ADVENTURES OF 
 
 A MIER PRISONER 
 
 uViA'iM«i^<A<^<Ait^dirtiaiiil>tf)(fln&ia 
 
 Being the Thrilling Experiences of 
 
 John Rafas Alexander 
 
 Who was with the Ill-Fated 
 Expedition Which Invaded Mexico 
 
 Published by 
 FRONTIER TIMES 
 Bandera, Texas 
 

F 390 
 .fl37 
 Copy 1 
 
 k 
 
 
 
 
 ADVENTURES OF 
 
 
 
 A MIER PRISONER 
 
 
 
 iflfi^ifiit^itttaiAi^iiVi&tttditirahtt 
 
 
 
 Being the Thrilling Experiences of 
 
 John Rafas Alexander 
 
 Who was with the IllFated 
 Expedition Which Invaded Mexico * 
 
 
 
 Published by 
 FRONTIER TIMES 
 Bandera, Texas 
 
_ 
 
 ^^^ 
 
©If a mmw 
 
 Thrilling Story of John Rufus Alexander, a Member of 
 Ill-Fcited Expedition into Mexico 
 
 Written by John Warr^ Hunter 
 
 At dawn, Suptt-iiiber 11, 1842, Gen. 
 Woll at the head o)' 1,200 troops took 
 possession of the town of San Antonio. 
 'I'li(( battle on the Salado followed on the 
 17tli, where a mere handful of men 
 under old "Paint" Caldwell, after 
 lighting nearly all day, sent the minions 
 of Santa Anna reeling back into San An- 
 tonio On the retreat of these dastards 
 tbey encoiinterwi DawsiOin's company 
 M'hich was trying to reach Captain Cald- 
 well 's forces, and, ignoring the white flag 
 which was hoisted in token of surrender, 
 these brave men were put to the .sword, 
 only a few escaping to tell the story of 
 Mexican perfidy and of Mexican atrocity. 
 Upon WoU's advent into San Antonio, 
 the call to arms rang out and was borne 
 on the wings of wind from the Gaudalupe 
 to the Brazos, from the Brazos to the 
 Sabine; the blood of Dawson's men 
 cried aloud for vengeance, and Texas 
 hastily responded to the appeal. The 
 call reached me at my home in Brazoria 
 county, and seizing my rifle and mount- 
 ing my best horse I huii-ied forward and 
 .ioined Capt. Shelby McNeal's company 
 and a few days later we reached San 
 Antonio, where wc remained in camp 
 several weeks. 
 
 I wish to saj' just here, at the outset, 
 that it is not my purpose to write the 
 Mier expedition, giving in minute detail 
 its causes and fatal results; able writers 
 have faithfully accomplished that task, 
 and all the world has read the harrowing 
 story of Mier, the shocking tragedy of 
 Salado, where seventeen of my comrades 
 were inhumanly put to death by Santa 
 Anna's orders, and of the long and cruel 
 imprisonment of those who were finally 
 driven in chains into the Castle of 
 Perote. For the benefit of my children 
 and those of my countrymen who would 
 preserve the record of suffering and 
 saeritiee of the men who fought for 
 Texas an'fl who laid in blood and tears 
 the foundation of a mighty State, I, the 
 only survivor of" the six who escaped 
 from Salado, and amid the evening 
 shadows of a long and eventful life, as- 
 
 sume the pleasing task of placing upon 
 record a truthful account of my pei-sonal 
 experience as a member of the Mier 
 Expedition, as a Mier prisoner, and my 
 providential escape from Salado, and 
 something of my sufferings while mak- 
 ing my way through those inhospitable 
 regions of Northern Mexico, back to 
 Texas and home. 
 
 1 do not recall the date of our de- 
 parture from San Antonio for the Rio 
 Grande; suffice it to say that our ai-my, 
 1,000 to 1,200 strong, under cojnmand of 
 General Somervell, set forth and aiter a 
 tedious march, reached Laredo, where 
 we remained in camp two or three days 
 The spiirit of revenge and retaliation for 
 numberless wrongs was rife among our 
 men, who all the while had been made 
 to believe that we were to be led into the 
 enemy's coimtry for the purpose of 
 administering just and merited chastise- 
 ment, and when General Somervell broke 
 camp late one evening at Laredo, and 
 took up the line of march in a direction 
 ciontrary to that of our expectations, 
 loud mutinous murmurings were heard 
 in all the ranks. After marching all 
 night, we halted for breakfast and see- 
 ing the discontent and threatening at- 
 titude of his men, and the spirit of insub- 
 ordination that menaced the entire com- 
 mand, Gen. Somervell assembled the 
 army and made a speech, at the conclu- 
 sion of which he tendered his resigna- 
 tion as commander-in-chief and request- 
 ed the men to elect his successor, adding 
 that he would continue with the army 
 and would go as far as any man dare go. 
 This later statement seemed so generous 
 and appealed to the boys in such friend- 
 ly force that they refused to accept the 
 offered resignation, but by almost unani- 
 mous vote, continued Somervell as com- 
 mander of the expedition. After this 
 expression of confidence the general step- 
 ped out in an open space, raised a flag 
 and asked all who would pledge 
 obedience to orders to rally to the colors, 
 and all who wished to abandon the expe- 
 dition and return home wera at liberty 
 
THE Ain-EXTIRES OF A MIER PRISONER 
 
 to <\o so. Five or six hundred men fell 
 in line about the flag, while over three 
 hundred preferred going home, and a 
 short time later, under the leadership of 
 Capt. Bennett took up tlie line oT march 
 for San Antonio. 
 
 With (hirrero as our next objective 
 point, we marche 1 dovvii the river and 
 when nearly opposite that i>lace, which 
 is three or four miles from the Rio 
 Grande, we crossed to the south bank by 
 swimming the stream and went into 
 eamp near town. From this camp 
 General Somervell made a requisition on 
 the town authorities for a large supplj' 
 of hats, shoes ami blankets, all of which 
 our men stood in great need, and also a 
 supply of provisions. The ob.sequious 
 alcalde of the town agreed to comply 
 \vith the demand made ui)on him and 
 his people, only asking that time be 
 granted in which to gather up supplies. 
 The fir.st cousigmnent came in, and its 
 inspection brought forth shouts of merri- 
 ment from some, while othersr those of 
 direct need of clothing, vented their 
 disgust in explosions of profanity. The 
 stutf delivered consisted of a lot of old 
 tattered garments that would shame a 
 beggar; the men refused to touch it, and 
 the alcalde was told to take it out of our 
 camp, throw it in the river, and then 
 hurry back to town and teli his people 
 they would have tj do better, else, souui- 
 thing was going to happen, right away. 
 With regard to i>rovisious, the alcalde 
 put up a doleful tale. He said the 
 country was exhausted, that his own 
 people were on the verge of starvation, 
 and that no supplies were to be had. 
 We remained in camp several days, after 
 which with feelinga of utter disgust and 
 disappointment General Somervell issued 
 orders to recross the river, and take up 
 the line of march for San Antonio. 
 Safely on the Texas side, we went into 
 camp, and then came a storm of ci'imi- 
 natiou, vituperation, separation and re- 
 organization. Forgetting his pledge 
 that he would go as far as any man in 
 the expeditiou, General Somervell had 
 determined to abandon the enterprise 
 and return home, but there were restless 
 determined spirits in the army who re- 
 solved to follow his leadership no farther. 
 They swore they would never return 
 home until the objects of the expedition 
 had been accompLi.shed, and Tom Green 
 ftsked Somervell il' he ever heard of any 
 
