443
PAPERS OF l\ImABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
marched to the Medina to meet the advancing Aradondo. An obstinate and frightful conflict immediately followed. It was the bloodiest and the last. The Americans who had been so victorious up to the present period, was doomed in this terrible battle to confirm their devotion to the cause of freedom by the blood of martyrdom. Almost every man was a victim. Their bones were scattered from the Medina to the Trinity. Elisondo who had been conquered at the Alisan, pursued the retreating patriots, and murdered them, as he caught them. He in his turn, however, was doomed to a just retribution. One of his own party, shocked at his barbarity, effected insanity and seized upon the guilty butcherer [sic] and planted a dagger in his heart. Thus ended this unequal struggle between liberty and despotism; and thus perished this little band of noble heroes, only four hundred in number, aft€r successfully contending with and destroying three of the best appointed armies of Spain. Notwithstanding their final defeat, their glorious career was not without its utility; for it had the happy effect of paraliz- ing the enemy; of arresting, for a while, his ferocious progress, and of inspiring the patriots of the Interior with fresh hopes and. animating them to higher exertion. But for the American arms in Texas, ·the formidable forces brought against them would have been turned like hell-hounds upon other sections of the country, and in all probability might have changed the whole current of the Revolution.- After the disastrous Battle of Medina, which took place on the 18th day of August 1813, the country relapsed into its original condition. The native inhabitants could do nothing without the aid of American valor, and the Royalists, having no longer any thing too apprehend from this source, resumed their wonted despotism, and ruled the Prov- ince with an iron hand. Matters continued thus for two years, when Col. Henry Perry, aided by Marshall Ania and J. R. Grimes, of New Orleans attempted to revive the struggle in 1815.- The attempt, however, proved unfortunate. Perry had assembled nearly three hun- dred men at Chini a Tigre; but not being able to obtain suitable trans- portation, in consequence of the prevailing hostility in New-Orleans against the expedition, ht! was compelled .to ship only a part of his men and stores at a time, in a small vessel commanded by Capt Wilson, who sailed with his first cargo, in the early part of November and landed opposite the east end of Galveston, at a point, to which the name of Bolivar was given by Col. Perry. Hence the origin of Bolivar Point. The Vessel, in making her second voyage, laden with the balance of the men and military stores at" Chini au Tigrc, was wrecked upon a small Island called Campeachy, forming now a part of Galveston; and out of the seventy eight human beii1gs on board, only twelve escaped a watery grave; and these when rescued, were found in a wretched con- dition, having floated nine days on a raft, and having been forced to devour one of their own companions who had died in the mean time. Among the wrecked was a woman called Hannah, who was found upon a neighboring Island which received her name, and is sti11 known as Hannah's Island. It lies a little above the city of Galvezton. The arms and military stores were all destroyed. The unfortunate wreck defeated the enterprise. In the ensuing Spring of 1816, Perry, with a portion of his former recruits united with Comodore Aury, who was
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