PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR 251 which he continued many years, accumulating thereby a considerable amount of property - he then became a merchant; his business in a few years became very extensive, and profitable at one time he drove to Mexico 90,000 head of sheep, his credit was extensive, and his char- acter for punctuality, perfectly established - this career of prosperity continued for many years, the war of Texas breaking out, he suffered his first loss from the army of his own country - they despoiled him of thousands of his sheep, and the other sources of his revenue : the political state of the Country - became unsettled - and the foreign merchants began to close up their business preparatory to leaving the country - this caused a general disarrangement of the business of the Country - which fell heavily upon Antonio Sapato. his obligations to the foreign merchants were met by a sacrifice of his property to the amount of $70,000 Dollars, other debts remained umpaid, and the re- sult was that he gave up all his earthly possessions, even to the clothes and Jewelry of his wife and children -, during all this time he had upon all occasions been the first to lead all expeditions against the Indians - his bravery was so conspicuous that the confidence of the people was unbounded - and his life which was often risked by his daring deeds, was more than once saved by the influence and confi- dence his men had in him. they would rush to his assistance and freely give their own lives to shield his - Upon the breaking out of the Federal War in 1838 - Sapato who was warmly attached to the canse became a conspicuous actor - his influence was Known to be great, and he was courted by Canales Lemos, Cadenas, and the other Chiefs of the Revolt - he received a commission as Colonel - and took the field in command of the same men who had relied upon him against the Indians - Guerrt'ro being the rendezvous, about 300 men under the nominal command of Canales but in reality of Sapato - moved to Mier where they met Parbone and defeated him. (It is worthy of note that at the time of the pecuniary difficulties of Col. Sapato the revot was then brewing - it being confined to the leading men, this same Parbone with the desire of enlisting him in the cause of centralism offered the use of his means to Sapato, and also a commission as Captain in the Army of the Gov- ernment - being ignorant of brewing of the revolt, he was of course grateful for the confidence in him and he was at one time in command of his troop as Captain of Cavalry, the Federal party fearing to loose [sic] him - acquainted him with all their plans, he immediately re- signed his commission and espoused the cause of Federalism, and his friend Parbone was the first he met- (the means of Parbone was .never- used by Sapato) Parbone was defeated and retreated to Matamoras - there they were defeated by Conde and retreated towards San Fer- nandez on the route they encountered a convoy of specie from Tam- pico. they gave battle and routed the centralists and took their dimes - [sicl at San Fernandez their forces were recruited and they moved on for Monterev - being joined by Gen Lemos they took possessioil of the Town after a sharp resistance, from thence to Caldanetta where there were badly defeated - and retreated to Camargo.
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