 glory accruing to the French general 
 who marched his army up the hill and 
 then haired and marched back down the 
 hill. As I remembf-r, those mo.st ve- 
 hemenently opposed to a retrograde 
 movement were Captains Cameron. 
 Pearson, Ryan, Eastland, Buster, Gen. 
 Green and Dr. Brenham. A call was 
 iiiade for volunteers to carry the war 
 into Mexico, and'three hundred fell in 
 line. Colonel Fisher was elected com- 
 mander and those of my company, Mc- 
 Niel's, who remained firm, re-organized 
 and elected Ree.se as captain. Somervell 
 and his followers started for San Antonio 
 and Fisher s army of 300 resumed the 
 marc^ down the river, selecting the 
 town of Mier as the first point of attack. 
 It being late in December, the country 
 was bare, bleak and desolate, affording 
 little grass for our horses and less sub- 
 sistance for the men, in consequence of 
 which many of our horses became ex- 
 hausted and had to be abandoned. This 
 placed some thirty men on foot, but 
 fortunately for these footmen, Gen. Tom 
 Green discovered two flat boats which 
 the Mexicans had attempted to conceal 
 along -the river; these were "holy- 
 .s.toned,'' rigged up and put in commi.s- 
 sion, the footmen were taken aboard, a 
 red flag was hoisted, and "Commodore" 
 Greeii, with his new navy, set sail down 
 the Rio Grande. Army and fleet kept 
 pace, and at nightfall the "Commodore" 
 would hove to, cast anchor, land his 
 marines and camp with the land forces, 
 adding to our depleted commis.sary 
 any suppplies he may have captured dur- 
 ing the day's cruise. And thus we con- 
 tinued until we reached a point opposite 
 the town of Mier. Here, I should state 
 that during the descent, we encountered 
 a few of the inhabitants ; there were only 
 a few ranches on the Texas side; these 
 had beeen abandoned and the stock 
 driven olf. Green's boatmen came upon 
 a few while foraging on the Mexican 
 .side along the river, but these had little 
 or nothing worth taking and none of 
 them could or would give any informa- 
 tion as to whether or not there were any 
 Mexican troops in the country. 
 
 On the evening of the 21st we went 
 into camp opposite Mier, four of five 
 miles distant, on the following morning 
 we cros.sed the river and marched into 
 town; where a requisition for clothing 
 and provisions was made on the alcalde. 
 
 / 
 
HKS OF A MTBR PRISONER 
 
 Tiie lesponsf was prninpi and energetic: 
 the contributions were piled in heaps and 
 lieaps on the plaza until Fisher soon 
 found he had more than he expected and 
 having no means of transportation to 
 remove the supplies, an agreement was 
 liad in which it was stipulated tliat the 
 goods should be. delivered at our cam)) 
 on the following «ioniing. We then re- 
 turDe<l to our camp on the east bank of 
 the river, taking the alcalde along with 
 us as security for the faithful p irform- 
 aiiee of the contract. The next day was 
 sjient patiently waiting for the promised 
 supplies, likewise tlie day following, and 
 no supplies enme. ^Meantime Captain 
 Raker and spies bad been kept on the 
 lookout on the south side of the river 
 and on Cliristmas eve they eapturerl a 
 Mexican from M-hom it was learned 
 that Cxen. Ampudia wilii a large force 
 had reached Mier and had forbidden the 
 fulfillment of t!ie alcalde's promise. 
 On learning this, we left our horses and 
 .amp outfit in charge of a detail of 
 forty men, crossed the rivei- and by 4 
 o'clock in the afternoon we were on the 
 mai'ch for Mier, determined to beard the 
 lion in his den. We liad not gone far 
 when we came in sight of the Mexicans, 
 who had marched out to meet us, but 
 when they saw us they fell back to •'he 
 town. 
 
 General Ureen with his "marines" le<l 
 the advance, and at nightfall we reached 
 the outskirts of Mier, and were halted 
 on the banks of the little river, the Al- 
 eantra I believe they called it, which in 
 the darkness seemed impassable for foot- 
 meji. While General Green and others 
 were searching for a crossing, Joe Berry 
 fell from a high bank and sustained a 
 broken thigh. He Avas carried and plac- 
 ed in a deserted jacal nearby and left 
 in charge of Dr. Sinnickson, Bate Berry 
 and six others. General Green soon 
 found a crossing and we moved fouward 
 under a heavy fire, reaching one of the 
 main streets leading to the plaza whei-e 
 the enemy's aitilicry and main froces 
 seemed to be stationed. The old alcalde 
 whom we held as hostage, had been 
 l)laced in the care of an old Irish sea 
 captain named l4j'()ns. When wc had 
 ci-ossed file Alcautra, General Green 
 happened alongside of Lyons and, not 
 seeing the alcal-de, asked as to his where- 
 abouts. "Shure, sor, an' he's gone 
 adhr-rift!" replied the old sea dog. A 
 
 laugh and a cheer rang down the line as 
 we hurried along. 
 
 The firing of grape, which swept the 
 street, forced us 1o take shelter around 
 the corners, where we would load our 
 rifles, then betv'een fires, or while the 
 enemy was reloading, we would ru.sh out 
 and on to the next corner. Early in the 
 night a light rain set in,, and in order to 
 keep our powder dry, we entered the 
 houses along the street and chopped our 
 way through the walls until daylight 
 found us within c'cse rifle .shot of the 
 plaza. 
 
 The Mexican soldiers covered the flat 
 roofs of the lumses, many of whom were 
 directl.v over our beads when we entered 
 the lower apartments, but when, it 
 became light enough to draw a bead on 
 those in sight we punched loojihoJes in 
 the walls and soon silenced the artillery 
 for the time being and drove the yellow 
 rascals from the loofs. The Mexicans 
 rallied and the firing continued until 
 about noon. I do not remember the 
 number we lost during this time. A 
 comrade by the name of Jones was killyd 
 i)y my side; Colonel Fisher was severely 
 wounded and there were others, but 
 T have forgotten their names. During 
 the progress of this fighting or earlier 
 in the day a party of Mexicans surround- 
 ed the .iaeal in which we had left Joe 
 Kerry with a broken thigh. His brother. 
 Bate Berry, Dr. Sinnickson, and others 
 were made prisioners, but as Joe Berry 
 was unable to walk: he was murdered 
 at the very feet of his pleading brother, 
 who later escaped a like fate by drawing 
 a white bean at Salado, lived through a 
 long captivity at Perote, returned home, 
 and when the war with Mexico and the 
 United States Ijroke out, was among the 
 first to enlist under Jack Hays, and with 
 tiger-like ferocity fought on many fields 
 to avenge his brother's murder. 
 
 About 1 o'clock the Mexicans made a 
 desperate charge, but were repulsed. 
 During this charge I thiidi every Texan 
 rifle was loaded, jjrimed and ready for 
 service, and every shot fired brought 
 down a Mexican. The repulse was swift, 
 bloody and complete, as I thought, and 
 the cheers of our boys almost shook the 
 town. A little afler this repulse Dr. 
 Sinnickson, who was then a prisoner, was 
 sent under a white flag to us, and on his 
 appearance We were ordered to cease 
 firing. A moment later several Mexican 
 
THE ADVENTURES OP A MIBR PRISONER 
 
 officers rode forward and called for Col. 
 Piaher. The Colonel met them and, 
 after a long parley, he returned with the 
 annonnoement that he had been summon- 
 ed to surrender under the promise that 
 we should be treated as prisonei-s of war, 
 that we should not be sent to Mexico, 
 but held on the Rio Grande border until 
 exchanged, or until peace was declared, 
 and that we had just one hour to deside, 
 and if the terms of surrender proposed 
 by them were not accepted in that time 
 we would be shown no quarter. 
 
 I have no language to describe the 
 iicene of confusion that followed this 
 announcement. The older men, those 
 who had fought at San Jacinto or had 
 lost friends or relatives at the Alamo and 
 Goliad,, became furious and denounced 
 those in favor of surrender as cowards 
 and traitors. They argued that our ad- 
 vance so far had been one of triumph, 
 that we had whipped the enemy back 
 from the start, and now had Ampudia 
 badly beaten, and that he had resorted 
 to strategy on order to frighten us into 
 surrender. And thus the muddje con- 
 tinued until the hour had almost expired,. 
 Some wanted to fight to the last ditch, 
 others wanted to continue the fight until 
 night and try to make our escape under 
 cover of darkness. Those from the 
 States, and the weaker element, who had 
 small grievances and who had yet to 
 learn of Mexican perfidy, favored sur- 
 rendering, and began to stack their arms 
 on the plaza. Seeing this, Captain 
 Cameron made a final appeal and propos- 
 ed that if as many as 100 men would 
 stand by him he would lead them out 
 even if he had to cut their way through 
 the eoiemy's line. Only about sixty re- 
 sponded, and it was then decided that 
 the number was too small, and the entire 
 command yielded as prisoners of war. 
 This fatal mistake was made on the 
 evening of Christmas Day, 1842. In this 
 action we lost sixteen killed, including 
 those who died later of their wounds, 
 besides twenty-six more or less severely 
 wounded, out of a total of 261 that went 
 into battle. I never learned how many 
 the Mexicans lost; they held us in Mier 
 until the following Saturday, nearly a 
 week, and during much of the time they 
 were digging graves and burying their 
 dead, and from this we estimated that 
 they must have lost at least, 500 killed 
 outright, and, counting the wounded, 
 
 which must have been double the number 
 killed, wdtild show that each Texan 
 killed or wounded three Mexicans, 
 and if we had been allowed to continue 
 the fight a few hours longer we would 
 have wiped out Ampudia and his entire 
 army, whose numerical strength was 
 •riven as 2,000 men. 
 
