271
PAPERS OF :l\IIRABEAU BuoXAPARTE LAMAR
party saw a fine horse tied to a tree, with no one near, and observed that he believed he knew the horse; he said he thought it was Burris' a man who had been wounded in the previous day's fight. And so it proved to be; for whilst they were discoursing about the horse, they were hailed by a l\Irs. Clark from the woods, who was overjoyed to see them; for this lady with several families, in all 60 women & chil- dren, had hid themselves in· this obscure place for safety. The above horse or rather mare had been left by Buris in the costody of l\Irs. Clark.- The Party now, including the women & children all moved forward for l\Irs. Lightle's not far distant.- Here they were not very long, before a messenger arrived from l\lrs. Jose Durst, who had dis- patched her son to let the Americans know that Pedrs was willing to 1 capitulate. Joe Durst lived on the west bank of the Angalina when the fight had occurred.- Thompson sent word back to Pedres, that he was glad to hear of his willingness to stop the effusion of blood; but if he Pedres did not give some proof is 03 his sincerity before morning, that the Americans would attack him, with their reinforcmts of men & artillery from the Brazos. This was a poser. Pedres, already alarmed, became quite terrified; and sure enough, by daylight next morning, he despatched a messenger to Americans and made known his readiness to surrender. Care was taken that the ~Iessenger should not acquire any knowledge of their real strength which was as yet only the original 19.- Thompson with 5 or six others, went to Dursts, very early, but approached the place with great secrecy and caution, believing that Pedres might play some trick; he found, however, on his reaching the place, a pole projecting through the top of Dursts house with a white flag waving on the end.- In approaching the house they met one of Pedres soldiers, and asked him what he was doing. I am in search ·of a horse, which I was directed to catch, for the purpose of going to nacogdoches, to let the Americans know there that Col. Pedr~ wants to see them. Thompson told him to go & tell Pedres, that he might see him at :l\Ir. Durst; and did not fail to im- press upon the mind of the soldier the over-whelming force which the· Americans had .ready to fall upon Pedres if he did not surrender. An Interview soon took place between Thompson & Pedres, and a capitu- lation was formed. It was agreed that Pedres should return to N acog- doches a prisoner to be delivered to the civil authorities there, and that. the soldiers should give up their amunition & military supplies ex<?ept their guns and a few rounds of cartriges.- This was agreeded upon, and soon executed.- Thompson was now joined by the balance of his· small party and all moved forward for nacogdoches with Pedres pris- oner of war. The authorities at Nacogdoches sent Jas. Bowie to. march the ~Iexican soldiers to Sanantonio, which he did; Pedres in , the mean time was sent to Anahuach & thence embarked for Havana,. whence he wrote the Mexican Government that he wanted 5 thousand effective troops at Nacogdoches, for nothing less could keep the Amer- icans out of the country.- Whilst he was on the road from the- ' Angilena to Nacogdoches, on being told that the Americans were only 19 strong, that it was that number only who had fought him at the-
..Here the word "of" substituted for "is" would make the meaning clearer.
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