106
TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
tance of 60 miles- Guards mounted on good horses were ordered to follow on. If they kicked the ball to Rinoso they won; if not they lost. The game was opened-the ball was tossed and all pursued it to give it a kick. They kept it rolling onward until the horseman -appointed to guard them broke down-and were not able to keep up- 'The ball was kicked Ronoso, where the Indians made their escape, and joined Canalis in time to participate in the Parbone fight. These were now with the army again at N ewaces 80 strong- About the middle of July Col. Jordan with 50 Americans and 100 Mexicans under Col. Lopez marched for Laredo-- They reached Laredo on the night of the 25th July 1840. The americans travelled that night 30 miles, eluding the mexican Centinels who had been placed on the roads to watch their coming-they evaded their vigi- lince by leaving the road & taking the chaparel, which in this quarter is almost impenetrable even by day. On reaching town, they hitched their horses in a coral about -½ mile off, and marched silently into the place and secreted themselves in some weeds and bushes on the banks of the river, and within a hundred ycls or nearer of the public square- This was about an hour before clay-break- about the dawn of clay an old woman making her way to the river for water discovered them. The alarm was given, and the Americans immediately made for the Square, Jordan entering it at one point, and Price at another. The garrison was taken on surprise & became panic stricken and fled, a few of them only making battle. Three were killed on the ground; 20 prisoners taken, and many official documents. On the part of the Americans there was no loss. One life was Jost by the accidental fir- ing of a pistol.-When the fight was over, and the town taken, the Mexicans under Lopez, who had remained without the town, under the impression that they could be more useful there in intercepting .the Centeralists in their flight when they should be routed by the Americans, which they seemed to take for granted would happen, ,came charging into town, with loud huzaz and firing off their guns in ,a great Jubilee. It happened, however, that though they remained .out of town to intercept the flying foe, they did not encounter them, for whilst the foe fled in one direction, Lopez with his men entered ;in another. 'fhe only participation in the capture of the place was their firing on the spies and centinels of the garrison as they came :into town. •It may be proper to state that the Authorities and the people of the :place evinced no unfriendly disposition; but on the contrary gave such assurances of their attachment to the cause of Federalism, that the .Alcaldes were suffered to remain in office.- In a few days Jourdan started back for Sanpatricio with his pris- ·oners, to rejoin the forces there. He found Canalis at Laplantican, 3 miles above San patricio, where he had increased his American force making now in all about 1200. The success of J orclan at Laredo in- spired the army, and ernn gave some seeming valor to the cowardly Canalis Jordan was now ordered with 90 men to proceed to the Rio Grande :and scour the country from about Guerrero to Rinoso on the east
Powered by FlippingBook