 On Saturday the last day of the old 
 year, we started on a long march to 
 Matamoras, leaving our wounded in Mier 
 in charge of Dr. Sinnickson. We were 
 guarded by Ampudia 's whole army, and 
 at Camargo we wore held up one day 
 while each man's name, nativity, age 
 and occupation was placed upon record. 
 When we reached the next town 
 Reyinosa, we were halted on the out- 
 skirts of the miserable village, in order 
 to allow the artillery to move forward, 
 take po.sition and fire salvos in honor of 
 the immortal Ampudia and his great vic- 
 tory over the hated Tejanos. Finally, 
 when all were in readiness, we marched 
 into town, where we found triumphal 
 arches on the only street, and these were 
 adorned with every species of childish 
 tawdry. The rabble lined the street and 
 fiat roofs and shouted themselves hoarse; 
 now in laudation of the benemerito, 
 Ampudia, and next, hurling anathemas 
 at the Texas prisoners. 
 
 When the general entered the plaza he 
 was preceded by about a dozen boys 
 togged out in what these barbarians con- 
 sidered holiday costumes, and these 
 little friskies danced, or rather capered, 
 before his mightiness while he, with his 
 prisoners, marched three times around 
 the (iltli-laden plaza. All during this 
 time tliere was a babble of noise, the fir- 
 ing of cannon, the blare of nerve racking 
 music and the strident shouts of the 
 multitude. At the close of this patriotic 
 demonstration the general and his staff, 
 led by a few sleek old priests, entered 
 the church, where they went through 
 some sort of ceremony, thanksgiving I 
 suppose. 
 
 From Reyinosa we were marched to 
 Matamoras, a long and painful journer, 
 and when we reached that place another 
 triumphal reception awaited the "con- 
 quei-iug hero. " We wcj-e held there three 
 days and during the time Major Oldham 
 sent for an Englishman, then a resident 
 of Matamoras, and whom he had former- 
 ly known in Kentucky. This generous 
 acquaintance came promptly, and he 
 
THE ADTENTTJRES OF A MTER PRISONER 
 
 loaned Major Oldliani $100 and advanced 
 to the prisonei'B the sum of $2,000. In 
 addition, to this he gave as a. free gift 
 $5 to each man that chanced to be from 
 Kentucky. From Mataiuoras on January 
 14, we started for Monterey in charge of 
 General Canales with a guard oF 600 men. 
 This march was marked with no unusual 
 incidents save the sufferings of the 
 weary, footsore prisoners who, all the 
 while, were planning among themselves 
 to nuike a break for liberty. We arrived 
 at Monterey on the 20th, and remained 
 until February 2, when we set out for 
 Saltillo in charge of General Barragan 
 and 350 men, all raw troops except a 
 company of regulars, whom we soon 
 learned to call Red Caps. During all 
 this journey we were seldom free from 
 the pangs of hunger, our daily allowance 
 being a small piece of lean beef which 
 had been boiled. This was doled out to 
 us in a pint of water in which the meat 
 had been cooked with a few grains of 
 rice and a few beans. This stuff, and a 
 small piece of dry. stale bread, was 
 issued twice a day to each man and was 
 barely sufficient to ward off starvation. 
 Those who had shared the bounty of the 
 generous Englishman at Matamoras 
 fared better. There Avas no dearth of 
 peddlers along our route. Our coming 
 seemed to have been heralded far in 
 advance, and every old palado that could 
 scrape together a few eggs, tortillas, 
 goat milk or goat milk cheese, got out 
 on: the road to wait our coming, and 
 those who had the money could buy, 
 while the moneyless man had tn resort 
 to stealing. And if the man without 
 money got to the peddler first the latter 
 soon found his stock entirely exhausted ; 
 he was soon surrounded by the 
 friendliest people in the world, who 
 oggled him clear away from his basket 
 of goods, and when he carried his com- 
 plaint to the ofificers they treated it as 
 a huge joke — on the pelado. 
 
 The plotting continued. We lay over 
 at Saltillo one day and then resumed our 
 journey toward the City of Mexico — and 
 Perote. Seventy-five miles from Saltillo 
 we reached a station called Hacienda 
 Salado. Here we came up with Colonel 
 Fisher, General Green, Dr. Sheppard and 
 their interpreter, Dan Henry, and also 
 the old sea captain, Lyons, whom Gen. 
 Green had proclaimed as his body 
 servant. These officers had been sent 
 
 forward in oi'der to keep them separate 
 from us, but now since having penetrated 
 far into the interior. Mexican vigilance 
 seems to have relaxed to a certain extent, 
 and that evening we were corraled some 
 of these officers were allowed to visit us 
 J'or a short time. 
 
 On arriving at this Hacienda Salado 
 we were marched into an enclosure, the 
 the walls of which were eight, probably 
 ten feet in height. This enclosure more 
 properly speaking, corral, was divided 
 into two pens or compartments, and into 
 the smaller of these we were placed, 
 while the larger was occupied by the in- 
 fantry guards. The entrance to the pen 
 assigned us opened into the compartment 
 where the guards were biviouacked, and 
 as soon as we all had passed in sentinels 
 were placed at this entrance. The sold- 
 iers stacked their arms against the south 
 wall, every movement being closely ob- 
 served by keen watchful eyes. 
 
 At the opposite end of the enclosure, 
 and built into the wall, was a house, with 
 doorways leading from the main corral 
 to the outside. The red caps took up 
 quarters in this house for the night. 
 During the brief visit of our officers, as 
 before mentioned they were assured that 
 if we made the break next morning as 
 contemplated, we would certainli attack 
 their escort and effect their release, but 
 it seems that the Mexicans became sus- 
 picious and left with their prisoners be- 
 fore we made the stampede. At all 
 events they were not far away, since 
 General Green says in his Histor^ of the 
 Mier Expedition that he heard our yells 
 and the firing, and that he and his fellow 
 prisoners were pushed forward with all 
 speed, traveling seventy-five miles be- 
 fore they were allowd to halt. But to 
 return to the men in the corral. It was 
 the night of February 10. There was 
 a chill in the air, and as night advanced 
 a cold wind swept down from the Sier- 
 ras. We had few blankets and we had 
 been given only a slender supply of 
 wood to light a fire. Before taps there 
 was the iisual amount of merriment 
 among the boys, and it appeared to me 
 that the spirit of fun and repartee ran 
 with greater exuberance than, on any 
 former occasion, even to the extent 
 that it attracted notice on the part of 
 .some of our guards, and one of the petty 
 officers came in and asked Captain Cam- 
 eroo the <;ausfl of the general g()9^ j^Qmor, 
 
THE ADVEXTTTtES OF A MIER PRTROXER 
 
 He was told that it was in view of tlip 
 near approach of St. Valentine's, our 
 saint's day, which we always celebrated 
 with great rejoicinfr and hilaritj, aince 
 it never failed to brinpr frond fortune. 
 
 Lonjr before dfiyligbt on tlie moriiinp: 
 (>r the 11th, T rose and made a small fire, 
 and while trying to "thaw out," my be- 
 numbed limbs T was joined by others, 
 Dr. Brenham and Mr. (Vipciand. In 
 whispers we began to discuss our chances 
 for a break that morning, and I express- 
 ed the opinion that the effort woukl not 
 be made, that as heretofore, somebody 
 would weaken because of the fearful 
 hazard and the long distance from Texas, 
 and also the fearful odds in point of the 
 numbers against us."but" said T. "if the 
 break is made, I will be among the first 
 in the charge, and I believe T can go as 
 far as ;iny man." Mr. Copeland .said 
 that the agreemeii' to stampede was sure 
 and binding and that we would run over 
 guards as if they were a gang of hood- 
 lums, and that we would get out in the 
 mountains and live on the fat of the land. 
 Dr. Cameron had Ix'on a Santa Fe i)rison- 
 er and said if he was taken to the City o!" 
 Mexico he would be ri;cognized and im- 
 mediately ordered to execution. "The 
 break will be made tliis morning," said 
 he, "if I have (o make it all alone and 
 single handed; T would rather die fight- 
 ing like a man, here, than to be lefl out 
 and shot like a felon at Perote." 
 
