The report was that Filisola had dispatched General Adrián Woll with 400 men to protect the port of Corpus Christi, and that a part of his troops had already arrived. Since Caldwell had only 25 men with him, and 150 soldiers from Matamoros were expected to appear on the scene at any moment, he decided to release the captain of the Commanche and return to the settled area of Texas for re-enforcements. On his return toward San Patricio, Caldwell discovered, when about twenty-five miles from the place, a large Mexican cavalry unit of some 150 men in pursuit of him. The Mexicans, however, stayed at a respectful distance and permitted the Texans to cross the Nueces unmolested.

From his spies, Caldwell learned that Savariego with about seventy men had encamped on a small stream thirty miles west of the Frio, to which point he had recently escorted a party of thirty Cherokees, who had been to Matamoros to confer with the Mexican authorities and were proceeding eastward with mules loaded with ammunition and clothing. A treaty, it was said, had not been concluded between the Indians and the Mexicans, but the Indians were to return in two months to learn the determination of the Mexican government. It was also learned that a Mexican colonel had been among the Shawnees during the past spring, endeavoring to incite them against the Texans, but that he had apparently met with no success. Finally, Caldwell's spies had learned that the Mexican forces did not intend to cross the Nueces, but had received "express orders to continue in the vicinity of the bay of Corpus Christi and to act on the defensive."

Upon the arrival of this news at Texana, Colonel William S. Fisher, Brigadier General Edwin Morehouse, and Colonel Pinckney Caldwell issued a call to the people of Matagorda County to cooperate with them in expelling the invader, and set August 7, as the date for volunteers to rendezvous at Texana. The volunteers were duly fitted out, and left Texana on the 7th for Corpus Christi. En route they were joined by similar units from Matagorda and other places. A party of Tonkawa Indians[30]  accompanied Caldwell. Ere the volunteers reached their destination, the truth of the Mexican intentions in respect to Corpus Christi was reported at Matagorda. It seems that the Mexican government had not contemplated establishing a customhouse at that place, but that the Mexican consul at New Orleans had sent out a