P.\PEns oF )IrnMmAu BuoxAPAnTE LA)£AR
35,3
this sudden zeal in defense of the Vera Cruz plan had on the mind at the. time is Hot exactly known, hut snhsequent e,·ents lead to the con- clusion that he understoo<l the matter pretty well & felt no great grati- tude for our attachment to his cause. After the flight of Bradburn. Col Souberan took <>ommand of the post. The ~olcliers, like the citizens of the country, now hec·ame sudden convcrts also to the cause of Santa Anna, and con~equently bec-ame wonderful friends united l,y common interest & views. As we were all Santa Anna's friends here, it was concluded the soldiers should go wherc their sen·iccs in his cause were more needed. Their comman<l- ing officer ar·cordingly Col. Souberan chartered t~rn vessels the Nelson & Afecana of Wilson & Harris to tram;port his troops to )[atamoras. Just before thev sailed howeYer Genl. ~lexia arriYecl from that port. :l\f exia was comrnanc1er of the for(•es at Tampico; he had been ordered to reduce )fatamoras; he sailed from Tampico in a uew Brig called Santa Anna with a fleet of 7 vessels, not howHer without first taking with him 30 thousand dollars of the public treasury. He arriYed at )Iatamoras, took the place without mueh difficulty, and all the people deserted Bustamenta and shouted for Santa Anna. He was ordered to remain in possession of the place until he could be joi11ed by )lonta- zuma who had just reduced Victoria and was ordered to Matagorda; but )Iexia instead of obeying orders, left )latagorda after plllll<lering the Customs Officers of 30 thousand dollars, and sailed with his armey in his fleet commanded by a Capt Cochran. )1ontazuma hearing of this fell back from Victoria to Tampico. ~rexia was induced to Texas from the disturbances here "whereof he had something heard but not attenfo·ely" which it was his duty to enquire into. He landed at Brazos where many honors were paid him; all things were explained to his satisfaction. He then went to Anlrnac, where he found the gar- rison broken up & all about to sail for )[atamoras. Before they sailed however, the news reached him that )fatamoras, since his departurc, ha,1 declared again for Bustamenta; hence he concluded it best to make for Tampic-o where he would fit out another expedition against this rebellious Cit~-- This change in the points of destination rendered it necessar\' that a ucw contract should be entered iuto with Wilson & Harris for· their Vessels; it was agreed that the vessels should be in- sured hy the Go,·t. of Mexico & additional sum paid for the charter. With this understanding they all set :;ail from Galveston & bound for Tampico about the latter part of July 1831. The ,·essel in which )lexia sailed was first to reach their destination. He was recd as he deserved to be with the indignation of the people, and found it con- venient to avoid their resentment by retirin~ to :N. 0. where he still l'<':::icles an exiled traitor nnd robber. The )Iecana, stopping on the way for water was wrecked; the (·aptain after long sutrc>ri11gs re>ac-h hom<> once more. The Kelson, commanded b_v Capt. \\'m P. Harris brother to the Capt. of the ~fecana. stopped at the Brazos ::-nntn Ta.£!:O for water. He found anchored there the ~\merican ~choorlC'r lirnmpu:-:. T"lnell capt,. to whom he applied for water, who grantrcl him tiOO gallon;:: but Capt Harris had not put on board his ,·essel mori> than h~tlf that quantity, before he saw the Nelson under full sail, lea,·ing him behind in foe Grnmpus. At first he concluded tlrnt she wa~ only shifting her positioll for a more convenient one, but the way slw lay
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