The Scouting Expeditions of McCulloch's Texas Rangers; or, the Summer and Fall Campaign of the Army of the United States in Mexico--1846; including Skirmishes with the Mexicans, and an accurate detail of the Storming of Monterey; also the Daring Scouts at Buena Vista together with anecdotes, incidents, descriptions of country, and sketches of the lives of the celebrated partisan chiefs, Hays, McCulloch, and Walker. Page: 81
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PREPARATIONS FOR THE ATTACK. 81
arm chair-with a high oval arch for its back, while the walls on
each side represented the arms. A seat was placed in the rear
for the priest, which was approached by a flight of steps, and
around the walls forming the arms, were little shelves, on which
stood sundry ornaments; the front of the church, if it may be
called one, being entirely open. Behind the arch stood a scaffold
on which was erected two or three small bells. As well as we
could see, by moonlight, the chapel had the appearance of having
been very lately occupied. As we passed the rancho, all was as
still as death, and not a soul was to be seen except an occasional
head or two, peeping forth for a moment from some half-closed
window. Turning round the pass of a high hill, we shortly after
descended a deep ravine, and crossing a boggy stream permitted
our horses to drink, when we gained the opposite bank.
At about midnight, when within less than a quarter of a mile
from the town of China, a halt was called, and a detachment of
twenty men, under the command of our second-lieutenant, Allen,
was order to proceed with the pack mules, off to the right of the
road, some fifty yards, and station a guard, with instructions to
stop all persons entering or going towards the town, allowing those
going from it to pass on,-and at the dawn of day to ride into the
town and join the main force, when it was thought the attack
would commence. The main body then proceeded on, taking a
circuit off to the left, so as to get round to the rear of the town, on
the Monterey road. It happened to fall to our lot to be detailed
with the rear-guard. We had hardly dismounted in the chaparral
bushes, and tied our mules, before we took a prisoner, who
said that he was out, looking for some horses. While interrogating
the prisoner, and before the guard was posted, one of our men,
hearing the clang of sabres, ran towards the road-side, and seeing
two Mexican soldiers, challenged them to halt, which refusing
to do, and putting spurs to their, horses to escape, they were
fired upon, and one, it was thought, was badly wounded. The
report of the gun created quite a sensation among us, as we were
not aware, at the time, whence it came, and during the flurry the
prisoner made his escape. The guard was then posted in the
bushes, near the road, and the balance of our squad drawn up in
battle arry, to prevent surprise; each man holding his horse by
the bridle, prepared to fight or fly. After some consultation, it was
thought advisable to send one of the men to Capt. McCulloch, to
inform him of the cause of the report of the gun, and " Arch Gibao"
volunteering, was sent to perform that duty. During his
absence, we made two more Mexicans prisoners, who informed us
thatthe main body of Col. Seguin's men had left China about nine
o'clock that night, an exprep having arrived from Comargo, in
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Reid, Samuel C., Jr. The Scouting Expeditions of McCulloch's Texas Rangers; or, the Summer and Fall Campaign of the Army of the United States in Mexico--1846; including Skirmishes with the Mexicans, and an accurate detail of the Storming of Monterey; also the Daring Scouts at Buena Vista together with anecdotes, incidents, descriptions of country, and sketches of the lives of the celebrated partisan chiefs, Hays, McCulloch, and Walker., book, 1859; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth38096/m1/85/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.