Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
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preparing to march northward, as Jimenez had done before, to reestablish the authority of the King and reward the Loyalists on the northern frontier. The situation was not altered to any considerable degree by the fact that Jimenez, without the aid of Allende, successfully repelled the at- tack of the Royalists in Coahuila, who had not waited for Calleja to help. Having recovered from the first shock, the Royalists throughout New Spain were steadily restoring the King's authority. The leaders of the Revolution were now in what amounted to a disorderly flight, anxiously hoping to maintain their hold on the northern provinces in order to establish contact with the Anglo-Americans as the only means of survival, let alone of success. Texas loomed larger and larger as the star of hope. Closer contact had to be made between the Revolutionists of Mexico and the Casas regime. . News of the revolt in Texas had caused Spanish officials throughout New Spain to turn their attention, likewise, to the remote province as the most recent and most dangerous threat to the ship of state. When the Viceroy first learned of the Casas rebellion, late in February, he was rudely shaken from his habitual complacency. With unaccustomed alacrity he ordered an expedition of two hundred picked men to be recruited immediately and equipped with ammunition, cannons, four months' provisions, and anything else they might need. They were to sail from Vera Cruz for La Bahia de) Espiritu Santo under the com- mand of Colonel Jose Joaquin Arredondo as soon as possible. Their mission was twofold: the capture of the rebel leader and his companions in Texas-thus forestalling their escape to Louisiana-and the stoppage of supplies and reinforcements from the United States for the Revolu- tionists.29 But unforeseen circumstances prevented the expedition from reaching its destination. Arredondo landed at Tampico, instead, and directed his efforts to suppressing the rebels in Nuevo Santander. Not for two years was Arredondo to set foot on Texas soil. While Viceroy Venegas thus tried to reach out to the Province of Texas to help smother-the spark of liberty lighted by Casas, Com- mandant General Nemesio Salcedo, and the Governor of Durango, Bernardo Bonavia, who had successfully defended the eastern frontier a few years before, feverishly evolved their own plan to crush the Revolution. They were agreed on an elaborate plan of campaign: Bonavia was to march from Durango; Nemesio Salcedo was to move all avail- able forces from Chihuahua and Sonora; and Calleja was to march
29 Garrett, Green Flag Over T,:ras, 47-48.
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