The Texas Almanac for 1870, and Emigrant's Guide to Texas Page: 43
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MEXICAN ACCOUNT OF THE FALL OF SAN JACINTO. 4 $
detachment of dragoons to reconnoitre Houston's movements. We halted at
that place, all being quiet.
On the 20th, at about 8 o'clock A.M., everything was ready for the march.
We had burnt a fine warehouse on the wharf, and all the houses in the town,
when Captain Barragan rushed in, at full speed, reporting that Houston was
close on our rear, and that his troops had captured some of our stragglers, and
had disarmed and dispatched them.
There is in front of New Washington a dense wood, through which runs a
narrow lane, about half a league in length, allIwing passage to pack-mules,
in single file only, and to mounted men in double file. This lane was filled
with our pickets, the drove of mules, and the remainder of the detachment.
His Excellency and Staffwere still in the town. Upon hearing Barragan's
report, he leaped on his horse, and gallopped off at full speed for the lane,
which, being crowded with men and mules, did not afford him as prompt an
exit as he wished. However, knocking down one, and riding over another,
he overcame the obstacles, shouting at the top of his voice: " The enemy are
coming! the enemy are coming!" The excitement of the General-in-chief
had such a terrifying effect upon the troops, that every face turried pale ; order
could no longer be preserved, and every man thought of flight, or of finding
a hiding-place, and gave up all idea of fighting. Upon reaching the prairie,
a column of attack was formed, with trepidation and confusion, amidst inco-
herent movements and contradictory orders.
At this moment, His Excellency did me the honor to place me in command
of the artillery and ordnance, giving me his orders verbally, with strict
injunctions as to my responsibility. Meanwhile, the officers having dismount-
ed and taken their stations in front of their commands, we moved in search of
the enemy, with flankers on both sides to e-xplore the woods. As the knap-
sacks might impede the movements of the men, His Excellency ordered that
they should be dropped on the road, still preserving our formation. The
order was obeyed, the knapsacks being loft in the keeping of Providence or
fortune, and we resumed our march.
It was two o'clock P.~. when we descried Houston's pickets at the edge of
a large wood, in which he concealed his main force. Our skirmishers
commenced firing; they were answered by the enemy, who fell back in the
woods. His Excellency reached the ground with our main body, with the
intention, as I understood, of attacking at once; but they kept hidden, which
prevented him from ascertaining their position. He, therefore, changed his
dispositions, and ordered the company of Toluca to deploy as skirmishers in
the direction of the woods. -Our cannon, established on a small elevation,
opened its fire. The enemy responded with a discharge of grape, which
wounded severely Captain Urrzia, and killed his horse.
At this moment, His Excellency came to me and ordered me to unload the
ordnance stores, and to turn over the twenty mules on which they were
packed to Captain Barragan, who was instructed to bring in the knapsacks
which had been left on the road. I was cautious enough to part with only
eighteen mules, keeping two for an emergency.
Then His Excellency went to look for a camping ground, and established
his whole force along the shore of San Jacinto Bay, at least one mile from the
place where I had been left. About one hour later, I received orders, through
Colonel Bringas, to come into camp immediately with the ordnance stores and
the piece of artillery. That officer was, also, the bearer of orders to the
company of the Toluca, the only force that checked the enemy, to fall back
likewise. I observed to Colonel Bringas that it would take some time to
execute this order, the chests, as His Excellency knew, being piled up
on the ground, and I having only two mules upon which to load them ; and,
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The Texas Almanac for 1870, and Emigrant's Guide to Texas, book, January 1870; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123775/m1/45/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.