 Few of us gave heed to the chill of 
 the morning air. The murkey dawn an- 
 nounced the approach of a great crisis, 
 and it found the men ready, eager and 
 waiting for the signal. There was no 
 unusual movement observable among the 
 men: there was a total absence of that 
 spirit of levit.v and good-natured badi- 
 nage that had prevaile<1 the evening be- 
 fore; a silence that presaged the coming 
 of a great event in our lives prevailed : 
 the men stood in groups, or sauntered in 
 api)arent li.stlesness about the narrow 
 confines of our prison as dumb, submis- 
 sive eatt'e, waiting the coming of the 
 pound master to dole out the mnrning 
 provender. Men looked into each others 
 faces with inquiring eyes and read de- 
 cision in every countenance and grim 
 determination in e\ery eye. Our shackles 
 were lo be broken, the grave had less 
 lerror.s than the dungeons of Perote, our 
 backs were to be turned towards Santa 
 Anna's boasted capital. ,. ' "aces 
 
 toward home, Texas, and liberty. What 
 greater incentive to nerve men to daring 
 deeds? I s^v men grasp each others 's 
 hands in silence, as if in greeting, en- 
 couragment congratulation,, or a final 
 larewell. each, seemingly, realizing that 
 the minute hand of time was swiftly ap- 
 proaching lh(! stroke of tioom, or the 
 chime of ficedom for r.ver 200 brave men. 
 It was a scene fit to arouse the war gods 
 of antiquitj', and to connnand the admir- 
 ation of the world. The Spartans at 
 Thermopylae were led by tried and ex- 
 perienced odicers and in their hands 
 swor<ls, sjiears and lances; the immortals 
 wlui went down in the Alamo stood be- 
 hind walls r.f masonry while their un- 
 i-rring eyes glaTiced along the gleaming 
 barrels of tl> ■ deadly rifles. The Captives 
 of Mier, cold, hungry, their emanciated 
 forms el. d in rags that fluttered in re- 
 sjionsivf «alute to the mountains' chillincr 
 breath ; these stood in expectant silence 
 awaiting the signal to spring upon a 
 vigilant, heavily-armed foe. Weapons? 
 Rare hands, more deft in the arts of 
 peace than implements of warfai'e 
 Armor? Rugged breasts that never ((nak- 
 ed with fear, always turned to the enemy, 
 and faces that never blanched in the pre- 
 sence of danger. Rut these coarse, 
 brawny hands were not without missiles 
 and rude implements of hurtling desisrn. 
 Let me relate one instance: At Saltillo. 
 one of our guards derisively cast at 
 Rate Berry's feet an old cast-off infantry- 
 man's .iacket, a mass of tatters that, 
 ordinarily, a rag: picker would have 
 kicked aside. Ever on the alert. Berry 
 tool,- it up and fin-ding one of the sleeves 
 pnrtifill.'- in tact, removed it and coji- 
 cenled it underneath the folds of his 
 own dilapidated raiment. With this 
 empt.\- s'eeve aiul a small round stone, 
 ■weighing about one pound, he fashioned 
 a slingshot, and with this rude and 
 primitive weapnn he brainwl two of the 
 guards when the break was made — his 
 first blood ?)tTeriiig on the aHar of revenge 
 All eyes were fixed upon Sam Walker 
 and Captain Ryan as they careles.sly ad 
 vanced towai^ls the doorway leading in- 
 to the compartment occupied by the 
 guards. Captain Ryan after looking 
 through the gateway, turned an<l said 
 something to those who stood near, and 
 the word was soon whispered around : 
 "Too late: tlie Red Caps were already 
 under arms!" Rvan and Walker still 
 
THE ADYFA'TURES OF A MIER PRISONER 
 
 stond ill the (iooi-\v;iy ns if wiiiting, while 
 ('apt. Cameron stood a lew stops directly 
 in their rear. Tlie sun wa.s risinj^f, the 
 silpDce most oppressive, and the suspense 
 amounted to torture. Suddenly Capt. 
 Cameron threw oft" his hat and p^ishing 
 up Ills sleeves, his face aflame witli a 
 stranfife li^ht shouted: "Now is your 
 tfnie! Come on. boys!" With Walker at 
 his side, these two vn-re the first to rush 
 through the jrateway, each grappling 
 with a sentinel whom they disarmed and 
 knoeked doM'n. With piercing shouts 
 and deal'ening yells our men jionred 
 through the gateway, crushing the feeble 
 resistance offered until they reached the 
 stack of arms at the south wall; this 
 point reached, and seeing us in po.ssession 
 of their guns, the guards either begged 
 (juarter oi tied precipitately through the 
 front gatewaj'. A few stoutly resisted. 
 Iiiit these were knocked down, run over, 
 ilisarmed and a few killed. It was here 
 that Berry got in his deadly work with 
 his sling-shot. Wiicn I got to the stack 
 of guns I grabbed a short musket, but 
 imagine our chagrin when we found that 
 the guns were not loaded. During this 
 brief time the Red V:q)s were firing, but 
 it seemed more like a rambling, desultory 
 fire, without any particular aim, and 
 when we had siezed the guns and were 
 making a rush for the amunition, these 
 valient Red Caps took to flight, joined 
 by the Infantry, or those who had suc- 
 ceeded in getting out of our reach. As 
 T passed through this main entrance I 
 saw the brave Dr. Brenham and a man by 
 the name of Lyons lying dead. Both 
 had been Santa Fe prisoners, and had 
 fallen as they emerged from the en- 
 closure. One or two others whose names 
 T do not recall, had been killed near 
 them. 
 
 Ir recjuired only a brief moment to sup- 
 ply ourselves with amunition, and seeing 
 the I\Iesieans scampering off in every 
 directiofi a rush was made for their 
 horses which were being held near by. 
 Of these we captured about 100 head, 
 sufticient to mount less than half of our 
 men. Five of our men were killed in 
 this action and a number wounded. We 
 paroled our prisoners with the distinct 
 understanding that the wounded we 
 would be compelled to leave should re- 
 ceive Jiumane care and treatment. We 
 spent a couple of hours burying our 
 fallen comrades, making our wounded— 
 
 those to be left Dehind — as comfortabU 
 as possible, collecting amunition, provi- 
 sions and other things that would prove 
 useful on our journey. Next to the arms 
 and horses our most important capture 
 was the military chest, which contained 
 $1,400. 
 
 Along about 10 o'clock we faced abo«t 
 and took /'up the line of march for horns 
 and Texa'?. We took turn about riding 
 and walking, and with radiant faces 
 pursued the route we had followed after 
 leaving SaUillo, and during the re- 
 mainder of that day and a few hours of 
 night travel we covered the distance that 
 required two days' travel while under 
 gujird. In other words, we halted at a 
 point 'wliere we had camped two nights 
 before. Here, finding a house well filled 
 with corn, we fed our horses, ate supper, 
 remounted and proceeded about six miles 
 and went into camp. The next morning, 
 finding ourselves within about ten miles 
 of Saltillo. a halt was called and the 
 question submitted as to whether we 
 should, leave .the main road and try to 
 make our escape through the mountains 
 or pursue our pjeseiit course and take 
 chancees on cutting our way through. 
 Our most sagacious leaders opposed 
 leaving the main highway. They readi- 
 ly admitted the force of the argument 
 advanced by those in favor of the moun- 
 tain route. True, they said, the news 
 of our uprising will travel on the wings 
 of the wind, a large force will doubtless 
 be in waiting to intercept us at Saltillo. 
 and even should we get past the town 
 in safety, every mile of the road to 
 the Rio* Grande will be beset with 
 dangers. But in the face of this, con- 
 sider what we have acoomplished this 
 day. With bare hands we have over- 
 come our enemies, three to one, captured 
 their arms, we ought to vanquish any 
 number of convict soldiers Santa Anna 
 may send against us. Take to the moun- 
 tains, they argued, and we are lost. We 
 would have to encounter all the extermes 
 of heat and cold, traverse trackless 
 wastes, climb lofty heights, follow the 
 meanderings of boulder-strewn canyons 
 and hew our way across arid plains set 
 with forests of hurtling cactus, without 
 food, without water, with absolutely no 
 hope of escape. 
 
