PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR 173 Matagorda or some others would be upon him; he took down the beach, towards Galveston and on arriving at the Bay, actually with their horses swam to the Island. He had about 50 men- Cook who had been sent from Grosses to bear some dispatches to Morehouse, probably ordering him to the main Army, he went down on the West side of the river; he was discovered & chased by a party of Mexicans; he out run them and when night came on eluded them by going into a point of woods, Baker joined us the morning after we left Grosses- J'lfartin made his appearance & asked to go to take c'are of the family he hobbled his horse and was about rolling him- self up in his blanket, when suddenly he heard the tramping of horses. feet- it was his persuers-his own nag snorted broke her hobbles & put out into the Prairie The Mexicans seemed to take no notice of the circumstance, believing probably that the animal was a wild mus- tang, and passed on quietly- Early in the morning Cook rose and and [sic] in peeping from his hiding place, discovered nothing of the enemy, and seeing a small speck apparently about 3 miles off in the prairie, he concluded it might be his nag; he went after her; the ani- mal however was not to be caught; she hoisted head & tail & circ]ed round her master in perfect defiance; Cook then gathered some grass & coaxing the provoking & revolting creature he· finally succeeded in catching her- and it was well that he did, for he had not more than mounted, before his former enemy were now on their return & spying him, gave him chase for many miles; Cook however escaped & bore his intelligence or orders to Morehouse &0- After Eberly declined joining Moorehouse, More House not knowing the movements of the main army still continued at Staffords; after the battle of the 21-a messenger reachd the camp from Morehouse, asking for Orders, Houston replied "have you found me at last" When Burleson was dismissed with his men to follow the Mexicans, he found Morehouse at Staffords who joined him COLORADO. Sesma was encamped on the west side of the River; and Houston on the east side; the former had about Seven hundred men ; and the latter abo~t 15 hundred. Our men were all anxious to fight; Houston objected, saying that he had no cannon. Now was the time to have fought. Gaona was lost up about Bastrop- Morea was ordered to join Urrea at Matagord- Toleo was ordered to reinforce Sesma ex- pecting that Houston would attack him; but before Tolo arrived Houston retreated- GENL AUSTIN Genl. Austin would have been Govr at the time Smith was Elected, if he had not encountered Houston's hostility- I asked Genl Austin about the matter; he told me that he wrote to the Council to obtain the services of some Genl. from the U S of reputation who would have the confidence of the people here-he said he was induced to write such because Houston declared he did not wa:rit nor would he have the command; when he wrote the letter Houston took it in great dudgeon; opposed Genl Austin as Govr. in revenge & had him defeated; although
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