all believed General Somervell to be brave and patriotic. After much discussion it was decided to yield to their wishes, and accept' General Somervell, thus having the sanction of government for their undertaking.

After most of the original militia had, for various reasons, abandoned the enterprise, seven hundred mounted men, divided into companies under their several commanders— James R. Cooke, colonel, and Alexander Somervell, commander-in-chief—left camp, below San Antonio, November, 1842. They had two hundred pack-mules and three hundred beeves. Their first point of attack was to be, as they supposed, El Presidio, Rio Grande, to which there was an open road in good condition. They crossed the Medina after camping two nights on its eastern bank. Continuing on the Presidio road several miles, to their surprise and indignation, they were ordered to change their course to the southwest, leading them through dense chaparral to the Laredo road. The whole country was inundated, torrents of rain having fallen, and a cold, wet "norther" blowing. Floundering first through mud and water, then for three days through boggy ground, they reached firm land on the Laredo road.

They marched toward the Nueces, a deep and narrow stream, with the eastern bank overflowed from one to three feet deep. Part of the command swam across with hatchets and felled trees, of which, with the help of those on the eastern bank, they constructed a bridge, interweaving the branches with reed-cane and grasses, on which the animals all crossed in safety.

At midnight, with a renewal of the storm and a darkness that could be felt, came a stampede of the mules and horses. More than a thousand frantic animals were rushing among the men, who were springing in every direction to escape them.

The Rev. Edward L. Fontaine, afterwards long rector of the Episcopal church in Austin, and grandson of Patrick

Henry, in springing from them, was thrown into a bed of prickly pears—not a bed of roses. · Captain Jack Hays reported the capture of two Mexican scouts, from whom he learned that Laredo, sixty miles distant, was occupied by two companies of Mexican soldiers. The Texians immediately decided to capture the Mexicans and take Laredo. By breakfast time most of the animals had been caught. Leaving a detail to find the remainder, the army marched twenty miles in the direction of Laredo and camped. After turning adrift their beeves, their only reliance for food, they made a night march and surrounded Laredo. At daylight they closed in for the attack, when it was found that the Mexican soldiers, forewarned, had evacuated the town. The citizens, however, greeted them with friendly salutations.

Destitute of food, their clothing torn by the bushes, many of them barefoot and without blankets, it was expected that a requisition would be made upon the town for supplies. This was partially done, and scantily responded to. No one had food enough for a day in advance. Some articles of clothing, which a few of the men in desperation appropriated, were returned the next day.

It was the wish of nearly the entire command to cross the river, pass down the valley, inflict such chastisement as they could in their condition, and recross before the Mexicans could assemble a force to oppose them. To this General Somervell was opposed, and the second day they moved southeast from the river about six miles and camped in the chaparral. Disgust and indignation ran high, as this was believed to be a clandestine move homeward.

On the morning of December 11th the general paraded the men-in no mood for parleying—and addressed them, to the effect that all who wished to return home could do so honorably, and with the remainder he would pass down the river some distance, cross over, chastise the Mexicans, and return home.

Two hundred men and two captains, believing that a farther march was but prolonging their sufferings, and that no invasion of Mexico was intended, turned homeward from that place. The remainder marched down the river to the mouth of the Salado, crossed the Hio Grande, and in an adjoining village of the Coriso Indians, six miles from Guerrero, they found an abundance of mutton. They had previously discovered that a Mexican force was watching their movements, and General Canales, with seven hundred Mexican soldiers, appeared on the neighboring hills, but made no hostile demonstrations. The alcalde of Guerrero, with an interpreter, came out and made a surrender of the town, -but begged that the Texians would camp outside, promising to send such supplies as they needed. To this proposal General Somervell agreed. They moved up six miles and camped on a hillside near the town, exposed to the view of the surrounding hills, and where during the night a deluge of rain fell upon them. The next morning, wet and cold and destitute of provisions, they waited the promised supply. During the day their wants were very scantily supplied.

