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the daughter of an officer in the army of the Enemy. On the 16th Elisondo came within 4 mils of St Antonio with aforce of 4 thousand 5 hundred, unperceived and demanded a surrender of the place. (This was the Elisondo who betrayed Hidalgo) Ross ordered the drums to be beat for parade but no Mexicans appeared; they all shut themselves up. This was a mystry to Ross. It was soon unraveled by the girl to whom he was attached, who came to him and told him that the Mexi- cans had all determined to join the enemy and make a rnasacree of all the Americans. She loved Ross and implored him to retreat; he told her he wquld do so. Whether thro' treachery or t.hrough imprudnce she communicated this intention to her father who was in Elisondo 's army. Ross on receivg these tidigs· from the girl, immediately called a council of officers and expressed his convictn that thy were betrayed & would all be murdered; he advised a retreat; this was opposed by every man present in the council; they resolved they would not fly but remain & abide their fate. That night Ross himself left Town and made safe liis retreat. The next mornig the Americans elected another commander; they chose Col. Perry. At 10 Oclk on the 17, a proclamation was recd. from Elisondo stating to the American com- mander, that he might have leave to retire out of Texas with all his men, on condition that he would first surrender up all the Mexicans who had any agency in condeming & Executig Salcedo, Herrero & the other prisoners. ' · · Th~se terms were made public in the streets of St .Antonio; Perry beat 01<! drum for a general parade, and all the Mexicans in the whole City capable of bearig arms came out. Picket guards were immediately placed so as to cut off all communication between the · Town & the Enemy. All were for battle; preperations were that night made for a general assault. Next mornig about day break they marched on the Enemy, let loose up on them with Cannon. 'l'he patriot arny lost in the fight 14 Killed & 42 wounded; the Gnarche- pns met with dreadful slaughter, and lost 'every thing cannon & all. They fled and recrossed the .Alesan. This Battle wns called the "Battle of Alesan" fought 4 miles west of Bexnr. The death of the 14 prisoners havig reached the U Stnts, pro- duced a bad effect there amon~ the friends of the cause; they had not •heard the justifying causes. They wrote on to the americans immed- iately on hearing the intelligence, to dismiss Gutaris from the command, and to receive in his place Toledo. Toledo had been to New Orleans and meeting with, Saml. Davenport, Jno. Cortes \Vm. Shaler & 'Others who were managig the affairs as a committee in Natchitoches; he palmed himself upon them as a great patriot. and they wrote to have him snperrede Gutaris. Toledo came on and took command not however without producing great dissati.'-- faetion among the Mexicans, who were not willing to be commanded by a European Spaniard, a man of the very nation against which they were ·struggling-Toledo inmediately reorgani1.ed the army. This was on the 15th of August 1813. News now arrived of the approach of Aredondo, at the head of a most formidable force. Troops had been brought from Veracruz and and [sic] other States to make one dcs- Ross' girl married Garcia commandant at Labehla [Note In document).
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