olorado and the Brazos, and are we to abandon them to these
thieves? Old Austin[H] would rise out of his grave if he heard the
footsteps of the murderers upon the prairie. No, General--must be at
them--must conquer or die!"

"Must conquer or die!" was echoed through the crowd; but the old general
sat whittling away, as cool as a cucumber, and seemed determined that
the next victory he gained should be in his own camp.

"Boys," said he--and he stood up, took another quid, shut his knife, and
continued--"Boys, you want to fight--very praiseworthy indeed--your
courage is certainly very praiseworthy;--but suppose the enemy brings
artillery with him, can you, will you, take the responsibility of giving
battle before our tardy fellow-citizens come up to reinforce us? How
will you answer it to your consciences, if the republic falls back under
the Mexican yoke, because an undisciplined mob would not wait the
favourable moment for a fight? No, no, citizens--we must retire to the
Brazos, where our rifles will give us the advantage; whilst here we
should have to charge the enemy, who is five times our strength, in the
open prairie. Don't doubt your courage, as you call it--though it's only
foolhardiness--but I represent the republic, and am answerable to the
whole people for what I do. Can't allow you to fight here. Once more I
summon you to follow me to San Felipe and all who wish well to Texas
will be ready in an hour's time. Every moment we may expect to see the
enemy on the other side of the river. Once more then--to the banks of
the Brazos!"

The old general walked off to his tent, and the crowd betook themselves
to their fires, murmuring and discontented, and put their rifles in
order. But in an hour and a half, the Texian army left their camp on the
Colorado. Sam Houston had prevailed, and the next evening he and his men
reached San Felipe, and, without pausing there, marched up the river. On
the 30th March the first squadron of the enemy showed itself near San
Felipe. The inhabitants abandoned their well-stored shops and houses,
set fire to them with their own hands, and fled across the river. The
Mexicans entered the town, and their rage was boundless when, instead of
a rich booty, they found heaps of ashes. Houston had now vanished, and
his foes could nowhere trace him, till he suddenly, and of his own
accord, reappeared upon the scene, and fell on them like a thunderbolt,
amply refuting the false and base charge brou