Trip to the West and Texas / comprising a journey of eight thousand miles, through New-York, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana and Texas, in the autumn and winter of 1834-5.

by A. A. Parker

To enforce the revenue laws, Santa Anna sent an armed schooner, called the Correo, under the command of Capt. Thompson, to the mouth of the Brazos river. This schooner, joined by a small armed sloop, attacked the schooner San Felipe, a regular trader between the Brazos and New-Orleans commanded by Capt. Hurd. This was about the first of September. It appears from a statement signed by the passengers of the San Felipe, that the Correo had fired at a steamboat while engaged in lighting the American brig Tremont, lying at anchor off the bar, previously to her attack on the San Felipe.

As soon as the steamboat had gone inside the bar, the Correo was joined by a small armed sloop, and both stood for the San Felipe, and opened fire upon her without ceremony, the moment they arrived within shot. But Captain Hurd, suspecting their intention to be of a hostile nature, from their first appearance, and having arms on board, gallantly gave battle and put them to flight, after a combat which lasted nearly an hour.

The next morning, the Correo was discovered about five miles distant, upon which she was chased by the San Felipe, (towed by the steamboat,) and overtaken and obliged to surrender.

The first battle fought on the land was on the second day of October 1835, near the town of Gonzales; and from this circumstance, it has obtained the enviable distinction, of being the Lexington of Texas. The circumstances attending the commencement of hostilities, ought to be stated with some minuteness.

Some years since, when Gonzales, the capital of De Witt's Colony, was exposed to the depredations of the Indians, the people there applied to the authorities of San Antonio for a piece of artillery to protect that frontier. The application was granted; and they obtained a brass six pounder. This was kept for defence until the settlement became strong—and afterwards it lay about the streets upon the ground, (unmounted) and served to make a noise whenever the people got into a merry frolic. The military commandant of San Antonio, (Col. Ugartechea,) two or three weeks previous, feeling sufficiently strong to make an attack upon the Colonies, demanded the gun. The people took the matter into consideration. The gun was once the property of the King of Spain; and he lost it with the sovereignty of the country. The Federal Republic of Mexico became the owner. The people of Gonzales returned for answer, in substance, that the gun was the property of the Confederation which they acknowledged, and not of the Central government, which they did not acknowledge; and they would not give it up to any officer of the Central Government.

Ugartechea ordered a detachment of his troops to march seventy-six miles, and take the gun by force. The colonies assembled to oppose him. Expresses were despatched to all parts of the country. The news flew with the speed of the race horse. The people rose to arms—and marched for the battle field.

Gonzales is situated on the eastern bank of the river Gaudaloupe, 150 miles west of San Felipe; and on the twentieth of September, the detachment of troops from San Antonio, about two hundred in number, made their appearance on the western bank of the river, opposite the town. They attempted the passage of the river, but after a sharp skirmish, were repulsed by eighteen men, the whole force then at Gonzales. The enemy retired a short distance, and encamped on the mound at De Witt's. On the first of October, about 12 o'clock, they took up their march and encamped about seven miles above this place, in a very strong position. Suspecting that their object in this movement was either to wait for a reinforcement from San Antonio, or to cross at the upper crossing, about fifteen miles above, it was determined to attack them before their plans could be carried into execution. Accordingly, on the same night, the whole force on foot, amounting then to about one hundred and sixty men, from the Gaudaloupe, Colorado, and La Baca, commanded by Col. J.H. Moore, crossed the river, attacked the enemy about day break, and put them to flight without the loss of a single man.—Thirty or forty of the enemy were reported to have been killed and wounded. This was a brilliant commencement of the Texian Revolutionary War.

The next, and more important battle, took place on the ninth of October, and resulted in the capture of the fort and town of Goliad. The attacking party were a company of volunteers, from the fertile banks of the Caney, and from the town of Matagorda—a place destined to become an important city, situated at the mouth of the Colorado river.

Before this party entered the field, most of the volunteers were at Gonzales—and fearing that the harvest of honors would be reaped before they could arrive there—they struck off from La Baca with the daring determination of taking Goliad by surprise.

Goliad is situated on the southwest side of the San Antonio river, thirty leagues below Bexar, and it is fifteen leagues from Copano, the landing place of Aransas bay, and about the same distance from the La Baca and of Matagorda bay. The fort is built upon the point of a very steep hill, formed of rocks, with a deep ravine upon one side and a low prairie upon the opposite—while a broad elevated prairie extends towards the southwest.