on account of the persecution of the Commanding-General Salcedo who wa seeking to take hi life. I hid this man and began tJ formulate a plan by which ,ve hould march to the United State through the barbarous nations in an attempt to overcome these danger . I be an to make preparations for the trip with the greate t promp~i- tnde and secrecy, for at this time orders and band of troops were being sent in all directions in pursuit of this man. With the "'reatest speed I assembled twelve men of my party and equipped them with arms, munitions, money, and pack-animals. I took all the trea ure I could carry in gold and ilver, and on the first of Augu t we started travelling toward the north .acros the lea t known and least travelled regions. As oon as we entered the lands of the Indian tribe , I formulated the plan of winning their friendship and warning them against believing the promises of the Gachupines. I ucceeded in "'ettin~ great number of them to promi e to aid u I a soon .a I should give them notice. We agreed to ive t.hem notice of our return, in order that we might join forces and march upon and destroy the Royalist troops who were oppressing the internal provinces. It was the middle of September when we directed our march toward the· ea t to enter :rachitoche , the first place within the Province of Loui - iana. l\Iany time during thi tran!sit we found onrselve in danger of losing our Jive at th hand of ome-small Indian tribe who
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