 The question was put to a vote and * 
 majority stood in favor of the mountain 
 route. Fatal decision ! 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF A MIER PRISONER 
 
 The break at Salado was made Feb- 
 ruary 11, 1843, and after leaving the 
 road and directing our wandering steps 
 into the mountains, I soon lost al) reckon- 
 ing as to dates. 
 
 Leaving Saltillo to Hie right, we struck 
 into the mountains, and for two days we 
 traveled over abandoned trails and roads. 
 In the afternoon of the third day we 
 came to a small station occupied by a 
 few soldiers. Captain Cameron sent 
 John Brennan fonvard to ask if we could 
 obtain water and provisions, but when 
 he approached within hailing distance 
 he was ordered away on pain of being 
 .shot, learning of which Cameron decided 
 it best to proceed without further dis- 
 turbance. The next day we came to 
 another military post, and as we ap- 
 proached, the occupants opened a brisk 
 fire upon us at a distance of at least 500 
 yards. "Comncts," said Patrick Mahan, 
 "just out of the penitentiary, and the 
 officers want them to get used to the 
 sound of their own guns, which are about 
 as safe at one end a.s at the other, and 
 little harm in either." 
 
 We did not return their weakling fire 
 but passed on. The next morning we 
 struck a road, and after traveling some 
 distance, came to water and went into 
 camp, and while resting at this point an 
 Englishman, accompanied by a Mexican 
 officer came to us and inquired for our 
 leader. Captain Cameron was pointed 
 out, and after introducing himself and 
 discoverine that Cameron was a Scotch- 
 man, the Briton became quite communi- 
 cative and displayed the most friendly 
 solicitude for our well-being. He said 
 he knew the country, and gave Cameron 
 explicit directions with regard to the 
 route be should pursue, and on parting 
 ofipered the Captain a well filled purse 
 as an earnest of his friendship. This 
 was politely declined the Captain inform- 
 ing him that he already possessed ample 
 funds for present wants. All the while, 
 the Mexican maintained slilence. and 
 after their departure we were unable to 
 surmise the object of his coming unless 
 he came as a sj).v. However, we followed 
 the EngVihman's directions until towards 
 night, when certain signs ami surround- 
 ings led us to ooTiclude tliat he was a 
 treacherous rascal, a ^•^llainous .spy in 
 the pay of Santa Anna, and that his ob- 
 ject was to lead us into a snare. Where- 
 upon we aban(^onec! thfi route designated 
 
 by the Englishman, and the day follow- 
 ing we ascended to the summit of a higli 
 mountain, and from (uir lofty elevation 
 we discovered a canyon, which, bavin;: 
 its source near the base of the mountain, 
 stretched awa.v toward the east, tin 
 course we wanted to pursue. We mail' 
 our wa.v down the rugged side of tlii^ 
 mountain and entered the canyon, and il 
 seemed the farther we advanced tlic 
 higher the perpendicular walls of granite 
 grew and the more broken and difficult 
 the surface of the boulder-strewn floor, 
 with here and there breaks or falls of 
 two to four feet at first, but increasing 
 in height, or rather depth, as we pro 
 ceeded. Over a number of these it be 
 came necssary to push our horses, whicli 
 was rathi-r perilous. an<i a few of tiir 
 poor animals sustained severe bruises 
 and contn.sioiis in the operation. Having 
 passed one of these declivities of six feet 
 perpendicular fall, we came to one of at 
 least fifteen feet, forming a farrier that 
 forbade all hope of further advance with 
 our horses. The .six-foot wall was just 
 behind us, at our feet was a fifteen-foot 
 precipice; we could neither advance nor 
 retrace our steps; we could on'y kill our 
 faithful horses. It was a sad, heart 
 rending ordeal, and touched the most oh 
 durate heart. These patient animals 
 had borne us thus far, and even now, 
 while we were planning their destruction 
 in their famished condition, their gentlo 
 lustrious e.ves were turned upon us ap 
 pealingly for relief. But there was im 
 alternative; we also were threatened 
 with starvation, and the .sacrifice had td 
 be made. The die was cast, the horses 
 were slaughtered, and some of the jnen 
 drank their warm blood in order to re- 
 lieve their consuming thirst. As the 
 meat of these horses was beinc prepared 
 for transportation, some of the men went 
 down the can.von in search of water, 
 which was found in a basin two miles 
 below. The quantity was small, about 
 twio barrels, and T made two trips with 
 as many Spanish gourds as I could carry 
 when filled. In tl'.ose da.vs the Spanish 
 gourd was used instead of the canteen 
 Here a division was made of the $1,400 
 we had captured, m.v portion amount 
 ing to .$7.0(». 
 
 From this point of desolation we re- 
 sumed our march, each man carrying a 
 supply of raw horse meat. Ours was a 
 dry camp that night and we traveled a]! 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF A MIBR PRISONER 
 
 next day without water. In the after- 
 noon of that day Captain Cameron dir- 
 rcicd that those having sufficient strength 
 ri-maining should scour the country to 
 five right and left of our course and 
 search for water, while he, with those 
 so nearly exhausted, would move for- 
 ward to a designated mountain peak in 
 the distance, where we would all rendez- 
 vous. I went with the squad that turned 
 to the right and after a fruitless search 
 «e ascended the mountain and waited 
 until all the men came up. From this 
 point we saw in our front a broad valley 
 with a lofty range of mountains beyoaid, 
 and in this valley there was a small 
 round mountain, which Captain Cameron 
 jvointed out and said we would leave 
 that elevation on our left. 
 
 Water! water! was the cry of the fam- 
 ishing men, and some, through sheer ex- 
 haustion, had thrown away their guns 
 and blankets. We descended the moun- 
 tain. I among the foremost, and when I 
 reached the valley my thirst was so in- 
 tense that I struck out alone in search of 
 water, and finding none, went to the top 
 of the little round mountain, where I had 
 an exceUent view of the surrounding 
 I'ountry, but discovered no indications of 
 water anywhere. It was a vast picture 
 of aridity and desolation. Borderinig on 
 despair, I threw mj' blanket over a bush 
 to shelter me from the scorching rays of 
 the sun and lay down in the shade thus 
 afforded to await the coming of Cameron. 
 In a short time Jack Johnson and Gibson 
 came up. The evening was far advanced 
 and as Cameron failed to appear, we con- 
 cluded that he had changed his course 
 and g^n€ in the direction of a mountain 
 pass that we could see northeast of us. 
 
 A little to the left of that gap or pass 
 we could see two very high peaks with a 
 low elevation between them, and realiz- 
 ing the probability that this pass or gap 
 would be guarded, we decided that we 
 would avoid the pass and attempt to 
 cross over the low swell between the 
 two peaks. Acting upon this decision 
 we three set out and traveled the remain- 
 der of the day and night, our famished 
 condition rendering our progress slow 
 and extremely painful. A heavy fog 
 prevailed next morning, somewhat to 
 our relief, and as we entered a small 
 valley we suddenly came upon four of 
 our comrades, Ackerman, Arthur, Cash 
 and Jim Neely. Our little s^uad now 
 
 numbered seven and we pushed on in the 
 direction of the peaks until noon, when 
 we halted, and while trying to pres.s ji 
 little moisture from the piths of a 
 species of dagger tree Gibson wandered 
 away and was lost — delirious of thirst 
 and hardship. 
 
 We six finally reached the base of the 
 mountain and during the night made the 
 ascent, reaching the summit an hour or 
 two before daylight. Here we lay down 
 and slept, and during my sleep I had 
 one of those peculiar dreams experienced, 
 it is said only by those on the verge of 
 dissolution from* thirst and starvation. 
 I was being welcomed at home, and 
 was at a great feast prepared by gener- 
 ous relatives and frie<nds. Long tables 
 laden with viands, rich, rare and bounte- 
 ous, were before me, and I was urged 
 to eat. I craved water, only water, and 
 when this was forthcoming I emptied 
 each jar as it was brought to me and 
 called for more. Each draught seemed 
 to inflame my thirst, and yet on one of 
 the vast company seemed astonished at 
 the amount of water I drank. My 
 thirst was unquenchable. 
 
