Tlze First Republic of Texas
propaganda to win friends to their cause, and afford an opportunity for the numerous volunteers who were still arriving from all parts of the United States to join the expedition before it set out to capture its next objective, La Bahia. By October 12 the vanguard of the liberating army had crossed the Trinity and had taken up a position some twelve to fifteen miles .beyond. Gutierrez and his friends carefully laid the groundwork for a successful invasion. The bloodless capture of Nacog- doches had demonstrated the power of propaganda to win adherents to his cause. With this purpose in mind he addressed himself to his "Be- loved, Honorable Compatriots in the Province of Texas" from his head- quarters at Nacogdoches on September 1, to remind them of the great sacrifices he had made in their behalf, how he had secured support from the United States, and had obtained arms, munitions, and men. He assured them that larger forces were even now advancing by land and sea to come to their aid, and urged them to abandon the tyrants, who had so long held them in servitude. l11.st1rgent propaganda. That same day another proclamation, "To the People of Mexico," .was prepared. The burden of the message was to assure the people that the "Republican Army of the North" had come not to rob or exploit, but to help the Insurgents in Mexico attain political and economic independence. A third proclamation of the day, couched in similar terms, but addressed "To the Officers, Soldiers, and Residents of San Antonio de Bexar," called upon them to rise and join the ranks of free men, men descended from a race who had fought for and obtained independence, men who were coming to help them obtain the blessings of liberty and help them defend their rights.' Numerous copies of the subversive proclamations were sent throughout Texas and even beyond the Rio Grande to prepare the way for the ap- proach of the army. To San Antonio two emissaries (one, a deserter from Bexar; the other from Trindad, recently converted to the Revolution) were sent to distribute the proclamations among the people as well as the soldiers. Governor Salcedo was not less aware of the benefits of espionage. He dispatched three loyal soldiers from San Antonio to Trinidad the moment he received the calamitous news of its downfall. They were to pose as deserters. En route the three spies met the two emissaries. They had little difficulty in convincing the agents of Gutierrez of their ardent love
9 Copies in o;eraciones de Gue"a, Arred<mdo, vol. III, A. G. M.
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