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resident of Mexico, and of late has been confined as a prisoner in that country. He at last by some means succeeded in escaping from prison and got into Texas. He knew nothing of the revolution in Texas,until informed of it by the soldiers by whom he was discovered. Preparations were instantly made for the war, which we felt was already upon us. While we were busy in Gonzales preparing for more active exertions in the tented field, the Camanche Indians came down with a considerahle force near the town and committed some depredations. Col. Burleson went out with a party of soldiers, attacked the Indians, took one of them prisoner and brought him into camp. After having received reinforcements, and listened to several speeches from Rev. Dr. Smith, Robert Williamson, and Cols. Wallace and Moore on the subject of war, we elected Stephen F. Austin, Colonel, and John H. Moore, Leiutenant Colonel, besides other officers, and took up our line of march for Bexar. We encamped on the Salado: the day after our arrival at that place, Gen. Burleson and Col. Wallace went up to the powder house with seventyfive men; they were there met by the Mexican cavalry with whom they had a slight skirmish; no lives were lost. A few days after this, a part of the Texas army commanded by Cols. Fannin and Bowie, marched over on the San Antonio river, below the town, to the mission Conception, where they· were met by a large body of the Mexican force; the engagement was very severe; when the battle was over one hundred and four of the Mexicans lay stretched in death on the bloody field; on the part of the Texans but one, the brave and well beloved Richard Andrews, was killed. Andrews received a mortal wound from a grape shot in the early part of the action, which cut him nearly half in two. He instantly placed his hands over the wound, and, turning to his companion in ar;,1s, said, "I am a dead man, but don't let the boys know it; tell them to fight bravely." Having said this he laid himself down and immediately expired. The next day after the battle of the Conceptions, ~~ marched up to the head waters of the San Antonio river, about two miles above the town, and there encamped. While we were encamped there our men had several skirmishes with the Mexicans though none of them proved serious. Our Commander, Col. Austin, now told us that business of importance compelled him to
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