 From this tantalizing creature of a 
 distempered brain I awoke at daylight. 
 We dragged our emaciated bodies dowji 
 the mountain side and as we reached the 
 ])lain we glanced up to the right and our 
 eager eyes caught the silver sheen of a 
 waterfall. Glorious vision ! We hasten- 
 ed around the point of the mountain 
 and came to a beautiful stream of clear, 
 cold water. We had bee(n four days 
 without this life-preserving element, and 
 here we rested during the remainder of 
 the day, drinking and bathing and 
 feasting on the now partially spoiled 
 hoise meat that yet remained. 
 
 Leaving this stream we proceeded on 
 our eastward course, and after traveliu'r 
 quite a di.stance we discovered a man 
 on foot pursuing a road that led north- 
 ward, and on taking our bearings we 
 found that we wen; near the entrance to 
 a pass through which the road led and 
 fearing to go through this pass during 
 the daj^time, we went into concealment 
 and lay by until nightfall, after which 
 we entered the pa.ss, where we found 
 water, and while replenishing our water 
 gourds a horseman passed near us, going 
 northward. As soon as he passed out 
 of hearing we follosved, find after pro- 
 ceeding about a lailft vre emerged from 
 
THE ADTEXTT-KES OF A MTER PRISONER 
 
 the pass an»J (■iiUm-ihI a valley. Jim 
 Neely liail reniaiiicd a short flistanc(! he- 
 liind as a sort of rear gruarrl. and when 
 we Lad pone some distance in the valley 
 he came up and said some one was dog- 
 gfingr our stops. On this notice we moved 
 off about forty yaids from the road and 
 waited develoiimcTits. Tlie moon was 
 shining, and presently a footman came 
 along. When opposite whvre we lay 
 he halted, ami alter a moment as if 
 listening, he called out in a low tone of 
 voice: "Boys, where are you?" The 
 stranger jji'oved to be Major Oldham, 
 and I never saw a man so overjoyed to 
 get back into good, but very forlorn, 
 company. The Major reported as fol- 
 lows: "I remained with Capt. Cameron 
 two days alter you left him and from 
 the time of your departure the men 
 maddened with thirst, began to wander 
 off. singly and in groups, searching for 
 water. No persuasion, no advice or 
 counsel could deter them; they were 
 crazed with burning, consuming thirst, 
 the Mexicans picking them up here and 
 there. Captain Pearson, with elevem 
 men, myself included, became separated 
 from the others and while searching for 
 water. I and Thompson being consider- 
 ably in the rear, a squad of cavalry sur- 
 rounded Pearson, capturing him and 
 the men with him. The Mexicans failed 
 to see us, and hence our narrow escape. 
 When this cavalcade had gone I and 
 Thom|)son proceeded in quest of water, 
 and when we came to a pass in the 
 mountains we discovered a Mexican 
 camp. By this time Thompson was wild 
 and said there was water in that camp 
 and he was going to get it. I tried to 
 dis.suade him, but to no effect. He was 
 determined and, giving me his gun and 
 ammunition, we shook hands and he was 
 off. This occurred during the night, 
 and to avoid discovery, when daylight 
 came T concealed myself in a deep gulley 
 and remained there all day, my position 
 being in full view of the Mexican camp. 
 .About .sundown a large body of Mexican 
 cavalry passed near me, going in the 
 direction of the gap in the mountain 
 where they went into camp. This oc- 
 (•u])ancy of the gap forced me to climb 
 the mountain in order to evade the 
 enemy thus placed on guard, and when 
 I had accomplished this toilsome feat 
 T descended into the gap, where I found 
 water the first I had obtained in five 
 
 days. After satisfying tu .M.iiic <'.\lriil 
 my thirst I filled my only water vessel, 
 a tin cup. and resumed my journey 
 northward and con.tinued until overcome 
 with exhaustion. 1 dropped down and 
 slept, until morning, and when I awoke 
 a bird Avas sitting on my breast almost 
 siilitting his liltle throat with his morn- 
 iiig song. When I moved he flew away, 
 and I regarded the incident as being a 
 goo<l omen; it gave me new courage and 
 I resumed my travels with a lighter 
 heart and continued until 1 overtM.ik 
 vou boys." 
 
 With the arrival of .Major ojdliam 
 our i)arty again numbci'ed sc\'en, and 
 pushing ahead, avi- Irave'ed the remain- 
 der of that night and all next ilay with- 
 out water. Late in the evening we came 
 to an arroyo where we expected to 
 find more water, but not a drop 
 was to be found. After resting awhile, 
 .lolinsoii and Cash proposed going up the 
 ai-royo as far as a designated iioinl. 
 where they Wiuld remain in waitini: 
 for us while we explored certain gulelies 
 that led off in the direction indicated. 
 They firmly believed that water could be 
 found somewhere in that vicinity. Later, 
 wheo we reached the point designated, 
 a small elevation, these two men were 
 nowhere to be seen, and made no 
 response to our lepeated calls. With 
 heavy hearts we went forward. I love<l 
 Cash, and it grieved me to lose him in 
 that impossible wilderness, and my 
 grief was greatly intensified long after- 
 ward when I learned that he was 
 among those recaptured who drew the 
 black bean at Salado and was cruelly 
 murdered 
 
 Our little squad of wanderers was 
 now reduced to five and that night, still 
 being without water, we lay down and 
 slept until morning, when, upon rising, 
 we discovered that we were at the head 
 of two "draws" or valleys. Mr. Acker- 
 man said he would follow down the one 
 on riglit while we moved down along 
 that on the left, and that we would 
 meet at the confluence of the two. 
 which did not seem very far distant. 
 We never saw Mr. Ackerman again. 
 On reaching the conHuence of the two 
 valleys, we waited and called repeateilly, 
 but receiving no answer and giving him 
 up for lost, we continued our course, 
 our number now being reduced to four, 
 and after having traveled several hours 
 
THE ADYEXTT'RES OF A MTER PRISONER 
 
 \vp came to a dry ari'oyo, where wc 
 found eattle traeks. whieh ^ave us the 
 assuranee that water was near at hand. 
 Followinp the cattle sigrn ui) the arroyo 
 we had not prone far wlien Major Oldham 
 iind Mr. Arthur yielded to exliaustion. 
 Levinp: them with the promise that if 
 we found water we wiuld return to their 
 succor, I and Neely pushed forward 
 but we had not ])i-cceeded very far when 
 T also had to fall by the wayside. Neely 
 left nie to continue the search, and in 
 about half an hour I heard his signal 
 announcing the discovcr.y of water. lie 
 hurried back with the good tidings, and 
 related having seen an old bull at the 
 watering place, wliieli he said I must 
 kill, as we needed beef. While Neely 
 Avent to the relief of Major Oldham and 
 Arthur I managed to reach the water 
 hole, whieh I found contained very litt'e 
 water. However, with my hands I 
 scraped out a basin in the yielding mud 
 and clay and soon had a bountiful sup- 
 ply. Meanwhile my three comrades 
 had come up, and after a short rest 
 Neely borrowed the Major ',s gun and we 
 set out to kill the old bull, whieh we 
 succeeded in doing after having fired 
 three shots and engaging m almost a 
 hand to hand fighr, before bringing him 
 down. In the entire party there was 
 only one knife, an old worn out jjocdcet 
 knife, and with this makeshift we found 
 it a laborious task removing sutfieient 
 hide to enable us to carve out a few 
 chunks of meat 
 
 We remained there two day,^ and 
 nights, resting, recupei-ating, drying 
 meat, feasting on tough roasts and re- 
 l)airing our footwear with bull hide. 
 Major Oldham mended his gun stock 
 which Jim Neely had liroken ovei- the 
 head of the old bull. 
 
