the trail, but a few hours old, it was not until the following afternoon (March 28), that the Texans, who had pushed forward as fast as their horses could travel, were able to arrive within close proximity of the Mexican-Indian party. At a place on Mill Creek[37]  near the Guadalupe, later called Battle Ground Prairie, about half an hour of sundown the Texan spies came in sight of Córdova's party. The men were lying around carelessly on the grass while their horses grazed with their saddles on and it was thought that Córdova had halted to rest, unaware of his pursuers. However, it was later learned from prisoners that Córdova had spies ahead spying out the situation at Seguin,[38]  five miles to the west, with the object of sacking the town that night. At this time Seguin (formerly Walnut Springs) was a very small settlement of about twenty-five heads of family; including John Sowell, Asa Sowell, Ben McCulloch, Henry McCulloch, Andrew Neill, James H. Callahan, Wilson Randall, and T. N. Menter. Three prominent Mexican families lived in its vicinity. On the south side of the river lived a Manuel Flores and José M. Cárdenas, who each possessed large ranch properties, and north of town José Antonio Navarro and Luciano Navarro had ranches on San Geronimo Creek[39]  in what came to be northwestern Guadalupe County. Receiving the report of his scouts, Burleson, one of those who never believed in postponing until tomorrow what could be done today, especially when it came to frontier fighting, spurred his men forward and came within sight of the enemy in an open grove of post oaks through which ran a small ravine.

In preparing to attack, Burleson divided his men, sending Captain Andrews' Company to the right and Captain Billingsley's to the left. Now for the first time Córdova was aware of impending danger, and he quickly formed his men to meet the attack. As the Texans moved into position, the line of battle assumed the form of an inverted "V".[40]  The fight commenced at the head of a ravine around which the Seguin