Biv 27 1835 to Jan 13 1835 - PTR, Vol. 3

(1308] [BURLESON lo GOVERNMENT]

Head Quarters Volunteer Army of Texas 27th Novr 1835 ,, To The Provisional Govt. I have the honor of communicating lo you the particulars of an action which look place yesterday between the Mexicans and a portion of this Army-Early yesterday morning I dispatched some spies to reconnorler west of Bexar lo ascertain whether a convoy which was expected by the Mexicans was advancing or not....:about ten O'clock Mr. Smith one of the spies returned to Camp in great haste stating that a convoy of about one hundred & fifty men were approaching Town and about five miles distant.-1 immediately ordered out from thirty five to forty cavalry under command of the Adjutant & Inspector General James Bowie and Col Wm H Jack with about one hundred Infantry. I moved on soon after with a few '!!._Cn mount<:!d ~n horseback & joined the lnfantry.-We marched on west of Town the Infantry ,yadi11g a creek .on the march.-Col Bowie who was some distance in advance came up with the grass party which had been mistaken by our spies for the convoy as they were_ crossing the dry bed of a creek charged upon them and commenced the action of the bank; after lwo or three fires Col Bowie threw his men under cover of the creek & kept up the fight.-The enimy charged him with over three times his number but were immediately repulsed with considerable loss, about this time a considerable reinforcement came up; the main body of our force al the fireing between Col Bowie & the Enimy came up very briskly and came in contact with the reinforcement and a very warm engagement look place between the main body of our army and the reinforcement during the action it was ascertained that a party of Mexicans consisting of forty or fifty were firing on a party with Col Johnson from under cover; Col Rusk discovering them called out for a party to charge on them and rout them, he made the charge with about fifteen men & routed Llwm from their cover. The main force of our army then r<'inforced by Col Bowie and his party charged the Enimy m~d drove them back ~,bout thn'(~hundred yards towards Town-during this time the enimys rcinforecrnent::;