PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR 281 evacuated the Fort and took up the line of march to Bexar in pursuit of the enimy - Nothing of importance took place on our march until the 29th. Inst about eleven oclock in the morning, when an ambuscade of the enimy was observed by our flankers on the road they anticipated we would march, about nine miles below the town of Bexar on the East side of the river Salada, our army was immediately formed in a line of battle and marched in good order, The enimy finding we were apprised of their ambuscade marched out and met us, on a beautiful open plain, our Cochatties who were placed on the ~treme right of _our line made a precipitate charge on the enimy before the order was given and were repulsed with the loss of their Prophet and main chief, Charles Rollins their 2nd. in command then took command of the Indians was reinforced immediately by Capt. Gaines with the company of fifty men under his command, when we made a general charge on the enimy, they were put to the rout and retreated in great confusion we pursued them in their retreat closely and took from them six pieces of brass cannon well mounted and in good order for field use, several officers of the enimy fell in rear of their army while they were on their retreat and met our officers sword in hand, one of the officers of the enimy was a Col. Montura who met Col. Ross of our army sword in hand they made but one pass when Col. Montura was shott off his horse of one of our riflemen - another was a Sergt. Major of the army of the enimy who met Major Perry of our army sword in hand and after several passes the same fate of Montara - The enimy continued their retreat to Bexar - In this engagement we sustained a loss of nine men killed and twenty five men wounded - The loss of the enimy was about four hundred killed and a much larger nuinber wounded; we took seventy three prisoners, several hundred muskets, Fifteen hundred head of mules & horses and a good supply of ammunition - our army formed ancl marched in good order to mission Espada which is situated on the Sant- antonio river about seven miles below Bexar and remained there that night, we here provided comfortabel quarters for our wounded, and prisoners, and proceeded on our march next morning to Mission Con- cepcion which is situated on the East side of the Santantonio 1iver about two miles below Bexar, our army took up quaters [sic] for the present - The day following a detachment of one hundred men well mounted was ordered out under command of Capt. Joseph Taylor for the purpose of capturing the enimys Cabalada of horses & mules of which we had obtained some information from a few deserters, one de- tachment on in full view of the town of Bexar and discovered the ob- ject of their pursuit within about four hundred yards of the town, when we advanced immediately at full speed and surrounded the cabalad and the guard which coni;,isted of sixty men, all of which we took safely ' to our army without meeting opposition - The Cabalada consisted of three thousand horses and mules. During this interval the soldiers of the enimy deserted to us in large numbers. The next morning our army took up the line of march in good order for the purpose of mak- ing a demonstration before the town of Bexar and also with a view of investing it closely. on reaching near and in full view of the town we formed a line of battle, we then sent a flair of truce to the enimy which was bourn by Capt. Richard McFarlan demanding an immediate sur- render of the town - When Govr. Salsada Genl. Harara and several
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