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PAPimS OF :MIRABEAU BuONAPAHTE LA)[AR
uable officers, together with fifty of Perry's own troops, volunteered to accompany him. With this small force he commenced his homeward travels.- A journey by land from Soto la Marina to the United States was an extraordinary undertaking, especially when it is remembered how difficult were the means of subsistence and how numerous the foes that beset the path. The path was more perilous than the one they aban- doned; and yet, in defiance of all the difficulties so insurmountable apparently, this daring ancl undaunted party encountered and con- quered them all; literally carving their way by the sword, until they reached the town of La Bahia, the theatre of Perry's former glory. Here they fought their last fight. It was supposed that there was no real necessity of this conflict, and that Perry might have avoided it by passing below the town without observation; but it is now impos- sible to decide upon the propriety -or policy of his course; it may have been dictated by emergencies unknown to us; and we shall confine ourselves to a simple state of the fact, that immediately on his arrival at La Bahia, he summoned the Commandant, Castaiiada, to surrender- a summons which in all probability would have been obeyed had it not been for a very unexpected circumstance.- While the Commandant was deliberating as to what he should do, a formidable force made its appearance upon the plains. It was Col. Martinez from Bexar at the head of a large body of cavalry. This decided the matter. Castanada of course refused to surrender; and Perry perceiving his own inability to cope with so large a force, commenced a retreat; but the Royalists, following in prompt pursuit, overtook the party at a grove, called the Perdido; wher_e a battle, as ferocious and fatal as that of the Medina, took place on ·the 19th day of June 1817; in which the Americans were all sacrifised to a man : but not until their own numbers had been quadrupled by the dead of 'the foe. Perry was the last survivor; and prefering death to captivity, he placed a pistol to his head and termi- nated his own existence; and thus escaped the indignities and outrages which this brutal enemy was always wont to inflict upon prisoners.- Such was the sad conclusion of this heroe's career. We have no com- ment to offer. Perry's integrity and honor were never doubted or impeached and his chivalry was beyond all question. With regard to his abandonment of the Expedition at Soto la :Marina-it was involved in mistery at the time and it still remains so.- The next adventurer who claims our attention is General Llalaman- a French refugee-who planted a small colony upon the .Trinity in 1818. It may be well to remark, however, by way of parenthasis, that General Humbert, had previous to this, taken possession of Galvez:ton,. and had issued Commissions to privateers to cruize against the Spanish: • Commerce. His occupancy of the Island, however, was not of long continuence; for about the time that Laleman was founding his settle- ment, the Royal Authorities at San Antonio dispatched Col. Castanada, at the head of seven hundred men against Humbert; who, hearing of their approach abandoned his position. Castanada found the Island' deserted. All the information we have respicting the settlement of" Lalaman is derived from three sources-viz-Zavalla's History of the- lf exican Revolution, the History of France by Anquetil and Gallois,, and a brief memorandum of a conversation which we once had with:
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