PAPEns OF i\frnABE,\U BuoNAP.1P.TE L,nun 353 Citizen ancl returned to the fort. Patrick J aek, :Monroe Edwards and others, called upon Bradhum to punish the offenders, which being re- fu:,;erl, these gentlemen re:,;oh·ecl when the same Solcliers should return to their labor in the wood:< to apprehe11cl & punish them as their crime dPservecl. Ilraclbum by some> means disco,·erecl their designs. and had them imnwdiatPly apprehc>nded a11d ·imprisoned, in the fort About the same time another circ·umstance oecnrrecl. Bradburn had sheltered in the fort some runaway 11egroes from Oppaloosa, which he refused to deliver up, saying that tht>y were 110w free in Texas, and calling upon the flag of his country for protection he was determined to give it. He received an anonymous letter, stating that the authorities of Louisiana were sencli11~ on a body of men to redeem their property by force; that thev wc>re on their marc·h. Bradburn aecused Travis as the author of this letter & acconlin_gly imprisoned him with Jack, Edwards and others. This could not fail to arouse the indignant spirit of the whole people- The alarm was sounded. About :15 miles above Anhuac at a place cale>d 111 inche's, an ol cl settlc>r, 150 of the Citizens assembled & headed by .John Austin, to rescue· the prisoners or reduce the garrison. They started for Anhunc. On their march Their achance guard six in num- ber under Capt. Scott met a party of the enemy 1-1--in number. One of the guard was at once dispatched back to the main force to apprize them of the fact; whilst the remaining gurard f sic] 5 in number charged upon the foe and succeeded in Capturing nil except one who made his escape. Our men with their 13 prisoners marched to Auhunr. The relPase of the prisoners was respectfully demanded. Bradburn at once had them pinioned and bound down to the grournl, and then sent in reply to our demand, that At the first fire of a gun the prisoners shoulcl be put to death: The gallant Travis spoke to our men in nn audible voice, not to regard his life but to blaze away upon the fort; he was willi11g to die & preferred it rather than the foe should not be chastise<l. Upon this our men sent in answer to Bradburn's bloody threat, that if he dare execute, we would write the crime on the walls of the fort in his heart's blood. Some firing now commenced, a few scattering shots only; no regular attack was made; but the Viiiinn Bradburn discovering om determination to reduce the Garrison pro- posed terms of adjustment. It was accordingly agreed between him and J ohu Austin, that we should release the )Iexican prisoners which we had ancl retire 6 miles from the town and that he would then release the prisoners which he helcl in the fort. This treaty ~ave great offence to our men, but as they had much confidence in their lender (Jno Austin) they submitted to the terms not howerer without some reluc- tance. They accordingly retreated to Turtle Bayou. Some fh·p or six of our men lingered in the town, doubtless with n view to frolic-k or get something to drink. These were surprized and seized and confined in the fort ; and was made a pretext h_v Bradburn for not complyin~ with his agreement. He i;till held all the prisoners in confinement. When this intelligence rc>ach our men at Turtle Bayou they m,olve,l to tuke the fort by storm; the~' accordingly sent John Austin Velasco after two peices of artillrry there. \\"hilst he wns ~one 2 circnmsta1wes occured, one of n lnughnble nature the other of a most melnncholl_y chnr- acter. Two parties of spies which hacl been sent out, happen to meet. nncl each mistaken the other for the foe, both broke for the bridge across
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