On the 17th they recrossed the Rio Grande, found beeves which they killed for food, and passed the 18th, when in the evening they were paraded and an order was read for their immediate return to San Antonio where they would be disbanded.

On the morning of the 19th three hundred men refused to obey this order. The remaining two hundred, sorely perplexed as to duty, obeyed the order and returned. These last wandered about, lost in the chaparral for several days, nearly destitute of food; several killed and ate their horses. At length, almost demented, they arrived in San Antonio, where, on the 7th of January, 1843, they received their discharges and returned to their homes. In explanation General Somervell reported that he became convinced the enemy was collecting a larger force, under Ampudia, than he could engage with any hope of a successful issue.

It was believed in government circles that the recent forays of the Mexicans had been made less with the view of regaining possession of the country than of unsettling the question of annexation, by appearing to claim Texas as an unconqnered province in a state of rebellion. Mexico's domestic wars still occupied her armies, and no attempt was made to gain possesion of Texas. The United States, having friendly relations with Mexico, had, through her minister to that country, expressed a strong desire for permanent peace, and urged upon their consideration the benefits to the three countries which would result from a speedy termination of the war. As a measure of redress, Texas had declared the ports of Mexico in a state of blockade; but as her navy was not available, having gone to assist Yucatan in her rebellion against Mexico, and other complications with regard to it existing, nothing was accomplished in that direction.

(Jtnwtioils.—What was the state of feeling at this period of the history? What was Houston's plan? How was it received? Why did the people finally yield? What of the milina? How many men were there? When did they start? Who were their officers? What was their objective point? How did they proceed? What was the condition of the rimil to the Laredo road? How did the march continue? Describe the night. What was learned from scouls captured? What was decided upon? Give an account of the march to l.aredo. Of the attuck and its results. What was the condition of the men? What did they expect? What was the next step they wished to take? Wrhat did Somervell do? What was the state of feeling among the men over this move? What was Somervell's talk to them on the morning of December 11th? What number returned? What was done by tiie remainder? What had they previously discovered? What did the alcalde propose 1 Was the proposal accepted? What of the night? Was the promise of the Mexicans kept? What were the occurrences of the 17th and 18th? What was the result of Somervell's order? What was the experience of those who returned? What Wiih General Somervell's report to the Secretary of War? What was believed in government circles 1 How was the Mexican army occupied at this time? How had the United Suites shown her Interest 1 What had Texas done with regard to Mexican seaports?

CHAPTER LII.

THE MIER EXPEDITION.

The three hundred men who refused to obey Somervell on the 19th of December, 1842, reorganized into companies and elected Wm. S. Fisher as their commanding colonel. The captains were Ervin Cameron, Chas. K. Reese, Wm. M. Ryon, Claudius Buster, Wm. M. Eastland, John G. W. Pierson, and John R. Baker. Captain Thomas A. Murray, a brave and gray-haired Irishman, was adjutant. Thomas J. Green filled special positions on special services, though in 1836 ranking as colonel or general.

While all yielded to the election of Captain Fisher, who had been much in Mexico, many would have preferred the chivalrous Scot, Captain Ervin Cameron, the " lion-hearted," who had been their leader in many Mexican and Indian forays.

On the 20th of December they took possession of some flat boats below Guerrero, and descended the river, the main body passing down on the Texas side, occupying three days in the descent, and encamped opposite the Mexican town of Mier, Colonel Thomas J. Green in command of the boats. The small town of Mier lay in a curve of the Alcantra, a small, rapid stream with rugged bluff banks. The following day, December 23d, they crossed the Rio Grande, meeting with no opposition, entered Mier, and, separating, marched in columns through the streets, into the main plaza, where they met a priest and the alcalde, who surrendered the town unconditionally. They made a formal requisition upon the town for supplies, and, taking the priest and alcalde as hostages, returned to the Texas side of the river, and camped three miles from Mier to await the promised supplies. Having moved from the first camp above, they waited three days in vain, when the scouts brought information that Ampudia was in Mier with two