45
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
nounced to us the success of Milam in gaining possession of Garza's , house-I will pass over the account of the fighting until the attack on · the public square, for which I will refer you to the official report of Col. F. W. Johnston, which I believe to be correct. Having been four days fighting with but partial success, and our men becoming wearied out with fatigue, a council of war was called, and an attack on the public square determined on- I was ordered on this duty with my own company, and a detachment of Capt. W. H. Patton's <:ompan,. from Brazoria, amounting in all to but 49 men-(a large number of my men had been woundcd)-About 12 oclock at night we left our position in Beremendi's House, passed throug-h that of Garza and one in advance which had been taken from the enemy a day or two before and was then occupied by Capt York- Guided by Jno W Smith we proceeded to attack the rear of Yturri's House which is on the square- Immediately on issuing from York:- house (the moon shining almost as bright as day) a tremendous fire was opened on us from every position occupied by the enem}- Finding it impracticable to gain entrance in Yturri's, in consequence of the strength of the barrical'!es and the severe firing kept up from it, we determined to attempt an entrance into the priest':-: house at the other rxtremity of the square- In accomplishing this, we had to pass within a few feet of a line of loop holes for seventy or seventy five yards, from which a constant firing of musketry was kept up-Graham of my company led off, fol-. lowed by myself, Patton, Smith & the others-On arriving in rear of the Priest's house we found the doorway barricaded up to the arch which was higher than our heads and left a space hardly sufficient to admit one man at a time-We climbed up one at a time and fired off a few guns as we dropped down on the inside. ']'he house was filled with Mexican soldiers who fled upon our firing and left us in posses- sion-Immediately on gaining entranee we rushed upon the Square where f ] 19 larJ.!e number of Soldiers collecting, hut evidently in great <:onfusion- One piece of Artillerv was placed immediately in front of the door through which we entered the Square at the dis- tance of two or three yards, thii, we took possession of and attempted to pull in the house, but by that time the fire from the enemv became so severe, we were compelled to retire to the house after spiking the piece, in performing which, one of my men (John Belden) lost his eye from a musket ball-On reg-aining- the house we barricaded the doors, Windows passages &c as well as we could-which (having lost our sand bags)- we accomplishe<l. but ver_v imperfectlv-using our blankets, shirts, the library of the priest &c for that purpose-The enemy continued their firing during the night without eessation which we answered from loop holes whenever opportunity presented to pick off a man-Jui.:t at day break the firing c<:'ased, and we heard the enemy retreating towards the Alamo-One of m~· men called my at- tention to a Mexican with a white flag on the square-I immediatelv went out and sent Jno W Smith to reeeive him, who returned with him to me-He stated that the Mexicans had retreated to thr Alamo. and that Genl. Cos wislwd to treat for <surren<lrl'-I had him conveyed to the rear to the Commdg Officer F W Johnston- I have been informe<l. hy . f:ome officrr,.: that Capt. York heing under
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