The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904 Page: 6
xvi, 340 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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6 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
With his original companies and with those of the Bustamante
party who had declared for Santa Anna, Mejia made his triumphal
entry into Matamoros, June 29, without any resistance,1 either on
the side of the citizens, or on that of the hostile soldiery. The
Boletin notes that "Colonel Mejia's division of the liberating army
is therefore in full possession of this town, increased by a great
number who have joined it. The utmost tranquillity prevails; the
inhabitants are tranquil, because they now see the falsehood of
what has been stated by the enemies of the cause which was pro-
claimed by the heroic conqueror of Tampico, Genl. Antonio Lopez
de Santa Anna.'"2
Prior to Mejia's capture of Matamoros, Colonel Jose Mariano
Guerra, the "ministerial" commandant of that place, retired to
San Fernando de Presas with about seventy of his presidials.3
Here Guerra obstinately remained, drilling and equipping his men,
and preparing to defend himself to the last extremity should he be
attacked by Santa Anna's adherents. Nor at first would he con-
sent to an interview with Mejia, although the latter expressed this
desire time and again. Finally, however, on July 4, Guerra
received an express from Colonel Mejia, stating that the Texas
colonists had stormed Fort Velasco, and that Colonel Ugartechea
had been forced to capitulate. Moreover, Mejia added that they
should drop their enmity for the present and coSperate to save
that Yhari had four hundred soldiers and accepting Filisola's account of
three or four, we may be able to reconcile the discrepancies and get at the
number of men who actually went over to Mejfa. Filisola says that eighty
in one group and fifteen in another allied themselves with him at la Bur-
rita, while the Boletinr makes these groups respectively sixty and forty.
Hence, practically one hundred men were added to Mejfa's forces while at
and around Matamoros.
1Austin to Ugartechea, July 2, 1832 (Austin Papers); Filisola Memo-
rias, I 228. Austin writes that Mejia "took possession of this city on the
28th the slightest disorder or confusion not having arisen."
2Temas Gazette, July 23, 1832.
$Guerra made this move at 6 P. M., June 28. (Filisola, Memorias, I
247.) The statement of the Boletin as translated for the Texas Gazette is
that "Col. Guerra with the troops in this town, Lojexo and others well
known for their anti-liberal principles precipitately fled, giving the most
barbarous orders to his troops, such as to bayonet the pack mules loaded
with baggage and ammunition, should they be overtaken." (See also Aus-
tin to Ugartechea, July 2, 1832. Austin Papers.)
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904, periodical, 1904; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101030/m1/10/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.