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the enemy onto a steep bluff on the banks of the North San Gabriel about twenty-five miles from the newly selected capitol site of Austin. The bluff was so steep and precipitous that it was impossible for the enemy to descend. Finding himself now in a rather tight situation, Flores, evidently with the design of giving his men an opportunity to find a crossing, rallied a few of his companions and made a charge upon the Texans, who discovered him just in time to take advantage of a live oak grove near by. With some eight or ten men, Flores desperately charged to within fifteen or twenty paces of the Texan position, and fired a volley without effect. The Texans, who had just dismounted, did not have their horses hitched, and were, therefore, ill-prepared to receive the enemy's charge; but William Wallace, "who happened to be a little quicker than the balance, had gotten in position ready for action, and just as Flores was in the act of wheeling his horse to retreat, Wallace took good aim, fired, and at the crack of his gun, Flores rolled from his horse upon the ground, shot through the heart."[75] Two of Flores' companions were also killed. The remainder of the charging Mexicans broke and fled to join their companions who, in the meantime, had succeeded in finding a crossing. Abandoning all of their horses, except those they rode, and leaving mules, baggage, munitions of war, and other things behind, the Mexicans fled rapidly towards the mountains beyond the San Gabriel, presumably proceeding towards the Brazos to cross near the falls. Too tired to pursue them further, and feeling themselves amply rewarded for their efforts, the Texans collected 114 horses and mules and other items, including about 300 pounds of powder, a like quantity of shot, balls, and some bar lead.[76] From Flores' 75. Wilbarger, Indian Depredations in Texas, pp. 163-164. 76. A most fantastic tale to come out of the fight with Manuel Flores, judged by some well-known Texan historians as being probably "one of the most important Indian fights that ever took place in Texas," was that concerning a German by the name of Karl Steinheimer, who was said to have been a member of the Flores party. Steinheimer, it was said, had been associated with Luis Aury, the pirate, and had later mined gold in Mexico for twenty years before he learned that a woman whom he had "wooed but not won or forgotten" was still living in St. Louis. Casting his lot with Flores, he started out with ten burro-loads of gold to see her. While the Texans pressed close upon the Mexicans at the San Gabriel, the German effected his escape with the ten heavily laden burros. According to the story, he found himself in an unfriendly country infested with Indians, and is said to have buried his valuable treasure. He was later reported to have been killed by Indians, but not before he had written his lady friend a letter describing |