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the Nueces on September 20 to join Zapata, the Indians were on foot, "the rest mounted, without tents, bread or money, not one man in the company having $5.00."[68] Ten days later, numbering some 600[69] effective men, including the Texans, the Federalists reached the Río Grande opposite Guerrero, where they were joined by the 150 men under Zapata. At this point Canales determined that the expedition should no longer continue under the Texas flag, and over the protest of Colonel Ross, the "Lone Star" flag was abandoned.[70] With the main force of Federal Mexicans, Ross and Roman crossed the Río Grande at Carrizo (now Zapata) below the Salado on the night of September 30, and took up a position southeast of Guerrero on the road to Mier. Jordan and Zapata were to cross their troops at a point above the Salado. Canales and his men, mostly Mexicans and Indian allies lingered behind. On October 1, after encountering some delay in crossing the river, probably caused by a limited number of boats,[71] the Federalists, about 100 in number evenly divided under Lieutenant Colonel Jordan[72] and Zapata, crossed the Salado above its 68. "Information from Major [Richard] Roman," in Lamar Papers, VI, 136. 69. Arista reported the force being fitted out on the Nueces as consisting of 830 persons. Mariano Arista, "Proceso institutido contra los extranjeros Victor Lupín y Benito Watman acusados de haber tomado armas contra el Gobierno de la Republica, March 26, 1840," Exp. Núm. 1360, Legájo Núm. 34 (1839-1842); the U. S. Consul at Matamoros says that 300 Texans participated in the attack on Mier on November 1, 1839. D. W. Smith to John Forsyth, Matamoros, Nov. 10, 1839, no. 160, in Consular Dispatches (U. S.), 1837-1839 (Matamoros), ms., microfilm. "A gentleman just from the Río Grande" reported early in November that on October 26 he had encountered encamped near the river 3,000 Federalists and 300 Texans, who intended to march against Mier to repossess several pieces of artillery which the Centralists had taken from the Federalists. Colorado Gazette and Advertiser, Nov. 2, 1839. 70. "Information from Major [Richard] Roman," in Lamar Papers, VI, 136. The American consul at Matamoros reported that the Texan flag was displayed triumphantly over the walls of Mier. This rumor, however, was explicitly denied by Canales. D. W. Smith to John Forsyth, Matamoros, Nov. 10 and Dec. 24, 1839, in Consular Dispatches (U. S.), 1837-1839 (Matamoros), ms., microfilm. 71. In the dry season, when the river was not in flood, the Indians frequently swam the Río Grande, transporting their belongings across on rafts made of buffalo hides, with one between four of them holding to the raft with one hand and swimming with the other. 72. La Brisa (Matamoros), Nov. 8, 1839. Hill declared that no Mexicans participated in the taking of Guerrero -- that they were all in the lower division with Ross. He also recalled the garrison as numbering 320 strong; whereas, Major |