f, and was captured by half-a-dozen Texian robbers, who took him
on to the Texian army.

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

The expedition to Santa Fe, by which the Texians broke the peace,
occurred in the autumn of 1841; the Mexican army entered Texas in the
spring of 1842, sweeping every thing before them, from St. Antonio di
Bejar to the Colorado; but the Texians had sent emissaries to Yucatan,
to induce that province to declare its independence. The war in Yucatan
obliged the Mexican army to march back in that direction to quell the
insurrection, which it did, and then returned to Texas, and again took
possession of St. Antonio di Bejar in September of the same year, taking
many prisoners of consequence away with them.

It was the intention of the Mexicans to have returned to Texas in the
spring of the year, but fresh disturbances in Yucatan prevented Santa
Anna from executing his projects. Texas is, therefore, by no means
secure, its population is decreasing, and those who had respectability
attached to their character have left it. I hardly need observe that
the Texian national debt, now amounting to thirteen millions of dollars,
may, for many reasons, turn out to be not a very profitable investment.
[See Note 1.]

But to return to the Santa Fe expedition. Texians were deprived of
their arms and conducted to a small village, called Anton Chico, till
orders should have been received as to their future disposition, from
General Armigo, governor of the province.

It is not to be supposed that in a small village of about one hundred
government shepherds, several hundred famished men could be supplied
with all the necessaries and superfluities of life. The Texians accuse
the Mexicans of having starved them in Anton Chico, forgetting that
every Texian had the same ration of provisions as the Mexican soldier.

Of course the Texians now attempted to fall back upon the original
falsehood, that they were a trading expedition, and had been destroyed
and plundered by the Indians; but, unfortunately, the assault upon the
sheep and the cowardly massacre of the shepherds were not to be got
over.