The Travels and Adventures of Monsieur Violet in California, Sonora, and Western Texas

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER XXV.

  It was during my convalescence that the fate of the Texan expedition toSanta Fe was decided; and as the real facts have been studiouslyconcealed, and my intelligence, gained from the Indians, who weredisinterested parties, was afterwards fully corroborated by an Irishgentleman who had been persuaded to join it, I may as well relate themhere. Assuming the character of friendly traders, with some hundreddollars' worth of goods, as a blind to their real intentions, which wereto surprise the Mexicans during the neutrality which had been agreedupon, about five hundred men were collected at Austin, for theexpedition.

  Although the report was everywhere circulated that this was to be atrading experiment, the expedition, when it quitted Austin, certainlywore a very different appearance. The men had been supplied withuniforms; generals, and colonels, and majors were dashing about in everydirection, and they quitted the capital of Texas with drums beating andcolours flying. Deceived by the Texans, a few respectable Europeans wereinduced to join this expedition, either for scientific research or thedesire to visit a new and unexplored country, under such protection,little imagining that they had associated themselves with a large bandof robbers, for no other name can be given to these lawless plunderers.But if the force made a tolerable appearance on its quitting thecapital, a few hours' march put an end to all discipline and restraint.

  Although the country abounded with game, and it was killed from merewantonness, such was their improvidence, that they were obliged toresort to their salt pork and other provisions; and as, in thirty days,forty large casks of whisky were consumed, it is easy to suppose, whichwas indeed the fact, that every night that they halted, the camp was ascene of drunkenness and riot.

  During the last few days of the march through the game country theykilled more than a hundred buffaloes, yet, three days after they hadquitted the prairies, and had entered the dreary northern deserts, theyhad no provisions left, and were compelled to eat their worn-out andmiserable horses.

  A true account of their horrible sufferings would beggar alldescription; they became so weak and utterly helpless that half a dozenMexicans, well mounted, could have destroyed them all. Yet, miserable asthey were, and under the necessity of conciliating the Indians, theycould not forego their piratical and thieving propensities. They fellupon a small village of the Wakoes, whose warriors and hunters wereabsent, and, not satisfied with taking away all the eatables they couldcarry, they amused themselves with firing the Indian stores and shootingthe children, and did not leave until the village was reduced to a heapof burning ashes. This act of cowardice sealed the fate of theexpedition, which was so constantly harassed by the Wakoe warriors, andhad lost already so many scalps, that afterwards meeting with a smallparty of Mexicans, they surrendered to them, that they might escape thewell deserved and unrelenting vengeance of the warlike Wakoes.

  Such was the fate of the Texan expedition; but there is another portionof the history which has been much talked of in the United States; Imean the history of their captivity and sufferings, while on their roadfrom Santa Fe to Mexico. Mr. Daniel Webster hath made it a governmentquestion, and Mr. Pakenham, the British Ambassador in Mexico, hasemployed all the influence of his own position to restore to freedom thehalf-dozen of Englishmen who had joined the expedition. Of course, theyknew nothing of the circumstances, except from the report of the Texansthemselves. Now, it is but just that the Mexicans' version should beheard also. The latter is the true one--at least, so far as I can judgeby what I saw, what I heard upon the spot, and from some Mexicandocuments yet In my possession.

  The day before their capture the Texans, who for the last thirteen dayshad suffered all the pangs of hunger, came suddenly upon a flock ofseveral thousand sheep, belonging to the Mexican government. As usual,the flock was under the charge of a Mexican family, living in a smallcovered waggon, in which they could remove from spot to spot, shiftingthe pasture-ground as required. In that country but very few individualsare employed to keep the largest herds of animals; but they are alwaysaccompanied by a number of noble dogs, which appear to be particularlyadapted to protect and guide the animals. These dogs do not run about,they never bark or bite, but, on the contrary, they will walk gently upto any one of the flock that happens to stray, take it carefully by theear, and lead it back to its companions. The sheep do not show the leastfear of these dogs, nor is there any occasion for it. These usefulguardians are a cross of the Newfoundland and St. Bernard breed, of avery large size, and very sagacious.

  Now, if the Texans had asked for a hundred sheep, either for money or inbarter (a sheep is worth about sixpence), they would have been supplieddirectly; but as soon as the flock was perceived one of the Texanleaders exclaimed, with an oath, "Mexicans' property, and a welcomebooty; upon it, my boys, upon it, and no mercy," One of the poorMexicans who had charge was shot through the head; the others succeededIn escaping by throwing themselves down among the thick ranks of theaffrighted animals, till out of rifle-distance; then began a carnagewithout discrimination, and the Texans never ceased firing until theprairie was for miles covered with the bodies of their victims. Yet thisgrand victory was not purchased without a severe loss, for the dogsdefended the property intrusted to their care; they scorned to run away,and before they could all be killed they had torn to pieces half a dozenof the Texans, and dreadfully lacerated as many more. The evening was,of course, spent in revelry; the dangers and fatigues, the delays andvexations of the march were now considered over, and high were theiranticipations of the rich plunder in perspective. But this was the onlyfeat accomplished by this Texan expedition: the Mexicans had not beendeceived; they had had intelligence of the real nature of theexpedition, and advanced parties had been sent out to announce itsapproach. Twenty-four hours after they had regaled themselves withmutton, one of these parties, amounting to about one hundred men, madeits appearance. All the excitement of the previous evening hadevaporated, the Texans sent out a flag of truce, and three hundred ofthem surrendered themselves unconditionally to this small Mexican force.

