The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume VI

122

T.EXAS STATE LIBRARY

The chief officers shouted for Mexico, and made for the Lines of Cen- tralists-they were followed by most of their men; those who did not go over to the enemy rallied under old Gonzales from Laredo, who, however, perceiving, as he thoug[h J t, the clistruction of all who re- mained, as inevitable, took to the mountains with all speed, and escaped with his followers-leaving the Americans, to their fate- He was too honest to be a traitor, and too much alarmed to fight- Besides his men would not have stood, even if he had desired and ordered it- There were but two )iexicans who remained with the Americans, Capt Larri and a Bugler, the latter of whom was killed- Larri, with 2 or 3 Americans escaped in advance of the rest of their company, and never fell in with them again.- Dr. Booker S. C. and Texas was along with Jordan- Killed after- wards at Perote Capt. Newcomb, knows nothing personally, as a matter of course, of the movemts of Canalis and Fisher whilst Jordan was marching thro' the Country-He has heard that Fisher had the Small Pox at Comargo & lost the Sight in one of his eyes-that he and Canalis followed on after Jordan, and came in 30 miles of overtaking him, at Victoria- Here Ariste got between Canalis and 1ialino and prevented their junc- tion- Malino, alarmed, left in haste for San Louis Potosi-Canalis retreated back to Comargo, whence he started, with Ariste at his heels all the way-The Americans were anxious to halt & give Ariste battle; but Canalis always said that Ariste was too strong- it seems that It was not Ariste's desire to attack Canalis on his retreat, but to force him out of this Country without a fight- Every morning, the buglers of Ariste was heard in Canalis' Camp.- When Jordan arriyed at Laredo he went to Camargo-remained on east side-found Ariste and Canalis friendly-was ordered by Ariste to retire 20 miles from the river, & send a delegate to Comargo to receiYe the pay due his men- This was done, but no money came- They were then ordered to leave without delay Some Americans who were on the Camargo side refused to go across the river, on the ground that it was impossible for them without means, provisions or horses, to get home through the Chaperal wilderness to Texas- Canalis made such prisoners, and took them to Matamoras where after some deten- tion, they were shipped to N. Orleans- This closed the struggle- end The retreat of Canalis with Ariste behind him- their not fighting & making friends as soon as they got to Camargo- together with Malina's desire to take the Americans to S. Louis where their destruc- tion was ineYitable, in connection with his conduct at Saltillio, all forc- ing the conviction of Treason 1·emark Canalis intercepted in his junction with ':\Ialino at Victoria by Ariste-+- perceiving himself beset by a force which he dreaded, and Malina, unsupported by Canalis, and fearing to go to Salti~lio, t~ese chiefs held Secret Correspondence, and so arranged matters with Ariste

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