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Our Catlwlic Heritage in T e%as
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legitimate authority, and emphasized the fact that their cooperation was essential to the complete overthrow of the Revolution. The Junta ordered the town crier to announce the news to the citizens of San Antonio on March 24. At the same time immediate steps were taken to organize a force of five hundred men to send to the Rio Grande at the earliest possible moment." Jfli,st actwn of Teus and, Coahuila. March 21 dawned cloudless over the vast expanse of semidesert extending from the Wells of Bajan in every direction as far as the eye could see. Behind a barren, low, rocky hill that rises near the Wells, Lieutenant Colonel Elizondo had carefully deployed his three hundred forty-two men, with whom he had marched from Monclova two days before by order of the Governing Junta of Coahuila. Governor Salcedo, who had supervised every detail of the plan, saw to it that the most intimate friends of the Colonel were excluded from the fatcf ul expedition. Elizondo, on his part, had dispatched a messenger to Jimenez to inform him that he would be waiting to meet him at Bajan. 15 Indian scouts, brought by Menchaca, were advantageously posted well in advance to report the approach of the awaited Insurgents. Detailed in- structions had been given to the troops lying in ambush to prevent arousing the suspicion of the approaching enemy. 1' A cloud of dust rose on the horizon, which the burning sun turned into a golden haze. The winding column marched across the desert in absolute disarray. At the head came a small company that formed the advanced guard, then carriages, wagons, pack mules, and men in groups of from half a dozen to a score. The main body of approximately a thousand men trailed far in the rear. The vanguard reached the low hill, saluted Elizon- do and continued unsuspectingly. Then followed the coaches, the wagons, the pack trains, and last, the rear guard. The ambush was a complete sur- prise. Neither the occupants of the carriages nor their guards offered any resistance. Of Abasolo, Jimenez and Allende, who rode in a carriage with his son, only Allende protested. He chided Elizondo for his treason. A discharge of rifles answered, felling Allende's son. Jimenez jumped from the coach and implored the soldiers of Elizondo not to fire again. 16 Menchaca to the Governing Junta of Texas, San Fernando de Austria, March 20, 1811 : Governing Junta of Texas to the People March 24 181 1 Bexar .A rc/iivu. u , ' ' , Tomas Flores to Nemesio Salcedo, Monclova, September 14, 18II, cited by Garrett In Gm" Flag, 67, note 1; Hernande:,; y Davalos, Docu,ru,uos ;ara 1'J lustorill u la G111rrod1 UuJe-je,uu,rcia, II, 416-418. 11 S!mon Hemra to Brigadier General Felix Calleja, Monclova, March 28, 18n, printed in Goi,to £%1rMrduia d,l Gobu,110 u Miziu, tomo I, num. -49, PP· 359-363.
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