  On one point the European nations had been much deceived, which is as tothe character of the Mexican soldier, who appears to be looked upon witha degree of contempt. This is a great mistake, but it has arisen fromthe false reports and unfounded aspersions of the Texans, as to theresult of many of their engagements. I can boldly assert (althoughopposed to them) that there is not a braver individual in the world thanthe Mexican; in my opinion, far superior to the Texan, although probablynot equal to him in the knowledge and use of firearms.

  One great cause of the Mexican army having occasionally met with defeatis that the Mexicans, who are of the oldest and best Castile blood,retain the pride of the Spanish race to an absurd degree. The sons ofthe old nobility are appointed as officers; they learn nothing, knownothing of military tactics--they know how to die bravely, and thatis all.

  The battle of St. Jacinta, which decided the separation of Texas, hasbeen greatly cried up by the Texans; the fact is, it was no battle atall. The Mexicans were commanded by Santa Anna, who has great militarytalent, and the Mexicans reposed full confidence in him. Santa Annafeeling very unwell, went to a farm-house, at a small distance, torecover himself, and was captured by half-a-dozen Texan robbers, whotook him on to the Texan army.

  The loss of the general with the knowledge that there was no one fit tosupply his place, dispirited the Mexicans, and they retreated; but sincethat time they have proved to the Texans how insecure they are, even atthis moment England and other European governments have thought proper,very hastily, to recognize Texas, but Mexico has not, and will not.

  The expedition to Santa Fe, by which the Texans broke the peace,occurred in the autumn of 1841; the Mexican army entered Texas in thespring of 1842, sweeping everything before them, from San Antonio deBejar to the Colorado; but the Texans had sent emissaries to Yucatan, toinduce that province to declare its independence. The war in Yucatanobliged the Mexican army to march back in that direction to quell theinsurrection, which it did,
and then returned to Texas, and again tookpossession of San Antonio de Bejar in September of the same year, takingmany prisoners of consequence away with them.

  It was the intention of the Mexicans to have returned to Texas in thespring of the year, but fresh disturbances in Yucatan prevented SantaAnna from executing his projects. Texas is, therefore, by no meanssecure, its population is decreasing, and those who had respectabilityattached to their character have left it. I hardly need observe that theTexan national debt, now amounting to thirteen millions of dollars, may,for many reasons, turn out to be not a very profitable investment[21].

  [Footnote 21: Perhaps the English reader will find it extraordinary thatSanta Anna, once freed from his captivity, should not have re-enteredTexas with an overwhelming force. The reason is very simple: Bustamentewas a rival of Santa Anna for the presidency; the general's absenceallowed him to intrigue, and when the news reached the capital thatSanta Anna had fallen a prisoner, it became necessary to elect a newpresident. Bustamente had never been very popular, but having promisedto the American population of the seaports that nothing should beattempted against Texas if he were elected, these, through mercantileinterest, supported him, not only with their influence but also withtheir money.

  When, at last, Santa Anna returned to Mexico, his power was lost, andhis designs upon Texas were discarded by his successor. Bustamente was aman entirely devoid of energy, and he looked with apathy upon thenumerous aggressions made by the Texans upon the borders of Mexico. Assoon, however, as the Mexicans heard that the Texans, in spite of thelaw of nations, had sent an expedition to Santa Fe, at the very timethat they were making overtures for peace and recognition of theirindependence, they called upon Bustamente to account for his culpablewant of energy. Believing himself secure against any revolution, thepresident answered with harsh measures, and the soldiery, nowexasperated, put Santa Anna at their head, forcing him to re-assume thepresidency. Bustamente ran away to Paris, the Santa Fe expedition wassoon defeated, and, as we have seen, the president, Santa Anna, beganhis dictatorship with the invasion of Texas (March, 1842).] But toreturn to the Santa Fe expedition. The Texans were deprived of theirarms and conducted to a small village, called Anton Chico, till ordersshould have been received as to their future disposition, from GeneralArmigo, governor of the province.

  It is not to be supposed that in a small village of about one hundredgovernment shepherds, several hundred famished men could be suppliedwith all the necessaries and superfluities of life. The Texans accusethe Mexicans of having starved them in Anton Chico, forgetting thatevery Texan had the same ration of provisions as the Mexican soldier.

  Of course the Texans now attempted to fall back upon the originalfalsehood, that they were a trading expedition, and had been destroyedand plundered by the Indians; but, unfortunately, the assault upon thesheep and the cowardly massacre of the shepherds were not to be gotover. As Governor Armigo very justly observed to them, if they weretraders, they had committed murder; if they were not traders, they wereprisoners of war.

