TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
394
expected reception, that the Royalsist were thrown into Confusion with great loss and retreating some distance formed again, but fearing to advance, sent their artillery to play upon the fort; but the riflemen placed secretly in the entrenchments opened upon them a fire which caused them also to retire. The Royalist having suffered much from the daily skirmishing during the long seige, and having gained noth- ing in this general engagement, commenced their retreat to Bexar for the purpose of reinforcing and making another stand there. Bernardo commenced preparations for an invasion of Bexar, having in the mean time recd additional troops to the number of one hundred composed of Americans & Indians, making his force altogether 900, but as he says about six hundred truly fighting men on whom he could fully rely. He commenced his march for Bexar about the middle of ~larch ; on the 29th same month, he met Govr. Herrere with 1200 men, and six pieces of artillery- Herrere advanced upon Bernardo forming 3 col- umns, his artillery in front, and upon the left 300 cavalry & 100 Cav- alry upon the right; He commenced firing their with his artillery as soon as he reached suitable distance; Bernardo placed all his cavalry on the right & on the left one hundred infantry with a piece of cannon. At this time, fire commenced from Bernardos cavalry upon the enemy's left which caused the enemy to div[ert] much of its attention to that quarter; which Bernardo perceiving, seized the opportunity of sending a portion of infantry upon the enemie's right unperceived, being shel- tered from view by a patch of timber. Whilst the Cavalry was thus engaged and the detachmt thus dispatched had approached very near to the enemy, orders were given to the center to make a furious & rapid charge; which being done, the enemy was assailed in three points, and after 15 minutes sharp firing victory was proclaimed for the patriots .by the dispersion of the enemy, who fled, leaving behind them their entire baggage all their artillery; 1500 cartriges for artillry and a large quantity of amunition, which fell into the hands of the patriots. The killed, & captured amounted to 500 on the royal side; on the Patriot side 5 americans killed; one creole and 2 Indians, and 14 wounded. Bernardo then marched in one league of Bexar. Taking with him a party of cavalry to attack a a [sic] guard which were placed over a large cavaryard, the guard on seeing him advance, threw down their arms, and were taken to the camp together with three thousand horses. By this time the Govr. had fortified Bexar had fortified all the streets of the city with entrenchmts and 12 pieces artillery. The same eveing the Govr sent an officer to negociate or parley with Bernardo, but the officer having no credentials to shew his authority to act, was made prisoner; the next clay (1st April) he advanced upon Bexar with great rapidity, when the Govr. sent another deputation consisting of 3 in- diYiduals, to consult with him; they too were taken prisoners because they had no credentials with them- He however released one of them and sent one of his own officers to accompany the prisoners to the Gons house. Bernardo's message to them was for the Govrs to sur- render at discretion without delay before he compelled them to do it; the Uo\·emors replied they were willing to surremler as prisoners of war. Bernardo replied that he would not quarrell with them because tlJPy had withheld his title in addressing him; but that if they did not
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