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Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
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August 5 to the Natchitoches merchants pledging the credit of the Repub- lic for lodging and provisions for the deposed President-Protector and his family. As night fell on August 6, the man who had worked three years for the success of the Revolution in Texas, who had caused the Declaration of Independence to be drawn up and who had been instru- mental in framing the Constitution for the first Republic of Texas, wearily and sorrowfully departed from San Antonio with his family, darkness kindly hiding his bitter shame. The genuine patriot was replaced by a perfidious traitor, destined to see within two weeks the end of his short- lived triumph. 56 Dissnmon tmumg Re-publicans. The departure of the hero of the revolutionary movement in Texas did not bring peace to the Republicans. Gutierrez was from the Rio Grande and the Texans of San Antonio looked upon him as one of them. Toledo was a Gaclmpin (Spaniard), a foreigner, therefore, as were the volunteers from the United States. Colonel Jose Menchaca, nephew of Miguel, who had guided Gutierrez so skillfully from Revilla to East Texal?, led the discontented. Grumblingly they obeyed Toledo's orders, but made their displeasure obvious. Toledo was aware of this hostility, which extended to the rank and file and found expression in frequent fights between Texans and volunteers from the United States. He would have purged hi.s army of Gutierrez sympathizers, but he did not dare take that step at a time when the Royalists were about to advance on San Antonio from the Rio Grande. He tried to make the men forget their differences by drawing pictures of future glory, rich rewards, liberty, and happiness. To end conflict among his followers, he reorganized the army into two divisions: one com- posed of Texans and Indians; the other, of volunteers from the Neutral Ground and Louisiana. This measure was to prove disastrous in the fate- ful encounter with the well-disciplined troops of Arredondo. This re- organization ended the excellent spirit of cooperation between the Texans and the Americans, who, fighting side by side, had won the battle of Alazan and had sent Elizondo scurrying in panic. 51 Arredondo's march to the Medina. The efficient and implacable Arre- dondo, fully recovered from the reverse caused by the impatient Elizondo, set out from Laredo on July 26 to crush the rebels. Orders were sent to UGuticrrez, "To the Mexican Congress," Lamar Papers, I, 1820; Shaler to Monroe, August 4, 1813, Stale De-j>artme,u Records, N. A. W.; Garza, o-j>. cit., 68-70. STGarza, 0-1. cit., 69-71; Ala.man, Historia de Mezieo, III, 487; Shaler to Monroe, August 24, 1813, Stale De'lartme,u Records, N. A. W.
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