291
PAPERS oF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LA:r.IAR
cil to determine on moderate demands and a message was accordingly sent in at 10 oclock A. 1\1. demanding that the officers and men com- posing the Garrison at :Nacogdoches should declare for the Constitu- tion as advocated by General San Anna and allowing only one hour for deliberation a clause which I thought too hasty and too well cal- culated to wound the nice feelings of a soldier = being at the time simple enough to believe that such feelings did exist in the bosoms of the :Mexican officers = But I have since become wiser in that par- ticular and have learned that when a gentleman is found among them there are seen to be 20 scoundrels discovered in the search = The message was in writing and was carried into the enemies lines by Capt. Saml. Davis and Lt. Wm. H. Augustine = To which message an instant and very Cavalier like answer was returned "That he Col. Piedras knew his duty and that men in the discharge of their duty wanted no time for consideration and further that he would endeavour to give as soldierly a reception as lay in his power if we persisted in our intentions" This answer was rd. in our camp with Defening acclamations by our men they demanded to be led instantly to the attack = There was no possibility of evading the demand for the purpose of further preparation = the Battalion was hastily drawn up & inspected ammu- nition &c issued to those who had not plenty and the line of march taken up towards the town = In the very commencement however of the march a most ludi- crous circumstance happened = a party of Cherokees wishing to know the meaning of our movements came riding to camp and passing our scouts and Picket guard who neglected to give notice of their coming they presented themselves without being percieved previously by the main body of the men within 100 yards of the head of our column. Their appearance raised considerable alarm among the men who very generally supposed them the advance of the enemy = Upon the alarm becoming visible among the men the evolution of displaying a front in the Center Co. was with considerable difficulty performed = I do not remember at any time in my life to have exerted myself so much as on this occasion = and it was only by repeated stentorian exertions of the lungs of Bullock, Looney, and myself that order was at last restored and the evolution performed = however the Indians coming up - and our views being explaind to them and their offers of service declined we again took up the line of march and about 12 oclock Al\:[ Drew up our Battalion in front of-A. Storms dwelling as it would seem with a view of allowing the. enemy to count our numbers which amounted when joined Cordovas' Co. of Mexicans to 239 rank and file exclusive of officers It now appeared that our Commanders Courage or at least Con- duct was gone for he was totally at a loss what to do he however called Hanks and myself to him and asked us our opinion = it was that he should find some persons from the ranks well acquainted with the Localities ahead to reconnoitre while we advanced in column and that our ultimate plan of attack should be to fight from the houses and other covers with our rifles as we well knew the enemy to have no ar- tillery keepipg a part of our left wing in reserve to repel by united
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