 We left this camp greatly refreshed 
 late one evening and during the night 
 Neely and Arthur because *parated 
 from us. niseo\-ering theiv absence we 
 ascended a high ridge nearby and called, 
 .shouted, fired our gun and waited, but 
 tliey did not answer, and we two. Major 
 Oldham and I, were forced to proceed 
 without them, and pledging ourselves 
 to stay together, even to the end. we 
 •set forth, persuaded that those brave 
 men who had separated from us did so 
 through choice, preferring to take 
 chances alone rather than risk them- 
 .selves in the companv witli olhpis ;inii 
 
 (ui tlie ]irinciple tliat one man can pass 
 unobserved through a country easier 
 than a |)arty of men. 
 
 That night we rested in a stony valley 
 that trended northM-ard. and this we 
 followed through the day, pas.sing large 
 foi-ests of pine and oak. Late in tlie 
 evening we came to the head of this 
 valley and next morning we reached the 
 top of a mountain, from which we saw 
 in the distance catt'e grazing in a valley 
 that lay in front. We descended into 
 this valley and, after a toilsome da.v's 
 travel, went into camp, as usual, with- 
 out water. During the night a 'possum 
 vi.sited us, was captured, and, after go- 
 ing a short distance next morning. ,we 
 found water, roasted our 'possum, made 
 a euj) of horsemint tea, and feasted; 
 our sujiply of bull beef having been ex- 
 hau.sted. That evening we reached a 
 stream and along toward sundown we 
 saw eattle coming to water. Here was 
 a chaiuee for more beef, and taking my 
 stand near a deep cut or trail in the 
 bank. T waite<l until a nice, fat two-year- 
 old heifer came along and shot her. 
 We biult a fire and began barbecuing 
 the nu'at. whieh we found far more pala- 
 table than our late ration of bull beef. 
 
 Here let me say, that from this time 
 until we i-eaclied San Antoino, my nar- 
 i-ative cannot reeollect dates and details 
 of eneli day's travel. We had lost ail 
 record of time. 
 
 Loading ourselves with a good sui)ply 
 of nice beef, we broke camp and travel- 
 ed three days iu a northeast course, 
 without water. At last we came to a 
 dry arroyo and, following it .some dis- 
 tance down stream, we came to high 
 t)lul1' beneafli which was a depression. 
 With iu>- iiands 1 scraped (Uit a mnall 
 jiit in this dejiression and soon had a 
 supiily of water. After satisfying our 
 thirst, we noticed a number of bees 
 swarming around t)ic water and T soon 
 obtained a "bee course" following which 
 about 200 yards below, I di.sciovered a 
 bee cave in the wall of the arroyo, about 
 eiglit feet from the base. With Major 
 Oldham's bayonet we scooi)ed out all 
 the honey our tin cujis would hold and 
 went into eaimp. Either from eating 
 too much honey or from the effects of 
 tile bee stings, the Major came near 
 dying that night, but by morning relief 
 came and he was able to stir around. 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF A MIER PRISONER 
 
 the lower ends, revisited the bee cave 
 and fdled them with honey for future 
 use. 
 
 Late iti the after noon, next day after 
 leavinp our ))oe camp, we came into a 
 road, and a few minutes later we were 
 overtaken by a young Mexican on horse- 
 back. In response to our inquiries he 
 said he lived lon the road about a league 
 distant. He seemed quite obliging, 
 gave us some leaf tobacco an-d a cake of 
 brexid, and refused the offer of pay, say- 
 ing that all our wants would be supplied 
 and kind hospitality accorded us on 
 reaching his home. His seeming gener- 
 osity so far wrought upon the major 
 that, over my protest, he allowed him to 
 carry his gun, the Major hardly able to 
 walk because of physical exhaution ; the 
 riddance of the burdensome gun was a 
 great relief. Darkness overtaking us, I 
 told the major he must recover his gun, 
 that that Mexican, like all others of his 
 class, was a rascal. The major yielded, 
 and when he asked for his "shootin' 
 iron" the Mexican put spurs to his horse, 
 and that was the last of the major's old 
 musket. A few minutes later we beard 
 the barking of dogs and from this we 
 inferred that the Mexican had reached 
 home. The night was intensely dark, 
 with a misting rain, and we could scarce- 
 ly follow the roail, but moved forward 
 until we found ourselves in what seemed 
 to be a village, or a large ranch, judging 
 from the number of lights that issued 
 from a number of doors and windows. 
 To avoid di.scovcry, we turned off to the 
 left and entered an irrigated field where, 
 for some time we floundered around in 
 mud, slime, and ditches, until we 
 came at a late hour to a rippling stream 
 about forty yards wide and rather deep. 
 We forded this river with great diffi- 
 culty, as the water was over waist deep 
 and very swift. Being much taller in 
 stature, I had to carry our scant baggage 
 over and then return and assist the 
 major. We next found ourselves in a 
 dense swanp, and, finding a place com- 
 parati-vely dry. we halted and slept un- 
 til morning. Rising early we proceeded 
 on our way, and that evening we found 
 our.selves in a sheep range and coming 
 up with a herder, we took charge of him 
 and tried to purchase a sheep, which he 
 positively refused to sell, saying they 
 were not his i)roperty and that he had 
 nci nnthority to dispr.sc of even one 
 
 sheep. Wc gave him to understand that 
 we were hungry and were going to have 
 a mutton, and with certain very effective 
 powers of i)ersuasion we induced him 
 to catch the fattest finest sheep in the 
 flock, one of our own selection. For 
 his trouble we gave him the head and 
 hide, paying him a dollar for the sheep. 
 T also gave him 25 cents for an old sway- 
 back butcher knife, which I lost a few 
 days later. We asked this honest 
 simpleton many questions which, I 
 believe, he answeied correctly in so far 
 as his very limited knowlege cxtendtid. 
 We told him we were on our way to 
 Kendalia, but when bcj'ond his sight 
 we changed our course, went into camp 
 on a river and barbecued our mutton. 
 
 From this place we traveled two days 
 and nights without water, and on the 
 second day while resting, prone upon the 
 ground, we heard a low, sullen roar, 
 the source of which we decided was a 
 Little to the right of our course. We also 
 decided tliat it was the sound of a 
 waterfall, which it proved to be. Pushing 
 on down the mountain through the dark- 
 ness, we reached the falls of a beautiful 
 river, where we camped, made a cup of 
 mint tea and devoured the last of our 
 mutton supply. 
 
 Continuing up the river valley the 
 next day, late in the afternoon we found 
 ourselves in another sheep range, and 
 while seeking the shepherd we came up- 
 on his shanty and flock pens. We enter- 
 ed this jacal, or shantj', took possession 
 and made ourselves quite at home. 
 Looking around we found a mug of goat's 
 milk and a small supply of tortillas, 
 which we promptly transferred to the 
 department of the interior. Wc also 
 found about three quarts of shelled 
 corn and a small amount of mutton suet 
 which found lodgement in our wallets. 
 This was all in the way of provisions, 
 we could find; among other things, in 
 the herdsman's wardrobe I found a pair 
 of tanned goat skin pants, all complete 
 save the waistband. Of my old pants 
 all that remained was the waist band. 
 These new pants fitted me to a fraction, 
 and, splicing them on my old waistband. 
 I went forth as proud as any boy with 
 his first pair of breeches. A bunch of 
 kids were playing about the pens and 
 wc tried to secure one of these, but fail- 
 ed on account of our extreme weakness 
 from hunger (in^ hardships, Leavinp 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF A MIER PRISONER 
 
 this ranch and going some distance, we 
 found a secluded place where we lighted 
 a fire, parched a supply of corn in the 
 embers, and that, with the mutton suet, 
 formed the menu for our supper, which 
 we greatly enjoyed. 
 
