raised a company at San Antonio and marched to the Río Grande, but had gone no farther than Laredo by the time Canales surrendered.

While Canales was in Austin, Cárdenas proceeded to Victoria, accompanied by Colonel Juan N. Margain (a staff officer), Don Manuel Nina[73]  (quartermaster general), and other officers of the army of the new republic, arriving there on the evening of April 7. At Victoria public sentiment in favor of the Federalist cause was "as warm as it is possible for it to be," wrote an observer;[74]  and over at Matagorda, the editor of the Colorado Gazette and Advertiser expressed confidence in the final triumph of the Federalists, "for they have the sympathy of all Texas to back them and in less than six months they will have the cooperation of 1,000 American riflemen, who will soon shake Bustamante's unholy tottering throne to its centre."[75]  Prior to crossing the Guadalupe at the Paso del Gobernador, a short distance above town, the Mexicans sent across a request for permission to enter Victoria, having done the same at La Bahía (Goliad) before passing through that place. At Victoria the whole population of the community went down to the river, and the local officials and a body of horsemen escorted the Federalists to quarters provided for them in the town. Reported an eye-witness,

The scene at the crossing was most interesting and extremely beautiful -- Their recognition of members who had recently returned from the Federal army and had been preparing to join them, was affecting and mutually affectionate -- the beautiful banks of this bounding river need no accessories but the files of men and horses fording above, the officers and attendants crossing in boats below, the costumes, Mexican accourtrements and trappings, pack mules and lead horses, and above all the associations connected with the idea of a young and chivalrous government retreating from despotism, to recruit and sojourn in a foreign country, formed an event long to be remembered by the spectator -- few marks of depression were shown, and if any, it was rather with the Americans who accompanied them than those who were preparing to return to the frontier; the Mexicans were soon