Three of the Texians were wounded. At two o'clock, P.M., General Woll, with eight hundred or nine hundred infantry, and two pieces of artillery, arrived on the field. The enthusiasm of the Texians, many of them very young soldiers, rose to such a pitch that Colonel Caldwell's repeated caution, “ Keep cool, boys,” was very necessary. Colonel Caldwell ordered that in receiving and repelling a charge they should not be drawn into a net by leaving their position and following into the open valley.

General Woll formed his infantry on the hillside, fired two rounds of grape and canister, and advanced slowly. At a blast

of the bugle they charged with a rush, yelling furiously, to within thirty paces of the Texian position, firing by platoons. The Texians stood firm and answered with the bang of their rifles. The Mexicans advanced the

second and third MEXICAN CHILDREN IN 1836.

time to the

charge, and were each time gallantly repulsed. About sunset the Mexicans retired to San Antonio.

The Mexicans left sixty dead on the field, and carried about forty dead and sixty wounded into San Antonio in wagons. The Texians lost one man killed and eight wounded. A few horses were killed or wounded.

In the battle of the Salado the noted Mexican insurgent chief, Vicente Cordova, was killed.

Cordova was an old Mexican resident of Nacogdoches, never in harmony with the Texians. In August, 1838, it will be recollected, he headed the Cordova rebellion among the Indians and Mexicans of that vicinity. After his defeat he removed to the Rio Grande, and was in this invasion, with General Woll, at the head of a company of renegade Mexicans and Coriso Indians.

While General Woll fought in front of the Texians, Cordova had his men in a ravine at right angles with the creek, below the Texian position. He was in the act of firing when he was shot by Mr. John Lowe of Seguin, the fatal ball entering the arm which supported his gun, and running along it entered his body, killing him instantly. Eleven of his men were killed. Cordova's person was identified by "Old Vasquez," a New Madrid Spaniard in Bird's company, and by others who knew him.* During the night after the battle a company of one hundred men, under

* I have given these particulars because other and contradictory accounts of 1)is death have since been published. I saw him taking aim at a Texian, and was reloading my gun when Lowe shot him, and I saw him fall.— J. H. B.

MEXICAN CHILUltEN IN 1884.

Captains Jesse Billingsly and Wallace, arrived on the field, Major James S. Mayfield commanding the whole.

TIE DAWSON MASSACRE. A company of fifty-three men, chiefly from Fayette County, under Captain Nicholas Dawson, on their way to the Texian army, had reached a point about three miles from the Salado. Mr. Alsey S. Miller was sent forward to reconnoitre. He soon heard the sound of the battle, and saw about four hundred dragoons standing at ease, as if in reserve. He hastened back to Dawson to report his discoveries. Dawson decided to make an attack upon them. Advancing to within a mile and a half of the battlefield he discovered the enemy advancing to meet him.

Dawson took a position in a mezquit grove covering about two acres. The Mexicans flanked to the right and left, and displayed one piece of artillery, which opened upon the Texians a galling fire, every round telling with fearful effect. Captain Dawson was killed in attempting to raise a white flag. Mr. Miller then rode out and raised the flag, the men at the same time calling out “ We surrender !” Then followed a general massacre. Of fifty-three men, forty-one were killed, ten were made prisoners, and two escaped-Mr. Alsey Miller and Mr. Gonzalvo Woods. With their prisoners they rejoined Woll in his retreat.

Woll abandoned San Antonio on the night of the 19th20th. As soon as advised of the fact, Caldwell made pursuit on the 20th. In the afternoon, on the Medina, he was joined by Colonel John H. Moore, with about two hundred men from the Colorado, Lavaca, and Guadalupe.

The Texians remained in the valley of the Medina on the night of the 20th and during the 21st. On the 22d they began a rapid pursuit, with Captain Jack Hays and one hundred men in advance, and flankers on the right and left. About two o'clock, P.M., the advance was fired upon by the Mexican rear

guard, and several men were wounded, but the pursuit continued. Near sunset the Texian advance came suddenly upon a company of Mexican infantry in a narrow road, through dense chaparral, on the Arroya Hondo. This was Woll's rearguard with a six-pound cannon. The Texians charged upon them, leaping and scrambling over the cannon, still belching out shot and canister, until the artillerists were killed. The Texians had several men wounded and several horses killed. General Woll had halted on the opposite side of the Hondo, in a secure position, from which he could rake the Texan advance. The main body of the Texians arrived at dark and camped for the night, intending to renew the fight at dawn, keeping out sentinels. In the morning it was discovered that the Mexican army had left.

The men were eager to pursue and fight the Mexicans, but in consideration of the starved condition of their horses, and their own condition, not having tasted food for two days, the pursuit was reluctantly abandoned. On the Medina they met Colonel Edward Burleson, with large reinforcements, hurrying forward to join them.

On the 24th the whole command met at the Alamo, where Colonel Burleson, from a window in the fortress, addressed them and outlined the plan of a campaign into Mexico, for which all were eager. Colonel Burleson advised the men to go home, recruit their horses, make preparation for the expedition, and in six weeks meet him at the Alamo. This counsel was received with bursts of enthusiastic applause.

The men started for their homes, but a portion of them repaired to the scene of the Dawson massacre, and finding forty-one of their murdered friends and neighbors, dug their graves as best they could, and buried them with the honors of war and with religious rites.

Their remains have long reposed in a spot, now sacred to all the survivors of that day, known as Monument Hill, overlooking the Colorado from the west, opposite La Grange,

in Fayette County, the home of nearly all of Dawson's men.

QUESTIONS.-How was the country startled in September, 1842 ? What was the call ? How was it met! Where did they rendezvous ? What did the spy report ? What was next done? With what success ? Describe the Mexican charge. Who arrived at two o'clock, P.M. ? What was Caldwell's advice ? Describe the charge. What noted Mexican was killed in this battle? Give some account of Cordova. Describe his position and death. How many of his men were killed ? By whom was his body identified? What volunteers arrived at night after the battle ? Describe the Dawson massacre. When did Woll abandon San Antonio ? What was Caldwell's next move? Who joined him ? Describe the pursuit of the Mexicans. Where was Woll: When did the main body of the Texians arrive? What was discovered next morning ? What was the desire of the Texians ? Why did they not do so ? Whom did they meet on their return, on the Medina ? What occurred on the 24th? What was his advice? Where did some of the men go What did they find ? What did they do with the bodies ?

CHAPTER LI.

THE SOMERVELL CAMPAIGN-UNITED STATES ANXIOUS FOR

PEACE BETWEEN TEXAS AND MEXICO.

This was a dismal period in the history of the Republic. The seat of government had been removed from Houston to Washington, on the Brazos; the whole West was in a state of painful doubt as to whether President Houston would sustain the proposed expedition, and there was division of opinion as to its expediency; among the friends and relatives of the men held in Mexican prisons, there was a fixed determination to adopt this plan for their release ; among others the idea of revenge and reprisals was a strong motive.

General Houston, wishing to bring the expedition under government control, ordered two regiments of militia from Central to Western Texas, and authorized General Somervell, their commander, to organize as militia the forces collecting at San Antonio. This plan of the President met with violent opposition. General Edward Burleson was the experienced leader of their choice for the hazardous enterprise, although