  After a painful journey of four months, the prisoners arrived in the oldcapital of Mexico, where the few strangers who had been induced to jointhe expedition, in ignorance of its destination, were immediatelyrestored to liberty; the rest were sent, some to the mines, to dig forthe metal they were so anxious to obtain, and some were passed over tothe police of the city, to be employed in the cleaning of the streets.

  Many American newspapers have filled their columns with all manner ofhistories relative to this expedition; catalogues of the crueltiespractised by the Mexicans have been given, and the sympathizing Americanpublic have been called upon to relieve the unfortunate men who hadescaped. I will only give one instance of misrepresentation in the NewOrleans _Picayune_, and put in juxta-position the real truth. It willbe quite sufficient. Mr. Kendal says:--

  "As the sun was about setting, those of us who were in front werestartled by the report of two guns, following each other in quicksuccession. We turned to ascertain the cause, and soon found that apoor, unfortunate man, named Golpin, a merchant, and who had startedupon the expedition with a small amount of goods, had been shot by therear-guard, for no other reason than that he was too sick and weak tokeep up. He had made a bargain with one of the guard to ride his mule ashort distance, for which he was to pay him his only shirt! While in theact of taking it off, Salazar (the commanding officer) ordered a soldierto shoot him. The first ball only wounded the wretched man, but thesecond killed him instantly, and he fell with his shirt still about hisface. Golpin was a citizen of the United States, and reached Texas ashort time before the expedition. He was a harmless, inoffensive man, ofmost delicate constitution, and, during a greater part of the time wewere upon the road, was obliged to ride in one of the waggons."

  This story is, of course, very pathetic; but here we have a few linestaken from the _Bee_, a New Orleans newspaper:--

  "_January_, 1840. HORRIBLE MURDER!--Yesterday, at the plantation ofWilliam Reynolds, was committed one of those acts which revolt humannature. Henry Golpin, the overseer, a Creole, and strongly suspected ofbeing a quadroone, had for some time acted improperly towards Mrs.Reynolds and daughters. A few days ago, a letter from W.R. was receivedfrom St. Louis, stating that he would return home at the latter end ofthe week; and Golpin, fearing that the ladies would complain of hisconduct and have him turned out, poisoned them with the juice of someberries poured into their coffee. Death was almost instantaneous. Apretty mulatto girl of sixteen, an attendant and _protegee_ of the youngladies, entering the room where the corpses were already stiff, foundthe miscreant busy in taking off their jewels and breaking up somerecesses, where he knew that there were a few thousand dollars, Inspecie and paper, the produce of a recent sale of negroes. At first, hetried to coax the girl, offering to run away and marry her, but sherepulsed him with indignation, and, forcing herself off his hold, sheran away to call for help. Snatching suddenly a rifle, he opened awindow, and as the honest girl ran across the square towards thenegroes' huts, she fell quite dead, with a ball passing across hertemples. The Governor and police of the first and second municipalitiesoffer one thousand dollars reward for the apprehension of the miserableassassin, who, of course, has absconded."

  This is the "_harmless and inoffensive man of delicate constitution, acitizen of the United States,_" which Mr. Kendal would give us as amartyr of Mexican barbarism. During the trip across the prairie, everyman, except two or three, had shunned him, so well did every one knowhis character: and now I will describe the events which caused him to beshot in the way above related.

  Two journeys after they had left Santa Fe they passed the night in alittle village, four men being billeted in every house under the chargeof one soldier. Golpin and another of his stamp were, however, leftwithout any guard in the house of a small retailer of aguardiente, who,being now absent, had left his old wife alone in the house. She was agood hospitable soul, and thought it a Christian duty to administer tothe poor prisoners all the relief she could afford. She gave them someof her husband's linen, bathed their feet with warm water mixed withwhisky, and served up to them a plentiful supper.

  Before they retired to rest, she made them punch, and gave them a smallbottle of liquor, which they could conceal about them and use on theroad. The next morning the sounds of the drums called the prisoners inthe square to get ready for their departure. Golpin went to the oldwoman's room, insisting that she should give them more of the liquor.Now the poor thing had already done much. Liquor in these far inlandcountries, where there are no distilleries, reaches the enormous priceof from sixteen to twenty dollars a gallon. So she mildly but firmlyrefused, upon which Golpin seized from the nail, where it was hung, avery heavy key, which he knew to be that of the little cellarunderground, where the woman kept the liquor. She tried to regainpossession of it, but during the struggle Golpin beat her brains outwith a bar of iron that was in the room. This deed perpetrated, heopened the trap-door to the cellar, and among the folds of his blanketand that o
f his companion concealed as many flasks as they could carry.They then shut the street-door and joined their companions.

  Two hours afterwards, the husband returned, and knocked in vain; atlast, he broke open the door, and beheld his help-mate barbarouslymangled. A neighbour soon told him about the two Texan guests, and thewretched man having made his depositions to an alcade, or constable,they both started upon fresh horses, and at noon overtook the prisoners.The commanding officers soon ascertained who were the two men that hadbeen billeted at the old woman's, and found them surrounded by a groupof Texans, making themselves merry with the stolen liqnor. Seeing thatthey were discovered, to save his life, Golpin's companion immediatelypeached, and related the whole of the transaction. Of course theassassin was executed.