 Before us was a river, and to get 
 across this deep stream was our next 
 task. We soon came to a point where 
 there was an island, where we found a 
 fallen tree across the other channel, 
 which was quite deep, and on this foot- 
 log we passed safely to the opposite 
 shore and without water we traveled the 
 two days following, and on the third 
 day a furious 'norther blew up. and owing 
 to the intense cokl we were forced to 
 lay by a day and n.^ght, following there 
 came a heavy frost,- and after this had 
 cleared away we set forward and late 
 that evening I became deathly sick. 
 Major Oldham made a fire and did all he 
 could for my relief, but I steadily grew 
 worse, and believeing: that my hour had 
 come, I begged him (to leave me and try 
 to make his way thA-ough, that we were 
 starving, and it would be folly for him 
 to waste time in a hopeless case. He re- 
 minded me of ou'- pledge to stand by each 
 other through all danger, and that he 
 would not violate that obligation. Dur- 
 ing the day following the Major's at- 
 tack of illness at the bee cave camp, he 
 came upon an herb Avhich was in great 
 repute among the house/lvives in Texas 
 as being a sovereign remedy for a great 
 variety of ills. This herb; he said was 
 balmona, and he pulled up a handful 
 and stowed it away in his w^let for use 
 in case of an emergency. I When he 
 found that my cf.se was really serious 
 he thought of his herb and br»(wed a cup 
 of the most villainous eonip<iund I ever 
 tasted. In a short time it took effect, and 
 the elt'ect was nearly as fierce as the 
 disease, but it brought me^ around, and 
 by morning I was able ti( move about. 
 In the afternoon I was fible to travel at 
 a slow gait and an reachmg an elevation 
 we could see ahead of us a long belt of 
 timber, and when withiii- about a mile 
 of this timber, we discovered a couple of 
 deer, and taking my gun, Oldham man- 
 aged bj' stealth to kill one of these, 
 which we carried to the timber which as 
 we surmised, was on the bank of a large 
 bold river. It being near night we 
 went into camp, and while I went to the 
 river to get water the Major roasted the 
 
 deer's liver and some venison. We had 
 no salt, but the viands were savory and 
 greatly relished. Going down to the 
 river bank next morning, we decided 
 that we had reached the Rio Grande and 
 joy filled our souls as we gazed upon the 
 opposite shore and said to each other, 
 "That is grand old Texas!" We 
 traveled down the river two days seek- 
 ing means of crossing, and on the morn- 
 ing of the third day we came to an old 
 stock pen built of poles. We were 
 elated over the find and proceeded to 
 make a raft. When it was completed. 
 Major Oldham mounted the front end 
 of our raft, while I toiok station aft, and 
 with poles we launched forth on our 
 voyage and landed safely in Texas. 
 Removing our slim cargo we set the raft 
 adrift and continued our course, down 
 the valley, and on the second day we 
 discovered .signs which convinced us 
 that we were approaching a settlement. 
 We bore to the left, being satisfied that 
 we were near Laredo, and it was our 
 plan to lave the towTi t>o the right and, 
 if possible, to get into the San Antonio 
 road. It was now night, and "there be- 
 ing so many noads we became confused, 
 and crossed the one we were seeking 
 without being aware that it was the San 
 Antonio route, so we . decided to halt. 
 Next morning we heard a church bell, 
 which seemed close by, and found our- 
 selves near the river below town. Tak- 
 ing our bearings, we set out, and soon 
 came to a road that seemed to lead in 
 the right direction, and while deliberat- 
 ing on the advisability of following this 
 road, a Mexican rode up within forty 
 yards of us, halted, and while eyeing us, 
 I called out, "Buenas dias, amigo!" 
 whereupon he wheeled his horse and fled 
 with all speed back the way he came, 
 toward town. Just then we concluded 
 that we could get along without a road, 
 and turning eastward, we pi-oceeded 
 a dense chaparral, satisfied that 
 the pelado who had discovered us would 
 soon have a gang of his eompaneros at 
 our heels. After going about teu miles 
 we came to a creek which we recognized 
 as one we had crossed during our march 
 to Laredo, and nightfall being at hand, 
 we went into camp. The next morning, 
 after proceeding about two hundred 
 yards, we came to the San Antonio road. 
 Befoi-e entering this road we peered 
 cautiously up and down the road to s«e 
 
IK Al)\ IvN'I'l 
 
 <>!• A .Ml EH PRISONER 
 
 if the way was plear, and about four 
 liiindreil yards north of us we saw a 
 .Mt^xican standing near his horse as il' 
 waiting,' for some oni-. We, sceinf? no 
 way to get around him, concealed our- 
 selves in a gulch nearby, which emptied 
 into the creek. From this hiding place 
 we watched the Mexican, and ai'ter 
 waiting a short while he mounted and 
 rode down to the creek and watered 
 his hor.se within twenty steps of us, tlien 
 rode up on the bank, dismounted, and lay 
 down while his horse was allowed to 
 graze. He was not thirty steps away. 
 We could almost hear him breathing, 
 and we decide<i to arrest him, take him 
 along for a day's travel and , then turn 
 him loose, afoot. We needed his horse. 
 Just as we were about to carry this jilan 
 into effect, a large ]Kirty of Mexicans 
 were seen coming down tiie road from 
 the direction this Mexican had come. 
 Being in the gulch, well hidden by the 
 tall grass, we hugged the ground, now 
 and then peering out to observe the 
 enemy, thinking probably that after all 
 our miseries and hardships we might be 
 iliscovered, retaken, and that, too, so 
 near home. But fortune once more 
 favored us. The cavalcade passed on, 
 within a few steps of us. The lazy 
 pelado remounted and joined his 
 imlsanos, and they were soon out of sight, 
 going toward Laredo. Our natural con- 
 clusion was that the fellow whom we had 
 liailed near town had hastened into 
 Laredo, told of having seen two Te.janos, 
 and this was the returning company 
 that had been sent to head us oft" and 
 i-ecapture us. 
 
 After a wearisome day's travel, that 
 night we camped at tlu' "Thirty Mile" 
 water hole, and tlie night following we 
 reached the Nueces without incident, 
 save that during the evening I found A 
 pair of .saddle baggs which contained a 
 Texas soldier's regulation coat, three 
 shirts, a fine silk handkerchief, some to- 
 bacco and a few bars of lead. The coat 
 iiud shirt came as a godsend. Wc were 
 needy. On the next day our meat suji- 
 ply failed; deer were plentiful, but we 
 faiUd to kill any, although the major 
 (ired several shots at close range. When 
 we reached tlie Frio river we found a 
 great many wild turkeys. I wasted 
 three shots trying to kill one without 
 success. Those Mexican muskets were 
 not made for a Texan. The next morn- 
 
 ing Major (')ldhaiu fired our last i-ound of 
 powder at a deer and brought it down 
 in its tracks. By this time our hunger 
 had become ravenous, and removing the 
 liver, we hasilly built a fire and cooked 
 and ate it in short order. The meat we 
 barbecued after carrying it with us until 
 we came to watei-. Two days later wt- 
 reached tiu' Medina river, where we 
 pa.ssed tiie night with a hospitable Mex- 
 ican, from whom we learned of the re- 
 capture of our comrades and that every 
 tenth man had been shot. We also 
 learned that it was then the foin-th day 
 of April — nearly two months since we 
 made the break at Salado, and yet it 
 seemed an age. Tjie next day we reach- 
 ed San Antonio. 'Pwo prouder and yet 
 more ragged. unecJuth and more forlorn 
 looking men never p.ntered the plaza of 
 that old town. Mcii, women and chil- 
 dren gazed at tis 'with wonder until it 
 became quickly known that we were 
 Mier prisoners who had escaped from 
 Salado, and when )rliis news was carried 
 through the city \ve became the object 
 of a solicitude and eomjiassion which we 
 felt that we did nott altogether merit. 
 Tn truth the attentions we received were 
 so generous and spt)ntaneous that to an 
 extent they became embarassing. Homes 
 were thrown open to ns, the town was 
 ours, every Avant was anticipated and 
 supplied, clothing, saddles, bridles, and 
 horses to carrj; us home. For tliree days 
 we enjoyed rthe s])!endid hospitalities of 
 the great-pOuled peoj^le of San Antonio, 
 and during which time a great many — 
 fathers, 'pothers, wives and sisters — 
 flocked to us to learn the fate of sons, 
 brothers, husbands or relatives. 
 
 From 'Ran Antonio we went to our 
 homes in Kayette county, where there 
 was a repetition of the hospitality shown 
 l)y San Antonio and where we had the 
 same questions propoundeil and the same 
 answers to render. This closes the ac- 
 count of my capture and escape as a 
 member of tile Mier expedition, an ac- 
 count as nei.r correct m its details as I 
 can give frjo'iii memory, it being written 
 for niv chililren ai'.d grand children. 
 
 FRONTIER TIMES, devoted to Fron- 
 tier History, Border Tragedy and Pioneer 
 Achievement. Published monthly at 
 Bandera, Texas. $1.50 per year. 15c 
 per copy. Send your subscription to J. 
 Marvin Hunter. Bandera, Texas, 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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