went farther than the Cibelo Mineral Springs, where he knew that Dr. Smithers and two others were staying for their health. These three sick men he barbarously murdered, and thereby made himself master of Dr. Smithers's fine American horse, which his family drove in a buggy to the Rio Grande.5 Seguin, however, upon his return, reported to General Woll that all the Texian settlers had fled from the Guadaloupe. When General Woll found the Texian re-enforcement coming up, and that Seguin had deceived him, he laid violent hands upon every means of transportation in his reach. Among other things, he seized a large number of carts, into which he crowded his and our wounded in piles, many of whom died for want of medical assistance; and we are informed by Captain Fitzgerald and Mr. Van Ness that only two of their wounded recovered; their wounds not having been attended to for eight days, they were become past recovery.

With all General Woll's hurry in his flight homeward, [35] at the Rio Hondo he found Caldwell upon his heels. His retreat became a flight and a panic; and had the Texians charged him, as all now agree, and as all then seemed to be anxious to do, his whole force would have fallen an easy prey. Much has been said against Caldwell and others for not so doing, and the blame has been charged upon several; but the writer has not been able to satisfy his mind that any particular individual was to blame. It seems to be one of those mischances in war, more the result of accident or the want of promptness than the absence of bravery. It was, however, a national misfortune that he was permitted to escape to the west side of the Rio Grande, after murdering forty-one, and carrying off sixty-seven of our best citizens.6

General Woll had persons in his employment well calculated for spies and pilots, and adepts in robbery and murder. Among the principal of these was Antonio Periz7 and John M. Seguin, both of whom had been constantly in the employment of our government; and when they witnessed the determined efforts of President Houston to destroy the seat of government and break up our western settlements, their cupidity prevailed over all their love for Texas, and they determined to have a share in the general plunder, a result of which is the universal consequence of a broken-up frontier. Besides, from the melancholy account which President Houston had just then promulgated to the world of the condition [36] of Texas, they had the weakness to believe that she must again become an integral portion of Mexico. This they believed was a most favourable opportunity to reinstate themselves in the favour of their mother-country. In 1836 they had been traitors to that country - the country of their language, laws, religion, and birth - and now, Mexican-like, they sought to reinstate themselves by an act of compound treason upon us. What possible justification in the eyes of honourable men could Seguin have for this?8 He had enjoyed the confidence and favour of three administrations; he had uniformly been in high