293
PAPERS OF l\fIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
self commenced throwing up temporary works within rifle shot of the enemys' Port Holes at the same time keeping our front flanks & rear well guarded untill day light when tl).e enemy could no where be found having quietly evacuated his position in the night & marched off = They had lost in the actin it was supposed about 40 killed I however say but 9 dead l\fexicans among which was Capt Ortegas and one.Lt.- They had also about 60 wounded at least report said so and I think I afterwards saw nearly that number (we had two americans killed dead in the action besides the l\Iexican alcalde and we had nine badly wounded wounded [ sic J one of whom afterwards died. The names of our killed were Hopkins & Hathaway, The name of the wounded man who died was Smith he lived 21 days after the battle and had been shot directly through the abdomen, the ball cutting the intestines Horribly - But he was a man of Powerful frame & constitution which I suppose to have been the cause of his living so long after receiving the wound= Great was our surprise at finding ourselves masters of the town in the morning and it was not without considerable caution that we proceded to take possession of the Premises lately occupied by the Enemy = Our Col's. appeared to but little advantage in the action having safely ensconced themselves in Callahams Tavern in its com- mencement nor did I see ought of them untill about 5 Oclock P. :M. The Enemy having slackened his fire they ventured into the stone house and sending for me they dictated several expresses to Liberty & other places for reinforcements = Enough of these men their sub- sequent conduct to this action for the last three years and their utter inactivity in this WAR is sufficient commentary Feats of Daring brav- ery were shown by several men of the Americans and some of the l\Iexicans James Carter H. W. Augustine, Saml. Davis Saml. Loony, W Irwin, :Majr. Burress, Saml. Steadam, & Capt. Anderson with W. Hanks and some others conducted themselves with the coolness and insensibility of fear in danger that might be expected of veteran War- riors = The action however, though successful to us, afforded to a cool dispassionate observer but another proof of the superiority of disci- plined over irregular Troops for it [is] undeniable that a well directed charge would in the beginning of the action have instantly dispersed our force- As soon as it was fully ascertained that the Enemy were gone, small parties of men started in pursuit (I was detailed to see our dead buried) One party under the command of S. Looney took the Lower road and passing the Enemy waylaid them at the crossing of Angeline and firing on their advance killed their seargt. of Cavalry known by the name of 1\Iarcus and by report some two or three others = They however dispersed our party by a few vollies and crossed the river taking up their quarters in the house and yard of Joseph Durst. The attack however greatly alarmed them so much so that they hung out a white at the top of the chimney next morning= I had discharged my task in town and had gotten within hearing of the firing in the evening when I turned down the river staying at Jno. Durst's and at daylight next morning passed the river and joined Loony in advance of the Enemy Shortly after I joined him = our force being now
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