Evacuation of Texas : translation of the Representation addressed to the supreme government / by Vicente Filisola, in defence of his honor, and explanation of his operations as commander-in-chief of the army against Texas. Page: 47 of 72
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44
I encamped one league distant from Atascosito; the soldierswere
enabled to eat meat roasted, and on the following day I sent
fire wood and meat to lieutenant colonel Ampudia. The storm
threatened still to continue, and made me, despair of saving the
baggage and artillery. On the 2nd day, about three hundred of
the enemy presented themselves to the rear-guard of our scattered
pieces and baggage, and opened communications with
Ampadia, who was scarcely able in a small space to manoedvre
two four-pounders, the only cannon that he could get out of the
mud, and about one hundred infantry; but they appeared to
have orders not to commit hostilities, and only to expedite our
crossing the river Colorado. Ampudia informed me of this occurrence,
and as I did not wish to compromise myself in any
treaty that the president should have made with the relels, I
only made evasive answers that he should save all that he could
and pass the river. No one who has made war for even a very
short time, can be ignorant of the difficulty and danger of this
operation in the face ox the enemy, even under the most ordinary
circumstances; but under those in which I was placed, it was
indeed horrible. At last, thanks to the constancy and indefatigability
of Mr. Ampudia, that of the generals, chiefs and officers;
heroism and endurance of the Mexican soldier, who, one and all,
worked incessantly like so many plough-men; this operation was
concluded on the 9th, without other loss than the twelve baggage
wagons, the forge and a gun-carriage, which it was not
possible to drag from the mud, because at that time neither the
men nor.the beasts had sufficient strength to do it, ilasmuch as
said wagons were in very bad order on account of the long
marches made with them, and because, in fine, in all the space
from that place to tlie river Colorado, there exist no means of
subsistence on account of the country being deserted, and it was
absolutely necessary to arrive quickly at this town and procure
them, although unfortunately I have found nothing but meat, a
little rice and a very small quantity of beans. This day, your
Excellency, a quart of corn has been sold for a dollar, at the
same price a small loaf of sugar, and a loaf of bread weighing a
pound and a half for three dollars; there is a very great want of
every thing except meat.
The army, as I have already said, is without clothing, the
arms ruined, ammunition of every kind in very bad condition,
horses and mules badly used in the extreme; we have neither
physician nor apothecary: we are threatened with the epidemic
of the season and the innumerable sufferings which' the army
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Filísola, Vicente. Evacuation of Texas : translation of the Representation addressed to the supreme government / by Vicente Filisola, in defence of his honor, and explanation of his operations as commander-in-chief of the army against Texas., book, 1837; Columbia, [Tex.]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6110/m1/47/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.