269
PAPERS OF 1\IIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMfR
from the country-Peres still continued his high-handed and arbitrary course towards the Americans, and the news from Anahuac, instead of moderating him, seemed only to excite him to higher insolence & oppression.- - The law of April 1830 preventing American emigrants from entering into the country, he was now enforcing with great severity- The Americans were anxious to come into the country, and he would arrest and persecute them whenever they attempted 61 enter - Col. Robinson who was introducing several families of imigrants into the country was arrested &c, but by his energy and boldness, succeded in taking them on to his colony inspite of the efforts 62 Pedres to prevent th"lir ad- vancing. - At length the citizens about Nacogdoches resolved to expel Pedres from the place as Bradburn had been expelled from Anahuac. They collected about 300 strong, on the 1st. day of August 1832, and after making some demonstrations of war to Pedres, demanded of him to surrender; and gave him until 9 oclk the next day to make his answer.- In the morning Pedres replied that he would not surrender, and that the Americans might commence their attack as soon as they pleased.- He had in the mean time employed the short interval of time in mak- ing preparations for defense. He had cut down some shrubbery &c, and opened a road on the north side of his quartel, for the purpose of luring the Americans to attack him on that side, where he could best receieve them. John Durst was guide to the Americans, perfectly under- standing the localities, and was conducting them to this very lane, when the Americans halted, a little suspicious of some strategem and trick between John and Pedres.- Instead therefore of taking the route thus opened for them, they diverged to the left under shelter of a ravine and advanced towards the quartel, breaking over some fences until they entered the back yard of the Old Stone House (a notable house in the Freedonian War) where they were promptly met by the enemy, who charged the Americans with a few cavalry on the right, and also fired upon them from behind a picket fence by 80 soldiers who had been placed there secretly for their reception. The cavalry was scattered by a single shot from the Americans, who also opened a fire upon the soldiers behind the fence.. In this skermis [ skirmish J, some few of the Americans were wounded out of which 2 or three died of their wounds.- The 1\Iexicans some 8 or ten men.- This took place about on [sic] the 2nd. August 1832. The fight com- menced between 2 & 3 oclk and lasted until night. In the evening the Americans threw up a frail breast work of rails, timber &c, in antici- pation of being attacked during the night.-- Whilst they were engaged in this work they heard ·considerable noise & confusion in the quartel of the enemy, and expected every moment that Pedres would sally upon them. The noise & bustle in the Quartel continued until near midnight, when all became quiet, no attack being made.- John H. Thompson, who was the most active operator in this scene, retired to rest in the back piaza of Thorn's store, (with Barney Lowe & others) where they slept during the night. About the "Here again the meaning would be made clearer by inserting the word "to." "The word "of" inserted here would make the sense plainer.
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