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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
bard with both hands and remonstrating against the indignity-The Capt interfered, returned the sword to Ocampo and then made formal demand of it. Thompson's messenger not returning, he lay to, await- ing the approach of the San F-which took the Correo with a raking position across her bows-Capt. Thompson hailed the San F-and Capt Hurd in reply directed him to come on board with his papers. Thompson stated that he had no person on board in whose charge to leave his vessel & had no small boat to come on board with; and re- quested Hurd to send suitable persons on board the Correo to take command of her & bring him and his papers to San Fillippi-Haskins was sent on board with 6 men, and Thompson came back bringing his papers- When Thompson first hailed the Sanfillippi he hoisted his Mexican flag to the Peak. Hurd ordered thereupon, a musket to he discharged as a summons to the Correo to surrender, whereupon/ Thompson struck his flag- Thompson then hailed the San F. as just stated- Haskins as stated went on board & took command of the Correo- Thus was the Flag taken, and indeed the first action in the Texan revolution- Hurd now charged Thompson with piracy 1 and stated that he should be indited and tried for that offence, givinJ him a choice of trial before the courts of Texas or those of the US at N. 0. as he had violated the flag of the US. He preferred the latter; and he and Ocampo were immediately put in irons- officers and cr~v were all made prisoners- On enquiry about the fight it was foun.d that 3 cannon shot from the San F. had taken effect on the Correo, one carrying away her davits, another one of her gun carr_iages, & 3rd splintering her fore yard- The chief gunner an American vas wounded by a rifle shot, of which he died the next day- One otler Deck officer was slightly wounded; and Capt Thompson himself lad been hit by two spent balls doing however, no damage to him-Seve1ty musket marks were found on the Correo, on the San Fillippi only five marks of musket shots, but none of cannon- It was maintained fuat during the action, the 7 Mexican marine which constituted Thomprons force on the Correo, had decende[d into th]e hole, drawn the hitch over; and when their muskets were charged, one of the number w~uld raise the hatch, for the others to discharge their peices-Such 1was their mode of fighting-Thompson said he could not keep them on deck-On the Sanfillippe no one was killed or wounded-On the I 7th Sept, 4 days after the action, Capt Hurd with a volunteer crew, ~ook the prisoners on board the Correo & set out for N-0- Thompso1 on this day attempted to have a meeting- which was discovered whil~ the blacksmith was engaged in releasing Ocampo from the fetter which chained him to Thompson-they had to be chained separately- On arriving at the mouth of the Mississippi, the vessel and prisoners ivere placed in charge of the Revenue cutter, and sent up to N. 0- On their arrival there the US District Attorney Mr Caarleton being ahlent from that city, a complaint was filed with his partner, Mr Lockett, 'and the papers of the Correo & the Tremont, together with a full statement of the transaction were delivered to that gentleman-Some misappre- hension of facts, or want of sufficient information on the part of lllr Carleton induced that gentleman to prepare a Bill of indictment against the prisoners for an attempted piracy on the Schooner Sanfillippi, ovlr-
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