of artillery, we then advanced upon Goliad, the
strongest fortress in Texas, which likewise capitulated in about four
weeks' time. We were now masters of the whole country, and the war was
apparently at an end.

But the Mexicans were not the people to give up their best province so
easily. They have too much of the old Spanish character about
them--that determined obstinacy which sustained the Spaniards during
their protracted struggle against the Moors. The honour of their
republic was compromised, and that must be redeemed. Thundering
proclamations were issued, denouncing the Texians as rebels, who
should be swept off the face of the earth, and threatening the United
States for having aided us with money and volunteers. Ten thousand of
the best troops in Mexico entered Texas and were shortly to be
followed by ten thousand more. The President, General Santa Anna,
himself came to take the command, attended by a numerous and brilliant
staff.

The Texians laughed at the fanfarronades of the dons, and did not
attach sufficient importance to these formidable preparations. Their
good opinion of themselves, and contempt of their foes, had been
increased to an unreasonable degree by their recent and rapid
successes. They forgot that the troops to which they had hitherto been
opposed were for the most part militia, and that those now advancing
against them were of a far better description, and had probably better
powder. The call to arms made by our president, Burnet, was
disregarded by many, and we could only get together about two thousand
men, of whom nearly two-thirds had to be left to garrison the forts of
Goliad and Alamo. In the first named place we left seven hundred and
sixty men, under the command of Fanning; in the latter, something more
than five hundred. With the remaining seven or eight hundred, we took
the field. The Mexicans advanced so rapidly, that they were upon us
before we were aware of it, and we were compelled to retreat, leaving
the garrisons of the two forts to their fate, and a right melancholy
one it proved to be.

One morning news was brought to Goliad, that a number of country
people, principally women and children, were on their way to the fort,
closely pursued by the Mexicans. Fanning, losing sight of prudence in
his compassion for these poor people, immediately ordered a battalion
of five hundred men, under the command of Major Ward, to go and meet
the fugitives and escort them in. The major,